Apple iMac M3 (2023) Review

About the Apple iMac M3

The iMac is an all-in-one desktop computer that comes with the Apple Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard with or without Touch ID, depending on the configuration. It’s available in seven different colors, all of which are super vibrant and unique: green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. Pricing starts at $1,299.

Hardware-wise, the iMac’s M3 processor comes with either an 8-core or 10-core integrated GPU, but the 8-core CPU remains the same. The base iMac comes with 256GB of SSD storage, and 8GB of memory, but can be configured with up to 1TB of storage and 24GB of memory. The faster model comes with two additional 10Gb/s USB-C 3.0 ports and can be configured with up to a 2TB SSD.

Apple iMac M3 specs

• Price as configured: $1,899
• Processor: Apple M3 processor (8-core CPU, four performance, four efficient), up to 4.06GHz clock speeds
• Graphics: 10-core integrated
• Memory: 16GB unified memory
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Operating System: MacOS Sonoma
• Display: 24-inch, 4480 x 2520, 500 nits max (rated), 511 nits max (measured), 100% DCI-P3, Retina display with anti-glare coating
• Webcam: 1080p Facetime HD Camera
• Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports (native support for DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 40Gb/s, USB 4 40Gb/s, USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gb/s), 2 x USB-C 3.0 ports, 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet port
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
• Power Adapter: 143W power adapter with 2-meter power cord
• Weight: 9.75 pounds
• Dimensions: 21.5 x 18.1 x 5.8 inches
• Warranty: 1-year limited warranty
• Special features: Dedicated media engine with ProRes encode/decode, AV1 decode, and hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW file support. Playback support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Dolby Atmos.

What we like

The iMac gets an M3 upgrade

Arguably, the 1st generation iMac’s biggest issue was that it debuted with an M1 processor many months after the processor was already available with MacBooks and the Mac Mini. Worse yet, the iMac didn’t get an M2 refresh. But this time, Apple debuted its newest iMac and the M3’s at the same time, so finally iMac users can catch up to the MacBooks when it comes to processing power.

For run-of-the-mill productivity tasks like writing reports or editing smaller videos, the M3 does well. Its single-core speeds are some of the fastest we’ve seen all year, and its multi-core speeds are in line with other productivity laptops and PCs like the Acer Swift Go 16 or the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i.

The iMac M3 can’t beat beefy work and gaming laptops like the Asus ROG Strix G18 or Apple’s MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max, but it was always marketed as more of a productivity and entertainment device not for the workload of a graphic designer or engineer.

A dedicated media engine and 4.5K display elevate the visual experience

For film enthusiasts in particular, the iMac’s dedicated media encoding and decoding engine is a boon. It has native support for AV1 decoding, H.264 and HEVC encoding and decoding, and of course encoding and decoding for Apple’s ProRes format. While it doesn’t matter as much for streaming media, having native support for these formats ensures that your downloaded movie files or files from a flash drive will play smoothly. H.264 and AV1 are two of the most popular file types for Blu-ray and HDR content in particular.

While it does support HDR10 and Dolby Vision, its 511 nit peak brightness (as tested) won’t bring out the kind of vibrancy and contrast you’d expect on a quality OLED monitor or TV that can reach 1,000 nits and near 0 nits on black pixels simultaneously—but in practice, a white screen at 500 nits is still bright enough to bother my eyeballs in bright office lighting.

The display’s 4.5K resolution is a welcome step up from the standard 4K monitor, especially on a 24-inch monitor. The pixel density renders text and images sharp as a tack. The full DCI-P3 coverage and solid color accuracy out of the box make it a great screen not just for cinema but also for photo editing and general work.

The screen supposedly has an anti-glare coating, but I still got a bit of glare on the screen if I sat in front of my floor lamp. Even so, it’s an easy screen to look at for 10 hours (but please remember to take breaks!).

The build quality and design are superb

The previous-gen iMac had a quirky magnetic power connector that was way too strong. But now it’s been retooled into a connector that’s much more gentle and in line with the feel of the MacBooks’ MagSafe connectors—in other words, a harsh pull on the power cable will disconnect it from the iMac and not send it crashing down to the floor or onto your foot.

But enough about power connectors. The rest of the iMac’s external body is virtually unchanged, and that’s a great thing. Its solid aluminum body and base feel sturdy and stable on a desk. While the stand still isn’t height-adjustable, it was just the right height to hit eye level without a monitor riser underneath. Under the aluminum, the iMac has a redesigned interior with better cooling and more room for hardware.

There’s not much reason to touch the iMac directly (sadly there’s no touch screen), but even so I enjoyed running my hand over the sleek, brushed aluminum finish.

And speaking of the finish, the iMac comes in seven different color options spanning the rainbow. Every single one looks awesome and will add a pop of color to any room. I desperately want to see the purple finish make its way to iPads and MacBooks—I’m so tired of white, silver, and black.

The clear sound carries through the room

With six woofers in its sound system, the iMac is not lacking for volume or clarity even if there are no dedicated subwoofers or tweeters. Getting the sound right on a body barely an inch thick is tricky, to say the least, but despite its laptop-size proportions, the iMac sounds better than most laptops and all-in-one desktops.

The iMac sounds rich, detailed, and clean across the entire audible hearing range. Sitting three feet away, the max volume averaged 80 decibels (dB) (about as loud as a chatty restaurant or a hair dryer) across a variety of music and videos.

Our only complaint (and it’s a minor one) is that its bass gets a bit boomy at higher volumes but not distractingly so. It’s not distorted, so it’s easy enough to just lower the bass in a sound equalizer.

What we don’t like

The included peripherals won’t meet everyone’s needs

The mouse, keyboard, and trackpad are so ridiculously flat they made me feel like I was using a laptop instead of a desktop keyboard. Typing on the Magic Keyboard feels anything but magical with how little space I have to work with on the board. I don’t like keyboards thick enough to be a chunkasaurus, but I like my keys to be spaced enough apart to not feel like I’m typing on a tablet keyboard.

I can’t use the Magic Mouse for more than a half hour before my hand starts cramping, either.

But it’s not all bad with the peripherals. If you can handle the ergonomics, they have unique features that make them more useful than the average desktop peripheral. The Magic Mouse’s top is a touch-sensitive panel that registers finger gestures like multi-finger swiping on a trackpad. Though, ironically, it just makes me prefer using the standalone Magic Touchpad, which… well, it’s a touchpad. It works just like a MacBook touchpad, gestures and all.

There is also an upgradeable version of the Magic Keyboard that comes with Touch ID. It’s a great security feature that’s included in the $1,499 and $1,699 base models I wish were more common across Windows desktop PC setups. But even with the Magic peripherals’ distinct qualities, I still prefer a mouse and keyboard that put ergonomics first.

Limited upgrade options

If your heart’s set on an iMac M3, make sure it’s powerful enough for your needs—there are no M3 Pro or M3 Max configuration options. Even though it’s fine for everyday mundanity, it’s still disappointing that Apple doesn’t give you the option to make the iMac M3 more powerful like the MacBook Pro 14- and 16-inch M3 Pro and M3 Max.

In that same vein, 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage for the base model feels skimpy when a 2TB SSD costs about $100 right now and a minimum of 16GB is now the golden standard for everyday use.

However, you can upgrade them both, even if it’s expensive. You can configure the iMac with up to 24GB of memory and 2TB of storage, upgrades which will cost an extra $400 and $800, respectively. That’s almost enough to get a second iMac. For $2,500, you can get a desktop PC that’s way more powerful and a monitor that’ll put the iMac to shame.

It doesn’t feel like Apple learned from the iMac M1’s reception

The iMac M1 was a great all-in-one PC for its time, but it didn’t sell well compared to Apple’s MacBooks. Many Mac loyalists who choose between an iMac and its alternatives cite the iMac’s screen size as a major drawback—especially the folks who still remember the 27-inch Intel iMacs of the 2010s.

There were also a lot of criticisms regarding the limited storage and memory upgrade options (you could get only a max of 16GB of memory!), and frankly, if I’m already shelling out $1,900 for a computer then I might as well shell out an extra few hundred dollars for a more powerful version.

The value propositions seem especially dubious compared to its Windows rivals like the HP Envy All-in-One 34 and the Lenovo Yoga AIO 9i, which both have at least as much performance (if not more) and excellent user experiences. Many people see desktop PCs as work machines first and foremost—entertainment gets funneled toward the TV and those who don’t need an ultra-powerful PC tend to prefer using a laptop at their desks for portability and simplicity.

Next generation, I hope we get a more powerful iMac variant, a bigger screen size, or both. Right now, the iMac sits at a weird midpoint of form versus function and value.

Should you buy the iMac M3?

Maybe, but only if you need macOS and a small display

It would be wrong to call the iMac M3 bad, but who is it for? Who needs this combination of features in this form factor? Visual media enthusiasts and creative professionals should pick a PC with a bigger display and/or more performance. For everyone else the iMac is exactly as powerful as the more convenient MacBook Pro 14 M3 for about the same amount of money (and remember: you can use a MacBook like a desktop PC with a discrete monitor and peripherals). The base iMac’s $1,299 asking price makes sense for its features, but the value quickly drops once you factor in the storage and memory upgrades.

If you want a simple desktop solution with a nice big display and no desktop tower in sight, you have a few options. You could get an all-in-one PC alternative like the Lenovo AIO 9i, or you could get a separate monitor, peripherals, and computer. It’s easier than ever to find wireless keyboards that look like art pieces, such as the Nuphy Air75 and the Logitech MX Keys.

If there is one thing the iMac holds over all other PCs, it’s that the iMac is truly stunning. Finding a colorful computer is hard enough, but finding one that also looks like a piece of contemporary decor feels downright impossible. It’s either a unique color or a sleek design but never both like the iMac.