October deals & Early Black Friday offers

An iMac is no small investment, which is why it is wise to spend some time making sure you're getting the iMac that's right for you at the best price. In this article we bring you the best iMac deals available - and with brand new iMacs joining the lineup in May 2021 there's never been a better time to buy!

The team here at Macworld UK is constantly on the look out for the best iMac deals from around the web. We spot the biggest and best deals from UK retailers, and list them all right here in this article.

What you need to know

Before we tell you about the deals that are available, you should be aware that on 20 April 2021 Apple announced an update to the iMac: the 21.5in model has been replaced with a completely redesigned 24in iMac that comes in a collection of seven different colours and is powered by Apple's M1 Chip.

These new M1 iMacs have been selling out rapidly though, so the decent deals are tending to fly off the shelves, leaving only 24in iMacs at Apple's recommended price. There are still deals to be had if you are prepared to wait for additional stock to arrive though (see the section below).

The arrival of the new 24in iMac doesn't mean you won't be able to buy a 21.5in iMac: Apple is continuing to sell the old 2017 2.3GHz dual-core iMac and other resellers will continue to clear stock of the other 21.5in iMacs. You may even find the 21.5in iMac on Apple's refurbished store.

Often we find that when Apple stops selling a model the resellers start to drop prices to clear out their stock, so we should start to see some decent discounts on these older models.

That's the smaller iMac, but what of the bigger 27in model? Apple hasn't given that a redesign yet and an Apple-made processor yet, but we expect that will happen later in 2021 or in early 2022 - read about what could be the 32in iMac. The model that Apple is selling right now is the one introduced in August 2020.

Here's our 2020 27in iMac review, our review of the 2021 24in iMac, plus a comparison of the 2020 iMacs vs 2019 models.

With Apple transitioning from Intel to its own processors you will also need to consider whether you are ready to make the transition yourself. The M1 Macs got rave reviews, but you might want to stick with an Intel iMac for now. These articles might help: Should I buy an Intel Mac and Should I buy an M1 Mac.

If you want to stick to Intel the good news is that some of the best deals to be had are on the larger iMacs. You can often pick up a great deal on a powerful model that happens to be a few years old and is priced far below lower-specced, but newer, models.

We have also included some discounts for the Mac mini models below, but we also have a dedicated Mac mini deals article. If you're looking for MacBooks, see our round-up of the best MacBook Pro deals and MacBook Air deals. Make sure you check out our complete round up of the best Apple deals we've seen too. Read Mac mini vs iMac to see which is best.

If you need help deciding which Mac is best for you read our Mac buying guide.

And for another way to save money on a new Apple product read about how you can trade in old products at Apple and other resellers and get money off. Read: How Apple trade in works and saves you money.

When is Black Friday 2021? - Should you wait for a better deal?

Another thing to keep in mind right now is that as we approach the end of 2021 the pre-Christmas buying frenzy will soon be upon us and we expect to see more and more deals poping up over the next few weeks. That's even before  Black Friday on Friday 26 November. The deals seem to start earlier and earlier every year, so you can expect them to start coming in thick and fast over the next few weeks.

If you are wondering whether to wait until Black Friday, or take advantage of a deal right now that's marked as being 'early Black Friday' or similar, our advice is to just go for it! Some retailers that hold pre-Black Fridays sales promise that prices won't go any lower on Black Friday itself. We have a separate article about Black Friday 2021 where you'll be able to find the best Apple Black Friday deals once they start.

Best iMac deals right now

We'll explain how you can spot a good deal below, but in case you can't wait here's an overview of some of the best iMac deals you can get right now.

We often see deals from the likes of KRCS, Currys PC World, John Lewis and Laptops Direct, who usually sell iMac models at a lower price than Apple advertises. One benefit of buying from Apple is you could trade in your old Mac and get money off. We have an article explaining How to get money off with Apple's trade-in program.

24in iMac deals

The 24in iMac has been in very limited availability since it launched, even Apple doesn't expect to deliver any 24in iMac model for three to four weeks right now. Make any build-to-order adjustments, or pick a particular colour and expect an even longer delay. Read Apple's 24in iMac sold out almost everywhere.

As a result half the battle is finding a reseller who has an iMac in stock, let alone one offering discounts!

In the middle of August 2021, however, Apple briefly sold some 24in iMac with M1 on its Refurbished Store. People were quick to snatch up the models, which came with a great discount and a full warranty, but it's well worth keeping an eye on the store in case Apple gets more stock. If any are available you'll find them here: Refurbished M1 iMac.

Despite the lack of stock, you may be lucky enough to find some deals available on the 24in iMac. Check out the latest deals in the section below:

24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 256GB, RRP £1,249/$1,299

At the beginning of July we found a couple of UK stockists that had the 24in iMac available, but now we can't find any anywhere! You can still get a discount if you order yours from KRCS though, you'll just have to wait five to eight weeks for delivery:

• You can order the 24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU from KRCS for just £1,186.55 (£62.45 off), but you will have to wait five to eight weeks for delivery. Order it from KRCS here.

As for the US, there is still limited stock with retailers just taking orders for the entry-level 24in iMac, we haven't seen any discounts being offered:

• You can order a 24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU from Best Buy for £1,299. Order it from Best Buy here.

8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 256GB SSD - RRP from £1,249 / $1,299/ AU$1,899

Order from Apple 

24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 256GB or 512GB, RRP £1,449/$1,499 or £1,649/$1,699

If you would prefer to buy the 24in iMac with 8-core GPU there were a few resellers that had stock of that model in the UK, but nealy all the stock has gone now. The only reseller offering a discount on this model is KRCS, but, unless you are happy with the blue version, delivery is five to eight weeks.

In the UK:

• KRCS has all colours of the the 24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 256GB (RRP £1,449) for £1,376.56. Delivery is five to eight weeks. Order from KRCS here.
• KRCS has the blue 24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 512GB (RRP from £1,649) available right now for £1,566.55. Order from KRCS here. (You need to choose the 512GB configuration). The other models are available at the same discount, but there is a five to eight week delay.
• John Lewis has the green and pink £1,449 models (order here). The other iMacs configurations are out of stock. 
• Currys/PCWorld has the £1,649 option available to buy in green or pink.  Buy one here.

In the US:

• Best Buy has the $1,499 model available to order. Buy one here. Best Buy also has the $1,699 model on sale here.

8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 256GB SSD - RRP from £1,449 / $1,499/ AU$2,199

Order from Apple

8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 512GB SSD - RRP from £1,649 / $1,699/ AU$2,499

Order from Apple

27in iMac deals

If it doesn't have to be the new 24in iMac then there are great deals to be had on the 27in iMac models introduced in August 2020:

UK deals:

• 3.1GHz 6-core, 10th-gen, 2020 27in iMac. RRP from £1,799. Now: £1,649 at AO.com.
• 3.3GHz 6-core, 10th-gen, 2020 27in iMac. RRP from £1,999. Now: £1,689.97 at Currys/PCWorld.
• 3.8GHz 8-core 10th-gen, 2020 27in iMac. RRP from £2,299. Now: £2,097.97 from LaptopsDirect.

US deals:

• You can get the 3.1GHz 6-core, 10th-gen model, normally $1,799 for $1,749 at Walmart.
• Walmart also has a discount for the $1,999, 3.3GHz 6-core, 10th-gen model. Get it for $1,898 here.
• Walmart has the 3.8GHz 8-core 10th-gen 27in iMac for $2,249, $50 off the usual price here.

3.1GHz 6-core, 10th-gen, 2020 - RRP from £1,799 / $1,799/ AU$2,799

3.3GHz 6-core, 10th-gen, 2020 - RRP from £1,999 / $1,999/ AU$3,099

3.8GHz 8-core 10th-gen, 2020 - RRP from £2,299 / $2,299/ AU$3,549

Old 21.5in iMacs (SSDs as standard)

2.3GHz dual-core iMac, 2017 - RRP £1,099 / $1,099 / AU$1,699 - now with SSD

3.6GHz quad-core iMac, 2019 - RRP from £1,299 / $1,299/ AU$1,999 - now with SSD

3.0GHz 6-core iMac, 2019 - RRP from £1,499 / $1,499/ AU$2,299 - now with SSD

iMac Pro

Starts at £4,999 / $4,999 / AU$7,299 - now discontinued

Prior to August 2020 the iMac Pro started at £4,899/$4,999 for a 8-core model - that model was then discontinued with Apple offering the 10-core model in it's place for £4,999/$4,999. However, in March 2021 Apple discontinued the iMac Pro line - you may still be able to pick one up from a reseller for a decent discount though.

Top Mac desktop discounts available now

In this section you will find some of the best deals we've seen for iMacs as well as the Mac mini and other Mac desktops. We update this list frequently, so it should be spot on in terms of how much you can save, give or take a few pounds. (Retailers often make small tweaks to the price, so if it's gone up it might be worth waiting a week or so to see if it comes down again.)

1. Apple 27in iMac, 3.3GHz six-core, 10th-gen Intel, 256GB SSD (2020)

From: Currys/PC World

Was: £1,999

Now: £1,689.97  (£310 off)

View Deal

Currys has money off the mid-range 27in iMac that was introduced by Apple in August 2020.

It's a decent saving based on the current price Apple sells it for.

2. Apple Mac mini, M1, 8-Core CPU / 8-Core GPU, 512GB

From: Amazon

Was: £899

Now: £809.97  (£89.03 off)

View Deal

Amazon has almost £100 off the M1 Mac mini with 512GB storage - that's the £899 model.

There is also money off the 256GB model.

3. Apple 27in iMac, 3.8GHz eight-core, 10th-gen Intel, 512GB SSD (2020)

From: LaptopsDirect

Was: £2,299

Now: £2,097.97  (£201 off)

View Deal

If it's the top of the range 2020 27in iMac you are after, Laptops Direct has a decent deal.

You can get a similar discount from Currys, AO.com and John Lewis, but Laptops Direct currently has it for a few pounds less.

4. Apple Mac mini, 3.0GHz 6-core, 512GB (2020)

From: Currys/PC World

Was: £1,099

Now: £899  (£200 off)

View Deal

Currys/PCWorld has money off the 2020 6-core Mac mini with 512GB storage. It's the Intel Mac mini model that Apple is still selling, but a full £200 cheaper than the price you pay at Apple.

You may also find a similar deal at Amazon here, but that is out of stock right now.

5. Apple 24in iMac, M1, 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 256GB (2021)

From: KRCS

Was: £1,249

Now: £1,186.55  (£62.45 off)

View Deal

KRCS is offering money off Apple's 24in iMac. This is the entry-level model that normally costs £1,249 in the UK. There's also £49 off from Laptops Direct.

6. Apple 21.5in iMac, 3.6GHz quad-core Intel, 4K Retina, 256GB SSD (2019)

From: eBuyer

Was: £1,299

Now: £1,207.98  (£91.02 off)

View Deal

It might only be a small discount - and even smaller if you compare it to the £1,249 that this iMac was selling for before Apple upped prices back in August 2020, but the fact that Apple is still selling a 21.5in iMac with a 2.3GHz dual-core Intel processor and not even a 4K display for £1,099, does make us think that this would be a purchase worth considering if you were keen to stick to the older Intel-powered models.

Until recently this was £1,159.98 so you might see the price fall even more if you wait.

7. Apple 27in iMac, 3.1GHz six-core, 10th-gen Intel, 256GB SSD (2020)

From: AO.com

Was: £1,799

Now: £1,649  (£150 off)

View Deal

AO has a decent deal on the 2020 27in iMac with 3.0GHz 6-core processor. This is the entry-level 27in iMac model.

8. Apple Mac mini, M1, 8-Core CPU / 8-Core GPU, 256GB

From: Amazon

Was: £699

Now: £635  (£64 off)

View Deal

Amazon has a decent discount on the M1 Mac mini. If it sells out, you can also find it for £657.66 from the BT Shop.

9. Apple 21.5in iMac, 3.0GHz six-core, 4K Retina Display, 256GB SSD (2019)

From: LaptopsDirect

Was: £1,449

Now: £1,304.97  (£144.03 off)

View Deal

You can save money on the 2019 21.5in iMac with 6-core 8th-gen processor at LaptopsDirect right now.

If you want an Intel-powered iMac this is a much better option than the 2.8GHz iMac Apple is still selling for £1,099.

10. Apple Mac mini, 3.0GHz 6-core, 512GB (2020)

From: Amazon

Was: £1,099

Now: £899  (£200 off)

View Deal

Amazon is offering discounts on the 2020 Intel Mac mini models. This option has an 6-core processor and 512GB storage (in comparison the equivalent 2018 model only had 256GB storage for the same RRP).

Currys PC World is also selling this model for £899 right now.

11. Apple 24in iMac, M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 512GB (2021)

From: KRCS

Was: £1,649

Now: £1,566.55  (£82.45 off)

View Deal

KRCS has money off Apple's top-of-the-range 24in iMac with 512GB storage. This is the model that normally costs £1,649 in the UK.

12. Apple 24in iMac, M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 256GB (2021)

From: KRCS

Was: £1,449

Now: £1,376.56  (£72.44 off)

View Deal

KRCS has a discount on Apple's 24in iMac with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. It normally costs £1,449 in the UK.

13. Apple Refurbished Mac Store (Discounted iMacs, MacBooks and more)

From: Apple

Now: Up to £300 off

View Deal

You can get a Mac from Apple at much lower prices if you buy from the Refurbished Store. Apple will have thoroughly tested the model and will offer you a full warranty so it can be a great way to get a good deal. Find out more about Refurbished Macs here.

Best refurbished iMac deals

One of the best places to look for iMac deals all year round is the Apple Refurbished Store. There, you'll find huge iMac discounts, sometimes even on the latest models. These iMacs have been returned to Apple for various reasons, and then completely revamped ready for resale. One of the major benefits in buying a refurbished Mac from Apple is that it will come with a one-year warranty so Apple may fix or replace it for free should anything happen to it in that first year.

You won't be able to tell the difference between a refurbished iMac and a brand-new iMac, aside from the box it comes in, which is white to prevent people buying them and attempting to sell them as new. Find out more about buying a refurbished iMac here.

The best deals right now are for the refurbished iMac with M1 chip - but these are likely to sell out quickly. It's worth bookmarking the page though as Apple often replenishes the stock.

• A fully specced up 24in iMac, with Apple M1 Chip with 8‑Core CPU and 8‑Core GPU, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD normally costs £2,049/$2,099, but Apple is advertising it for £1,739/$1,609 on the Refurb Store - a saving of £310/$490. Unfortunately in the UK this stock has now run out, but it's worth keeping an eye on this page in case Apple gets more. You can buy this model in the US Refurb Store here.
• The entry-level 24in iMac M1 (with 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU) is $1,099 (a saving of $200 on the usual price of $1,299). This is available in green here, or silver here, as well as blue and pink. In the UK right now Apple doesn't have any of the entry-level 24in iMacs available in the Refurbished Store, but this may well change so we suggest that you check back here at regular intervals.
• The mid-range model (with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU and 256GB SSD) is $1,269 in the US (a saving of $230 on the usual price of $1,499). You can buy it in blue here, and silver here. In the UK you can get the mid-range model (with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU and 256GB SSD) for £1,229, which is a saving of £220 on the usual price of £1,449. Buy it in green here, or blue here.
• In the US you can save $260 on the 24in iMac with M1 Chip with 8‑Core CPU and 8‑Core GPU, and 512GB SSD (in blue), normally $1,699 but you can get it for $1,439: Buy from the Apple's US Refurb Store here. The same deal is available in the UK: Save £250 on the same 24in iMac (this time in green). Normally £1,649 but you can get it for £1,399: Buy it from Apple's UK Refurb Store here.

It's not only the 24in iMac models that Apple is also offering in the Refurbished Store. There is also a refurbished 21.5in iMac 3.6GHz quad-core i3 for for £1,059, for example. This is the March 2019 model, which cost £1,249 before Apple updated it in March 2020 when it switched to offering SSDs as standard, but made no other change. Buy it from Apple. 

Amazon also has a certified refurbished store for Apple products but we would advise against buying any products that are older than five years - most of the products we see on the Amazon refurbished store are unfortunately very old.

From time to time, Amazon runs lightning deals, which could get you a discount if you act quickly. If you've found that you're missing out on Amazon's Lightning deals, which run for just a few hours and offer limited stock, we'd recommend signing up for Amazon's 30 day free trial of Prime, which will get you access to deals 30 minutes before everyone else. Plus, you'll get free next-day delivery with the Prime trial, as well as access to Prime Instant Video and more. Sign up for Prime here.

Best iMac Student Deals

Another great resource to help you save is the Macworld UK's Student Deals page, particularly the Tech & Mobile section. Right now, Apple is offering up to 10% off Macs as well as up to 50% off Apple Care. You can also save 8% on accessories and 5% on iPads. See the best iPad deals of this month here.

Simply create an account, log in, and verify your student status, and the discount is yours. See all Macworld UK student tech deals here.

If you're looking for deals on more than just iMacs, you can check out our wider guide to the best Apple bargains.

Read: How to get an Apple student discount.

How much does an iMac cost?

The only way to know if a deal is any good is to identify the actual price that the iMac should sell for (or did sell for) so we will start with the current pricing structure.

There are various models in the current line up: three 24in models and three 27in models. In addition Apple is still selling the old entry-level 21.5in iMac: the 2.3GHz dual-core model with a 7th generation Intel processor. We have been advising against buying that model for years and we will continue to do so as we don't think it represents good value for money even at £1,099/$1,099.

Apple's current and recent pricing is included below. Keep these prices in mind as you evaluate how good each deal is.

Note that when Apple updated the range in August 2020 it increased prices in the UK by £50 per iMac. The prices of the new 24in iMacs seem to have been adjusted back again though, which is great news - read: For once Apple's not ripping off Britain. To find out the official price of the iMac visit Apple's website here. 

2021 24in iMac models

For more information about where you can buy the new iMac read: Where you can buy the 24in iMac with M1.

2017 21.5in iMac model

2020 27in iMac models

Discontinued models

For the sake of comparison, and because good discounts are likely for these models, we'll include the 2019 27in iMac and the old 21.5in iMac models here too:

2019 21.5in iMac models (SSD as standard since 2020)

2019 27in iMac models

These are the prices Apple quotes (or quoted), but you can get some great deals if you shop around... Or you could just keep reading as we've done the hard work for you!

Where to find the best iMac deals

If you want serious savings it's best to look beyond Apple itself. Some Mac retailers offer great discounts on Apple products and Apple accessories, so you should be able to save a few hundred pounds off some iMac configurations.

Beware, though. The Mac listed by the reseller may be an older model than the one Apple currently sells. We've seen resellers advertising Macs with money off based on the price they were previously sold at by Apple, even after Apple has started selling a newer Mac at the same price - so the deal often looks better than it actually is.

To get an idea of what the old model should be worth, take a look at Apple's refurbished store to see what Apple is selling the older version for (and remember that buying from Apple, even if it's refurbished, will mean you get a full year's warranty).

So be careful to check the age and spec of the machine being sold, and don't automatically assume that it's current. For this reason we are careful to list the spec and year of the model in our description.

We tend to find some good deals on new Macs at Apple reseller KRCS. Discounted Macs often include built-to-order configurations, too. Read: Where to buy Apple's new 24in iMac with M1.

For accessories like software, keyboards, or mice, check out all the normal electronics retailers you might consider - see our list below for inspiration - and take a look at our guides to the best keyboards and mice for Macs as well as best Mac printer deals and Mac hard drive deals.

We regularly see Mac-related deals from the following UK and US retailers:

UK

• You can be sure that you are buying a Mac at the correct price at Apple. View the iMac in the Apple Store.
• Save money if you are a teacher or student. View the iMac in the Apple Education Store.
• Apple has a number of Apple Premium Resellers and Apple Authorized Resellers who stock Macs, for example view the iMac at Apple Premium Reseller KRCS
• Get a iMac from Amazon where we often see discounts. View the iMac at Amazon
• View the iMac at AO.com.
• View the iMac at Ebuyer.
• View the iMac at John Lewis, where we often see discounts.
• View the iMac at Currys PC World, who also frequently offer discounts.
• And you can get an iMac from Laptops Direct here.

US

• Want to buy a iMac from Apple? View the iMac in the Apple Store.
• Get your education discount: View the iMac in the Apple Education Store
• View the iMac at Amazon where we often see discounts.
• View the iMac at B&H Photo.
• View the iMac at Best Buy.
• View the iMac at Walmart.
• You can find the iMac at Adorama here.