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alex4748

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 25, 2023
39
19
You can have the lid closed if you want, it will wake with external keyboard presses. I actually leave it open so I can have 3 displays at my home office, my MBp m1max drives all of them just fine.

I have an old Intel MacBook Pro (I think it's 2013, 2014, or 2015) - do you know if I would be able to use that with the Studio Display?
 

alex4748

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 25, 2023
39
19
Separating monitor and computer is the way to meet diverse needs.

But it loses appeal to the many of us who like the aesthetics of an AIO solution. Obviously Apple doesn't think there are enough of us though.
 

profcutter

macrumors 68000
Mar 28, 2019
1,550
1,296
I have an old Intel MacBook Pro (I think it's 2013, 2014, or 2015) - do you know if I would be able to use that with the Studio Display?
If it’s a high end 2015:
  • Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on up to two external displays, both at millions of colors

Then probably not. I don’t think it can power a studio display at full res.
 
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Minghold

macrumors 6502
Oct 21, 2022
457
272
Why don't you think there is a market for a larger (32") all-in-one?
Because if Apple made such an animal, they'd want four thousand dollars, and, if the screen is half as delicate os the 27s, users won't be impressed.
 

leifp

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2008
522
501
Canada
If it has a 6K screen and M4 Max it would be a day one purchase for me.
And if that screen is superior to the present Studio Display (e.g. ProMotion, perhaps tandem OLED) and available with a VESA mount then I’d only wait on Thunderbolt 5 before purchase.

If it had none of my wish list then I’d have to think long and hard before probably just getting a Mac Studio…
 

leifp

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2008
522
501
Canada

Apple was very clear that they had no plans to bring back a 27" iMac, so everyone just upped the rumor to 32". It was always wishful thinking. I don't think it's going to happen. Over the last couple years we have gotten bigger iPad Air and bigger MacBook Air, because those are products that were already selling very, very well. With iMacs making up about 4% of total Mac sales, I doubt they have interest in adding even more SKUs and more inventory to the product (as well as more R&D, marketing, etc.). A 32" iMac would probably just end up cannibalizing Mac Mini and Mac Studio sales anyway.

View attachment 2405233
These stats are no more correct than those which claim Apple only sells a handful of Mac Pros per year. Do laptops outsell desktops? Absolutely. Is it 9:1? Unlikely. And even less likely is that the MacBook Pro outsells (handily, at that!) the “most popular laptop in the world”…

But back to your statements: while I can quibble with the details, the main thrust of the argument is likely correct. I also do not expect Apple to release a 32” 6K iMac. But I hope they do… my OG 5K iMac remains the sole faultless computing device in my history but Apple is correct: with a 24” iMac holding up the bottom there is no point in a 27” model and I will never buy a 24” iMac (my needs are MxPro, 32GB RAM, 4TB SSD… my wants are 32”, MxMax, 48GB RAM, 8TB SSD…)
 
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betabeta

macrumors 6502a
Jun 28, 2013
920
211
32" iMac Pro is only a dream, But I think if they offered just 1 model of Pro a 27" iMac Pro with a Pro M4 chip and had tiers up to 48GB RAM, they would sell a lot. it's that space that doesn't want to buy a separate monitor, doesn't need a 32" but 24" is well only OK, but 27" is better, and doesn't need the Ultra power and more than 48GB RAM.

I think it's a large population of current 27" iMac holdouts and people like me that do OK with the current 24" 24GB RAM, but now we want a little more space, a little more RAM and a PRO M4. And I'll pay for it because I like the combo that much, I don't want to have to buy a monitor with a mini or or studio or need the extra power of Studio.

But if they do stop at 24GB RAM and no Pro M4 chip, I guess I'll have to go Mini, but odds are I'm buying another brand monitor and I don't want too do that.

So, today a top of the line iMac is what 2800? well I assume with the M4 it would be the same or close if nothing else changes... So upgrade it to 27" and upgrade to M4 pro with the higher graphics cores and go from 24GB RAM to 48GB, I think we're talking about 4 grand? but I'll pay, a current Mac mini with 27" studio display is about the same for the better M2 Pro 36GB RAM, maybe a little less, but I'm ready. I think I'll buy the Mini in October and Tim will announce an 27" iMac Pro in Jan, that usually how it goes.
 

DMG35

Contributor
May 27, 2021
2,524
8,159
To clarify, what price range are you talking about? Can you put a $ or £ figure on it?

Currently, for a Mac Studio, Studio Display, mouse, keyboard, it comes to about £3,750 GBP here in the UK ($4,785 USD ish). I would gladly pay more for a bigger, all-in-one machine and I think many others would too (Apple may obviously deem that to be not enough customers though).

I asume you are referring to the XDR display which is about £5,000 GBP. Why would they need to use a display like that? Why not one like the Studio Display?

Seeing how the original iMac Pro base model was $4999, you can bet that a 32" model will be $6999 and above if one ever gets released.
 
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RandomTox

macrumors regular
Jan 17, 2007
195
461
I am eagerly awaiting for iMac with larger screen to upgrade my iMac 2019 27inch. It's been a while.
 
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iSandrotto

macrumors member
Oct 28, 2023
35
94
I'm waiting to replace my 2017 iMac with either an M4 32" iMac or an M4 Mac Studio...whatever comes first.

It's going to be interesting to see the announcements at their October event, especially the new Mini and the M4 generation in general.

I'm hoping for Thunderbolt 5 controllers in the M4 package as this will allow for 120Hz 5k/6k displays (although such a display would also first have to be announced by Apple).

The new Mini might give some hints on the future Studio design, ports, etc. Also, I hope the new mouse and keyboard will be announced with USB-C.

Maybe, the road forward will be a bit clearer after the October announcements and we get a clearer picture of what to expect next in terms of Apple desktops...
 
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theluggage

macrumors G3
Jul 29, 2011
8,009
8,443
Currently, for a Mac Studio, Studio Display, mouse, keyboard, it comes to about £3,750 GBP here in the UK ($4,785 USD ish)
...actually, the US price is more like $2000 (Studio) + $1600 (Display) + $150 (Keyboard) + $100 (mouse) = $3850 - remember that UK prices include 20% VAT. OK, some of us have to pay the UK price but if you want to compare things it's easier to stick to US prices.

Spec-wise, it's impossible to really compare like with like, but the M1 Max Studio, at launch, was probably comparable to the top-end i9 iMac. On things like I/O capacity it was half way between that and the $5000 iMac Pro. The Studio Ultra is more in $7000+ higher-end iMac Pro territory. The top iMac was $3199 plus $600 for the upgrade to 32GB RAM. (OK, cheaper RAM was available, but that option was always going away with Apple Silicon).

So the only real loss has been the lowest-end, sub-$2000 5k iMac - now you have the option of a Studio Display + Mac Mini starting at $2300 - which will probably run rings around old entry-level 5k iMac.

And does the MacBook need to be opened, or can you close the lid?
Up to you. You can get third-party stands for both configurations.

With the regular-M3 MBPs you can only drive two displays total, so you have to close the lid to run dual displays. Non issue with the M3 pro/max chips.

I used to use a laptop with an "elevator" stand to keep it open and level with the large external monitor so I could use both screens.

These stats are no more correct than those which claim Apple only sells a handful of Mac Pros per year. Do laptops outsell desktops? Absolutely. Is it 9:1? Unlikely. And even less likely is that the MacBook Pro outsells (handily, at that!) the “most popular laptop in the world”…
I don't think anybody doubts that desktop sales are a small, and declining, fraction of laptop sales - ISTR Apple came up with the 1-in-10 figure back in 2017 and it probably hasn't gone up since then - so the 9% in the CIRP data is probably on the optimistic side.

However, I wouldn't give the time of day the actual figures and breakdown between models in that chart. No confidence intervals, no details of methodology, no dimensions (is it unit sales or revenue? both are common) => not worth the pixels it is rendered on. Then add the overall implausibility - if those were the actual unit sales its doubtful that Apple would bother making those models.

Being based on revenue would explain a lot - e.g. each Mac Pro equals 10 Mac Minis worth of revenue - but we just don't know. I suspect the low-end, regular M3, MacBook Pro sells in quite large numbers, or Apple wouldn't have such a large overlap between the top-end Airs and low-end Pros.
 
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theluggage

macrumors G3
Jul 29, 2011
8,009
8,443
The new Mini might give some hints on the future Studio design, ports, etc. Also, I hope the new mouse and keyboard will be announced with USB-C.
I think the future of the Studio will depend on what happens at the top end of the M4 processor series. The main design goal of the Studio seemed to be to provide enough power and cooling for a M1 Ultra - and the Studio Max didn't originally appear until the M1 Ultra chip came out.

M3 Ultra was a no-show, M3 Max was a 12+4 CPU core beast (but showed no sign of having a fusion connector to make an Ultra version), and M3 Pro was more efficiency-oriented (6 perf + 6 eco cores) rather than being a Max with some GPU cores lopped off. Quite a significant change in the relative strength/weakness of the processor. So far, we've only seen the regular M4 - and it looks as if one of the distinguishing factors - the number of TB controllers.- has changed, which may ripple through to the Pro and Max variants.

There have also been murmurs that Apple were working on a true workstation chip. OTOH, I can't imagine the Mac Pro "PCIe slots but no GPUs" market being any more than a rapidly shrinking niche - and the Studio Ultra as the "son-of-trashcan" Mac Pro that Apple always wanted.

Now, if Apple had stuck with the classic Mac Mini design, along with the lower power consumption of the M4, I suspect it would have been easy to make a M4 Max Mini, and keep the "Studio" design for whatever the future "M4 Ultra" turns out to be. If they're determined to go for a palm-sized Mini Mini, though, that might not be able to handle a Max (both in terms of thermals and being able to support lots of ports).

I'd hope they stick with a Studio Max with 6xUSB-C and front ports - that would make up for the Mini Mini - even if the "Ultra" turns into an off-the-price-scale 2023 Mac Pro replacement.
 

azentropy

macrumors 601
Jul 19, 2002
4,136
5,664
Surprise
Is this the case for the current Studio Display? Or do the currency Mac Mini / Mac Studio's have their own power bricks, as well as the Studio Display having one? Part of the reason I like all-in-ones is from an OCD perspective!
No, currently both require their own power. A rumor is however that the new mini (or whatever it is called) could be USB-C powered meaning it could get power from the Studio Display and provide video over one cable (like the MacBooks can). Taking that a step further - My hope is that they take a new approach with a new Studio Display line and the new Mac where it could basically attach it without the need for any cables using a new connector that could handle both. Maybe something similar to the port on the iPad Pros and the Mac would either magnetically attach or snap/screw onto the ASD. Basically making it a modular iMac.
 

tenthousandthings

Contributor
May 14, 2012
274
318
New Haven, CT
IF this were to happen, it would happen together with (or after) updated Studio and Pro displays, and it would be for a consumer device, with the base M4. It would not be an "iMac Pro" as it were. There is zero chance of that.

I still think a 30" Retina (3240p, 3x1080p) IPS panel would be a good compromise. It could go into both a larger Studio Display and a larger consumer iMac. It would not be an XDR display, but it could have ProMotion. I know there were rumors at one point that ProMotion was coming to the Studio Display...
 

HouseLannister

macrumors 6502a
Jun 8, 2021
708
1,131
These stats are no more correct than those which claim Apple only sells a handful of Mac Pros per year. Do laptops outsell desktops? Absolutely. Is it 9:1? Unlikely. And even less likely is that the MacBook Pro outsells (handily, at that!) the “most popular laptop in the world”…
It's survey data, so not perfect. It is also a survey of US population, so not worldwide distribution. And Apple doesn't revise all models each year, so there are some pretty big swings on what is the most popular from year to year.

Here is 2023 as a comparison. More desktops last year, but still 77% laptops and MacBook Pro still has the top spot over the Air. I actually expected gains from the Air with those M1 ones being cleared out at Walmarts for cheap.

With most of the desktops being on M2 still, I am not surprised it dropped from nearly 4:1 to 9:1.

Screenshot 2024-08-13 101212.png
 
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TheWraith

macrumors regular
Feb 20, 2024
133
300
I think that Apple has made it clear that they have no intentions of releasing a larger iMac. They seem to have turned the iMac back into the consumer level desktop all in one. That is why they released the Mac Studio and Studio display and the great thing about that is, you can upgrade the computer and not have to get a new display.

Yes. They have been crystal clear—they even officially said they are not making the 27" iMac anymore. If they make a 32" display, it won't be in an iMac—it will be a new 32" display they sell seperately.

There are no market forces that make it plausible they would do this.

We keep talking about it because people wish it were true, but it is not happening.
 
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MacsRgr8

macrumors G3
Sep 8, 2002
8,316
1,832
The Netherlands

Apple was very clear that they had no plans to bring back a 27" iMac, so everyone just upped the rumor to 32". It was always wishful thinking. I don't think it's going to happen. Over the last couple years we have gotten bigger iPad Air and bigger MacBook Air, because those are products that were already selling very, very well. With iMacs making up about 4% of total Mac sales, I doubt they have interest in adding even more SKUs and more inventory to the product (as well as more R&D, marketing, etc.). A 32" iMac would probably just end up cannibalizing Mac Mini and Mac Studio sales anyway.

View attachment 2405233
Do we see there that the Mac Pro (3%) is outselling the Mac Studio (1%) ???
That can't be right?
 

snak-atak

macrumors 6502
Mar 9, 2022
290
841
If the M4 Mac Mini is as mini as the rumors say, then look for a Studio Display coming soon with a built in dock to replace AIOs moving forward. That way people can choose their combos of CPU and screens or choose to purchase ala carte and attach to a Mac Studio or LG or M8 monitor or whatever they want. Remember, you heard it here first! 😉
 
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ApplesAreSweet&Sour

macrumors 68020
Sep 18, 2018
2,287
4,235
I have heard rumours of a new 32 inch all-in-one iMac Pro - it is on MacRumours website too.

I know no one can know for sure, but my question is, do you think this machine is coming, and if so, when do you think it will be released?

The rumours say late 2024 to 2025, which is fast approaching, so I am surprised there isn't more information / speculation about it!

I am desperate to upgrade my 2013 27 inch iMac. I like the all-in-one design and I need at least a 27 inch screen. So currently for me, that limits me to a Mac Mini or a Studio, with an extortionate Studio Display, which I am not really keen on!

Any advice to help me think / decide what to do is welcome. I need to upgrade, but due to the cost / lifespan of these machines, I need to get it right!
No, I don't think it's coming.

There's been no substantial leaks, or really any at all. And no leakers or analysts have mentioned it in months or years.

And if it ever arrives, then its dropping years from now.
 
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TracerAnalog

macrumors 6502a
Nov 7, 2012
796
1,462
What I’d really really would like to buy is a 6K 34’ widescreen double layered OLED screen with antiglare and 240Hz. With both Thunderbolt and Display port. From any reputable brand. For $2000.

I can dream can I?

I wouldn’t want to hamstring such a device by building in a Mac. I ‘ll buy that desperately, thank you very much.
 

Mac-ajs

macrumors newbie
Sep 19, 2023
4
10
Why don't you think there is a market for a larger all-in-one?
Because Apple has dragged their feet in the past with glacially slow product updates.

Personally, I've given up on the all-in-one form factor. I would much rather invest in a quality display that I'll likely keep for a couple of cycles of processor upgrades going from my M2Pro Mini now to an M6-ish processor in the future and then perhaps an M10 when they get to double digits... MUCH more flexibility.
 
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profcutter

macrumors 68000
Mar 28, 2019
1,550
1,296
I think the real problem here is that a late model 27 inch iMac was a hell of a deal, expandable, cpu swappable, ssd could be changed, etc. all starting on a regular sale at like 1599. There’s no way to get an equivalent deal with a cutting edge monitor for the same price. Apple killed it, I suspect, because it made to much financial sense for the buyer. The fact that so many folks replaced them with minis or studios with the LG 5k display or a Dell doesn’t seem to bother them.
 
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