A 24-inch 4K monitor & Mac mini is a superb option versus the Apple Silicon iMac

The 24-inch iMac is available to pre-order, but the lack of ports and pricing could be an issue for some. Instead, look at a Mac mini and a 24-inch monitor, and you'll have cash left.

The most recent Macs have a variant of the M1 processor, but each has their own tradeoffs and expenses. So far, the Mac mini has the widest selection of ports available with the fewest number of tradeoffs.

The 24-inch iMac will come in two configurations, each with two USB 4/Thunderbolt ports. The higher-end model has two additional USB 3 Type-C ports, nevertheless they all have the limitation of supporting only one external monitor. The iMac starts at $1,299 for the two-port configuration and $1,499 for the four ports.

The Mac mini, however, includes a a lot more economical entry price of $699 with a wider port selection. Like other M1-based Macs, it only has two USB-C USB4/Thunderbolt ports, but it addittionally has two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a HDMI 2.0 port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a headphone jack.

It still suffers from the limitation of allowing only 1 external monitor over USB-C, however the HDMI port enables another 4K monitor to be connected in tandem. Which means for $699, you can have an M1 Mac with the same power as the iMac, but you will have to bring your own monitor and keyboard.

This isn't an ideal solution, however, because the new iMac comes in seven bright colors and comes with color-matched accessories. The Mac mini is silver and the monitors mentioned are all black, so if you are searching for a cheaper utility computer without each of the colorful flashy designs, this is an option for you.

When Apple moved its iMac from 21.5 inches to 24-inches, it increased the resolution from 4K to 4.5K. This is to maintain a higher pixel density at that screen size to meet Apple's definition of "Retina." The monitors you'll pair with the Mac mini will all be limited by 4K at 24-inches, but that shouldn't make a lot of a notable difference content-wise unless you're sitting inches from the display.

Add in the cost of a mouse and keyboard to your Mac mini setup and you will still come in less than the price tag on a similarly specced iMac. Additionally it is worth noting that you will have a choice of Apple or third-party keyboard when investing in a Mac mini versus being stuck with Apple's Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse (that still charges on the bottom), or Magic Trackpad.