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iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) vs Mac mini (M1, 2020)

iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021)1Mac mini (M1, 2020)2

Quick look

Quick look: iMac M1 against Mac mini M1
FigureiMac M11Mac mini M12
Price£1,2493launch price£6994launch price
ChipM1chipM1chip
CPU8-coreCPU8-coreCPU
GPU7-coreGPU8-coreGPU
Memory8GBunified memory, base8GBunified memory, base
Storage256GBstorage, base256GBstorage, base
Display24-inchdisplayNot available5No built-in display
ReleasedMay 20216Release date, month onlyOrderable online from 30 April 2021.10 November 20207Available online; Apple gave no in-store day
Security updatesNot available8Security updatesNot available8Security updates
Price
The iMac M1 is £1,249 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK); the Mac mini M1 is £699 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK).
Kind of Mac
The iMac M1 is an all-in-one; the Mac mini M1 is a desktop. The iMac M1 has a built-in 24-inch display and a camera, whereas the Mac mini M1 has neither.

True to scale

iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) · 547 × 461 mm frontMac mini (M1, 2020) · 197 × 36 mm front

An all-in-one and a desktop are different shapes, so they stand side by side rather than superposed: the front face of one and the front face of the other, from Apple’s published dimensions, at one scale. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.

Specifications

Each figure is from the source marked by its Mac’s name unless it carries its own small number, which links to where that figure was read.

Body

Body: Apple iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) against Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)
SpecificationiMac M11Mac mini M12
Dimensions461 x 547 x 147 mm36 x 197 x 197 mm
Weight4.46 kg1.2 kg
ColoursBlue, Green, Pink, Silver9Silver
PortsTwo Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, 3.5mm headphone jackTwo Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, two USB-A ports (up to 5 Gb/s), HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet port (configurable to 10Gb Ethernet), 3.5 mm headphone jack
Thunderbolt ports22
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 3
USB-A portsNo USB-A ports.102
HDMINo HDMI port.11HDMI port
SD card slotNo SD card slot.11No SD card slot.12
Headphone jackYesYes
KeyboardMagic KeyboardNot available13
Touch IDNo Touch ID.10Not available14

Display

Display: Apple iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) against Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)
SpecificationiMac M11Mac mini M12
Display size24 inNot available5
Resolution4480 x 2520Not available5
Pixel density218 ppiNot available5
Display type4.5K Retina displayNot available5
Brightness500 nitsNot available5
Wide colour (P3)YesNot available5
Nano-texture optionNo nano-texture display option.11Not available5

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) against Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)
SpecificationiMac M11Mac mini M12
ChipApple M1 chipApple M1 chip
Apple siliconYesYes
CPU cores88
Performance cores44
Efficiency cores44
GPU cores78
Neural Engine cores1616
Chip optionsM1 with 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU or 8-core GPUM1 with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU
Memory (base)8GB8GB
Memory (maximum)16GB16GB
Memory options8GB or 16GB8GB or 16GB
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents15No, as Apple documents16
Storage (base)256GB256GB
Storage (maximum)2TB2TB
Storage options256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB

Battery and power

Battery and power: Apple iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) against Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)
SpecificationiMac M11Mac mini M12
Included power adapter143 WNot available17
Maximum continuous powerNot available18150 W

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) against Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)
SpecificationiMac M11Mac mini M12
Wi-Fi802.11ax Wi-Fi 6Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Bluetooth5.05.0
EthernetGigabit Ethernet configurable19Gigabit Ethernet (configurable to 10Gb Ethernet)
External displays (base)12

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) against Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)
SpecificationiMac M11Mac mini M12
Camera1080p FaceTime HD cameraNot available20
SpeakersHigh-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofersBuilt-in speaker21
MicrophonesStudio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamformingNot available22

Platform

Platform: Apple iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) against Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)
SpecificationiMac M11Mac mini M12
Shipped withNot available18macOS Big Sur23
Newest macOSmacOS 27 Golden Gate24macOS 27 Golden Gate24
Model identifieriMac21,225Macmini9,126
Model year20212020

Benchmarks

Benchmarks: Apple iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) against Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)
SpecificationiMac M11Mac mini M12
Geekbench 7 (CPU, single-core)2,168272,19127
Geekbench 7 (CPU, multi-core)8,365278,58627

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) - Technical Specifications · Default for iMac M1 · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — Mac mini (M1, 2020) - Tech Specs · Default for Mac mini M1 · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac features all-new design in vibrant colours, M1 chip, and 4.5K Retina display · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  4. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  5. Doesn’t apply: no built-in display

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  6. Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac features all-new design in vibrant colours, M1 chip, and 4.5K Retina display · Apple’s figure · read 3 Oct 2026

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  7. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  8. Security updates: no end date published. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 22 Sep 2026

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  9. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model · Apple’s figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  10. iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021): No USB-A ports. No Touch ID. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) - Technical Specifications. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  11. iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No nano-texture display option. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) - Technical Specifications. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  12. Mac mini (M1, 2020): No SD card slot. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — Mac mini (M1, 2020) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  13. Doesn’t apply: no built-in keyboard

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  14. Doesn’t apply: no built-in keyboard, and Touch ID is a keyboard feature

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  15. Apple Support (UK) — Install memory in an iMac · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  16. Apple Support (UK) — Upgrade or install memory in your Mac mini · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  17. Doesn’t apply: internal power supply, no power adapter in the box

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  18. Not published by Apple. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac features all-new design in vibrant colours, M1 chip, and 4.5K Retina display. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  19. Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) - Technical Specifications · Apple’s figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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  20. Doesn’t apply: no built-in camera

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  21. Apple Support (UK) — Mac mini (M1, 2020) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  22. Not published by Apple. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — Mac mini (M1, 2020) - Tech Specs; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your Mac mini model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  23. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac · Apple’s figure · read 14 Oct 2026

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  24. Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  25. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model · Apple’s figure · read 10 Oct 2026

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  26. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your Mac mini model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  27. Geekbench Browser (Primate Labs) · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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Not published by Apple

iMac M1. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: refresh rate, memory bandwidth, storage upgradeable by user, media engine. Geekbench 7 Metal: the Mac chart row for this Mac does not state its GPU core count, so no Metal score is shown (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac features all-new design in vibrant colours, M1 chip, and 4.5K Retina display, read 9 Oct 2026.

Mac mini M1. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: memory bandwidth, storage upgradeable by user, media engine. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — Mac mini (M1, 2020) - Tech Specs; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your Mac mini model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac, read 9 Oct 2026.

If you own one of them

Whether to move is a different question from which is better. Each Mac has a page on it: what its successor changes (the newest Mac in its line where Apple sells one, otherwise the Mac this site treats as its replacement, which can be in another line), what it fetches and whether it still gets updates. Should I upgrade my iMac M1 (24-inch, 2021)? · Should I upgrade my Mac mini M1 (2020)?

The pairs a buyer of either Mac would also weigh. Any two Macs in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.