2017 iMac refresh wish list [merged]

[lowkey]

ohh i get it...but we can have some realistic wishes : we know what kaby lake brings and that is not double the speed from i7 cpu from imac late 2013. Maybe 25-30% ?

I'm wanting to double the speed of my 2013 MacBook Pro, not a 2013 iMac. But anyways, I would have thought 4 years and a jump from laptop to desktop chip would be enough to get double the speed. But I guess not...unless I more than triple the price and get the 8 core Mac Pro :/

 

[fokmik]

yes, these days Intel thinks the performance is good enough and they focus on efficiency

 

[Aluminum213]

i really think the next imac will be an overall good update for everybody who came from 2014 and older...
1) USB-C/TB3 i hope at least 2 (how many kaby lake support??)
2) Standard Fusion drive for every 4k and base 5k )the high end 5k model should come standard with 256/512SSD
3) 16GB RAM standard with 32 and 64 BTO
4) I hope for new gen AMD chips (not same 395x etc)

That's what MacBook Pro owners said waiting for this years model

 

[fokmik]

That's what MacBook Pro owners said waiting for this years model

wtf...macbook pro users was waiting for standard fusion drive?

 

[ThisBougieLife]

So what processor/graphics will the new 21" iMac have? Skylake with Iris Pro 580?

 

[havenyoung]

So what processor/graphics will the new 21" iMac have? Skylake with Iris Pro 580?

We haven't really seen any Iris Pro 580 equipped device on the market except Intel's own Skull Canyon NUC which is also the only device with i7-6770hq. Since the new 15" MBP is not even using these SKUs I doubt it will change in the near future.

 

[JohnnyGo]

We haven't really seen any Iris Pro 580 equipped device on the market except Intel's own Skull Canyon NUC which is also the only device with i7-6770hq. Since the new 15" MBP is not even using these SKUs I doubt it will change in the near future.

Maybe it's a power profile thing: not for laptops but good for mini PCs and all-in-ones that are connected to a power outlet but have little space for fans/cooling apparatus. If that's the case then the i7-6770+Iris580 would be a great fit for a mac mini upgrade or for a new iMac 21".

Nowadays the setup for the iMac is similar to the MBA. Maybe even for cost cutting/scale by Apple. But given the MBA demise, they could move the iMac and Mac mini in another direction

 

[curmudgeonette]

So what processor/graphics will the new 21" iMac have? Skylake with Iris Pro 580?

We haven't really seen any Iris Pro 580 equipped device on the market except Intel's own Skull Canyon NUC which is also the only device with i7-6770hq.

There exists a Skylake Iris Pro desktop SKU, though I don't know if it actually is shipping.

However, due to Apple's desire to run multiple external 4K/5K displays, I suspect that even the 21" will have a dGPU. I can't see the iMac having fewer than four USB-C/TB3 ports. This essentially requires four 4K display port streams, plus of course one or two for the built in display. Hence the dGPU. The upside is that there would be no reason to not have Kaby Lake in the 21".

 

[ThisBougieLife]

I still find it hard to imagine them putting a dGPU in the 21". Apple seems to like having the smaller of two computer choices have integrated graphics (why the 13" has never had a dGPU). I would love for the 21" to have a dGPU, but I'm not expecting it.

 

[jetjaguar]

The one thing I dislike about the iMac is there is no way to run matching monitors

 

[CWallace]

There exists a Skylake Iris Pro desktop SKU, though I don't know if it actually is shipping.

However, due to Apple's desire to run multiple external 4K/5K displays, I suspect that even the 21" will have a dGPU.

Intel claims the Iris Pro 580 can drive three 4K displays, so it should be sufficient for the 21" iMac.

 

[maflynn]

yes, these days Intel thinks the performance is good enough and they focus on efficiency

They've been doing that for years. The laptop market has been performing better then the desktop market (in terms of sales), so Intel is following the dollars.

 

[Brookzy]

Would be nice to see some proper attention given to the iMac. What I'd like to see:

• Design:
  • New design with smaller bezels, all-glass front, and no chin
• Performance:
  • Six-core CPU option, and the best graphics they can possibly squeeze in
  • Rapid flash storage
  • Upgraded panel to match the LG UltraFine 5K (e.g. more brightness, better anti-reflective coating)
  • 4-6 Thunderbolt 3 Ports and a headphone jack (that will do for me)
• Niceties:
  • An optional Magic Keyboard with Touch Bar, Touch ID, and maybe backlighting. I'm happy to pay up to £200 to upgrade to this vs. a standard Magic Keyboard

What I think we will see:

• Design:
  • Nothing materially different, maybe slightly thinner
• Performance
  • No six-core option; standard spec bumps elsewhere, mediocre graphics
  • I think we will get faster storage, a better panel, and Thunderbolt 3 only (plus a headphone jack)
• Niceties:
  • Nothing. Same keyboard.
• Slaps-in-face:
  • No more user-upgradeable RAM
  • No Thunderbolt 3-based Target Display Mode
  • Base models still coming with hard drives
  • Utterly extortionate storage upgrade prices

 

[CWallace]

I believe we will still see upgradeable RAM on the 27". Apple didn't take it away when they did on the 21". Everyone who says they will claims it will be just to capture extra revenue and if that is the case, then there was no reason not to do it on both models at the same time and take the PR hit once, rather than twice. The 21" iMac uses a special reference Intel motherboard design that integrates a fair bit of the components and I would not be surprised if that design solders the RAM.

I also do not expect a 6-core option, though due to cooling issues. I think if Apple could do it they would at least consider it as a BTO option. I also expect we'll top out at RX 490 GPUs, again due to TDP limits.

The new LG 5K panel is a given. As for Target Display Mode, the reason the current 5K iMac doesn't have it is due to the custom controller Apple uses not being able to support it. TB3 allows Apple to drop that controller and assuming they will then use the same controller as the UltraFine 5K panel, I don't see a technical reason for Apple to not allow TDM to return.

I really hope Apple moves to Fusion across the line. Hopefully they have taken enough smack about the HDD-only option to get them to move. Also macOS is now optimized for SSD storage so making Fusion the baseline standard only makes the iMac perform better.

 

[Icaras]

New design with smaller bezels, all-glass front, and no chin

I would love to see an all glass front with thinner bezels and no chin, leaving the aluminum on the stand and backside. Pretty much a ressurection of the Thunderbolt Display look.

The Apple keyboard/mouse/trackpad would still give the iMac that frontal aluminum metal compliment exactly like a MacBook appearance.

 

[richinaus]

I would love to see an all glass front with thinner bezels and no chin, and with just the aluminum on the backside. Pretty much a ressurection of the Thunderbolt Display look.

The Apple keyboard/mouse/trackpad would still give the iMac that frontal aluminum metal compliment exactly like a MacBook appearance.

I would too, but the rumours are more along the lines of a refresh..... what is your opinion on the keyboard having black keys like the MacBooks? I have always wondered why the magic keyboard is white as it does not sit well with any of the other hardware really. It all seems a little odd to me to have the differences in the keyboards.

 

[Icaras]

I would too, but the rumours are more along the lines of a refresh..... what is your opinion on the keyboard having black keys like the MacBooks? I have always wondered why the magic keyboard is white as it does not sit well with any of the other hardware really. It all seems a little odd to me to have the differences in the keyboards.

I know the recent rumors indiciated to a modest refresh but I want to believe the next iMac will be bigger than we imagined. For one, Apple completely skipped out on not just the iMac, but the entire desktop line for the entire calendar year, which is completely unprecedented and which they've never done in history. I'd like to believe anyway, like the long and delayed MacBook Pro redesign, that a redesign iMac will follow suit, because of the same pent up demand and delay in releasing it. But I'm probably setting myself up for disappointment

As for the keyboard, I think many people have been wanting a backlit wireless keyboard for some time now (myself included). I guess if Apple wanted to make a big splash with a wireless Touchbar, then it would be great to see the Magic Keyboard 3 get that plus backlit keys, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

And I actually personally prefer the white keys, but then I also want a matching white bezel on the iMac too. So that said, I get the desire from people to have black keys to better match the black bezel as well as the MacBook counterparts. But it never made sense to me anyway. Why Apple chooses to make gold and rose gold finishes with white bezel fronts for its iOS devices while not doing the same for the MacBook.

Anyway, if Apple were to offer a space gray iMac with matching space gray keyboard and black keys, I think a lot of people would be happy. Backlit keys would be icing on the cake.

 

[richinaus]

I know the recent rumors indiciated to a modest refresh but I want to believe the next iMac will be bigger than we imagined. For one, Apple completely skipped out on not just the iMac, but the entire desktop line for the entire calendar year, which is completely unprecedented and which they've never done in history. I'd like to believe anyway, like the long and delayed MacBook Pro redesign, that a redesign iMac will follow suit, because of the same pent up demand and delay in releasing it. But I'm probably setting myself up for disappointment

As for the keyboard, I think many people have been wanting a backlit wireless keyboard for some time now (myself included). I guess if Apple wanted to make a big splash with a wireless Touchbar, then it would be great to see the Magic Keyboard 3 get that plus backlit keys, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

And I actually personally prefer the white keys, but then I also want a matching white bezel on the iMac too. So that said, I get the desire from people to have black keys to better match the black bezel as well as the MacBook counterparts. But it never made sense to me anyway. Why Apple chooses to make gold and rose gold finishes with white bezel fronts for its iOS devices while not doing the same for the MacBook.

Anyway, if Apple were to offer a space gray iMac with matching space gray keyboard and black keys, I think a lot of people would be happy. Backlit keys would be icing on the cake.

I would love to see a refresh too, and with the Surface Studio breathing down Apples necks, it would be sensible for a refresh. However my money is it not happening due to the reputable rumours that occurred recently [they all suggested a new MBP and it happened, but not a new iMac....]

To be honest most of the time people on this site build up hopes leading to disappointment. I believe the analysts who have the insider info like Gruber. If he says a new design then I would be excited. Also don't forget the chassis of the MBP was leaked in April / May but not released for 6 months. There has been nothing on the iMac unfortunately.

If the release is lacklustre my attention will be on the Surface Studio for my work machine. I am platform agnostic in my professional life, so is an easy change there - personal use wise I will stick with Apple.

It would be great to have a back lit keyboard, but I don't think they will give a choice on the key colour. However if they do release a space grey iMac they will need to match the keyboard and mouse otherwise things will look very weird [don't be surprised if they don't though]..... as a side Apple should use black cables too now, but stick with white - looks odd with space grey to me.

 

[joenj07087]

I have a mid 2010 iMac, still running good, few things I would like to see in the new refresh, maybe a bigger display? 30" would be nice..and a better iSight camera, one that can record 4k video?

 

[Black Diesel]

question for the gurus: Would it be possible for Apple to release the 2017 iMac that would be able to power an additional (2) 4k or (2) 5k monitors? At minimum I need (3) 27" displays and I'm really surprised Apple hasn't released a matching apple cinema display yet that you can with the iMac. 4K would be fine, but 5K would be better.

Will the new TB3/USBc and graphics cards you are all talking about make this possible?

Anyone else dream to have an iMac with two matching displays on both sides?

 

[Brookzy]

question for the gurus: Would it be possible for Apple to release the 2017 iMac that would be able to power an additional (2) 4k or (2) 5k monitors? At minimum I need (3) 27" displays and I'm really surprised Apple hasn't released a matching apple cinema display yet that you can with the iMac. 4K would be fine, but 5K would be better.

Will the new TB3/USBc and graphics cards you are all talking about make this possible?

Anyone else dream to have an iMac with two matching displays on both sides?

The new 27" iMac will definitely be able to run two external Thunderbolt 3 5K displays in my opinion because the 15" MacBook Pro already can. Maybe it will only be the high-end model that can do it, but it's pretty certain that a three 5K display setup with an iMac will be doable soon!

 

[jetjaguar]

question for the gurus: Would it be possible for Apple to release the 2017 iMac that would be able to power an additional (2) 4k or (2) 5k monitors? At minimum I need (3) 27" displays and I'm really surprised Apple hasn't released a matching apple cinema display yet that you can with the iMac. 4K would be fine, but 5K would be better.

Will the new TB3/USBc and graphics cards you are all talking about make this possible?

Anyone else dream to have an iMac with two matching displays on both sides?

The current 5k iMac can run 2 4K monitors so I'm sure the new one will do 2 5k

 

[Black Diesel]

The new 27" iMac will definitely be able to run two external Thunderbolt 3 5K displays in my opinion because the 15" MacBook Pro already can. Maybe it will only be the high-end model that can do it, but it's pretty certain that a three 5K display setup with an iMac will be doable soon!

Well, that's great news. I've asked this question in the past and the answer was always "no they need to wait for this or that", but it sounds like it's finally coming. Now we just need the new iMac and the new apple cinema displays to go with it.

 

[jetjaguar]

Well, that's great news. I've asked this question in the past and the answer was always "no they need to wait for this or that", but it sounds like it's finally coming. Now we just need the new iMac and the new apple cinema displays to go with it.

There will be no new Cinema Display ... they no longer make displays .. the 5k LG is it

 

[Black Diesel]

The current 5k iMac can run 2 4K monitors so I'm sure the new one will do 2 5k

So what has been holding apple back from release a 4K or 5K apple cinema display to go with the iMac?