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One of many exciting announcements Apple made at its 20 April Spring Loaded event was a new 24in iMac loaded with the M1 chip, available in up to seven different colours.
The bad news is that ever since it launched it's been difficult to get hold of Apple's 24in iMac. If you want one you'll need to know where to look - and if you are lucky you might even be able to get a discount. In this article we'll reveal where you can buy the M1 iMacs, how much they cost, and where to get the best deal.
Plus, with Black Friday (26 November) drawing near and the Christmas buying season already underway, you may be wondering if there might be deals on the iMac with M1 to come. We think there will be deals to be had - but probably not on this particular model, although Apple may offer Black Friday vouchers, which it has done in the past (with qualifying products). 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. So our advice would be don't wait until Black Friday - if you see a deal now go for it!
Without further ado, here's where to buy the 24in M1 iMacs and at the best price in the UK and US.
What is the 24in iMac with M1?
The M1 iMac features a 4.5K Retina display with slimmer bezels and a completely flat back. Apple credits the lither form to the M1 chip's SoC architecture, which should also boost CPU performance by 85%. See our full review of the 24in iMac (2021) M1.
In addition to faster performance, Apple promises up to two times faster GPU performance. The upgraded iMac also includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with studio-quality mics and a six-speaker set-up. If you want to get into the full specs and features of Apple's latest iMac see our dedicated coverage.
M1 iMac student discounts - Educational Pricing
Don't forget, if you're a student or teacher in higher education you can benefit from Apple's Educational pricing even though Apple's Back to School sale has ended in both the UK and US. See our full guide to Apple Education pricing.
Authorised Mac seller KRCS also offer student pricing on iMacs with prices starting at £843.62 for the 8-Core CPU/7-Core GPU model which is a saving of £405.
With the launch of the M1 iMac, you can expect huge discounts on previous models too. See the best iMac deals of the month right here.
Apple also released new iPad Pro tablets with the M1 chip alongside the M1 iMacs (which also qualifies for educational pricing and the Back to School sale AirPods offer) – we're separately looking at where to buy the new iPad Pro here. If you missed Apple's Spring Loaded event, watch it again right here.
Best prices for 24in iMac
If you just want the best price right now, we have the best prices across top retailers below:
24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 256GB SSD, £1,249/$1,299
24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 256GB SSD, £1,449/$1,499
24in iMac, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 512GB SSD, £1,649/$1,699
Where to buy the 24in iMac with M1 (2021) - Best deals and discounts
While Apple is the most obvious place to buy the M1 iMac delivery is currently listed at three to four weeks - but it might be your best bet as it's sold out almost everywhere.
Here is a comprehensive list of the retailers to check for deals and availability on the new M1 iMac (in alphabetical order):
AO has some stock for the entry-level pink model and the purple, orange and yellow £1,649 models.
There isn't a discount but you can save 50% on Microsoft 365.
Amazon
Amazon has one 24in M1 iMac available - the pink version of the £1,249 model. No other M1 iMacs are available there right now, but in the past we have seen up to £66.90 off 24in M1 iMac and £10 off the 256GB option (8-Core CPU/8-Core GPU).
We'd recommend checking back frequently for any changes.
Argos
Argos has limited stock, which means you may need to travel to a store to pick up the device.
Box is one of the few retailers with available stock. Currently, you can find the following models, although they aren't discounted:
Orders include free standard delivery or express delivery for £4.95.
BT Shop - up to £97 off
It's worth checking out discounts over at BT Shop. Like KRCS (below), you won't find all models in stock, but be sure to sign up for notifications for the model you're after so you're alerted as soon as stock returns.
The 24in iMac with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 256GB SSD is currently in stock and you can save more than £50:
BT also has discounts on other models in the range, but these are not in stock right now.
Currys
Currys doesn't have any of the 24in iMacs in stock at the moment, but you can sign up to get stock updates. When Currys has had the 24in iMac in stock we haven't seen a discount yet, but that may change.
When they come back in stock note that you can get free next-day delivery (with code FREENEXTDAYDELIVERY), along with up to 5 months of Apple Music, Apple Arcade and Apple News+ if you're a new or returning customer.
Finally, customers could also save £20 on Microsoft 365 Family (1 year, 6 users) or Personal (1 year, 1 user) with code M365SAVE20. The offer also includes 3 extra months for free.
Jacamo
While the entry-level M1 was available from Jacamo with standard delivery in 3 working days a couple of months ago, it's currently out of stock.
JD Williams
Like Jacamo, the entry-level M1 iMac is also out of stock at JD Williams.
KRCS - up to £112 off
KRCS has some of the biggest discounts across the board right now (and even bigger discounts for students), although there is usually a five to eight week wait for stock. We've highlighted all existing discounts below – if you do see the model you want order it now to take advantage of the discount, but be prepared to wait!
Laptops Direct
Laptops Direct is currently out of stock, though we have previously seen £54 off the 8-Core CPU/7-Core GPU M1 iMac with 256GB storage in pink. Pick it up for £1194.97 (usually £1249)
Very
Very is also out of stock at the moment. In the week of 6 September, it offered the M1 iMac with an 8-core CPU/7-core GPU (16GB RAM/256GB storage, in silver) for £1,497, which, typically of Very, is actually £50 more than Apple's price.
Where to buy 24in iMac in the US
Apart from going directly to Apple, US customers can find the M1 iMacs at the following retailers:
Refurbished M1 iMac deals - Save £310/$230
Although it has been less than six months since the M1 iMac's release, Apple started selling certified refurbished stock as of 19 August in both the UK and US, saving customers up to 15% on an iMac that's practically indistinguishable from new.
Unfortunately, both UK and US stock sold out quickly, but we'd highly recommend checking the storefront often. We'll update this article when we see any offers too!
For reference, these were the US prices for the refurbished iMacs with M1
Head to the Apple Refurbished Store US to see it's current offers.
In the UK, Apple had slashed up to £310, which dropped prices as follows:
We've also seen Laptops Direct sell refurbished M1 iMacs, though it's no longer in stock.
See our dedicated guides to buying a refurbished iMac and MacBook.
How much does the 24in iMac with M1 (2021) cost?
The new iMac devices with the M1 chip are available in three configurations with prices (and colours) as follows:
- 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 256GB SSD - £1,249/$1,299/AUD$1,899 in green, pink, blue and silver
- 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 256GB SSD - £1,449/$1,499/AUD$2,199 in green, pink, blue, silver, yellow, orange, and purple
- 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 512GB SSD - £1,649/$1,649/AUD$2,499 in green, pink, blue, silver, yellow, orange, and purple
Educational pricing reduces prices on the first two configurations to £1,124 (£125 off) and £1,304 (£195 off), respectively. See our full guide to the Apple Education Store.
Should I wait for Black Friday for M1 iMac deals?
Black Friday arrives on Friday 26 November this year, followed by Cyber Monday on 29 November, which leads to the question: should you wait until then for a better deal?
Yes, and no. If you urgently want the 24in M1 iMac ahead of Christmas and you see a stellar discount today, it's easy: pick it up.
We don't expect specific Black Friday deals on the 24in iMac, not with the current stock shortages. What you may see is the resellers who are already discounting the 24in iMac list it as a Black Friday deal, more likely the discounts will be on older iMacs. Check out our complete round up of Best iMac deals.
If you see Black Friday discounts before 26 November, just go for it! Some retailers that hold pre-Black Fridays sales also promise that prices won't go any lower on Black Friday itself and offer to refund customers back the difference if it does. See the best Apple deals across the web today.
