Guess Larger than iMac 27" M3 Starting Price

[Chuckeee]

What is your guess for lowest entry level large screen M3 iMac assuming:
Smallest Screen that is 27” or larger
For US purchase
US cost in $
No discounts
Available to general public
No trade-in
Lowest level M3 processor to be offered with a large screen
Smallest RAM & SSD to be offered (even if you think it is impractical)
No additional, optional or upgraded peripherals

If you want include what you think this offer would consist of and when it would be available

 

[CarnelianClout]

I am guessing it will be in the $2000-$2500 range.

 

[picpicmac]

I expect it to be priced, if made, at just slightly less than an equally spec'd Mac Mini + ASD. I think around $2800 or $2900.

Now whether Apple makes such a thing is a good question.

I'm of a mind that Apple may want to bring back the 21.5" at a lower cost than the current 24", to cater to education budgets. Then add a 27" to cater to enthusiast budgets.

 

[sack_peak]

Many on MR think of the worse when a iMac 30" 5.5K or 32" 6K comes out.

I doubt that the $4999 2017 iMac Pro Xeon starting price point for a non-M3 Ultra chip will ever happen.

I created a small & big iMac table with their MSRPs so others can be more optimistic with the future larger screen iMac.

iMac Pro was created as a stop gap for between the 2013 & 2019 Mac Pro. It likely sold as many Mac Pros and far less than any Mac Studio. Its return as it was previously positioned is highly doubtful. The name may return but would likely have a new meaning.

2019 iMac 21.5" 4K Intel 14nm	Price	2021 iMac 24" 4.5K M1 5nm
iMac "Core i3" 3.6 21.5"	$1,299	iMac "M1" 8 CPU/7 GPU/2 Ports 24"
iMac "Core i5" 3.0 21.5"	$1,499	iMac "M1" 8 CPU/8 GPU/4 Ports 24"
iMac "Core i7" 3.2 21.5"	$1,599	N/A
iMac "Core i7" 3.2 21.5"	$1,699	iMac "M1" 8 CPU/8 GPU/4 Ports 24"
2020 iMac 27" 5K Intel 14nm	Price	2024 iMac M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max 3nm
iMac "Core i5" 3.1 27"	$1,799	M3
iMac "Core i5" 3.3 27"	$1,999	M3
iMac "Core i7" 3.8 27"	$2,299	M3 Pro
iMac "Core i9" 3.6 27"	$2,499	M3 Max
iMac "Core i7" 3.8 27"; 5700/XT	$2,599	M3 Pro
iMac "Core i9" 3.6 27"	$2,699	M3 Max
iMac "Core i7" 3.8 27"; 5700/XT	$2,799	M3 Pro
iMac "Core i9" 3.6 27"; 5700/XT	$2,999	M3 Max
iMac "Core i9" 3.6 27"; 5700/XT	$3,199	M3 Max
2017 iMac Pro 27" 5K Xeon 14nm	Price	2024 iMac M3 Ultra 3nm
iMac Pro "8-Core" 3.2 27"	$4,999	M3 Ultra
iMac Pro "10-Core" 3.0 27"	$5,799	M3 Ultra
iMac Pro "14-Core" 2.5 27"	$6,999	M3 Ultra
iMac Pro "18-Core" 2.3 27"	$7,399	M3 Ultra

Intel chips & their Apple Silicon equivalent

- Core i5 = M3
- Core i7 = M3 Pro
- Core i9 = M3 Max
- Xeon = M3 Ultra

Many suggest as an alternative that we buy a separte dispaly + Mac mini/Mac Studio as they expect iMac users to replace every 3-6 years. iMac users tend to keep theirs for a decade. Once the final Security Update is released they go with the next iMac model after then keep it for another decade.

This is alien concept for anyone who has frequently changing computing requirement but if you own a AIO you tend to change less frequently.

I have a theory why Apple did not include a iMac 27" 5K replacement in 2021 with the iMac 24" 4.5K.

The 3 year delay is likely caused by price of components to allow for a starting price of $1799.

iMac 24" 4.5K replaces the iMac 21.5" 4K at the same price points.

Smaller iMac	2019 Intel	2021 M1
Chip die shrink	14nm	5nm
Dimensions	45.0 cm, 52.8 cm, 17.5 cm	46.1 cm, 54.7 cm, 14.7 cm
Avg Weight	5.66 kg	4.46 kg
Display	21.5" 4K	24" 4.5K
RAM type & speed	2666 MHz PC4-21300 DDR4	LPDDR4X-4266MHz
Power Consumption	166W	80-84W

Rumor points a larger than iMac 27" appearing in late 2024, 12 months from now.

 

[svish]

Would love to see it at $1799. But Apple can easily charge a minimum of $1999

 

[sack_peak]

Would love to see it at $1799. But Apple can easily charge a minimum of $1999

I believe that the $1799 starting price will hold for the lowest binned M3 chip.

 

[TechRunner]

30" screen, 16/512 base, M3? $2799 is my completely unsupported-by-facts-or-knowledge guess.

 

[sack_peak]

30" screen, 16/512 base, M3? $2799 is my completely unsupported-by-facts-or-knowledge guess.

Ever wonder why Apple did not include a iMac 27" 5K replacement in 2021 with the iMac 24" 4.5K?

The 3 year delay is likely caused by price of components to allow for a starting price of $1799.

iMac 24" 4.5K substitutes the iMac 21.5" 4K at the same price points.

Smaller iMac	2019 Intel	2021 M1
Chip die shrink	14nm	5nm
Dimensions	45.0 cm, 52.8 cm, 17.5 cm	46.1 cm, 54.7 cm, 14.7 cm
Avg Weight	5.66 kg	4.46 kg
Display	21.5" 4K	24" 4.5K
RAM type & speed	2666 MHz PC4-21300 DDR4	LPDDR4X-4266MHz
Power Consumption	166W	80-84W

Rumor points a larger than iMac 27" appearing in late 2024, 12 months from now.

 

[picpicmac]

5nm

Just to be clear, the marketing speak does not relate to the actual device size. "5nm" chips have physical devices on them around no smaller than around 30 actual nanometers.

"3nm" chips will have gates on them just a little smaller than the "5nm" chips.

 

[sack_peak]

Just to be clear, the marketing speak does not relate to the actual device size. "5nm" chips have physical devices on them around no smaller than around 30 actual nanometers.

"3nm" chips will have gates on them just a little smaller than the "5nm" chips.

If I am not mistake I was explicit when I wrote "Chip die shrink"

The thread of conversation you are heading towards isn't something almost everyone would be interested in pursuing for reasons that it is heavy on citations that many wouldn't understand.

Apple's marketing does not bother with clock speeds as it does not effectively communicate raw performance.

They point to

- die shrinks
- core counts
- GB memory
- GB/TB storage
- GB/s sequential read/write data throughput
- other metrics that provides a more direct 'apples to apples' comparison

 

[picpicmac]

The thread of conversation you are heading towards isn't something almost everyone would be interested in pursuing for reasons that it is heavy on citations that many wouldn't understand.

Granted.

I just lament that an entire industry segment now uses the techno-equivalent of double-speak, all for marketing sleight-of-hand.

 

[sack_peak]

Granted.

I just lament that an entire industry segment now uses the techno-equivalent of double-speak, all for marketing sleight-of-hand.

Were we actually on 4nm with A16 Bionic?

 

[JimmyG]

6K/32" and 8K/42" XDR iMacs, please. I've got an ever-growing backlog of HDR content that "needs tending to", Tim!

 

[Basic75]

- Core i5 = M3
- Core i7 = M3 Pro
- Core i9 = M3 Max
- Xeon = M3 Ultra

That's not a helpful or accurate comparison table.

 

[sack_peak]

That's not a helpful or accurate comparison table.

Only Xeon was placed into Mac Pro
Core i9 in a MBP 15"/16" top-end & iMac 27" top-end
Core i5 & i7 were placed in all other Macs

What's unhelpful is counter statements without citations.

 

[Basic75]

What's unhelpful is counter statements without citations.

If we assume the M3 generation follows the same pattern as the M1 and M2 then and take the 13th generation of Intel Core processors as comparison, here are a few reasons for why the comparison is IMHO neither helpful nor accurate:
- The M3 Pro and M3 Max have the same CPU and differ only in the GPU, while most i7 with a GPU have the same GPU as all i9 with a GPU (within desktop/H/HX lines) and there are differences in the number of CPU cores.
- From M3 to M3 Pro to M3 Max there's always a doubling of RAM bandwidth, while the i5, i7 and i9 all have the same socket and memory interface.
- Equating the M3 Ultra with an entire line of wildly different chips doesn't say anything, and most (all?) of the current Xeons don't have a GPU while the M3 Ultra has a very large GPU.

 

[sack_peak]

If we assume the M3 generation follows the same pattern as the M1 and M2 then and take the 13th generation of Intel Core processors as comparison, here are a few reasons for why the comparison is IMHO neither helpful nor accurate:
- The M3 Pro and M3 Max have the same CPU and differ only in the GPU, while most i7 with a GPU have the same GPU as all i9 with a GPU (within desktop/H/HX lines) and there are differences in the number of CPU cores.
- From M3 to M3 Pro to M3 Max there's always a doubling of RAM bandwidth, while the i5, i7 and i9 all have the same socket and memory interface.
- Equating the M3 Ultra with an entire line of wildly different chips doesn't say anything, and most (all?) of the current Xeons don't have a GPU while the M3 Ultra has a very large GPU.

I am speaking of branding so non-nerds, who make the bulk of any consumer purchases, would easily understand what they are buying.

The technical aspects of what you said is immaterial bigger picture-wise as a 45nm 2008 Core i7-920 would share little in common with a 10nm 2023 Core i7-13700.

If you really wanted to argue about M3 Ultra not being = to Xeon then you should have pointed out the lack of ECC memory.

A replacement of the iMac 27" will likely have the price points below.

- M3: $1,799 to $1,999
- M3 Pro: $2,299 to $2,799
- M3 Max: $2,499 to $3,199
- M3 Ultra: $4,999 to $7,399

As many has pointed out and I agree with them that a iMac M3 Ultra is very unlikely for a number of reasons.

2017 iMac Pro was purposed to be a stop gap for between the 2013 & 2919 Mac Pro that likely ships less than 100,000 units worldwide annually.

Approx $5k & higher price point is too expensive for almost all of those primarily focused on an iMac.

To maintain the ultra low heat sink fan noise would require a thicker & heavier iMac.

With such low volumes & high price the Mac Pro & Mac Studio are better positioned to service nearly 100% of all M3 Ultra buyers.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

ASD with stand option is about $2K. There's no Mac in there and no keyboard + mouse. New iMac is not going to be at refurb or year old discount prices, so the math must work from MSRP for new.

I think iMac "Bigger" will be branded PRO and come with PRO & MAX SOC options. So the minimal spec will be the M3 or M4 PRO by the time it hits. How much does minimum spec Mac Mini PRO cost right now? $1300.

$2000 + $1300 + Keyboard + Mouse = a probable "starting at..." of $3499 if it was available today. Give it a little inflation bump in the next year or two, spin some "supply chain issues" and maybe that becomes $3699-$3999?

Does that seem plausible? How much was a much older iMac 27" Pro "starting at..."? $4999. It's not hard to imagine Apple being on stage comparing the new iMac Pro to the old iMac Pro and how nearly ever part of it is superior to the old one (which of course it is given the age)... then making it seem like $1,000 less is an incredible bargain.

Now, if it goes as today's rumor suggests and it's going to grow 4 inches and use the Pro Monitor XDR screen and presumably resolution, then I would work the same basic math from its $5K monitor-only price (or maybe $6K with monitor stand). Starting at about $6500-$7500... and add $1000 for that magical stand.

I think all the concepts of a new iMac "bigger" priced like the one we remember are impossible given the price acceptance of ASD for the very same display by itself. The pricing to add a Mac to that would have to work UP from ASD new.

That kind of pricing would also not undermine the separates pricing of pairing Mac Mini or Mac Studio with ASD or Pro Display vs. a super bargain AIO which would make both of those lines much harder to choose if one needs a monitor too.

And it would be VERY PROFITABLE for Apple, likely bringing an iMac Bigger into their target margin range... which is actually why I think the 27" was temporarily killed (it no longer could generate enough profit at traditional pricing).

The ONLY way I can imagine it starting much below about $3500 is if it is NOT branded PRO, uses the base chip, probably is only 27" (which seems shaky since 21" became 24") and specs are kept minimum to hit a low price. But even with that, it's hard to tabulate much below about $2699 and my low, low "starting at..." guess is likely more towards $2999 with specs so low that most would want to pay up for some upgrades. Add a little more RAM and a little more SSD and it's right back to $3500-$4500 again.