27” IMac owners looking to upgrade: What will you do now that the 27” didn’t get an upgrade?

[imdog]

Same boat, friend. I personally have a somewhat lighter workload, so it’s an easier decision replacing my 2015 27” iMac with the new 24”, but I’m ready for M1 and a full SSD. I had the 24” iMac back in the day and I’ve grown spoiled by the larger display, but I’m confident 24” is fine for my work (I’ll just see less desktop behind my floating windows). With all the anticipation of what Apple will bring to the Mac line in the coming years, I bet I’ll be willing to upgrade sooner than six years from now.

I fortunately bought mine with an SSD rather than the Fusion Drive, despite the Apple store employees best efforts to convince me that the Fusion drive was better lol. The M1 is still infinitely more powerful than my 2015 iMac though, I just hope I don't bite the bullet and buy it and then the larger/pro iMac is released soon after lol

 

[familychoice]

I'm not upgrading from an existing 27" iMac, but I was hoping to get one if they'd announced a new model.

The 24" might have ticked a few boxes, but I was initially put off by the design and so started thinking about a Mac Mini option instead. However the new 24" iMac (the grey version at least) is beginning to grow on me, particularly after reading through some of the predictions on here - the 27/30/32/whatever" might be out of my budget anyway.

I doubt I can wait until an Autumn release, so if nothing is announced for the larger iMac then I'll probably plump for either the 24" M1 iMac, or a decent spec Mini.

 

[twinpeaks_sf]

I fortunately bought mine with an SSD rather than the Fusion Drive, despite the Apple store employees best efforts to convince me that the Fusion drive was better lol. The M1 is still infinitely more powerful than my 2015 iMac though, I just hope I don't bite the bullet and buy it and then the larger/pro iMac is released soon after lol

Yeah, that's the risk. But you'd be saving some $$. My bet is on a fall release of the larger iMac (not WWDC). If we get anything this summer, I think it's the higher-spec MacBook Pro.

 

[Bodhitree]

I'm not upgrading from an existing 27" iMac, but I was hoping to get one if they'd announced a new model.

The 24" might have ticked a few boxes, but I was initially put off by the design and so started thinking about a Mac Mini option instead. However the new 24" iMac (the grey version at least) is beginning to grow on me, particularly after reading through some of the predictions on here - the 27/30/32/whatever" might be out of my budget anyway.

I doubt I can wait until an Autumn release, so if nothing is announced for the larger iMac then I'll probably plump for either the 24" M1 iMac, or a decent spec Mini.

Sounds like you are in the same boat as me. I’d like a larger screen than the 24”, but the possible 3000 euro’s price tag might be a stretch. Still, I think I will wait until the new model is released which may well be the autumn.

 

[SsSsSsSsSnake]

Currently We have a 2017 27, 16GB, 512.

I am thinking of ordering the 24 some time soon. We do word processing. email. banking, Apple numbers, logging into work computer, Apple Music. Not a heavy lift regarding work flow.

The rumored 30 plus inch would be too large four our desk. Would the 24 inch suit my needs?

yes

 

[petvas]

I am waiting for a proper update with support for at least 32GB of RAM. The 24“ iMac is just not going to cut it for me. This is a home computer, a very nice one but definitely not suitable for any kind of advanced pro tasks..

 

[PaulAllen/]

Unfortunately I'm in desperate need of something right now so I'm going to buy a 24", then sell it for as much as I can get when the 27" replacement comes out. Oh well.

 

[TitanTiger]

I have A 2017 27” fusion drive iMac. I was looking forward to upgrading but love the big screen and not sure if I should get the 24” one or not. I could get a 2020 27” but I don‘t really think it’s a good idea to buy anymore Intel macs this late. What are you 27” iMac owners who were looking forward to upgrading doing now?

I'd be fine going to a 24" one, but they're gonna have to come off these stingy specs before I do. 256GB SSD on a desktop computer shouldn't even be an option except on a stripped down education model.

I'll wait for the next refresh and see what happens. If they bump up the SSD size for each tier and make 4 expansion ports on the back standard for them all, I'll jump in.

 

[familychoice]

Sounds like you are in the same boat as me. I’d like a larger screen than the 24”, but the possible 3000 euro’s price tag might be a stretch. Still, I think I will wait until the new model is released which may well be the autumn.

Yeah, I'm really hoping it'll only be another £500, so I can just about scrape it through - £3k is totally out of my budget though.

Have you looked into the Mini's? I'm considering one of those as a temporary fix, though they're not cheap once you add another 8gb of RAM.

I'm waiting to see what happens in June, don't think I can last until Autumn as I need a desktop replacement.

 

[Bodhitree]

Have you looked into the Mini's? I'm considering one of those as a temporary fix, though they're not cheap once you add another 8gb of RAM.

I'm waiting to see what happens in June, don't think I can last until Autumn as I need a desktop replacement.

I have been looking at the Mini’s, but I don’t think you come out that much cheaper than a 24” iMac once you factor in a good screen and quality peripherals, and I need to replace my whole setup, I have been working on a laptop for a good long while. Plus there’s all the wires and clutter on the desk, which I am not a fan of. Still once you have the whole setup at least you can replace the Mini itself for a faster one.

I may end up buying a 24” iMac after all. Once everything becomes M1-native it would be a good machine to code on, even though as always bigger screens are better for coding. But I will wait at least until WWDC, there’s a good chance larger machines will be announced there.

The other possibility is a M1 laptop in clamshell mode. This would be a bit more expensive than a Mini, but has the benefit of being the same speed and portable for the very few occasions that that comes in handy.

 

[Lemon Olive]

Wait. That's all I can do.

I use a 27" 4-core i7 with 32 GB of RAM every day, 10+ hours a day for programming and web development, and occasionally demanding video or photo processing work.

The new 24" iMac is just not a replacement for that. CPU wise, sure it would destroy this machine. But that's not the only consideration.

 

[Lemon Olive]

I have been looking at the Mini’s, but I don’t think you come out that much cheaper than a 24” iMac once you factor in a good screen and quality peripherals, and I need to replace my whole setup, I have been working on a laptop for a good long while. Plus there’s all the wires and clutter on the desk, which I am not a fan of. Still once you have the whole setup at least you can replace the Mini itself for a faster one.

I may end up buying a 24” iMac after all. Once everything becomes M1-native it would be a good machine to code on, even though as always bigger screens are better for coding. But I will wait at least until WWDC, there’s a good chance larger machines will be announced there.

The other possibility is a M1 laptop in clamshell mode. This would be a bit more expensive than a Mini, but has the benefit of being the same speed and portable for the very few occasions that that comes in handy.

As someone use currently uses both a 27" iMac and 16" MacBook Pro, this is what I'm thinking about:

1. Get a base model M1 mini to setup as a server. When I'm not actively using my iMac, it is also a server for media, homebridge, and other things. I need at least 1 Mac that is running 24/7.

2. Get a new M-series MacBook Pro to replace my current one when it is released, and get into the habit of using clamshell mode when I'm at my desk, and take the computer with me when I'm not. This might make a life a bit easier to always be using the same Mac, instead of switching between 2. Yet I'll still have a mac mini running should I need to use both at the same time for something.

The only problem is the display. There is no display on the market that is a replacement for the iMac's display except the Pro XDR and that is out of the question.

 

[Lemon Olive]

Based on current rumors I'm not sure an larger iMac Pro will be available until at least the fall of 2021. I doubt that Apple will be using the M1 SOC in a pro level machine and based on supply chain rumors M2 SOCs aren't in production yet, but supposedly will be soon. It will take time for them to amass enough M2 SOCs to ramp up productions lines for the iMac Pro. I'm thinking either an October or November release (after the dust from the iPhone 13 launch settles).

I also think the larger iMac Pro with M2 will have a starting price start of over $2,000 and realistically cost over $3,000 for decently equipped pro level machine (at least 32GB and 1TB SSD).

The current supply chain rumors have a "new" chip in production right now. Which means for products coming in July-ish given Apple's normal production lead times. This chip is obviously based on the M1, but is a variant. Also obviously, it is a variant with more cores, for the next products to be updated, which are Pro Macs. M2 does not factor in here at all, and may or may not even be in a product this year.

You really think it will be 32"? I feel like it won't be bigger than 30".

Yes.

They are standard, but at 4K, which is not Retina at 24" and very much not Retina at 32". Hence why Apple went 4.5K for 24" and 6K for 32".

So the "big brother" iMac will likely be a 6K panel at 32" and the only 6K 32" panel I am aware of is the LG model used in the Apple Pro Display XDR and that is expensive (said to have around a $1500 direct cost to Apple). Hence why I think the "big brother" iMac will be marketed as an "iMac Pro" as I expect it to start at $2999 (minimum) compared to the $1999 for the current Intel iMac 5K.

* - And yes, I know the iMac 5K starts at $1799, but $1999 is the minimum usable base configuration, IMO.

The panel isn't really the cost driver here. The backlighting and many other feature of the Pro XDR display are what make it so expensive. Apple can easily make a more reasonable 32" 6K panel that does not by itself carry a thousand dollar premium.

How sure are we a new bigger AS iMac is coming this year (or at all?)? Do rumors point to this or are we just collectively assuming this for some reason?

Also I see people referring to its chip as M2. Wouldn’t an M2 be the chip that replaces the chip in the current M1 devices in their next iteration? A higher power category of chip will likely either be M1X or a different prefix letter altogether. Maybe P1 for “pro”.

Yes. An M1 variant with more cores (call it M1X) is what being produced right now and what will likely feature in the first Pro Macs running Apple Silicon.

People wrongly assume that the M2 is going to be produced ASAP just because the A15 will be ready soon. There is no evidence to suggest Apple will suddenly start aggressively updating Macs on an annual basis. They don't do this with any other A-series product other than iPhone, and iPhone is a business and market unto itself.

Apple could very well not produce a single M2 product until later in 2022.

 

[Bodhitree]

The only problem is the display. There is no display on the market that is a replacement for the iMac's display except the Pro XDR and that is out of the question.

I was just looking at the LG27UL550, its a 27” 4K IPS panel with HDR10 and 98% sRGB with factory calibration which you can get here for 329 euro’s. Which means it is a little short of a Retina display in resolution (since 27” runs at 5K in Apple devices), but it’s height adjustable, next day delivery and has an integrated USB-C hub.

Getting a 32” display would be a tradeoff between size and resolution because the panels are all 4K. I’m not sure what it would be like to code on those machines, text size and sharpness. It’s quite a bit more expensive at 629 euro’s for the LG32UL750, which is the same spec as the above monitor.

But to be honest it is a bit of a minefield getting exactly the monitor you want. Do you need 10-bit colour display? Do you need P3? How many nits of brightness do you want? All those things drive the cost up. Buying a really good monitor has become pretty complicated.

 

[blairh]

Yes.



The panel isn't really the cost driver here. The backlighting and many other feature of the Pro XDR display are what make it so expensive. Apple can easily make a more reasonable 32" 6K panel that does not by itself carry a thousand dollar premium.

I really hope you are right. I strongly prefer a 32" 6K panel in both the new iMac and the cheaper future monitor.

 

[Lemon Olive]

I was just looking at the LG27UL550, its a 27” 4K IPS panel with HDR10 and 98% sRGB with factory calibration which you can get here for 329 euro’s. Which means it is a little short of a Retina display in resolution (since 27” runs at 5K in Apple devices), but it’s height adjustable, next day delivery and has an integrated USB-C hub.

Getting a 32” display would be a tradeoff between size and resolution because the panels are all 4K. I’m not sure what it would be like to code on those machines, text size and sharpness. It’s quite a bit more expensive at 629 euro’s for the LG32UL750, which is the same spec as the above monitor.

But to be honest it is a bit of a minefield getting exactly the monitor you want. Do you need 10-bit colour display? Do you need P3? How many nits of brightness do you want? All those things drive the cost up. Buying a really good monitor has become pretty complicated.

That would be 163 ppi and humungous assets at native x2. Definitely a no go for me. Nowhere near close enough to a Retina display to be a replacement.

I really hope you are right. I strongly prefer a 32" 6K panel in both the new iMac and the cheaper future monitor.

Yes, that would be the right size, resolution and pixel density.

 

[CWallace]

The only problem is the display. There is no display on the market that is a replacement for the iMac's display except the Pro XDR and that is out of the question.

I am wondering the upcoming Apple Thunderbolt Display replacement will be a 27" 5K with MiniLED.

The panel isn't really the cost driver here. The backlighting and many other feature of the Pro XDR display are what make it so expensive. Apple can easily make a more reasonable 32" 6K panel that does not by itself carry a thousand dollar premium.

The trick is, I have not been able to find any information on exactly what is included in that $1500 panel cost. As I have noted many times, if it does include the 576 LED backlights then Apple should be able to have LG swap those for a MiniLED backlight with lower performance (in terms of peak and sustained brightness) and pay a fair bit less for the panel. After all, adding MiniLED to the 12.9" iPad Pro only added $100.

I could even see Apple using MiniLED for the XDR (replacing the existing panel) for even better performance than they have now (just have more than the iMac will get and maybe push them harder thanks to better power and cooling so more peak and sustained brightness).

 

[subjonas]

As someone use currently uses both a 27" iMac and 16" MacBook Pro, this is what I'm thinking about:

1. Get a base model M1 mini to setup as a server. When I'm not actively using my iMac, it is also a server for media, homebridge, and other things. I need at least 1 Mac that is running 24/7.

2. Get a new M-series MacBook Pro to replace my current one when it is released, and get into the habit of using clamshell mode when I'm at my desk, and take the computer with me when I'm not. This might make a life a bit easier to always be using the same Mac, instead of switching between 2. Yet I'll still have a mac mini running should I need to use both at the same time for something.

The only problem is the display. There is no display on the market that is a replacement for the iMac's display except the Pro XDR and that is out of the question.

This is actually my setup. Mac mini is a file/media hub that stays on 24/7, and 15” MBP is a work horse that mostly stays on my desk connected to a monitor, but sometimes it’s used for working on my couch or on a trip. I also have a 12.9” iPad Pro for more mobile/day to day productivity, including mobile drawing.

I think it’s the best setup for my needs, though sometimes I consider changing it and getting a high end iMac or Mac Pro as a high end desk work machine, getting rid of the Mac mini and consolidating its role into the iMac/Mac Pro, and keeping the MBP around for away-from-desk work. But I think that’s too excessive for me, at least right now. I don’t use my MBP away from my desk often enough, and I don’t really need that much horse power for my current work. But if either of those changes...

 

[Bodhitree]

That would be 163 ppi and humungous assets at native x2. Definitely a no go for me. Nowhere near close enough to a Retina display to be a replacement.

The decrease in resolution bothers me as well, especially on a 32” 4K display. I remember working on the old pre-Retina displays, and it was do-able but it wasn’t so good for the eyes. But all the solutions other than getting an iMac go that way, so it’s something to consider.

 

[familychoice]

I have been looking at the Mini’s, but I don’t think you come out that much cheaper than a 24” iMac once you factor in a good screen and quality peripherals, and I need to replace my whole setup, I have been working on a laptop for a good long while. Plus there’s all the wires and clutter on the desk, which I am not a fan of. Still once you have the whole setup at least you can replace the Mini itself for a faster one.

I may end up buying a 24” iMac after all. Once everything becomes M1-native it would be a good machine to code on, even though as always bigger screens are better for coding. But I will wait at least until WWDC, there’s a good chance larger machines will be announced there.

The other possibility is a M1 laptop in clamshell mode. This would be a bit more expensive than a Mini, but has the benefit of being the same speed and portable for the very few occasions that that comes in handy.

I'm using a 16" Macbook Pro - the screen is lovely, but too small for all day working so I sometimes hook that up to an old HP non-HD 24" monitor - not great resolution but does the job, and the Macbook Pro is fast - despite being an 'old' Intel! You'd certainly be fine with an M1.

A 16/256 24" iMac will cost £1649 - and the 16/256 (refurb) Mini's £759. Throw in a reasonable 27" monitor for £300 and I'm saving almost £600 (I already have a keyboard and mouse). I could get the Mini new, and still save over £400. The external monitor won't be as good as the iMac, but it'll be bigger. And then if in a year or two they beef up the Mini's and I want to upgrade, it'll only be the cost of the Mini itself.

I'm interested in the iMac reviews when they arrive, and it's appealing to get an all-in-one without the hassles of setting up an external monitor, and just discovered the trackpad is only a £50 upgrade (I've already got a Magic Mouse). Neck and neck between the two options at the moment.

 

[Bodhitree]

I'm using a 16" Macbook Pro - the screen is lovely, but too small for all day working so I sometimes hook that up to an old HP non-HD 24" monitor - not great resolution but does the job, and the Macbook Pro is fast - despite being an 'old' Intel! You'd certainly be fine with an M1.

A 16/256 24" iMac will cost £1649 - and the 16/256 (refurb) Mini's £759. Throw in a reasonable 27" monitor for £300 and I'm saving almost £600 (I already have a keyboard and mouse). I could get the Mini new, and still save over £400. The external monitor won't be as good as the iMac, but it'll be bigger. And then if in a year or two they beef up the Mini's and I want to upgrade, it'll only be the cost of the Mini itself.

I'm interested in the iMac reviews when they arrive, and it's appealing to get an all-in-one without the hassles of setting up an external monitor, and just discovered the trackpad is only a £50 upgrade (I've already got a Magic Mouse). Neck and neck between the two options at the moment.

Yes, that’s pretty much what I am thinking as well. A new 16/512 M1 Mini and a 27” 4K screen would set me back 1500 euro’s, saving about 600 euro’s compared to the 2100 euro cost of a 16/512 24” iMac over here. It’s the cheapest option, that’s definitely true.

But the iMac has the shinyness factor going for it, plus Retina screen, built in webcam, speakers and mics, and the keyboard with Touch ID and a Magic Mouse. It’s a neat package.

 

[familychoice]

Yes, that’s pretty much what I am thinking as well. A new 16/512 M1 Mini and a 27” 4K screen would set me back 1500 euro’s, saving about 600 euro’s compared to the 2100 euro cost of a 16/512 24” iMac over here. It’s the cheapest option, that’s definitely true.

But the iMac has the shinyness factor going for it, plus Retina screen, built in webcam, speakers and mics, and the keyboard with Touch ID and a Magic Mouse. It’s a neat package.

Funny really, I was initially disappointed with the new 24”, and lack of a new 27”, but it’s definitely growing on me!

I think unless the user reviews are really bad I’ll plump for a 16/512 24” iMac. I’d prefer a 27”, but my current external monitor is 24” and does the job ok. That should keep me going for a few years.

If the reviews pick up too many negatives I’ll go for the Mini, but I’m going to wait until June anyway just in case the announce a bigger model that’s within my budget.

 

[Phil77354]

I'll continue to wait and see what the larger iMac replacement looks like. And I want to see if the next round of models offer more options for RAM upgrades.

Also, I'm still thinking that the separate Apple monitor may be coming - whatever iMac I purchase, I will want it to be compatible with the second monitor option (if there is one).

 

[RSB96]

I'm waiting for the 32" model to come out later, with the M1X.

I have a late 2013 iMac, which will surely be the best computer I've ever owned, and it's still going great (upgraded with a 512gb SSD and 16GB RAM). Really, I'm not sure whether to wait another year or two to upgrade, especially since I'd love to have a Mac with Face ID.

But, after 12 long years of waiting for a new iMac design, I can finally buy a new one without it being the same one I've been looking at for 7 years.

 

[petvas]

I am going to wait for the new iMac Pro to come out. I hope that it won't start at 5000$ but I do expect a price increase compared to the 27" iMac. I think that 3000 will be the starting point.
The 24" iMac is a great computer and I got one for my wife.