Apple iMac 24″ (M4) vs Apple Macintosh Color Classic

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iMac 24″ (M4) compared with Macintosh Color Classic

	AppleiMac 24″ (M4)	AppleMacintosh Color Classic
Overview
Released
Released	November 2024	February 1993
Performance
Processor
Processor	Apple M4	68030 16 MHz (Macintosh Color Classic)
CPU cores
CPU cores	8 or 10	1
Graphics
Graphics	8-core GPU or 10-core GPU	–
AI engine (NPU)
AI engine (NPU)	38 TOPS	–
Memory
Memory	16 GB, 24 GB or 32 GB (better)	4 MB
Storage
Storage	256 GB to 2 TB (better)	40 MB to 160 MB
CPU
CPU	8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores (two-port model), or 10-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores (four-port models)	16 MHz Motorola 68030 with 16-bit data bus, integrated PMMU and 0.5K L1 cache; optional 68882 maths coprocessor, no supplied FPU, L2 cache or second processor
Memory type
Memory type	–	4 MB onboard, expandable to 10 MB using two paired 30-pin SIMMs, 100 ns minimum; 1, 2 or 4 MB modules. With two 4 MB SIMMs the lower 2 MB onboard cannot be addressed. 1 MB ROM
GPU
GPU	Hardware-accelerated ray tracing	–
AI engine
AI engine	16-core Neural Engine	–
Memory bandwidth
Memory bandwidth	120GB/s	–
Storage type
Storage type	SSD	Original Apple Facts and Apple Direct describe 4 MB memory with 40, 80 or 160 MB internal SCSI disks, varying by country; original US ordering sheet explicitly identifies 4 MB/80 MB M1602LL/A. 1.44 MB removable SuperDrive floppy; optional external CD-ROM. Original capacity units retained
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	–	One LC-compatible 96-pin processor-direct slot and optional maths-coprocessor socket; slide-out logic board provides access to memory, VRAM and expansion
Media engine
Media engine	Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW; video decode engine; video encode engine; ProRes encode and decode engine; AV1 decode	–
Display
Screen size
Screen size	24″	8.2″
Resolution
Resolution	4480 × 2520 (better)	512 × 384
Panel
Panel	IPS LCD	CRT
Refresh rate
Refresh rate	60 Hz	60.15 Hz (better)
Brightness
Brightness	500 nits	–
Display type
Display type	4.5K Retina display; actual diagonal 23.5 inches	Sony Trinitron colour CRT; maker display-component sheet distinguishes 10-inch tube from 8.2-inch viewable area, retained as the main display size. 512 × 384 Macintosh mode, exact 60.15 Hz refresh and 24.48 kHz horizontal scan
Pixel density
Pixel density	218 ppi	–
Display features
Display features	1 billion colours; wide colour (P3); True Tone; nano-texture glass option on four-port models	256K VRAM supplies 256 colours; optional additional 256K VRAM enables 32,768 colours. Apple IIe card provides 560 × 384 mode at the same 60.15 Hz; this optional-card mode is not native Macintosh resolution
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × Thunderbolt 4, headphone jack	Headphone jack
External displays
External displays	Up to 1	–
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E	–
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	5.3	–
Camera
Camera	12MP Center Stage	–
Back ports
Back ports	2 × Thunderbolt / USB 4 (two-port model) or 4 × Thunderbolt 4 (four-port models), each with Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 (up to 40Gb/s), USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s) and DisplayPort; Gigabit Ethernet on the power adapter, standard on four-port models and optional on the two-port model	Two ADB, DB-25 SCSI, two RS-232/RS-422 serial ports, mono sound input and mono sound output. LocalTalk networking through serial port; Ethernet needs an optional expansion card, no built-in external video or floppy connector
External displays
External displays	Two-port model: one at up to 6K 60Hz; four-port models: two at up to 6K 60Hz, or one at up to 8K 60Hz	–
Camera
Camera	12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View; 1080p HD video recording; advanced image signal processor with computational video	–
Speakers
Speakers	High-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers; wide stereo sound; Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos	Built-in speaker and omnidirectional electret microphone; mono 8-bit output at 22 kHz, sound input at 22 or 11 kHz
Microphones
Microphones	Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming	–
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	Magic Keyboard (two-port model) or Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (four-port models), and Magic Mouse; Magic Trackpad or Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad available instead	ADB keyboard with numeric keypad and two-level tilt adjustment, Apple ADB Mouse II
Design and power
Type
Type	All-in-one	All-in-one
Weight
Weight	4.42 kg (better)	10.2 kg
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	547 × 147 × 461 mm	251 × 320 × 368 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	–	Main dimensions and 10.2 kg weight use original Apple Facts metric figures. Original technical library gives 22.5–23.2 lb (10.2–10.5 kg) depending on configuration and slightly different rounded centimetre dimensions
Power supply
Power supply	143W external power adapter; power lead (2 m)	Maximum 100 W, automatic 90–240 V AC, 47–63 Hz, 0.83 A; 3.6 V lithium clock battery. Keyboard power control and display power-saving mode
Materials
Materials	100% recycled aluminium in the stand; more than 15% recycled content overall	–
Colours
Colours	Blue, Purple, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Green, Silver	–
In the box
In the box	iMac, Magic Keyboard (with Touch ID on four-port models), Magic Mouse, 143W power adapter, power lead (2 m), USB-C Charge Cable, polishing cloth (nano-texture glass only)	Original system software 7.1 and System Enabler 401. Maker announcement 10 February 1993 is not treated as exact first sale; February sale month uses Wikipedia's historical sold-period account, with original March Apple Direct describing an available US configuration. Colour Classic is the regional spelling; no separate Performa 250 or Color Classic II generation added here