New Apple iMac: Best iMac For Photo And Video Editing In 2022: Top Options For Every Budget
These are all the best iMac options available right now, not forgetting the brand new super-slim iMac 2022! The best iMacs for photo editing in 2022
Like MacBooks, the best iMacs are beloved by creatives, photographers, and anyone else who wants to get some work done. The macOS operating system has been refined and improved over the years and has one of the most streamlined interfaces, syncing perfectly with popular editing applications such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Premiere Pro.
As it stands, we rate the 2020 27-inch iMac as the best iMac for serious image or video editing. Its large screen size and extremely powerful spec options make it a real powerhouse of an editing machine... if you have the cash to splash on a more powerful configuration.
Alternatively, there's the new 2021 24-inch iMac. It's priced more deliciously than its 27-inch sibling, and it packs Apple's great M1 system on a chip, which is fast and yet both super-efficient and cool-running. The 24-inch iMac is also beautifully slim and can be had in 7 different color options, making it a real object of desire. The only reason we don't rate this as the No. 1 iMac for editing an image or video is because like its M1 MacBook cousin, you can't imagine more than 16GB of RAM. This may be limited to intensive image/video editing right now and is likely to become an issue in the future as image and video resolutions always increase, especially since you cannot upgrade the RAM in the iMac after purchase.
Alternatively, third-party retailers still stock older iMac machines that have now been discontinued by Apple itself. They may be old iMacs, but they still pack a punch, and with a healthy discount, you just might get a delicious deal.
So without further ado, here are the best iMacs, at the best prices...
Top 5 Best New Apple iMac In The World
1. Apple iMac (27-inch, 2020) - New Apple iMac
2. Apple iMac M1 (24-inch, 2021) - New Apple iMac
3. Apple iMac (27-inch, 2019) - New Apple iMac
4. Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 2019) - New Apple iMac
5. Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 2017) - New Apple iMac
Which is the best iMac?
Apple iMac (27-inch, 2020) It may be a predictable choice, but the latest 2020 version of the 27-inch iMac is our top pick of the iMac range. It comes with the latest tech, including 10th-generation Intel processors, powerful discrete graphics, and plenty of RAM.
1. Apple iMac (27-inch, 2020) - New Apple iMac
The new 27-inch iMac is jaw-dropping in practically every way
GOOD
- Stunning 5K display
- Hugely powerful when specced up
- Quiet under load
BAD
- SSD upgrades are expensive
It may be a predictable choice, but the latest 2020 version of the 27-inch iMac is our top pick of the iMac range. It comes with the latest technology, including 10th generation Intel processors, powerful discrete graphics, and plenty of RAM. You also get a decent number of storage options – although the higher-capacity SSD options are pretty pricey. Best of all, the built-in screen is simply stunning, with Retina 5K (5,120 x 2,880) resolution and Apple's True Tone technology for accurate color. There's also an option to upgrade to nano-textured glass with a matte finish etched into the glass to help eliminate reflections and glare, although this adds a whopping $500/£500 to the price.
2. Apple iMac M1 (24-inch, 2021) - New Apple iMac
The latest iMac combines power and beauty
GOOD
- Slim design with 7 color choices
- Powerful and efficient M1 SoC
- 4.5K Retina display
BAD
- Only 16GB max memory
- The 23.5-inch screen can be restrictive
- Expensive SSD upgrades
At the heart of the new 24-inch iMac is Apple's brilliant M1 system on a single chip, which combines all the main aspects of a computer on a single chip, much like a phone or tablet. It is extremely fast and efficient and has given a major concern to traditional computer processor manufacturers such as Intel and AMD.
The iMac M1 has the same 8-core processor as the MacBook's cousin, but it's paired with a 23.5-inch Retina screen with a whopping 4.5K (4480 x 2520) resolution and an eye-popping 500-nit brightness. Factor in DCI-P3 color space coverage, as well as Apple's excellent True Tone technology, and this display is certainly a big hit with creatives seeking the best possible viewing experience.
The 24-inch iMac looks great even when closed, thanks to its incredibly thin screen and the fact that you can choose from 7 body color options.
The only drawback here is that, like the M1 MacBook, the M1 chip can only be specified with a maximum of 16GB of RAM. When you're editing high-resolution, multi-layer image files or 4K video, it can quickly get eaten up, especially if you have multiple web browser tabs open at the same time. You won't be able to add more RAM in the future, so if you really want a future-proof iMac, the 2020 27-inch model (above) is still the safe choice, provided you specify it with 32GB of RAM or more.
3. Apple iMac (27-inch, 2019) - New Apple iMac
Still a brilliant all-in-one photo editing Mac
GOOD
- Stunning 5K display
- Quiet under load
BAD
- SSD upgrades are expensive
Although it's no longer the latest model, the 2019 iMac 27-inch still delivers great performance with cutting-edge components, all packed into a sleek design that would look great on anyone's desk.
You can choose from 8th and 9th generation Intel processors up to 8-cores for great multitasking performance. It's not the most powerful iMac anymore, but it's arguably the best value, and the best iMac for photo editing if you can't quite stretch to the 2020 iMac.
4. Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 2019) - New Apple iMac
A great iMac for smaller spaces
GOOD
- Affordable price
- Perfect size for a small home office
BAD
- Only a little cheaper than better models
With an entry-level 27-inch iMac costing around 60% more than a base 21.5-inch model, the latest baby iMac is a tempting proposition. Its compactness is also a bonus if you're tight on desk space, but if you can make room for the 27-inches, we'd wager that once you've spent a few days editing on the larger display, you won't want to use anything smaller.
However, the 21.5-inch iMac is an undeniably impressive piece of kit, featuring a quad-core processor along with dedicated Radeon Pro graphics, plus that all-important Retina 4K display - and all for a terrifically reasonable price tag. However, if you invest just a bit more you can get quite a lot more bang for your buck, so this option is more for those who are working with a very limited amount of space.
5. Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 2017) - New Apple iMac
An affordable compromise
GOOD
- Gorgeous 4K, P3 color display
- Excellent value
BAD
- Poor audio performance
- Showing its age
Like the 27-inch iMac, if you don't mind getting slightly older hardware, you can save a decent amount of cash when buying a 21.5-inch iMac for photo editing. The 2017 model is showing its age now, but it still delivers acceptable performance when it comes to photo editing.
It also incorporates that coveted all-in-one design about the iMac and the 21.5-inch model less dominates when placed on a desk. Perfect for small offices and studios. Even with the smaller screen, it still looks great if you specify it with Retina Display to deliver excellent image quality, and if you're one of the faster quad-core processors and 16GB of RAM or more. If you choose, you should have a powerful performance.
The best iMac for photo editing: what to look for
What should you look for when searching for the best iMac for photo and video editing? The main thing is to look at the specifications and find out what you need; While any modern iMac is going to be able to edit photos with ease, some are more suited to heavy workloads or ultra-high resolutions than others.
First things first, you need to choose your screen size. The smallest 21.5-inch iMacs are still available—for now, but for most photographers and video editors, 27-inches are the way to go. The extra room gives you great space for both your image and the various editing palettes around it. The new 24-inch iMac could still be better, though - the screen is smaller, the M1 processor in the M1 MacBook Air, M1 MacBook Pro, and M1 Mac Mini has already shown its enormous power.
Another important thing to consider is how much RAM you want. For iMacs, 8GB is now the basic spec, and while that's enough for light image editing, open a bunch of tabs open in your web browser while adding multiple layers to a high-resolution PSD file and see what happens to the performance. . Given that RAM isn't user-upgradable in a regular (non-Pro) iMac, we strongly recommend specifying 16GB or more at the time of purchase, to maximize the useful lifespan of your new machine.
If you're using your iMac to edit video, the speed of the graphics card is also important, as this can significantly speed up export times. Again, the entry-level 21.5-inch iMac is best avoided, as it doesn't have a dedicated graphics card. All other iMacs get proper Radeon Pro graphics, though the 27-inch iMacs use the newer, faster model (that extra space gained from the larger screen makes room for more powerful internals), and the 2021 iMac gets formidable shared graphics. processing power is available. M1 chip.
Storage space is also an important consideration because, unlike Windows laptops, you can't open and replace a regular iMac's hard drive. All iMacs, 21.5-inch and 27-inch alike, now get a fast SSD drive as standard, so there's no waiting for a clunky traditional hard drive to spool up. However, 256GB is the default capacity for the 21.5-inch model and the entry-level 27-inch. That's not really enough to give you enough storage space for the lifetime of your usage—upgrading to at least 512GB is required. If that's not financially feasible at the time of purchase, you can always invest in an external hard drive, which is a more affordable way to give you more space to hold your photos. Look for external hard drives that include SSD (Solid State Drive) and use a Thunderbolt 3 port, as this gives you the fastest possible transfer speeds.
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