Apple will reportedly squeeze in a new iMac refresh later this month
- Thread starter JournalBot
- Start date
Being on my third 27" iMac, each lasting 7+ years, even under decent processing load, it really is a perfect single-montor size at high DPI and usually allowed a configuration sweet spot in Apple's current computer line up too.
Upvote
69
(71
/
-2)
My old 27" died 2 summers ago, and the consensus at the time was that the Mac Studio was the intended replacement. (The 27" hadn't been refreshed in many years, so it wasn't a good idea to buy a new "old" model.) My 27" lasted me 9.5 years, and I hope this Mac Studio does as well. But if I could've got this 27", it would have given me all the functionality I need for a much more reasonable cost. The Mac Studio is way overkill for a daily driver.
Upvote
20
(20
/
0)
We decided to replace my wife's 10 year old Macbook Pro with an iMac and so I've been waiting on one with >16GB RAM. M2/M2 Pro, like the Mini, would be a nice update. Or M3. Whichever.
I'd just like to be able to get something with specs that could get it close to lasting 10 years again. 16GB would be fine for now but I wouldn't want to bet on it being enough in, say, 2030.
That said, here's a joke: everyone was so sure we were going to get new iPads last week and we got a third Apple Pencil instead, so maybe instead of new Macs at the end of this month we'll get a new Magic Mouse that charges wirelessly (but still can't be used while charging, of course) and USB-C versions of the Magic Trackpad and Keyboard.
If it's true I'll be willing to let Bloomberg pay me oodles of cash for future guesses and/or jokes. If it isn't, well, it was just a joke anyways.
I'd just like to be able to get something with specs that could get it close to lasting 10 years again. 16GB would be fine for now but I wouldn't want to bet on it being enough in, say, 2030.
That said, here's a joke: everyone was so sure we were going to get new iPads last week and we got a third Apple Pencil instead, so maybe instead of new Macs at the end of this month we'll get a new Magic Mouse that charges wirelessly (but still can't be used while charging, of course) and USB-C versions of the Magic Trackpad and Keyboard.
If it's true I'll be willing to let Bloomberg pay me oodles of cash for future guesses and/or jokes. If it isn't, well, it was just a joke anyways.
Last edited:
Upvote
39
(39
/
0)
I came down from a 27" iMac 5K to the current M1 24" iMac. To me the 24" is workable, but it's a bit like (in a couple) downsizing from a king sized bed to a queen: technically big enough but you can't quite sprawl out the way you'd like.
Otherwise, the M1 is still a very strong performer and handles everything I throw at it quite well. I don't think I'd upgrade just for an M2 (or even M3) processor, as I just haven't hit the point on M1 yet where I feel like I'm waiting for stuff to happen.
Otherwise, the M1 is still a very strong performer and handles everything I throw at it quite well. I don't think I'd upgrade just for an M2 (or even M3) processor, as I just haven't hit the point on M1 yet where I feel like I'm waiting for stuff to happen.
Upvote
28
(29
/
-1)
The AppleTV Siri Remote was actually switched to USB-C with the updated 4k AppleTV earlier this year.
Upvote
37
(37
/
0)
This fits well with sane expectations. Apple has consistently said, via interviews with employees like Anand Shimpi and others, that every Mac would get every generation of M-series silicon.
The 24" Retina iMac will get M2 and very likely the keyboard and mouse will get USB-C. This refresh comes at the end of the M2 cycle, and that will be its position in the cycle going forward. The rumored 30" or 32" Retina iMac (no matter what they call, it "iMac Plus" or "iMac Pro") would have Pro+ options, so it's likely to appear around the time the M3 Pro+ silicon appears. Regardless, the 24" will remain on M2 until the end of the M3 cycle. Updating it now was probably always the plan.
The 24" Retina iMac will get M2 and very likely the keyboard and mouse will get USB-C. This refresh comes at the end of the M2 cycle, and that will be its position in the cycle going forward. The rumored 30" or 32" Retina iMac (no matter what they call, it "iMac Plus" or "iMac Pro") would have Pro+ options, so it's likely to appear around the time the M3 Pro+ silicon appears. Regardless, the 24" will remain on M2 until the end of the M3 cycle. Updating it now was probably always the plan.
Upvote
6
(7
/
-1)
![:\](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/civis/data/assets/smilies/slash-1x.png "Slash :\")
Updating the 14/16" MBPs would imply an M3 Pro/Max chip, wouldn't it? Seems unlikely; at least so far, Apple's pattern with each chip generation is to start with the smallest (and highest-volume) one, the A-whatever in the iPhone. Then the M-whatever that goes into the MacBook Air and (maybe) the iMac. Then finally the big Pro/Max chips for the upper end of the Mac range. So, I'd expect an M3 (bare) first, whether it's in the next week or two or early next year.
Upvote
16
(16
/
0)
I think the N3B fiasco throws that pattern to the wind. Apple wants to keep the prior generation of the MacBook Air as a low cost solution (M1 available while M2 is the main attraction). That means that an M chip sticks around in the lineup for 3 years or more.
There’s just no way in hell Apple is going to make an M3 on TSMC’s dead end N3B node and keep that node alive for 3 years. That means the M3 is almost certainly waiting for N3E next year.
In contrast, the Mx Pro/Max chips only stick around for one generation (~1.5 years). Apple could feasibly do an N3B M3 Pro/Max and keep it in the lineup for a little over a year before shifting to N3E and retiring the N3B node.
So one reading of the iMac/MBP tea leaves is that the iMac is moving to an N3B node M3 Pro and the MBPs are as well. An Mx Pro is closer to what an iMac should have anyways.
————
Of course the more likely scenario is that this is an underwhelmingly late M2 update
Upvote
14
(16
/
-2)
Upvote
53
(54
/
-1)
OkSureFine
Wise, Aged Ars Veteran
Whenever they refresh these I hope they get rid of the oversized chin and have a dark gray/black option.
Upvote
-4
(3
/
-7)
The iMac is a product category that had a good reason to exist when it was invented (back in the days of towers and CRT's), but it's time for it to take a hike.
The Mac Mini and Apple's display line should be updated so a mini slides into the back of an Apple display, with the appropriate ports lining up / remaining accessible. Or slide a blank or whatever into the back of the monitor so it looks cool if you just want to use it as a monitor instead of using it as an iMac. Apple's design department is certainly up to making these two components so that they look awesome whether used as a stand-alone monitor, a stand-alone mac Mini, or a put-together iMac.
Why? For one, this kills all their engineering and design costs to keep updating and manufacturing an entire line of macs - they can commit those resources elsewhere.
More importantly, iMacs are a bad deal for the environment. I've seen so many imacs with good hardware head off to a landfill or recycling because it's not worth the cost to replace the screen, and also seen perfectly good 27" 5k displays disposed of because of a bad RAM chip or a broken USB port.
Apple makes a big deal talking about the environment these days, and actually has done some concrete things - lots of solar, selling repair parts, the self-repair program, supporting the recent California right-to-repair bill, making the iPhones much more repairable with removable back glass.
I think this would be a big step in the right direction for themselves, consumers, and the environment.
edit - typos
The Mac Mini and Apple's display line should be updated so a mini slides into the back of an Apple display, with the appropriate ports lining up / remaining accessible. Or slide a blank or whatever into the back of the monitor so it looks cool if you just want to use it as a monitor instead of using it as an iMac. Apple's design department is certainly up to making these two components so that they look awesome whether used as a stand-alone monitor, a stand-alone mac Mini, or a put-together iMac.
Why? For one, this kills all their engineering and design costs to keep updating and manufacturing an entire line of macs - they can commit those resources elsewhere.
More importantly, iMacs are a bad deal for the environment. I've seen so many imacs with good hardware head off to a landfill or recycling because it's not worth the cost to replace the screen, and also seen perfectly good 27" 5k displays disposed of because of a bad RAM chip or a broken USB port.
Apple makes a big deal talking about the environment these days, and actually has done some concrete things - lots of solar, selling repair parts, the self-repair program, supporting the recent California right-to-repair bill, making the iPhones much more repairable with removable back glass.
I think this would be a big step in the right direction for themselves, consumers, and the environment.
edit - typos
Last edited:
Upvote
44
(53
/
-9)
Upvote
-10
(1
/
-11)
I loved my 5K iMac, but the Fusion Drive got so slow over the years I reluctantly sold it long before the rest of the hardware was ready to go—especially the amazing screen. The cost (and risk) of disassembling it to upgrade to an SSD or convert it into a monitor using one of those AliExpress kits just wasn’t worth it, though I spent months trying to convince myself otherwise.
It felt very wasteful and left a bad taste in my mouth. My takeaway was that I wouldn’t buy another iMac unless it supported Target Display Mode.
The Apple Studio Display might not be as good value-for-money when it’s new, but it least it isn’t shackled to a computer that might be outdated long before it. And thankfully it looks like there might finally be some competition in the 5K display space with Samsung’s new entry.
It felt very wasteful and left a bad taste in my mouth. My takeaway was that I wouldn’t buy another iMac unless it supported Target Display Mode.
The Apple Studio Display might not be as good value-for-money when it’s new, but it least it isn’t shackled to a computer that might be outdated long before it. And thankfully it looks like there might finally be some competition in the 5K display space with Samsung’s new entry.
Upvote
23
(23
/
0)
I agree, and I think it's telling that they downsized the screen on the imac and then didn't refresh it. This is exactly the neglect that they showed to the mac Pros when they weren't compelling and selling through. Tim never does clearance sales and unlike most companies, they don't rush to replace bad products, they let those sell out while rushing updates of hot products.
Upvote
12
(14
/
-2)
Could do a Mac Mini. I've got one and it's been great. Bumped the specs up a bit for longevity but I've had zero issues. Quiet too, even when reencoding stuff with Handbrake
Upvote
8
(8
/
0)
Pro/Max chips out of the gate isn't the strategy that Apple usually rolls with, as pointed out by a few others above. First M3, then M3 Pro/Max, then Ultra. Its why the Studio didn't get an update to M2 until WWDC even though 14/16 MBPs got an update in January 2023.
Unless Apple delivers some sort of M2 Pro+/Max+/Ultra+ chips that are designed to hold us over until we get the M3 chips, or if the updates to the MBPs have nothing to do with the CPU (e.g. better display, but that seems to have been nixed by the rumor mill) we are a bit in uncharted territory. Maybe do an optical shrink of the 5nm chips to the 3 or 4nm platforms that TSMC has? (can you still do optical shrinks nowadays?)
On the Apple store, the base MBP 14/16 models seem to still have plenty of stock and quick pick-up/delivery times. But any BTO or higher level "stock" model have either mixed or further out PU/delivery times (e.g. sometime in mid-November).
I'm getting antsy though, I plan on upgrading my final-gen Intel MBP 13" to a 14" MBP before the end of the year so I am looking forward to see what happens. I might also end up replacing my intel mini to a mini or studio as well. That purchase is probably a bit safer.
Unless Apple delivers some sort of M2 Pro+/Max+/Ultra+ chips that are designed to hold us over until we get the M3 chips, or if the updates to the MBPs have nothing to do with the CPU (e.g. better display, but that seems to have been nixed by the rumor mill) we are a bit in uncharted territory. Maybe do an optical shrink of the 5nm chips to the 3 or 4nm platforms that TSMC has? (can you still do optical shrinks nowadays?)
On the Apple store, the base MBP 14/16 models seem to still have plenty of stock and quick pick-up/delivery times. But any BTO or higher level "stock" model have either mixed or further out PU/delivery times (e.g. sometime in mid-November).
I'm getting antsy though, I plan on upgrading my final-gen Intel MBP 13" to a 14" MBP before the end of the year so I am looking forward to see what happens. I might also end up replacing my intel mini to a mini or studio as well. That purchase is probably a bit safer.
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
The iMac started out colorful and Apple used to make fun of boring beige but eventually settled into boring black and silver so I’m glad they brought some color back into their Macs.
Upvote
30
(30
/
0)
Apple had consolidated 21.5" and 27" to a single 24" product line, so I'd think that Apple never intended there to be another size.
And I don't think we'll see a smaller chin, as that's where the actual computer is located, flanked by speakers on both sides.
The whole device is thinner than most stand-alone screens.
I wonder if there'd be an iMac Pro. When the old model was introduced, Apple had only the "trashcan mac" as a Pro product, and it was aging, so there was a hole in the line-up to fill. But now there's the Mac Studio product line.
And I don't think we'll see a smaller chin, as that's where the actual computer is located, flanked by speakers on both sides.
The whole device is thinner than most stand-alone screens.
I wonder if there'd be an iMac Pro. When the old model was introduced, Apple had only the "trashcan mac" as a Pro product, and it was aging, so there was a hole in the line-up to fill. But now there's the Mac Studio product line.
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
been working for the last decade++ with maxed BTO 27 iMacs as workhorses working on animation post production. I miss them. Powerful, stable, reliable, good color, tidy work environment. The mac studio ultra has tasty power but I am back to messing with a box with cables on my desk, and I am back into torturing myself in picking a screen that is good enough for the job, and worrying about half decent speakers. The iMac 27 was a bargain sweetspot and great industrial design. I agree with the poster that says it's inherently a wasteful design (had to let go iMacs whose screens and speakers were still totally ok which is a giant waste).
I do hope apple comes back with a 27 design slapping an ultra processor in there, giving us the better ports of the studio, and making sure there is an interface to run these as monitors when their computer guts become obsolete (or dream, make them simply upgradable which would be sustainable yea)
I do hope apple comes back with a 27 design slapping an ultra processor in there, giving us the better ports of the studio, and making sure there is an interface to run these as monitors when their computer guts become obsolete (or dream, make them simply upgradable which would be sustainable yea)
Upvote
10
(10
/
0)
I don't normally pay much attention to the Apple rumor mill, but I'm waiting for the M3 MacBook Air to come out before replacing my 2019 Intel MacBook Air. It's comically frustrating how many contradictory rumors there are about new Macs coming out this month.
Upvote
2
(3
/
-1)
TDM was quite nice… but it did require the ‘host’ iMac to actually start up as it ran as an overlay on top of the host OS. I have seen a ~2009 Mac slow down so much it would take 30 minutes to start up… at which point TDM becomes useless (unless you keep the computer on all the time).
It also resulted in the ‘monitor’ having quite high energy usage for its end purpose
A switch to flip between the internal iMac video output and a external computer would have been great, but probably far too unnecessary for most people.
Of course, since Apple has shown they are uninterested in redeveloping TDM, point is moot…
[EDIT] Or phat_tony’s suggestion above:
That sounds quite useful; however, a standalone monitor priced towards enabling such an iMac alternative in combination with a cheap Mac Mini would have to come in at ~$700-800 and thus significantly undercut the Studio Display in price, so… unlikely?
Last edited:
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
I’m still using my 2013 27” iMac. The Fusion Drive failed, but I was able to reformat using the SSD only, which is fine. It’s been the best computer purchase I’ve ever made, I just wish I could put a newer version of Mac OS on it (tops out at Catalina). 24GB of RAM has, I’m sure, been a big contributor to longevity. While less snappy than my m1 Air, it’s still 100 percent usable for tasks up to an including photo editing. I’m not quite in the market for a new one, but I hope a size around 27” is forthcoming in case I suddenly am.
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
I really love the MBP that replaced my own 2013 27" iMac, but there's one elegant design touch that I miss now that memory is on-board and not upgradable. The directions for how to install RAM were inscribed on the bottom of the base, so that it was impossible to lose them and only visible you need them.
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
I am looking forward to this. I have a 24" iMac and it is an absolutely wonderful product, by far the best Mac I've ever owned (going back to 1996).
I don't expect any more than a motherboard upgrade, and it really ought to be an M3 at this point otherwise there would have been no reason to wait this long. I also would very much like to see an M3 Pro option added (maybe not initially if they don't have the chip ready). I admit I'm not sure what the demand would be.
I don't expect any more than a motherboard upgrade, and it really ought to be an M3 at this point otherwise there would have been no reason to wait this long. I also would very much like to see an M3 Pro option added (maybe not initially if they don't have the chip ready). I admit I'm not sure what the demand would be.
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
I think it’s actually quite astounding how many different rumours there are and how wrong some of them have been already, given the scale (both in units and time) that Apple has to work to. Here we are, possibly weeks away (or not?) from some new somethings and not even the pro leakers can say much more than we’ll get an M3 Mac some time in the future, which I think I could also predict with nigh on 100% accuracy...
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
Our 2017 27" iMac is dying (runs like molasses and reporting hardware level errors when I try to back up with Carbon Copy Cloner), so I ended up buying an LG UltraFine 27MD5KLB-B 27" 5K monitor, which has the same size and resolution as the Apple Studio Display, but I only paid $820 instead of $1599. It's only Thunderbolt 3 instead of 4, but provides 94W of power over Thunderbolt and has a built in webcam and speakers, so it should do the job. For now my wife is plugging her laptop into it and using it in clamshell mode, so she can get some work done, but the end goal is to replace the iMac with a Mac Studio.
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
Honestly, that should be an integrated Thunderbolt dock. Basically, make an Apple Thunderbolt Display v.2, but with an integral slot for a Mini, along with a way to plug it into other Macs as well. Hell, you could even make a space in the foot for a Studio. That way it would integrate well with multiple Mac lines. Slot a Mini into the back of the monitor, Put a Studio on the foot, or plug an iMac into it. Bam! Options for the user and slightly (very slightly) better environmental footprint.
Upvote
1
(1
/
0)
Umwhut? The original iMac was introduced in 1998 in translucent Bondi Blue plastic. They quickly expanded out to 13 colors, including textured ones like the Flower Power iMac. iMac's didn't go boring brushed aluminum until 2007.
Upvote
17
(17
/
0)
Apple has shown absolutely no inclination towards this sort of thing. The closest I can think of was the Powerbook Duo Dock in the '90s.
It would be nice if there were some flexibility in the AIO hardware (the 24" iMac would be a beautiful monitor), but it should be at least some consolation that these things have a pretty long useful life.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
I sort of presume the "big" iMac would be a 32" 6K machine running the M* Pro/Max (not Ultra). I suspect if that were the case, the long delay in the big iMac has been more around sourcing an affordable 32" 6K panel as the current Pro Display XDR would be prohibitively expensive for use in an iMac, or getting a good yield on a downgraded 6K for use in an iMac.
Upvote
5
(5
/
0)