Apple iMac M4 2024, 24GB, 512GB SSD, Green

The M4 iMac is the best-looking, best-sounding all-in-one you can buy, and it's finally fast enough for everyone. Just skip the storage upgrades and get an external SSD.

The M4 chip is a genuine step up. In our database, this thing's GPU sits in the 90th percentile, which is wild for integrated graphics. It chews through photo and video editing tasks that would make older Intel iMacs sweat. The 10-core CPU is no slouch either, landing in the middle of the pack against all desktops, but that's a bit misleading. For single-core tasks, which is what most people actually do, it's an absolute rocket. The 24GB of RAM in our test unit is the sweet spot, letting you keep a million browser tabs and several pro apps open without a hint of slowdown. The only real surprise was how quiet it stays under load. You have to put your ear to the chin to hear the fan.

The iMac doesn't really have direct competitors in the all-in-one space. Windows machines like the HP OMEN GT22-3080, Lenovo Legion Tower 5a Gen 10, Dell Area-51, The Horizon Pcs Autherium Dragon PITPJ7JXJ, and ASUS ROG GM700 are gaming-first beasts with dedicated GPUs that will run circles around the M4 in games, but their screens and speakers are a joke in comparison. The Lenovo Legion 34IAS10 is a gaming AIO with a curved ultrawide, which is cool, but it's a completely different animal. If you need serious gaming performance, skip the iMac and get one of those. For everyone else, the real competitor is Apple's own Mac mini M4 paired with a nice 4K monitor. That combo can be cheaper and more flexible, but you lose the integrated elegance and that gorgeous 4.5K display.

The value story is a bit of a rollercoaster. The base $1,299 model with 16GB of RAM is a fantastic deal. But our 24GB/512GB configuration is where things get tricky. Prices for this spec swing wildly from $1,700 to $2,099 across vendors. At the low end, it's a solid buy. At the high end, you're getting into "just buy a Mac mini and a Studio Display" territory. If you can snag it from Best Buy at the lower end of that spread, you're golden. Just do not, under any circumstances, pay full retail for the storage upgrades. An external Thunderbolt SSD is way cheaper.

The M4 iMac is the best all-in-one for most people, full stop. It's not even close. Apple took the already excellent M3 design, dropped in a meaningfully faster chip, and doubled the base RAM to 16GB. The result is a machine that handles everyday work, creative projects, and even light gaming with zero fuss. The real story here is the display and the speakers. That 24-inch 4.5K screen is a joy to look at, and the six-speaker sound system is shockingly good for a computer this thin. If you want a desktop that just works, looks great on your desk, and doesn't need a rat's nest of cables, this is it.

If you're looking for a gaming rig, this isn't it. Go get an ASUS ROG or HP Omen desktop instead. If you already have a great monitor and just want Mac power on a budget, the new Mac mini M4 is a smarter buy and will save you a pile of cash.

The M4 iMac is the king of the all-in-one hill. It's the machine you buy when you want a powerful, beautiful computer that disappears into your life. It's not for hardcore gamers or people who love to tinker with internal components. But for a family computer, a home office workhorse, or a creative studio centerpiece, it's nearly perfect. Get the base model with 16GB of RAM if you're on a budget, or find a deal on the 24GB version. Just don't pay Apple's absurd prices for more internal storage. Buy an external drive and call it a day.