Intel Macs as of October 2021

[Adarna]

These are the only Intel Macs sold on Apple.com as of today

• $1,099 Mac mini
• iMac 27"
• Mac Pro

Due to the vastly lower volume these higher-end Macs I expect Apple to use M1 Pro & M1 Max SoC once demand for MBP 14" & 16" tapers off.

For the $1,099 Mac mini and higher config I expect them to use the default chips with the default 150W PSU unless they decide to do a redesign.

With the iMac 27"/iMac Pro replacement & Mac Pro replacement I would not be surprised that Apple designed the M1 Pro or M1 Max to function in a multi SoC configuration to leverage economies of scale.

Any of those products could come out as early as April 2022 or late as December 2022.

The chip shortage caused by COVID-caused supply chain constraints really lengthened the Intel to Apple Silicon transition to 2 years.

 

[Boil]

21.5" Intel iMac is still available to order...

Mac Pro lineup will have a choice of two or four maxed-out M1 Max SoCs within...

The Intel to Apple silicon transition was always planned to be two years, supply chain constraints will reduce amount of units available, but I do not think Apple is going to let all that delay the transition beyond two years...

 

[Adarna]

21.5" Intel iMac is still available to order...

Mac Pro lineup will have a choice of two or four maxed-out M1 Max SoCs within...

The Intel to Apple silicon transition was always planned to be two years, supply chain constraints will reduce amount of units available, but I do not think Apple is going to let all that delay the transition beyond two years...

They really hid the iMac 21.5" in their site. I wonder if they're selling it due to demand or contractual obligation to Intel.

That's what they said for the PPC to Intel transition. They started on January 2006 and finished by December 2006.

I attribute to actually sticking to 2 years due to COVID.

 

[Falhófnir]

Notably no longer any laptops, I was expecting the 4 port 13” to remain on sale in the interim given supplies didn’t dwindle like they did for the 16” Pro. I guess portable computers is where Apple Silicon is truly untouchable while power consumption and heat matter less on desktops.

 

[Boil]

They really hid the iMac 21.5" in their site. I wonder if they're selling it due to demand or contractual obligation to Intel.

That's what they said for the PPC to Intel transition. They started on January 2006 and finished by December 2006.

I attribute to actually sticking to 2 years due to COVID.

I think the 21.5" iMac might still be there because of EDU orders...?

Yeah, COVID may have forced Apple to go the two years, rather than have a shorter transition than planned, much like as you have outlined with the PPC to Intel transtition...

 

[Adarna]

Notably no longer any laptops, I was expecting the 4 port 13” to remain on sale in the interim given supplies didn’t dwindle like they did for the 16” Pro. I guess portable computers is where Apple Silicon is truly untouchable while power consumption and heat matter less on desktops.

~80% of all PCs/Macs are laptops as they're good enough for almost all cases. Minority of computers are desktops.

This is why I was trying to figure how Apple will be able to economically make Pro desktop chips economically. Mac Pros probably make up ~1% of all Macs sold.

Initially I thought M1 SoC could be designed for multiple SoC configuration but it appears that M1 Pro & Max could be specifically designed for that future function.

We will find out in 52W what will occur.