On April 21, 2021, Apple officially launched the M1 iMac at its spring product release event. This all-in-one desktop was particularly eye-catching for its ARM-based, self-developed M1 processor. The product officially went on sale in late May.
The M1 iMac received positive reviews and solid market performance due to its excellent design, powerful performance, and outstanding display and audio quality, providing an exceptional overall experience that was widely praised by users.
So, why bring up a product released three years ago? The answer is, it encountered a major issue. Yes, you read that correctly.
Some may question the credibility of this information: Why did the M1 iMac experience no issues upon release, only to encounter them three years later?
This is because certain components of the M1 iMac were designed with hidden flaws that would only become apparent after two to three years of actual use.
So, what does this “design flaw” refer to? Recently, there have been stability issues with Intel’s 13th and 14th-generation Core processors. On hearing “design flaw,” some might assume the M1 processor itself was problematic. However, this isn’t the case—the flaw lies within the display.
In recent months, a growing number of M1 iMac users have reported severe display issues, most notably persistent, large, dark ripples on the screen.
This issue isn’t new. As early as October 2023, users on Apple’s community forums reported this problem, which quickly gained traction with 17 pages of responses from users encountering similar issues. However, the forum page is currently inaccessible—refer to the images below.
Some might think, “Just send it in for repair.” But if that’s your assumption, you may be disappointed.
While some users have attempted this, Apple’s official after-sales service centers classify the screen issue as irreparable, offering only replacement as a solution.
The problem is that these failures typically occur two to three years after purchase, well beyond the warranty period, meaning users must cover the repair costs themselves. Screen replacement costs range from $600 to $700, roughly equivalent to a new M2 Mac Mini, making repairs uneconomical.
The likely cause appears to be the rapid aging of certain components or circuitry. Rumors suggest the issue may be due to design flaws, manufacturing defects, or non-compliant components supplied by vendors.
It’s worth noting that while complaints are mainly about the M1 iMac, some users of the M3 iMac, released in March 2024, have reported similar issues.
This raises a serious concern: if the M1 iMac’s issues stem from design flaws that Apple has not corrected in subsequent models, similar failures may eventually appear in later models, but simply haven’t manifested yet due to shorter usage times.
If this is indeed the case, the consequences could be dire for Apple.
Apple has yet to respond to this issue or classify it as a product defect, leaving users with limited options for free replacements, repairs, or compensation. An official announcement and reasonable solution from Apple are eagerly anticipated.
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