Apple updated the iMac in late October. But while some people were hoping for a more significant upgrade, what the company did was essentially put the M3 chip inside the chassis of the 2021 iMac. But is there really nothing new inside the new iMac? iFixit has shared a teardown of Apple’s latest all-in-one desktop to answer that question.
M3 iMac teardown
In yet another teardown video, iFixit now shows what’s inside the M3 iMac. Similar to the M1 model, the M3 iMac is quite empty inside. Everything is so compact that most of the computer is concentrated in the iMac’s chin. But gaining access to the iMac’s internal components isn’t exactly easy, as it requires you to remove the screen – which is stuck on with adhesives.
There are a lot of screws and stickers protecting the main logic board, as well as fragile cables connecting the display to the rest of the hardware. As with the previous generation, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas are placed behind the Apple logo.
Apple still makes customers choose whether they want an iMac with the default stand or with a built-in VESA mount adapter. iMac owners can later remove the stand to install a VESA adapter, but this also requires disassembling the iMac.
Overall, everything looks the same as on the M1 iMac. There’s one big difference, though. While the M1 iMac has two coin battery cells, the new one only has one. iFixit even jokes about the M3 iMac having the “most replaceable battery” in an Apple device. The iFixit teardown also shows us a look at the iMac’s cooling system, M3 chip, and USB-C ports.
You can watch the full teardown below or on YouTube:
Read also
- Hands-on with Apple’s new 24-inch M3 iMac: Same beloved design, better performance
- M3 iMac vs Intel iMac: Here are all the upgrades and a few downsides
- iFixit goes 7000x on incredibly close iPhone 15 teardown video
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 and S9 teardowns reveal no significant changes
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