I am still surprised that the iMac never received the M2 chip and still sits on the M1 as the current model released 2 1/2 years ago. Has Apple abandoned the iMac lineup all together or are these models just so slow selling that a new chip would not increase sales in any meaningful way and warehouses are loaded with parts they need to use?
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Is the iMac headed out to pasture?
- Thread starter icemantx
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I don't think the average iMac consumer really cares about the chip, M1 is probably more than enough for 90% of them. It also probably doesn't sell nearly as much as the MacBook Air, and all-in-one are costly to ship and store given their size. So I'm not surprised that Apple decided to skip a chip generation, but hopefully it will update it with M3 sooner than later.
With the comeback of a 'consumer' Apple display, I think Apple wants to promote a 'modular' setup, where people would own a MacBook AND an external display, rather than an all-in-one. I don't think this means they will discontinue the iMac anytime soon, but they might not update it as often as before
With the comeback of a 'consumer' Apple display, I think Apple wants to promote a 'modular' setup, where people would own a MacBook AND an external display, rather than an all-in-one. I don't think this means they will discontinue the iMac anytime soon, but they might not update it as often as before
I don't believe the iMac (as a design concept) is ready to be "put out to pasture" yet.
In fact (remembering an old thread here)...
... The new iMac is almost certainly coming...!
In fact (remembering an old thread here)...
... The new iMac is almost certainly coming...!
I will refer you to this venerable thread, 19,000 posts speculating on whether or not the Mac Mini would be updated (with plenty of tangents, of course):
Point is, we saw years and years go by without Mini updates. And then? There were Mini updates. Apple giveth, Apple taketh away.
Point is, we saw years and years go by without Mini updates. And then? There were Mini updates. Apple giveth, Apple taketh away.
There will almost certainly be another iMac update, likely within the next year
Someone recently posted, in these very forums, that a 2021 iMac will "easily last 2 decades or more" so I don't see the need for any new ones. /s /LOL
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Think of a typical consumer. None of them want a 3 year old model. “ Newer is always better” - is a typical thought process for many. Does not matter if it’s iMac, automobile, refrigerator or shoes. So of course there will be a “new” iMac.
Don’t know if that is an M3 max (doubtfully) or just an M1 with updated wifi and Bluetooth. But I’m fairly certain there will be as least some sort on “update”.
I think the thread title is click-baity enough not to be offensive but enough to get sticky on.
I think the M2 refresh will be don hopefully before Apr 2024 in Q1 2024.
2 decades is the longest lifespan of a home appliance like a refrigerator, laundry machine, toaster, oven, etc.
Average replacement cycle of car ownership is 12.5 years.
They probably make more money selling it in bits now than an AIO
Mini / Studio + Screen =. $$$$ ??
Mini / Studio + Screen =. $$$$ ??
Seperates cost an extra $1k.
Bigger iMac is likely delayed because display parts arent less than $1k.
Many businesses use the 27”iMac
Must be a couple hundred where I work
Must be a couple hundred where I work
iMac is not a big seller, that is true. And the M2 isn't so much better than the M1. I think Apple waits until the M3 generation so they can push a more meaningful update to the M1 machines, and then introduce a 32" model as well. Because why would they keep the 24" in the name in the store if it's the only machine? There will be something coming.
Apple worked out they were selling macs with a and a 5K screen to cheaply, especially if you got the cheapest build option, also with white bezels on the new 24" inch and lots of colours its now more of a consumer home computer, its meant to look easy on the eye, the light bezels means it blends into lighter walls more easily and its a computer that is used by a family, not a pro machine any more as it stands.
Apple also worked out they could make even the mac mini a powerful little desktop with the Pro chip and they can sell a 5K studio monitor at a price they love that makes most people cry. So the 24" iMac was born. It is not really in need of being updated as much, in fact Apple desktops don't get new chips as often as macbooks.
What I dont understand is why make it so damn thin, I mean a 3.5mm headphone jack is deeper so it has to plug in the side which personaly I think looks ugly, but as a family machine its great and is not dominating to look at. I guess it blends in due to its colours and it's lack of bulk helps. People who need more power go to macbooks, mac Mini pro's or Mac studios etc.
I really don't see a 27" or bigger iMac coming in at the old prices as the Studio monitor and Mac Studio replaced the 27" iMac, and if they make a 32" M3 Pro or whatever the things will be called its going to be really expensive, more expensive probably than the iMac Pro. Also its a very niche pro market for a screen that big. I bet Apple if they decide there is a market for a screen that size will make it a stand-alone monitor again, and then you plug in your computer of choice. I hope I'm wrong but I think the days of a big AIO iMac are long gone sadly.
Apple also worked out they could make even the mac mini a powerful little desktop with the Pro chip and they can sell a 5K studio monitor at a price they love that makes most people cry. So the 24" iMac was born. It is not really in need of being updated as much, in fact Apple desktops don't get new chips as often as macbooks.
What I dont understand is why make it so damn thin, I mean a 3.5mm headphone jack is deeper so it has to plug in the side which personaly I think looks ugly, but as a family machine its great and is not dominating to look at. I guess it blends in due to its colours and it's lack of bulk helps. People who need more power go to macbooks, mac Mini pro's or Mac studios etc.
I really don't see a 27" or bigger iMac coming in at the old prices as the Studio monitor and Mac Studio replaced the 27" iMac, and if they make a 32" M3 Pro or whatever the things will be called its going to be really expensive, more expensive probably than the iMac Pro. Also its a very niche pro market for a screen that big. I bet Apple if they decide there is a market for a screen that size will make it a stand-alone monitor again, and then you plug in your computer of choice. I hope I'm wrong but I think the days of a big AIO iMac are long gone sadly.
I am a 'consumer' user, who sometimes does 'pro' stuff on my iMac. I moved from a 2006 MacPro 1,1, via a 2012 'stopgap' MacMini (after 14 years of using the MP). I don't want to be spending lots of money on a new computer every two years. I want a machine that lasts (the MacPro was bought with the view to it lasting as long as possible, and it was only the inability to update the OS that finally meant I had to 'retire' it. It still had ample power for my needs). So the 24" iMac was perfect for me. The aesthetics are important; we've worked hard to create a lovely home, so I don't want something ugly upsetting the view. The thinness is wonderful; from the side it almost disappears, and it just makes it look so much sleeker. The side entry headphone socket is easier to get to; my only gripe is that there isn't one on both sides, that would be super useful. I bought one in yellow; it goes perfectly against the blue walls of the room in which it sits. I love that it comes in different colours; my first mac was an indigo iMac DV+ Summer 2000 issue. Tbh I was getting a bit bored of the uniform grey/silver Macs, there was no variety. As for power; the iMac has more than I'll likely ever need tbh. Does all my Lightroom and Photoshops, plus some video, sound stuff etc. Truly gorgeous display, the best I've ever used. Such a wonderful machine.
The M2Pro package is not much bigger than the base M2 package.
If Apple had wanted to put an M2 into an iMac they could have done so easily. They could have put an M2Pro package in the 24" iMac, with 16GB, and priced it at $1549 rather than the base model price (a $300 price bump over base model.)
But they didn't.
Instead Apple came out with the M2Pro Mac Mini. That I take as a sign of what Apple intends.
That's kind of what I said in a round about way and I apologise if I caused any offence to anyone with a 24" iMac, none was meant. I take it though you're not editing multiple 8K videos etc? The iMac is designed for your needs perfectly, and after all that's what it should do. I said it was a machine designed to fit into homes with its colours schemes etc, but its not a pro machine really. Apple knew what market they were making it for and it fits that market very well. I honestly don't think we will see a iMac Pro again or even a 27" AIO. I just don't think Apple will put put a 5K screen on a AIO, they have already filled that market with a Mac Studio or a Mac mini Pro and a Studio display. If they build a new 32 inch display at 6K its going to be something like the Pro XDR not a AIO, and it will be at a eye watering price I imagine.
I went from a 2017 27" iMac maxed out, but sadly its PSU was on the way out and fixing it was to costly also as it was not even getting Sonoma the cost of a fix was not worth it, and there was no guarantee that the PSU would totally fix issues if the logic board had been damaged in any way. That message came from quite a few mac repair shops in my area who all said getting the screen off was also a right pain sometimes too. So I updated to a to a Mac mini Pro 1TB and a factory reconditioned Studio Display at a price I had in my budget and the Mac mini pro 1TB Its fast, it does everything I can thow at it so it fits my needs.
Apple making the 1TB SSD faster than the 512TB was a bit sneaky but thats I imagine more to do with cost saving at thier end, but it does show the direction Apple is going in with its range of BYODKM Mac's. I would love to be proved wrong though but I just don't see a 27" or a 32" Pro iMac coming along. They still are at least to myself, iconic machines.
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And what exactly is wrong with this outcome, for the user or for Apple itself?
I don't think anyone said or implied anything was wrong. I love my setup. 😄
Don't be daft; why would anyone be offended?? 🤣
I doubt 99.99% of the world's computer users are editing 8k video just yet. The iMac can cope with 8k, just that if I was to be doing such then I'd most likely be in the industry professionally, as such technology is beyond the vast majority of amateur/home users. And then I'd be looking at a Mac Studio or Mac Pro as my workstation. As for 'pro' machines; the 'pro' tag on anything is very often a misnomer, as plent of professional work is done on all sorts of machines; my wife is currently using an ancient Dell laptop to work with for eg; I think it can barely play a video. It can run the spreadsheets. PDFs, access the databases etc that she needs though. And I've produced work professionally on my current M1 iMac. Back in my film photography days, I worked professionally with some decidedly 'amateur ' cameras; what defines something as 'pro' is the pro using it...
Visited friends recently who've bought a 24" M1 iMac as they needed a second machine (WFH!). Their 'main' computer is a 27" iMac 2019 edition, bought just as the world went into Covid Lockdown™. They'd wanted another 27" version, but obvsiously they're no longer available. A Mac Mini and Studio Display were deemed too expensive including KB+M. Putting both side by side, it's very clear that the new iMac is a winner; the display is so much better. Sharper. They're reporting less eyestrain at the end of a long day. Better colours, more dynamic range. On performance; they're finding the new machine to be significantly quicker at most tasks and this is 16 vs 32Gb RAM in the older machine. In short, they love it. The reduction in screen size has not been a big issue for them at all, as the improvement in image quality more than makes up for that. So they're happy. Or not; there are now apparently arguments over who gets to use the new Mac, as it's much preferred in the household.
Oh and they were very happy that they could get one in green as it goes well with their decor. 😃