This really isn't enough to give you sufficient storage space for the lifetime of your usage - upgrading to at least 512GB is a must. However, 256GB is default capacity for the 21.5-inch models, and the entry-level 27-incher. All iMacs, 21.5-inch and 27-inch alike, now get a fast SSD drive as standard, so there's no waiting around fora clunky conventional hard drive to spool up.
All other iMacs get proper Radeon Pro graphics, though the 27-inch iMacs use newer, faster models (that extra space gained from a having bigger screen makes room for more powerful internals), and the 2021 iMac gets the formidable shared graphics processing power of the M1 chip. The entry-level 21.5-inch iMac is best avoided, even if you can find it still on sale, as it doesn't have a dedicated graphics card.
RAM: For iMacs, 8GB is now the baseline spec, and while this is just about adequate for light image editing, open a bunch of tabs open in your web browser while adding several layers to a high-res PSD file and watch what happens to the performance.The new 24-inch iMac could be better still, though – the screen is smaller, but the M1 processor has already shown its huge power in the M1 MacBook Air (opens in new tab), M1 MacBook Pro (opens in new tab) and M1 Mac Mini (opens in new tab). The extra room gives you luxurious space for both your image and the various editing palettes around it.
Screen size: The smallest 21.5-inch iMac is still available – for now, but for most photographers and video editors the 27-incher is the way to go.What should you look for when searching for the best iMac for photo and video editing? The key is to look at the specifications and suss out what you're going to need while any modern iMac is going to be capable of editing photos with ease, some are more suited to heavy workloads or ultra-high resolution than others. The best iMac for photo editing: what to look for You can use the spare cash to add more RAM – the processor performance is important for video, but for photo editing it's good to get as much RAM as you can, as pro-level photo editors will eat it up pretty quickly. It's not the most powerful iMac now, but it's arguably the best value, and the best iMac for photo editing if you can't quite stretch to the 2020 iMac or 2021 M1 models. You can choose from 8th- and 9th-generation Intel processors, with up to 8-cores for fantastic multitasking performance. Although it's no longer the latest model, the 2019 iMac 27-inch still offers great performance with cutting edge components, all packaged up in a brilliant design that will look great on anyone's desk.