Anyone think there will be a Pro/Max 27" iMac?

[Mr. Bear]

Besides my personal preferences, it DOES seem like there's a big hole in Apple's product lineup. You can get a 24" iMac for $1500, but the next model up is a base Studio with Studio Display for $3600. I would think that a 27" iMac with similar specs to the MBPs would be a similar price (I'm assuming a 27" LCD would be similar to a 14" or 16" mini-LED, price wise)

 

[Starfia]

Yeah, good thoughts. I've been actively biding my time with my dear 2017 iMac, relatively certain the fleshing-out of the first full Apple Silicon family is not yet complete. I don't think I believe there won't at least be a darker-style iMac with at least as much power as last year's new line. I'm also feeling like the age-old Mac mini's enclosure is about to be replaced with a "this-decade" version that might place it between the M1 mini and the Mac Studio.

 

[uczcret]

I think Apple sent a clear message back in March, discontinuing the 27" the day the Mac and ASD were announced. The Pro/Max 27" is now a modular system instead of AIO.

While no one can be certain and the 27" (or bigger) iMac may make a comeback at some point in the future, t's safe to say it's not happening for the next couple of years or so.

 

[MacsRgr8]

How about the M2 iMac being 27”?
Timing-wise it could be launched early 2023. Keep the 24” M1 iMac as entry level.

 

[uczcret]

How about the M2 iMac being 27”?
Timing-wise it could be launched early 2023. Keep the 24” M1 iMac as entry level.

An increase in size equals a redesign of sorts (or rearranging the internal components at least) and redesigns cost money, money that Apple already spent a year ago on the new 24" iMac. How long was the previous iMac design around for? Almost 10 years? I doubt they're willing to do a "new" design in such a short period of time.

 

[rm5]

Besides my personal preferences, it DOES seem like there's a big hole in Apple's product lineup. You can get a 24" iMac for $1500, but the next model up is a base Studio with Studio Display for $3600. I would think that a 27" iMac with similar specs to the MBPs would be a similar price (I'm assuming a 27" LCD would be similar to a 14" or 16" mini-LED, price wise)

This is interesting, because Apple fully discontinued the 27-inch iMac, but that was the Intel model. So maybe they are going to introduce a 27-inch iMac with M1 Pro/Max in the future. But as @uczcret said, they intentionally discontinued the 27-inch iMac - now the Mac Studio is a "desktop" instead of an All-in-one.

The other thing they might do is introduce a 27-inch iMac with the "base" chip, but that doesn't make much sense if the 24-inch already has the "base" chip.

 

[Mr. Bear]

This is interesting, because Apple fully discontinued the 27-inch iMac, but that was the Intel model. So maybe they are going to introduce a 27-inch iMac with M1 Pro/Max in the future. But as @uczcret said, they intentionally discontinued the 27-inch iMac - now the Mac Studio is a "desktop" instead of an All-in-one.

The other thing they might do is introduce a 27-inch iMac with the "base" chip, but that doesn't make much sense if the 24-inch already has the "base" chip.

Well, as I mentioned above, I believe Apple looks at their product line as: $1500 (and up) iMac, and $3600 (and up) Mac Studio. I don't think they consider a base Studio and someone else's monitor as a desirable solution. So there's a whole market of people who fall into that $2000 hole. Just from a product standpoint, they need something starting in the $2000-$2500 range.

Also, since they still call the iMac the "24 inch iMac," that could imply that there's going to be another size. I mean, they don't call the MacBook Air the "13 inch MBA"

Thinking out loud right now: the reason they cancelled the 27" Intel was because they stopped buying those chips. Also, I would guess is that 90% of the people who were buying 27" iMacs would do fine with the 24" model. But now you're down-selling, right? The 10% (or whatever percentage) will step up to the Studio (I want to do that), but the rest, which is the majority, will either hold off, or will step down to the 24" or Mini. Both give better performance than any 27" iMac, and you can buy a $200-600 monitor if you want extra screen real estate. (again, I'm talking about the majority of 27" owners who can get by with 4k)

 

[colinsky]

After the m1 introduction, I waited and waited for the m1 iMac because my 2015 iMac was getting long in the tooth.

Then the m1 iMac turned out to be 24" so instead I made my own iMac by getting a 16/512 m1 Mini and a 27" LG 5K Ultrafine.

That was a little over a year ago and if I was still waiting for a 27" iMac, I'd still be waiting.

 

[Mr. Bear]

After the m1 introduction, I waited and waited for the m1 iMac because my 2015 iMac was getting long in the tooth.

Then the m1 iMac turned out to be 24" so instead I made my own iMac by getting a 16/512 m1 Mini and a 27" LG 5K Ultrafine.

That was a little over a year ago and if I was still waiting for a 27" iMac, I'd still be waiting.

OK, so your FIRST mistake was thinking logically and rationally. There's no place for that here on the internet.

I have a 2015 27" too. I bought a 14" M1 Pro laptop as a sort of stop-gap. I think I'm going to get this monitor: https://www.dpreview.com/news/5057014620/samsung-reveals-new-viewfinity-s8-monitors-in-32-27-models and probably a Max Studio

 

[MacsRgr8]

Thinking out loud right now: the reason they cancelled the 27" Intel was because they stopped buying those chips. Also, I would guess is that 90% of the people who were buying 27" iMacs would do fine with the 24" model. But now you're down-selling, right? The 10% (or whatever percentage) will step up to the Studio (I want to do that), but the rest, which is the majority, will either hold off, or will step down to the 24" or Mini. Both give better performance than any 27" iMac, and you can buy a $200-600 monitor if you want extra screen real estate. (again, I'm talking about the majority of 27" owners who can get by with 4k)

I did get a 24" iMac to replace a late 2013 27" iMac. This iMac is a "living room Mac" which serves many purposes, and the AIO design suits perfectly.
I have to say that from 27" to 24" really is a downgrade. I still wished I could use a 27" screen, and I seriously never get used to the smaller size.

I also moved from a 27' iMac (2017 model) to a Mac Studio (Max | 32 Core GPU | 64 GB RAM), which is my "hobby-Mac". I adore it! It is so fast!
But.... I attached a non-Apple monitor (I went Ultra Wide as I opted for non-Apple anyway) as the 27" Studio Display is simply too expensive.

My point is that I really miss a 27" AIO Mac (or slightly bigger), either with an M1 Pro or Max CPU. Would have been perfect, and priced in the $ 2500 - $ 5000 range would have been okay.
Maybe they can do it with the M2.

 

[ondioline]

I don’t think it’s coming back, which is a shame. I think we’re more likely to see a “Pro” Mac Mini to fill the gap between it and the Studio.

For whatever reason Apple has decided to get back into the monitor business. The Studio Display could obviously be an iMac, but it isn’t.

 

[darngooddesign]

Yes.

 

[pshufd]

I bought a 2014 iMac 27 for $500 late last year and I love it. Great screen, 32 GB, fast enough for office work. The price of the iMac would be less than a 4k monitor too. It would be nice to have an Apple Silicon version but Apple decided to go the component route. Perhaps they're selling components first to the people that need it or want it and can afford it and they come out with a 27 inch AIO for everyone else down the road.

 

[Jacoblee23]

After the m1 introduction, I waited and waited for the m1 iMac because my 2015 iMac was getting long in the tooth.

Then the m1 iMac turned out to be 24" so instead I made my own iMac by getting a 16/512 m1 Mini and a 27" LG 5K Ultrafine.

That was a little over a year ago and if I was still waiting for a 27" iMac, I'd still be waiting.

2017 27” iMac owner here in same situation trying to figure out what to do. How do you like that lg monitor?

 

[colinsky]

2017 27” iMac owner here in same situation trying to figure out what to do. How do you like that lg monitor?

It was the only option for 5K that I could find. Still the best consumer monitor you could get. Now we have the Studio Display, pretty much the same at a 25% higher price.

In a couple years I'll update from the m1 Mini to a Studio Max--and I won't have to buy another monitor! I hate having to buy another whole iMac when the computer ages out but the screen is still good. In the olden days you could connect a different computer to a 27" iMac to use the screen, but not now.