Your computing needs seem very basic (in a good way!) and it seems like the upgrades will marginally help with what you’re doing, the main improvements will be longevity and aesthetic-wise.
I went from a 2012 27” iMac to the 24” iMac (16/8) and the smaller screen has not been too noticeable for me, although I mainly use my iMac for research and writing, occasionally a game or two, and music/logic. All of Apple’s apps work fantastically and will continue to do so for many years. There is a wallpaper you can find online for the 27” iMac that will give you a feel of the 24” iMac, it’s what I used while waiting for the 24” to be release (
Here’s the wallpaper. Be sure to move your icons inside the 24” frame and adjust your dock)
In terms of a MacBook, the M1 or M2 Air will definitely be able to do what you’d like and will also last a long time. Since it’s for weekend use, the small size and lightness will be a nice “upgrade” and everything will be lightning fast. Transporting it to your vacation home will also be awesome. I went from a 13” Pro to the 16” M1 Pro and I really miss the smaller size during transport and regular day to day use.
So overall, your current devices seem to do the trick, but if you’re able to upgrade financially I would go for it. Get the 24” iMac, and as others have said, make sure to get 16gb ram and 8-core for longevity. Either M1 or M2 Air will be great and that comes down to which form factor you like best. Check out Apple’s refurb store, too.
Lastly, I got the M1 iMac on release day and it’s been great, but it’s been a while since it’s been updated so if you’re not needing one right away, you could always hold off to see what’s to come. I know “waiting for the next gen” can be dumb since there will always be newer models coming out, but if a few months of waiting can get you a machine that’s a couple of years newer, with updated internals, I would do that.
