I need advice on determining what dock/cables/adapters to buy for my 24" iMac. What are USB-A, B, C, and Thunderbolt? What do I need to buy to use any device with my new 24" iMac? I've seen prices in the $300.00 range, but that seems high to me. Is it true that I don't have to buy a special Thunderbolt cable for normal usage? I should add that all my cables were purchased for my old iMac. (Mon Dec 19, 2022)
iMac 24″
Every USB-C cable will fit into any of the ports on an iMac 24" (either the model with 2 Thunderbolt ports or the iMac model with 2 Thunderbolt and 2 USB 3 ports) and will charge things like those you described and connect with cameras. A cable example is USB-C Charge Cable (1 m) - Apple (but the other end could be different depending on what you want to charge). Another option is to continue to use your old cables with an adapter such as USB-C to USB Adapter - Apple
The reason I asked the question wasn't for any reason other than to get the needed information to try to help. If you were asking about devices with higher transfer speeds (e.g., a Thunderbolt external drive) then you would need a cable such as About the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Cable - Apple Support. See the following from that support article:
This cable also connects to Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C devices for charging your Mac laptop computer or other device. It delivers a maximum of 100W power to any connected device.
Compared with Apple USB-C Charge Cable
The Apple USB-C Charge Cable is longer (2m) and also supports charging, but data-transfer speed is limited to 480Mbps (USB 2.0) and it doesn't support video. The Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable has Thunderbolt 
logo on the sleeve of each connector. Either cable can be used with the Apple USB-C Power Adapter.
Go with this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09W21Z49M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
USB C is fine as it's almost as fast as Thunderbolt. If you want the fastest speeds possible, find an adapter with a Thunderbolt connector. These days USB 3.0 is almost as fast. I do a ton of file copies, etc and this dock does it for me. Remember you have to load Displaylink drivers from the website before connecting for it to work properly.
Well, I don't know everything I'll be using in the future, but I've never been asked that question before. I've had four iMacs, and every USB cable that I ever used fit into the ports on the back of them all. Is the new iMac different? However, to show good faith, I'd say, cameras, CD/DVD players, iPads, Smart phones, and all kinds of gadgets that I have been charging with my old iMac. Now that I think of it, even shavers, GPS units, and other things having nothing to do with computers; in fact, everything that required charging. Was I wrong?
Thanks. I'll study this to see if it answers all of my questions. If not, I'll be back. Incidentally, my new iMac has two Thunderbolt ports and two other. I'm thinking now that the easiest solution would be to buy a multi-port dock that plugs into one of my Thunderbolt ports. I guess that would give me Thunderbolt capacity/performance for anything that plugs into that dock. Oh, I'm presuming that I would be able to plug all of my existing cables into this dock. Is that right? In other words, the dock that I propose buying would be to convert the tiny ports on my 24" iMac into the larger ports used on my old 27" iMac.
The one in your screenshot appears to do that.
I don't have any specific expertise in docks and don't have any idea of what options are available.
Be aware that if you use your old cables, you won't achieve thunderbolt speeds to the devices at the other end of the cable and those devices likely wouldn't be designed for or capable of thunderbolt speeds regardless of the cable used.
In case you're confused, I uploaded the screenshot after I wrote to you. I had temporarily forgotten it, but I thought that it would confirm what we were saying. However, I'm going to have to learn more about Thunderbolt before I buy anything. I just don't know exactly what it's for, or even if I need it. I can't say more, because there is just too much that I don't know. Too bad Apple sold me my $2400.00 iMac M1 without ANY instructions. However, it just occurred to me that there MUST be a manual on the subject, so I looked. There was, and I will soon have some guidance on the subject. as opposed to the NOTHING that
Apple gave me when I bought the computer. (Tue Dec 20, 2022)
Thanks, but it's obvious that I have a lot of "catching-up" to do. I'm hoping that the book I have ordered will enable me to function with my new computer. "Displaylink drivers?"
[Edited by Moderator]
It may help someone to give you assistance if you reply with information about what it is that you want to connect to your iMac.
Adaptors for new 24" iMac.
