Honestly, trying to pin down exactly how much is an iMac desktop feels a bit like trying to hit a moving target. You walk into an Apple Store thinking you’ll drop a specific amount, and then you see the "nano-texture" glass option or realize the base storage is way too small for your photo library. Suddenly, that "affordable" desktop is creeping toward three grand.
As of early 2026, the landscape has shifted slightly. We aren't just looking at old Intel leftovers anymore. Everything is Apple Silicon now, specifically the M4 series that landed in late 2024. If you’re buying new today, you’re basically looking at a starting price of $1,299. But let’s be real: almost nobody actually pays exactly that because Apple is the king of the "just one more upgrade" upsell.
The Reality of the Base Model Price
The entry-level 24-inch iMac with the M4 chip technically starts at $1,299. For that, you get an 8-core CPU and an 8-core GPU. It finally comes with 16GB of unified memory as the floor, which is a massive win compared to the 8GB we were stuck with for years.
👉 See also: Data Center Energy News Today: Why the AI Power Grid Crisis is Actually a Policy War
But there’s a catch.
That $1,299 model only gives you two Thunderbolt ports. If you have a lot of peripherals—hard drives, microphones, a wired mouse—you’re going to be living that dongle life. Most people end up looking at the **$1,499 tier**. Why? Because it bumps you up to a 10-core CPU/GPU and, more importantly, gives you four ports and Gigabit Ethernet.
- Standard M4 (8-core): $1,299
- Upgraded M4 (10-core + more ports): $1,499
- The "Storage Jump" Model: $1,699 (usually includes 512GB SSD)
Why the Total Cost Usually Spirals
The "hidden" cost of an iMac isn't really hidden; it's just expensive. Apple’s upgrade pricing is notoriously steep. If you want to move from 256GB of storage to 1TB, you aren't just paying for the chip; you're paying a premium that would buy you a massive external drive three times over.
- Memory: Moving from 16GB to 24GB will cost you $200. Jump to 32GB? That’s $400.
- Storage: Apple charges $200 to go from 256GB to 512GB. To hit 2TB, you’re looking at an extra $600 to $800 depending on the starting point.
- The Glass: The nano-texture glass—which is incredible if you have a window right behind your desk—is a flat $200 add-on.
If you max out a 24-inch iMac today with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, you're looking at roughly $2,699. At that point, you’re in Mac Studio territory, which is a whole different beast.
The Refurbished Route: A Secret Weapon
If $1,300 sounds too high, you should probably be looking at the Apple Certified Refurbished store. It's easily the best-kept secret in tech. You can often find M4 models for about **$1,099** (a $200 savings) or older M3 models for significantly less.
I’ve bought refurbished Macs for years. They come with the same one-year warranty as new ones, and they’re often "more" tested than the units coming off the assembly line. Third-party sites like Mac of All Trades or even Amazon’s Renewed section can get you into an iMac for under $800 if you’re okay with an M1 or M3 chip. Honestly, for most people doing email and Netflix, an M1 iMac is still plenty fast.
Education and Business Discounts
Don't pay full price if you don't have to. The Apple Education Store usually knocks $100 off the price, making the base model $1,199. They also tend to throw in a gift card during "Back to School" season, which effectively lowers the cost further.
Business owners can also look into trade-in values. Apple recently adjusted trade-ins for 2026, and you can get up to $875 for an older iMac toward a new one. It’s not "cash in hand," but it makes that $1,499 price tag feel a lot more manageable.
Is it Actually Worth the Money?
When people ask how much is an iMac desktop, they’re usually trying to justify the cost against a PC or a Mac mini. Here is the thing: with an iMac, you’re paying for the screen. The 4.5K Retina display is arguably worth $700 on its own. If you bought a Mac mini ($599) and a comparable 4K monitor, mouse, and keyboard, you’d likely end up within $100 of the iMac price anyway.
It’s a "lifestyle" computer. It looks great in a kitchen or a studio. It’s one cable. It’s easy.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're ready to buy, don't just click "add to cart" on the first $1,299 model you see.
First, check your current storage usage. If you're using more than 200GB now, you must upgrade to the 512GB model or plan on buying an external SSD. Second, visit the Apple Refurbished page daily. The inventory changes every few hours, and the M4 deals disappear fast. Finally, if you're a student or teacher, always use the Education Store link—they rarely check IDs for online orders, and the savings are instant.