iMac Values 2026: What Every Model Is Worth

In 2026, indicative UK values run from roughly £850 for a good 24-inch iMac M4 down to about £90 for a working 21.5-inch Intel model. The M1 iMac sits near £450 in good condition, a 27-inch Intel 2020 around £300, and faulty machines generally fetch 40 to 50 per cent of working prices.

Those are the headlines. This guide breaks the whole range down model by model, explains why the gap between Apple Silicon and Intel keeps widening, and shows which spec details genuinely move your quote - and which make almost no difference.

What is every iMac worth in 2026?

The table below reflects indicative UK market values in July 2026 for machines in good cosmetic condition versus faulty units (won't boot, dead or damaged display, board faults). All figures are indicative: on the Apple Silicon models we buy - M1-generation and newer - your fixed quote depends on exact configuration and honest condition grading. Intel iMacs are open-market values, not offers from us.

We buy Apple Silicon Macs only - M1-generation and newer, working or broken. Intel Macs are the exception; see our Intel MacBook value guide for what those are worth.

One pattern jumps out: faulty values track working values at a fairly consistent ratio - useful to know if your machine died last month and you assumed it was scrap.

Why do Apple Silicon iMacs hold value so much better?

Three forces stack on top of each other.

Software support. macOS Tahoe (2025) was the final version to run on any Intel Mac, and most Intel iMacs were dropped even earlier. A buyer of a used M1 iMac can reasonably expect several more years of macOS updates; a buyer of a 2019 Intel machine is purchasing a countdown clock. Second-hand prices are brutal about this.

Performance-per-pound. An M1 iMac still feels quick for everyday work in 2026, so it competes with new machines rather than merely with other old ones. The Intel 27-inch, however capable in its day, now trails a base M4 Mac mini that costs less new than the Intel cost used two years ago.

Design desirability. The colourful 24-inch chassis still looks current because Apple has barely changed it. Nothing dates a computer faster than looking dated, and the silver-and-black-bezel Intel design reads as a decade old even when it is not.

How much do spec upgrades add to your quote?

Not all upgrades survive depreciation equally. Here is roughly how configuration options affect 24-inch Apple Silicon values in 2026:

On Intel 27-inch models the picture differs: user-upgradeable RAM means a 32GB machine earns only a modest premium over 8GB, but a genuine SSD (rather than a Fusion Drive) makes a real difference because Fusion Drives have aged terribly and buyers know it. If your 2019 or 2020 model has the 512GB or 1TB SSD option, say so wherever you sell - it can add £40 or more.

What counts as "good" and what counts as "faulty"?

Grading anxiety costs sellers money in both directions: some undersell a decent machine, others get a revised offer because "good" was optimistic. Our working definitions:

• Good - powers on, everything works, screen free of cracks and major marks, chassis has only light signs of normal use. Small scuffs on the stand or rear do not disqualify you.
• Fair - fully working but visibly worn: noticeable scratches, dents, or a screen blemish visible during use. Expect roughly 10 to 20 per cent under the good figure.
• Faulty - any functional failure: no power, no video, boot loops, dead ports, cracked glass, failed storage. You still get an instant online price, and unlike some rivals we never ask you to email photographs of a broken machine first.

One condition we cannot price at all: Activation Lock. An iCloud-locked iMac has no resale value to anyone legitimate, so switch off Find My and sign out of iCloud before requesting your quote. If your machine won't boot at all, our team at sell a broken MacBook or Mac explains how lock status is checked on dead hardware.

Are 27-inch Intel iMacs still worth selling in 2026?

Yes - but the window is closing. The saving grace of the 2019 and 2020 models is that 5K 27-inch panel: it remains genuinely excellent, and demand from buyers who want a big Retina display on a budget is what keeps working examples near the £220 to £300 mark. Once you factor in that these machines lose macOS support entirely, every month of waiting shaves value off. We have written a dedicated, honest breakdown in our guide to selling a 27-inch Intel iMac if you own one and are weighing up timing.

The 21.5-inch Intel line is a different story. Values are low enough (£40 to £90) that the main argument for selling is simply that the figure will soon be zero - and that responsible recycling with a bank transfer attached beats a trip to the tip.

How do you turn these numbers into cash?

Request a quote with your exact model, chip, memory, storage and condition, and a fixed offer lands in your inbox within 2 working hours, any day of the week. The price is locked for 14 days, so you can quote first and decide later. Because iMacs are desktops, you never lug anything anywhere: postage is free and fully insured, with a courier collecting from your door, and payment arrives by bank transfer within 24 hours of the machine passing inspection.

Should inspection reveal something the quote did not cover, you get a revised figure with an explanation - and if you decline it, return shipping is free and insured too. Charging a seller to send their own computer back is one of this industry's stranger habits, and not one we share.

What will these values look like next year?

Predictions in this market are mostly extrapolation, but the trend lines are unambiguous. Apple Silicon iMacs lose value slowly and steadily - think 15 to 20 per cent a year. Intel machines are on a steeper slope that gets steeper still as security-update deadlines pass; the 27-inch models likely shed a third of today's value by mid-2027, and 21.5-inch machines approach scrap pricing. In other words: an M-series iMac gives you the luxury of selling whenever suits you, while an Intel iMac quietly rewards acting this quarter rather than next.

Ready for a real number instead of an indicative one? It takes about two minutes to sell your iMac - pick the model, describe it honestly, and see your fixed 14-day offer.