As predicted, Apple’s Scary Fast event focused on M3 iMac vs M1 iMac. We got to witness a new MacBook Pro 14 and 16-inch, as well as a 24-inch iMac, all powered by Apple’s newest M3 processors. Nonetheless, many of us were eyeing the new iMac, which had been refurbished after three years. But should you actually upgrade? Let’s find out with this comparison between the 2023 M3 iMac with the 2021 M1 iMac.
Design Comparison: M3 vs M1 iMac
From the outside, the new M3 iMac 24-inch looks just like the M3 iMac vs M1 iMac, which was introduced in 2021. While it was believed that the new M3 iMac would have a bigger display, it still has a 24-inch 4.5K display in an ultra-thin shell available in seven colors.
Along with this, you still have the same 1080p FaceTime camera, a six-speaker sound system that supports Spatial Audio, and studio-quality microphones, which, to be honest, have been fairly good and don’t require any changes.
Chipset comparison: M3 vs M1 iMacÂ
The processor is the only area where Apple’s freshly refurbished 24-inch iMac has seen a considerable performance boost over the 2021 M1 model.
Apple’s new M3 iMac vs M1 iMac chip is based on TSMC’s 3nm design and has 25 billion transistors. It has a new 8-core CPU with four performance and four efficiency cores, resulting in up to 35% quicker performance than M1.
Aside from a speedier CPU, the M3 iMac vs M1 iMac includes a new 10-core GPU built on a newer architecture that supports Dynamic Caching, which allows the Mac to assign additional RAM to the GPU dependent on the activities being done.
This, along with support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing, propels the M3 about 65 percent quicker than the M1 in graphic-intensive workloads.
Pricing Comparison: M3 vs M1 iMacÂ
Despite the fact that the new M3 iMac is basically comparable to the M1 iMac, Apple has kept the base model priced at $1299 and the maxed-out variant at $1699. Furthermore, Apple has discontinued the M1 iMac. So, if you want one today, you’ll have to buy it from a third-party merchant.
For a more extensive breakdown of the price for the 24-inch M3 iMac, please see the table below or go to apple.com.
| 24-inch M1 iMac Specs | 24-inch M3 iMac Specs | Pricing |
| 8-Core CPU + 7-Core GPU 8GB Unified Memory 256GB SSD storage 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports Magic Keyboard | 8-Core CPU + 8-Core GPU 8GB Unified Memory 256GB SSD storage 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports Magic Keyboard | $1299 |
| 8-Core CPU + 8-Core GPU 8GB Unified Memory 256GB SSD storage 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports 2x USB 3 ports Gigabit Ethernet Magic Keyboard with Touch ID | 8-Core CPU + 10-Core GPU 8GB Unified Memory 256GB storage¹ 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports 2x USB 3 ports Gigabit Ethernet Magic Keyboard with Touch ID | $1499 |
| 8-Core CPU + 8-Core GPU 8GB Unified Memory 512GB SSD storage 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports 2x USB 3 ports Gigabit Ethernet Magic Keyboard with Touch ID | 8-Core CPU + 10-Core GPU 8GB Unified Memory 512GB SSD storage 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports 2x USB 3 ports Gigabit Ethernet Magic Keyboard with Touch ID | $1699 |
Should you consider upgrading to the 24-inch M3 iMac?Â
Now for the final question: Should you actually upgrade the 24-inch M3 iMac? No. In my view, you should avoid upgrading to the M3 iMac since you won’t get much more than a new chip in a dull old design with those irritating white bezels surrounding a 24-inch 4.5K display and restricted back I/O ports.
Don’t get me wrong: Apple’s new M3 iMac vs M1 iMac processor is more than capable of delivering performance. However, like with the M1, it cannot execute tasks designed for Apple’s high-end Pro and Max processors. Even if you upgrade, you will still be able to perform the same things you could with the M1 iMac, but at a somewhat faster speed.
In summary, if you currently have a 24-inch M1 iMac, there is no need to upgrade to the new M3 iMac vs M1 iMac model. However, if you want to buy your first Mac in an All-in-One configuration, the 24-inch M3 iMac should be your first choice.
