M1: iMac lack of ports

[ArPe]

You mean exactly like the $5,000 Pro Display XDR which is thicker then the M1 iMac and could house the speakers and SoC behind the display?

???

The Pro Display isn’t a Macintosh. It doesn’t need to have the Macintosh design language because there is a Mac already connected to it.

 

[||\||]

iMacs should always have 2 Thunderbolt ports and 4 USB ports.

Every feature, another reason to not buy.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you get one, what will you do with your M1 MBA?

I am not sure, yet. I could use it for Side Car, Configurator 2, take it to work instead of the iPad Pro, or sell it.

 

[guzhogi]

For a stationary computer like a desktop, I prefer some corded things like keyboard, mice, ethernet, and storage drives. Don't have to change/recharge batteries, plus directly attached devices tend to be faster and more reliable than wireless. More mobile devices like laptops, phones, headphones, etc., okay yeah, can be wireless. As long as we have the options we need, do whatever that floats your boat.

 

[Jorbanead]

You mean exactly like the $5,000 Pro Display XDR which is thicker then the M1 iMac and could house the speakers and SoC behind the display?

The Pro Display does not have speakers in it. It’s also a high-end pro display. I wouldn’t be surprised if the high-end iMac is also thicker too.

My guess is this iMac design is specific to the 24” iMac, as it’s the consumer iMac, and whatever professional iMac they come out with will be closer to the pro display.

Rememebr that this iMac is really the desktop version of a MacBook Air. It’s the fun iMac. It’s not a professional desktop for demanding power users.

 

[deeddawg]

For a stationary computer like a desktop, I prefer some corded things like keyboard, mice, ethernet, and storage drives. Don't have to change/recharge batteries, plus directly attached devices tend to be faster and more reliable than wireless. More mobile devices like laptops, phones, headphones, etc., okay yeah, can be wireless. As long as we have the options we need, do whatever that floats your boat.

FYIW - more for other readers than you, @guzhogi, I've been using Apple Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad for years at my desk, first with a mini then later with a couple different macbooks in docked configurations.

Frankly I've been surprised how infrequently these need to be charged - maybe four or five times a year - rarely enough that I don't pay attention - and haven't seen any sort of unreliability or noticable lag. Oh and I believe you can use both in a wired configuration too if you prefer.

Can't speak to other devices though, and I don't game so that may give others a different perception if they do.

 

[guzhogi]

FYIW - more for other readers than you, @guzhogi, I've been using Apple Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad for years at my desk, first with a mini then later with a couple different macbooks in docked configurations.

Frankly I've been surprised how infrequently these need to be charged - maybe four or five times a year - rarely enough that I don't pay attention - and haven't seen any sort of unreliability or noticable lag. Oh and I believe you can use both in a wired configuration too if you prefer.

Can't speak to other devices though, and I don't game so that may give others a different perception if they do.

I'm more of a mouse person, and you definitely CAN'T use an Apple mouse while plugged in.

I usually use wired keyboards & mice, so don't really know too much about reliability of Bluetooth versions.

However, at my job, the wifi is pretty awful. IT often has to restart wireless access points a few times a week. Fortunately, we're upgrading them this summer.

 

[Jorbanead]

For a stationary computer like a desktop, I prefer some corded things like keyboard, mice, ethernet, and storage drives. Don't have to change/recharge batteries, plus directly attached devices tend to be faster and more reliable than wireless. More mobile devices like laptops, phones, headphones, etc., okay yeah, can be wireless. As long as we have the options we need, do whatever that floats your boat.

Ethernet can be connected on the new iMac. Just not on base-level which sounds like is not for you anyways.

The magic keyboard can be connected via cable if you want. But it works amazingly well wireless, and battery lasts ages. Same with mouse.

There are ports exactly for storage devices. But how many storage devices do the average consumer have? This iMac is not for professionals who have raid arrays and ten external drives. Most consumers have maybe one external drive if they have one.

So your four ports may be one for storage, and one for a mouse, one for keyboard. You still have one left over.

 

[chabig]

I usually use wired keyboards & mice, so don't really know too much about reliability of wireless versions. However, at my job, the wireless is pretty awful. IT often has to restart wireless access points a few times a week.

Mice and Keyboard use Bluetooth, not wifi.

 

[deeddawg]

I'm more of a mouse person, and you definitely CAN'T use an Apple mouse while plugged in.

I usually use wired keyboards & mice, so don't really know too much about reliability of wireless versions. However, at my job, the wireless is pretty awful. IT often has to restart wireless access points a few times a week. Fortunately, we're upgrading them this summer.

Oddly, with my work window laptop I'm definitely a mouse person, yet with my personal Mac stuff I'm fully a trackpad person. *shrug* Never used an apple mouse and don't expect to do so in the future.

For mousing I primarily use a logitech M705 and have been extremely happy with it - though again that's on the PC side of the fence. Couple of AA's lasts months; I have to change batteries so rarely I couldn't tell you if it was less than once a year.

Work wifi reliability frequently boils down to your corporate IT network team's talent & budget. So while you've had a poor experience, that isn't an indictment of Wifi itself. My experience is that it's rock solid when properly deployed. A little more latency and lower max speeds than hardwired usually, but for most workloads the difference is immaterial.
All of that is not relevant to keyboards and trackpads and mice though since they use bluetooth to the computer.

 

[deeddawg]

Ethernet can be connected on the new iMac. Just not on base-level which sounds like is not for you anyways.

I've read it will be available for a $30 upcharge, but haven't verified.

There are ports exactly for storage devices. But how many storage devices do the average consumer have? This iMac is not for professionals who have raid arrays and ten external drives. Most consumers have maybe one external drive if they have one.

... and with a TB3 hub of some sort, there's a bunch of expandablity for conncecting multiple drives and such via a single cable to the iMac.

 

[guzhogi]

Mice and Keyboard use Bluetooth, not wifi.

Yeah, my bad. Sorry. Doing too many things at once. I edited it to make it more clear.

 

[guzhogi]

Work wifi reliability frequently boils down to your corporate IT network team's talent & budget. So while you've had a poor experience, that isn't an indictment of Wifi itself. My experience is that it's rock solid when properly deployed. A little more latency and lower max speeds than hardwired usually, but for most workloads the difference is immaterial.

Yeah, it's a public school district. Even though we serve a fairly affluent suburb, we don't have the funding to upgrade it as quickly/often as we probably should. Plus the pandemic threw a wrench into things. Fortunately, the district's been slowly but surely upgrading the network this year. Got new switches with multigig ports last summer, we've had a company run new category 6a ethernet cabling in the school which will be used for new wireless access points installed this coming summer. Just wish we had the funding to replace ALL the ethernet cabling, not just wireless. But, I'm low man on totem pole and don't make the decisions.

 

[xraydoc]

Are you buying one?

Strongly considering.

 

[guzhogi]

Ethernet can be connected on the new iMac. Just not on base-level which sounds like is not for you anyways.

The magic keyboard can be connected via cable if you want. But it works amazingly well wireless, and battery lasts ages. Same with mouse.

There are ports exactly for storage devices. But how many storage devices do the average consumer have? This iMac is not for professionals who have raid arrays and ten external drives. Most consumers have maybe one external drive if they have one.

So your four ports may be one for storage, and one for a mouse, one for keyboard. You still have one left over.

Unless I misread, looks like the ethernet's only gigabit, not 10 gig. While probably fine for my needs at the moment, I know it isn't for some people.

As for the ports, my dad and I old enough to have CDs that aren't on streaming services, so we'd probably need a CD drive occasionally, too. But even then, as you and others have stated, plenty of ports. And we can get fairly inexpensive USB-C to the appropriate USB connection cords/adaptors for any devices we need.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I am not sure, yet. I could use it for Side Car, Configurator 2, take it to work instead of the iPad Pro, or sell it.

Or maybe trade it in with Apple?

 

[deeddawg]

Unless I misread, looks like the ethernet's only gigabit, not 10 gig. While probably fine for my needs at the moment, I know it isn't for some people.

I'd venture that very little of the 24" iMac's (apparent) target market could describe the difference between 1GbE and 10GbE, let alone have workflows for which it'd matter. This is a consumer oriented AIO computer.

Apple would be foolish to spend the money to equip them with 10GbE vs 1GbE when virtually none of the buyers would know or care.

 

[deeddawg]

Or maybe trade it in with Apple?

That'd be the lowest-return option - although perhaps the easiest if doing so at a store.

If one doesn't want to sell privately via the different platforms, make sure (if in US) to get offers from CashForYourMac.com and MacMeAnOffer.com - I've used both and the transactions were quick & smooth.

Just remember you're still buying the convenience of selling to a wholesaler by accepting a lower price than you might get via private sale.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Or maybe trade it in with Apple?

If I did that, it would have to be done in store. No way I would allow Phobio to jerk me around.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

If I did that, it would have to be done in store. No way I would allow Phobio to jerk me around.

I did it online/via post with my iPhone 11 and everything went smoothly.

 

[guzhogi]

I'd venture that very little of the 24" iMac's (apparent) target market could describe the difference between 1GbE and 10GbE, let alone have workflows for which it'd matter. This is a consumer oriented AIO computer.

Apple would be foolish to spend the money to equip them with 10GbE vs 1GbE when virtually none of the buyers would know or care.

Maybe. To some extent, you could even argue why have an ethernet port in the first place?

For me, I could see places like schools that have computer labs, maybe use ethernet to cut down on wireless interference. But that's a stretch nowadays, I think.

 

[deeddawg]

Maybe. To some extent, you could even argue why even have an ethernet port in the first place?

You mean like all of the MBAs and MBP's in recent years?

Honestly I also doubt many home users would leverage the ethernet port either. My guess is that it's there for academic usage where wifi deployments can be spotty.

 

[EzisAA]

With all due respect, the 24” iMac is not marketed towards pro video editors. It’s a baseline Mac meant for reception desks, families, offices, colleges, kids. If you are doing serious video editing you would use a higher-end machine with more capable graphics and IO.

What makes a device nowadays a Pro and not a Pro !? If you can use Mac to make a profit the boundary between Pro and non Pro disappears. Based on my experience with MacBook Pro 13 M1 16GB - I can simultaneously export 3 videos projects in Compressor and parallel work witch next project in FCPX. I think the iMac 24 M1 with 16GB RAM is great tools for video edit.

* I work with Sony A7iii/A7Siii 4K (25 and 100fps) + GoPro 4K(25fps) + DJI OSMO Action 4K (25fps) all with logoritm and color corections + LUT's
*No proxy, no ProRes, no prirender - only original files 264/265.

 

[dmccloud]

I don't disagree, I was just hoping it would be a faster rollout.

Cheers.

At WWDC last year, Apple said this would be a two year process. As of now, we have seen updates to the MacBook Air, base MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, base iMac, and the iPad Pro. That leaves just the higher end MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Pro to be updated. If anything, Apple appears to be ahead of their own schedule, which is also what happened during the PPC-Intel transition.

 

[guzhogi]

You mean like all of the MBAs and MBP's in recent years?

Honestly I also doubt many home users would leverage the ethernet port either. My guess is that it's there for academic usage where wifi deployments can be spotty.

As I just put in my last post, yeah. I work in an elementary school district, and ethernet on what's basically a stationary device would greatly help with pushing out updates.