27" and 24" iMac Size Comparison

[zachz]

First post on the forums so I apologize if it's in the wrong area.

Decided to upgrade from my 2012 27" iMac to the 24" iMac and so far I haven't missed the extra screen real estate.

Over the 9 years my use case has changed for a desktop so I no longer need such a big screen. I'm really enjoying the screen size as I find it the perfect in-between going from my 11" iPad/13" MBP and the old 27" -- I can still enjoy the occasional movie and game while still having enough room to have multiple apps open when working. The white bezels/chin aren't noticeable and the M1 is crazy fast for my use, but there is enough said about that already so I'll leave it at that for now.

If anyone is having trouble deciding between the 24" or the 27" replacement, or wanting to go from the 27" down to this, let me know if you have any questions or want to see any of apps/websites side by side and I'll do my best to compare them!

 

[thatsteez]

Wow that side view comparison!

 

[esphil]

Excellent, thanks for the pics. That makes me feel better, I have a 2010 imac i3 that I've been using from day 1 as my daily machine. I also have a mbp i7 I bought last year and a 34" ultrawide on my desk next to the imac hooked up to the pc. I can never get the imac positioned right and it seems like its just slightly too big. I was worried about getting this and it being too small but I needed a machine to replace this imac since i can't update it. Still waiting for my 16/1tb to ship but I think it might be the perfect size. The speed difference should be night and day. I had considered a mac mini in the past but I want a apple level quality display so the imac made the most sense again.

 

[adminkatana]

How do you find the display when reviewing photos etc going from 1440p to 4.5k? Do the white bezels bother you?

I have a 2013 27" and am interested in the change.

 

[macOS Lynx]

I'm very grateful the iMac no longer has the hump! If I had the desk space, I'd absolutely buy one.

 

[ascender]

How do you find the display when reviewing photos etc going from 1440p to 4.5k? Do the white bezels bother you?

I have a 2013 27" and am interested in the change.

I'll chip-in and say that the bezels aren't white - they're like an off-white colour and almost with a hint of grey/blue - that might be because I have a blue model.

The bezels sort of fade in to your periphery vision and the background - its a strange effect, but I really don't notice them and its actually much less jarring than having a black bezel now I've used it for a few days.

 

[Racineur]

I love the new iMac but at the same time, I see noting wrong with the hump of the actual 27. I even think it's more aesthetic than a iPad Air form factor. A rectangle is a rectangle and it's all but innovative, but the hump of the old version gives it a uniqueness. And again, see the second, third and fourth picture, what's the problem with the hump. Are there so many users that will install their iMac on a wall?

 

[ApfelKuchen]

I love the new iMac but at the same time, I see noting wrong with the hump of the actual 27. I even think it's more aesthetic than a iPad Air form factor. A rectangle is a rectangle and it's all but innovative, but the hump of the old version gives it a uniqueness. And again, see the second, third and fourth picture, what's the problem with the hump. Are there so many users that will install their iMac on a wall?

I think it's purely aesthetic. Gradually, familiarity leads to a desire to see something different. The real "bulk" of iMac is the width and height, not the depth, but i do find the straight-line, ultra-thin profile to be attractive. Not that it matters from a practical standpoint, but I do like the way it seems to nearly disappear in profile view.

 

[zachz]

How do you find the display when reviewing photos etc going from 1440p to 4.5k? Do the white bezels bother you?

I have a 2013 27" and am interested in the change.

I'll chip-in and say that the bezels aren't white - they're like an off-white colour and almost with a hint of grey/blue - that might be because I have a blue model.

The bezels sort of fade in to your periphery vision and the background - its a strange effect, but I really don't notice them and its actually much less jarring than having a black bezel now I've used it for a few days.

Totally agree! I haven't really played around with photos, but watching movies in regular HD or 1440p then going to a 4k movie is very noticeable. Looking at everything, even older games from the 2010s, look beautiful. So far the bezels haven't bothered me. When my room is dark they're barely noticeable and during the day, after a few hours of using the computer, I've gotten used to them.

When I first set it up and started using the iMac the bezels and color were definitely noticeable but now I've forgotten about them.

It may seem a bit odd calling them light grey rather than white, but when I hold my trackpad or Magic Mouse next to them, you can definitely tell they're not white and it seems that that may have something to do with them not being too distracting

 

[Surfman]

I am selling my 27” 5K iMac today, it’s a late 2015 with the 2TB fusion, was going to get a SSD put in it but figured I may as well put that towards a new one, have had the screen replaced twice cause of pink tinge by Apple at no cost.

Looks like a long wait though. I have a new 12.9” iPad Pro and MKB to keep me going.
Did you get 8 or 16gb ram and what size SSD?

 

[petvas]

First post on the forums so I apologize if it's in the wrong area.

Decided to upgrade from my 2012 27" iMac to the 24" iMac and so far I haven't missed the extra screen real estate.

Over the 9 years my use case has changed for a desktop so I no longer need such a big screen. I'm really enjoying the screen size as I find it the perfect in-between going from my 11" iPad/13" MBP and the old 27" -- I can still enjoy the occasional movie and game while still having enough room to have multiple apps open when working. The white bezels/chin aren't noticeable and the M1 is crazy fast for my use, but there is enough said about that already so I'll leave it at that for now.

If anyone is having trouble deciding between the 24" or the 27" replacement, or wanting to go from the 27" down to this, let me know if you have any questions or want to see any of apps/websites side by side and I'll do my best to compare them!

Thanks for the comparison. I am in a similar situation. I currently have a 2019 27“ iMac and I have ordered the M1 24“ iMac (should come by the end of June). I have been thinking a lot about the display size and if the new iMac is too small compared to the 27“ which I sometimes find it to be too big. I believe that the 24“ iMac has the perfect size for me. I have tried by using the AR feature on Apple‘s website to put my future iMac next to my 27“ iMac and got similar results to what you have posted with your pictures. Yes, there is a difference but the 24“ iMac is by no means small. For my kind of work 24“ is more than enough and since my desk‘s height is fully adjustable, I don‘t worry about how it will fit on my desk ergonomically.
I believe that 27“ is just too big, especially if sitting at a small distance from the display (which I do - around 50cm).

 

[artfossil]

I'll chip-in and say that the bezels aren't white - they're like an off-white colour and almost with a hint of grey/blue - that might be because I have a blue model.

The bezels sort of fade in to your periphery vision and the background - its a strange effect, but I really don't notice them and its actually much less jarring than having a black bezel now I've used it for a few days.

The bezels are part of why the design of this new iMac is so smart. When the display is off the computer is an attractive object. When the display is on, the focus is on the content.

 

[zachz]

Thanks for the comparison. I am in a similar situation. I currently have a 2019 27“ iMac and I have ordered the M1 24“ iMac (should come by the end of June). I have been thinking a lot about the display size and if the new iMac is too small compared to the 27“ which I sometimes find it to be too big. I believe that the 24“ iMac has the perfect size for me. I have tried by using the AR feature on Apple‘s website to put my future iMac next to my 27“ iMac and got similar results to what you have posted with your pictures. Yes, there is a difference but the 24“ iMac is by no means small. For my kind of work 24“ is more than enough and since my desk‘s height is fully adjustable, I don‘t worry about how it will fit on my desk ergonomically.
I believe that 27“ is just too big, especially if sitting at a small distance from the display (which I do - around 50cm).

No worries! I think you’ll enjoy this size — I used to have a 21.5” iMac a long time ago, and the iMacs at my school were that size too and the 24” seems much bigger than that, yet not too big to feel massive like the 27”. Which color did you order?

Not sure if you’ve tried this yet, but someone over on Reddit made a wallpaper that mimics the 24” with bezels to use on the 27” to see whether or not the size is too small. Definitely helped me decide

https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/mx3w9b

 

[zachz]

I am selling my 27” 5K iMac today, it’s a late 2015 with the 2TB fusion, was going to get a SSD put in it but figured I may as well put that towards a new one, have had the screen replaced twice cause of pink tinge by Apple at no cost.

Looks like a long wait though. I have a new 12.9” iPad Pro and MKB to keep me going.
Did you get 8 or 16gb ram and what size SSD?

Good idea to sell, the M1 iMac is a beast so far so it’ll be worth the wait!

I ended up getting the 16gb ram/256gb SSD configuration. Getting the mid-tier + upgraded ram was already putting me over my budget so didn’t want to spend more on storage, but since I’m replacing a 9 year old machine I’m hoping this will last me another ~decade or so. I’m running a Samsung T7 external SSD off of it where I’m installing games and other big programs and so far haven’t noticed any performance drops.

 

[Surfman]

Good idea to sell, the M1 iMac is a beast so far so it’ll be worth the wait!

I ended up getting the 16gb ram/256gb SSD configuration. Getting the mid-tier + upgraded ram was already putting me over my budget so didn’t want to spend more on storage, but since I’m replacing a 9 year old machine I’m hoping this will last me another ~decade or so. I’m running a Samsung T7 external SSD off of it where I’m installing games and other big programs and so far haven’t noticed any performance drops.

Yeah I got $1500AUD for it so not bad, if I get one will probably go 16gb/512gb.

 

[petvas]

No worries! I think you’ll enjoy this size — I used to have a 21.5” iMac a long time ago, and the iMacs at my school were that size too and the 24” seems much bigger than that, yet not too big to feel massive like the 27”. Which color did you order?

Not sure if you’ve tried this yet, but someone over on Reddit made a wallpaper that mimics the 24” with bezels to use on the 27” to see whether or not the size is too small. Definitely helped me decide

https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/mx3w9b

I ordered a pink/red for me and an orange one for my wife

 

[primarycolors]

No worries! I think you’ll enjoy this size — I used to have a 21.5” iMac a long time ago, and the iMacs at my school were that size too and the 24” seems much bigger than that, yet not too big to feel massive like the 27”. Which color did you order?

Not sure if you’ve tried this yet, but someone over on Reddit made a wallpaper that mimics the 24” with bezels to use on the 27” to see whether or not the size is too small. Definitely helped me decide

https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/mx3w9b

That's me! So glad to have helped

 

[RichieCee]

First post on the forums so I apologize if it's in the wrong area.

Decided to upgrade from my 2012 27" iMac to the 24" iMac and so far I haven't missed the extra screen real estate.

Over the 9 years my use case has changed for a desktop so I no longer need such a big screen. I'm really enjoying the screen size as I find it the perfect in-between going from my 11" iPad/13" MBP and the old 27" -- I can still enjoy the occasional movie and game while still having enough room to have multiple apps open when working. The white bezels/chin aren't noticeable and the M1 is crazy fast for my use, but there is enough said about that already so I'll leave it at that for now.

If anyone is having trouble deciding between the 24" or the 27" replacement, or wanting to go from the 27" down to this, let me know if you have any questions or want to see any of apps/websites side by side and I'll do my best to compare them!

This is such a brilliant - and informative - post!! Thank you OP! I too was debating the move from my 'Late 2015 27" iMac to this 24" - only because I can't wait for what Apple's going to do next with the new 27" PLUS... Need some Apple Silicon in my life NOW! Undoubtedly, the new larger iMac is coming - but when? and how big will the screen be? Nobody really knows the answer to these questions for sure - but Tim Cook himself.

So.. will order a 24" M1 iMac - and if the situation changes next week or so, will reappraise, (as it's looking like shipping times for these are around 5+ weeks anyway - and I need the vesa option with is BTO anyway).

And if/when Apple do announce that 32" Widescreen iMac w/M1x etc etc... who's to say when that's gonna arrive!!?

Brilliant post once again!! 👊🙏

 

[Racineur]

I think it's purely aesthetic. Gradually, familiarity leads to a desire to see something different. The real "bulk" of iMac is the width and height, not the depth, but i do find the straight-line, ultra-thin profile to be attractive. Not that it matters from a practical standpoint, but I do like the way it seems to nearly disappear in profile view.

I understand what you're saying here but iMac is a desktop computer that sits on a table on a desk, not on your laps. Weight is no object. You look at the screen from the front, there'd be nothing wrong with a 4cm iMac. I'm not talking of an old CRT TV. That being said, in the time of the CRT, people always found a way to make it blend with the decor. Think of the beautiful wood working of some cabinets. At that time, they were the centerpiece of the "modern" decor.

 

[zachz]

That's me! So glad to have helped

No way! Thank you for creating that -- it was definitely the biggest help in deciding to go down to the 24"

 

[za9ra22]

I understand what you're saying here but iMac is a desktop computer that sits on a table on a desk, not on your laps. Weight is no object. You look at the screen from the front, there'd be nothing wrong with a 4cm iMac. I'm not talking of an old CRT TV. That being said, in the time of the CRT, people always found a way to make it blend with the decor. Think of the beautiful wood working of some cabinets. At that time, they were the centerpiece of the "modern" decor.

I remember some of those old cabinets - and from the days of valve/tube radios too!

Which means that the question of aesthetics is nothing new, and the building of a product has, broadly, been done based on the supposition that it should look 'good' in the place it is going to be used. So designing a thin computer is not an essential given it will sit on a desk, but in the mind of the designer, the computer should still look good in its space, whether that be in an office, where often workers get to see the back of someone else's computer almost as much as the front of their own, or at home, where owners may have a wish to accessorize according to their taste.

Someone else used the word 'fashion', but that is largely what design is. Either creates it, follows it, or attempts to break it.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

I understand what you're saying here but iMac is a desktop computer that sits on a table on a desk, not on your laps. Weight is no object. You look at the screen from the front, there'd be nothing wrong with a 4cm iMac. I'm not talking of an old CRT TV. That being said, in the time of the CRT, people always found a way to make it blend with the decor. Think of the beautiful wood working of some cabinets. At that time, they were the centerpiece of the "modern" decor.

I'd agree that there's nothing wrong with a 4cm iMac - that's still reasonably compact, although certainly not as compact as the 24" iMacs, and on a tight desktop that could actually matter. I have a fairly shallow computing desk - 68cm/27". The overall depth of the iMac would then affect the space remaining for the keyboard, distance from the display, etc.

I remember the days of CRTs far less fondly. It doesn't matter whether it's a Lime iMac, 27" CRT, or some huge television cabinet from the 1960s. In the days of CRTs I favored corner desks, which were quite bulky and, of course, could only be located in certain places in the room. Back in the early 90s when I was doing corporate IT, work desks had to be huge to accommodate even a 14-inch CRT - that affected overall floor space required for the enterprise.

So altogether, I'm quite happy with today's flat screens - the TV now hangs on the wall with functional furniture below it. Altogether, it's a far better use of room space. Work desks can be smaller and placed in far more locations than previously. No nostalgia here!

 

[familychoice]

Really useful comparison this - I’ve been holding out for the larger screen iMac, but this looks bigger, and more usable than I’d thought.

Hmmmm....24” iMac back on the cards here then...

 

[jonblatho]

@zachz, when you get a chance, what are the screen resolution options under System Preferences > Displays? I’m particularly interested in the “More Space” option(s).

I run my 5K iMac at slightly higher than native resolution and was curious about the options for doing the same on the 4.5K iMac; if I can run at roughly 5K resolution on the 4.5K display I’d be very interested. Thank you!

 

[Racineur]

I remember some of those old cabinets - and from the days of valve/tube radios too!

Which means that the question of aesthetics is nothing new, and the building of a product has, broadly, been done based on the supposition that it should look 'good' in the place it is going to be used. So designing a thin computer is not an essential given it will sit on a desk, but in the mind of the designer, the computer should still look good in its space, whether that be in an office, where often workers get to see the back of someone else's computer almost as much as the front of their own, or at home, where owners may have a wish to accessorize according to their taste.

Someone else used the word 'fashion', but that is largely what design is. Either creates it, follows it, or attempts to break it.

You have a point here friend.