iMac M4 vs. iMac M3: Is the upgrade worth it? Specs, pricing, and AI features compared

Is the upgrade from the iMac M3 to M4 justified, and does the M4 offer exclusive Apple intelligence features? Here, we compare the iMac M4 to the M3.

After months of speculation, Apple has finally released its iMac with the M4 chipset. This is one of multiple product launches expected this week. Many of you would be eager to know what upgrades this model brings over the outgoing model, which is available with the Apple M3 chipset. Questions like whether the jump from the M3 to the M4 is big, making it worth upgrading for, and does the M4 model get exclusive Apple intelligence features—would be natural at this point. Hence, let us tell you about all the upgrades that the M4 iMac features over the M3 version. Read on.

iMac with the M4 chipset comes with a slew of upgrades, but is it worth the upgrade?(Apple)

M4 Vs M3 Vs M1: How The Chipsets Compare

Well, to address the elephant in the room, yes, the M4 chipset does bring a sizeable number of improvements over the M3 and the model with the M1 chipset before that. The M4 chipset comes with a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and support for up to 32GB of unified memory.

Compared to last year's M3 model, which only had an 8-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and came with support for 24GB of unified memory.

And the model before that, the M1 chipset model, came with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and support for 16GB of RAM. In simple terms, Apple says the M4 is up to 2.1 times faster than the iMac with the M1 chip and six times faster than the most popular Intel-based Mac. For compute, it also features faster memory bandwidth with 120 gigabytes per second compared to 100 gigabytes per second on the M3 chip.

16GB RAM Becomes The Norm

Another major difference is the base memory configuration. Until the M4 generation, the iMac came with 8 gigabytes of RAM as the base memory. But now, based on reports, Apple has finally given it 16GB of base memory, and this could have been done for the longevity of Apple intelligence features, to make them run as fast as possible. On the other hand, the base storage has continued to be the same at 256 gigabytes.

This increase in RAM is expected to help with multi-layered workflows such as 4K video editing, graphic designing, and even coding.

We ourselves have experienced a major performance boost when using Apple M series computers with 16 gigabytes of RAM compared to 8 gigabytes, because the latter can often run out of memory in popular apps like Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro.

Apple Intelligence

Let's talk about Apple intelligence now. Well, just like the models with the M3 and the M1, the iMac M4 also gets Apple intelligence features. These features are already available with macOS Sonoma 15.1.

Apple hasn't differentiated with the features, so the experience remains the same across all three models. So if you are on the fence about upgrading to the M4 iMac just for the Apple intelligence features and you already own an older model like the one with the M3 or the M1 chipset, there's no point because you will get the same Apple intelligence features. However, it is possible that the M4 model will provide a faster experience thanks to the faster neural processing.

Aesthetics And Cameras

The new iMac M4 comes with multiple new finishes and comes in the following colours: blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, green, and silver.

Last year, with the M3 version, we got blue, green, pink, silver, yellow, orange, and purple. However, this year's models are slightly reworked and offer a different shade.

As for the cameras, you get a new 12-megapixel Centre Stage camera with support for Desk View. It allows for 1080p HD video recording. When we compare this to the iMac M3, it only had a 1080p FaceTime HD camera and did not support Centre Stage.

iMac M4 Vs iMac M3: Price In India And Should You Upgrade?

The iMac with the M4 chipset starts at ₹1,34,900, and this comes with 16 gigabytes of RAM and 256 gigabytes of onboard storage. This is the model with two ports, and if you want the iMac with four ports, you'll have to shell out ₹1,54,900. The price has remained exactly the same as last year, and therefore, you get more value for your money this year.

However, if you already have an iMac with the M3 chip, there's not much new to see here, especially since all the fancy Apple Intelligence features are coming to the iMac M3 too. But, there are a few specific things, like support for 8K 120FPS output, that might make some people want to get the M4 model.