Got $1,200 to spend on an M3 iMac? Here are the 6 things I’d buy in the hunt for Apple desktop perfection instead
The M3 iMac is pretty excellent, the ultimate all-in-one computer, perfect for a family or a student limited on space. But it’s not what you’d call cheap, and going all-in-one can often have unintended consequences. It’s not a flexible or modular desktop computing solution, and there are cheaper ways to achieve Apple desktop computing nirvana, as I’m about to show you.
I’ve spent nearly a decade either working at Apple or writing about the company, so I know a thing or two about good value Apple computing. So if you want to build an Apple desktop setup that’s compact, future-proof, and cheaper than the cost of an M3 iMac, strap in.
I wowed colleagues with this concept during Black Friday in 2023, but with Prime Day Apple deals close at hand, one of the best Prime Day Macs on offer is the M3 iMac, down to just $1,199. As such, the budget has shrunk by $100 this year. Still, I relish the task at hand.
The ultimate M3 iMac alternative
M2 Mac mini — the beating heart
Just like last year, our budget-conscious M3 iMac alternative starts with the best value in Mac computing, the M2 Mac mini. It might not be quite as fast as the M3, but if you’re in the iMac demographic you’ll barely notice the difference. This has all the processing power you need to carry out a range of everyday computing tasks, be it spreadsheets, word processing, surfing the web, or anything else. It’ll even stretch to a little light photo and video editing.
Budget: $1,199 Spent: $499 Remaining $700
The display — Samsung steps in
We run into a little bit of a problem with the display. Naturally, the M3 iMac is a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display. It’s got great pixel density, and we unfortunately can’t match it with an alternative. 5K is way out of our budget, so it’s going to have to be 4K.
While we’re sacrificing pixels, we are going to get a much bigger display, and I’ve found a corker! This 32-inch Samsung M70C Series Smart monitor offers 4K resolution, and so much more besides. Notably, it includes a SlimFit camera — so we won’t have to buy a webcam — but it also comes with plenty of USB-C, HDMI, and USB-A ports. As the name suggests, the M70C is a smart monitor. That means you can use it just like a smart TV. It has smart TV apps and a remote, so you can quickly pivot to watching anything you want including Netflix, YouTube, Disney Plus, and more. It also supports AirPlay, another huge win for Apple fans. Finally, my favorite feature is the Samsung Gaming Hub, a dedicated spot for streaming games without any extra hardware.
Budget: $1,299 Spent: $814 Remaining $385
Peripherals
You get a mouse and keyboard in the box with your M3 iMac, so we need some peripherals to complete the set. My remit for finding a good Mac keyboard can broadly be summed up as “which Keychron is on sale.” To that end, I’ve found the marvelous Keychron K4 Pro reduced to just $89 instead of $105. Keychron makes my absolute favorite keyboards, and this one is also smashing. It’s got hot-swappable K Pro Brown Switch keys. That means it’s a great typing experience out of the box, but also perfect if you want to do some mechanical keyboard tinkering down the line. It works with both macOS and Windows either wirelessly or through USB.
Last year I went for the Logitech MX Master 2S as my mouse of choice. This year, we’re getting an upgrade. The MX Master 3S is the undisputed king when it comes to great Mac mice. It’s wireless, features touch scrolling, and works on any surface including glass. The clicks are quiet and it features support for both macOS and Windows.
Budget: $1,199 Spent: $992 Remaining $207
With more than $200 left in the bank, you’re faced with two choices. You now have a fully-fledged desktop Mac, replete with a great display, and a mouse and keyboard. If you want, you could cut your losses there and save yourself $200. Or, you could choose to take your experience that little bit further with a couple of very nice accessories. Here are some I’ve recommended previously.
Our M2 Mac mini only comes with 256GB of storage, so you’ll probably need some extra hard drive at some point. I’ve found a Samsung T7 Portable SSD packing 2TB of storage and some snappy speeds for $165, a whopping 39% off.
Proof, then, that you can buy a brilliant desktop Mac outfit without splashing out on an M3 iMac. Don’t get me wrong, the M3 iMac is a brilliant bit of kit, I’ve always just preferred the more modular and flexible approach of using Apple’s potent Mac mini and your own set of peripherals instead.
That being said, this year the M3 iMac is actually discounted on Amazon, making the choice a good bit harder.
