No 2018 iMac?!

[PowerGala]

I guess we'll have to wait and see what this "significant screen upgrade" is all about. I'm hoping it means that the iMac is finally going 32-inches. The only issue I see is that I don't even know if there are many 5k 32-inch displays to choose from right now. There are plenty of 32-inch 4k displays.

The main issue I have with the 2017's is that I can't get a pre-configured SSD option. That should change with the next iMac.

 

[badlydrawnboy]

Not sure yet. Options:

1. Buy a 2017 iMac
2. Buy a refurbished iMac Pro
3. Keep using my quite serviceable 2013 iMac 5k and see what happens in the first 6 months of 2019.

Option 1 doesn't appeal, because my iMac is still totally functional, and although no one really knows what Apple will do, I believe that some kind of iMac update will happen by June 2019.

Option 2 would meet my needs, but it's total overkill. I don't need 8 cores and never will.

Option 3 is most likely, even though it's disappointing to have to wait. But the benefit to waiting is that I'll have more options. Maybe the Mac Pro will appeal to me more than the updated iMac, although I'd have to buy a 27" display so if I'm going to do that I might as well just get an iMac Pro now.

Will continue to think about it.
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The main issue I have with the 2017's is that I can't get a pre-configured SSD option. That should change with the next iMac.

What do you mean by this? If I go to Apple's website I can choose 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB SSD options for iMac.

 

[EugW]

Given we've already had the fall 2018 Mac event, there is a good chance there will be no event at all when the iMac gets updated... unless they get a new form factor.

 

[PowerGala]

What do you mean by this? If I go to Apple's website I can choose 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB SSD options for iMac.

Those are custom configurations. I can't go into a random computer store and buy an iMac with an SSD.

I get better deals outside of the Apple Store with a pre-configured Mac.

 

[badlydrawnboy]

Those are custom configurations. I can't go into a random computer store and buy an iMac with an SSD.

I get better deals outside of the Apple Store with a pre-configured Mac.

B&H Photo? Here's one with a 1TB SSD. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1342752-REG/apple_z0tr_mned43_bh_imac_i7_4_2_ghz.html

Maybe I'm not understanding correctly.

 

[Firebrand]

Given we've already had the fall 2018 Mac event, there is a good chance there will be no event at all when the iMac gets updated... unless they get a new form factor.

I was thinking WWDC 2019 however, that > 601 (max. average) ...
So let's remain optimistic and hope for a March/April update.
Pleazzze

 

[Fishrrman]

fokmik wrote:
"So no imac today. That mean apple wants to redesign in and out for next year"

As I've posted here a few times before:
"2nd quarter 2019"...

 

[PowerGala]

B&H Photo? Here's one with a 1TB SSD. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1342752-REG/apple_z0tr_mned43_bh_imac_i7_4_2_ghz.html

Maybe I'm not understanding correctly.

Some internet retailers like BHP do sell custom configurations, yes. With the 27-inch, there are three pre-configured iMacs, all with fusion drives. Specifically, I typically buy from Best Buy or Microcenter and they only deal with pre-configured models.

Regardless, I've waited this long and my Mac is doing fine. I might as well wait to see what this improved screen is all about.

 

[patearrings]

Does anyone know the sales figures on iMacs? Is it there biggest selling computer, or maybe someone as the sales numbers for each of their devices?

I'm just wondering if the iMac is a much less popular choice now over laptops.

 

[mreg376]

Does anyone know the sales figures on iMacs? Is it there biggest selling computer, or maybe someone as the sales numbers for each of their devices?

I'm just wondering if the iMac is a much less popular choice now over laptops.

Well for several years now laptops have been outselling desktops, industry-wide, so the answer is probably yes. I'm not sure that's all that relevant however, as there is no evidence that Apple is giving up on desktops, despite the rants here demanding newly designed iMacs every year.

 

[EugW]

I was thinking WWDC 2019 however, that > 601 (max. average) ...
So let's remain optimistic and hope for a March/April update.
Pleazzze

The Mac mini now can be configured with a 6-core CPU, but the iMac cannot.
IMO that means 6-core iMacs will be coming sooner rather than later.

 

[mreg376]

The Mac mini now can be configured with a 6-core CPU, but the iMac cannot.
IMO that means 6-core iMacs will be coming sooner rather than later.

Not so sure about sooner. I'm guessing mid-2019, two years after the previous releases.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

I guess we'll have to wait and see what this "significant screen upgrade" is all about. I'm hoping it means that the iMac is finally going 32-inches. The only issue I see is that I don't even know if there are many 5k 32-inch displays to choose from right now. There are plenty of 32-inch 4k displays.

The main issue I have with the 2017's is that I can't get a pre-configured SSD option. That should change with the next iMac.

yeah im curious about the major display thing. Could be ProMotion 120hz or true tone or maybe even a larger size with 8K or 6K, perhaps they bring this Liquid Retina rounded corner thing to the mac as well

 

[Lammers]

Does anyone know the sales figures on iMacs? Is it there biggest selling computer, or maybe someone as the sales numbers for each of their devices?

I'm just wondering if the iMac is a much less popular choice now over laptops.

It’s roughly 80:20 laptops to desktops. And I think it’s generally accepted that iMac makes up most of the desktop portion.

 

[patearrings]

It’s roughly 80:20 laptops to desktops. And I think it’s generally accepted that iMac makes up most of the desktop portion.

Right, thanks. So it is a big enough market for Apple to continue caring about then?

 

[EugW]

Right, thanks. So it is a big enough market for Apple to continue caring about then?

Apple sells 20 million Macs per year. If 20% of those are desktops, that makes it 4 million. At say $1500 apiece, that's $6 billion in revenue.

That's nowhere near the revenue of the iPhone but $6 billion isn't chump change.

 

[Lammers]

Right, thanks. So it is a big enough market for Apple to continue caring about then?

Apple sells roughly $5bn of Macs per quarter, so at an 80:20 split it still makes desktop Macs a billion dollar business every quarter - so I’d say yes, big enough to continue caring about. And it’s a business that Apple wants to grow.
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I guess we'll have to wait and see what this "significant screen upgrade" is all about. I'm hoping it means that the iMac is finally going 32-inches. The only issue I see is that I don't even know if there are many 5k 32-inch displays to choose from right now. There are plenty of 32-inch 4k displays.

The main issue I have with the 2017's is that I can't get a pre-configured SSD option. That should change with the next iMac.

It wasn’t “significant screen upgrade”, it was “significant display-performance upgrades”, which could easily just mean improved GPU performance.

 

[craigrusse11]

Apple sells roughly $5bn of Macs per quarter, so at an 80:20 split it still makes desktop Macs a billion dollar business every quarter - so I’d say yes, big enough to continue caring about. And it’s a business that Apple wants to grow.
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It wasn’t “significant screen upgrade”, it was “significant display-performance upgrades”, which could easily just mean improved GPU performance.

Yea, i think it'll be focusing on a more accurate 10 bit colour and HDR.. maybe using a 1000nit display ?

 

[russkn87]

Just bought an iMac Pro. Tired of waiting. YOLO!

 

[Lammers]

Yea, i think it'll be focusing on a more accurate 10 bit colour and HDR.. maybe using a 1000nit display ?

Does the MacBook Pro have those things? If not, I wouldn’t expect them to come to iMac first.

In my opinion, when it comes to predicting Apple’s product enhancements, in most cases the least exciting option turns out to be the right one. So we can read “significant display-performance upgrades” and imagine all kinds of wonderful things (and people have in this thread), but I think the most likely outcome is that it’s just the normal graphics performance improvement that would come from an upgraded GPU, and nothing more exciting than that.

But I recognise that this is not something that people like to hear.

 

[MathewM]

I have a 5k iMac and aside from some improvements in contrast I can’t see them improving it much more. The resolution is ample for 27”. My guess is that they are prepping a redesign for 2019. Smaller footprint and bezels. Updated internals with better cooling. SSD across all models but obviously not 1TB as standard. Also color choices (gold, silver and space gray). They will also differentiate it from the iMac Pro which may mean losing some features like discrete graphics and limited upgrades.

 

[sublunar]

I guess we'll have to wait and see what this "significant screen upgrade" is all about. I'm hoping it means that the iMac is finally going 32-inches. The only issue I see is that I don't even know if there are many 5k 32-inch displays to choose from right now. There are plenty of 32-inch 4k displays.

The main issue I have with the 2017's is that I can't get a pre-configured SSD option. That should change with the next iMac.

Given what's happened to the Mini, the next iMac refresh could see SSD replace hard drives with a commensurate price increase which nicely conceals the cost of adding the T2 CPU - in this case the price increase is also obscured by a massive increase in horsepower.

The extra Coffee Lake cores, when they land in the iMac, could see the i3 provide a cheaper lower end, while the i7 could extend the top of the range.

The iMac Pro gives us the clue of what could happen to the next 27" iMac. Replace the hard drive with SSD. A better cooling system comes in to accommodate the hotter running Coffee Lake CPUs in the space left behind. No further redesign required.

The CPUs used in the Mac Mini surely have to be shared with the iMacs at some point though. They look more like 21.5" iMac CPUs rather than the 27" though. The delay in release will only add to speculation over why Apple would do this when there's a full set of Intel 8th generation CPUs to choose from and mild refresh 500x series AMD Pro GPUs.

A size change would be a good reason to refresh the iMac Pro. We would surely have heard more about it if Apple were going from 21.5" and 27" to 24" and 32" for example. You're right to admit that there aren't any 5k 32" panels around. There are plenty of 24" 4k panels though and I'd wager than a lot of Mini users would like to use one of those.

I think significant screen upgrade in this case could mean 10-bit colour gamut, High Dynamic Range (brighter display) which could be more expensive, and higher refresh rate (pro-motion) that could be facilitated with a better graphics card in the same size cases though its almost certain the latter isn't feasible with an IPS display.

 

[TheIntruder]

I'll continue to stand on my prediction that updated iMacs are coming as soon as a full set of Rx 6xx GPUs are available to provide the rumored "significant display performance upgrade." No clue if that will coincide with a redesign.

I don't think that will happen next month and don't believe Apple will release in December or January, so my expectations are for a February/March update. Maybe April since Apple updates are often slower than expected, but I bet we'll see new iMacs before WWDC.

If the new iMacs and Mac Pro are both ready in the same quarter then a combined event seems plausible.

That's my hunch as well; waiting for updated GPUs.

I don't keep tabs on Intel, but it seems the CPU candidates are set.

I highly doubt there will be a form factor redesign, and not because of the presence of the iMac Pro.

The 5K screen is one of the most expensive components of the iMac, and while I can see incremental improvements being made, a wholesale change requiring deeper design changes to it, as well as the casing is something Apple seems reluctant to invest in, as opposed to something like the shift with the X/XS, which was justifiable for the signature product and cash cow. Not a mature, and stagnant, if not shrinking product segment.

Apple has the flexibility to design the internal layout to suit whatever the component needs and performance targets are. The iMac's casing is nothing but a hollow shell with internal risers that can be placed where needed to mount the components, and with holes cut as needed.

A spec bump is predictable in all but a date that Apple is targeting.

The new mini is somewhat intriguing, and a return to the 2012 formula. If integrated graphics are sufficient for you, it can be an attractive alternative.

The interesting wildcard is the Mac Pro. What it will be, how it fits into the lineup, and how it might influence the rest, even though it will be a niche model.

In hindsight, the real bandits are the ones who bought the $4K iMac Pros during Microcenter's promotion.

 

[danwells]

This is the weirdest Apple lineup I've ever seen - for CPU-intensive tasks, the hierarchy goes:

iMac Pro (various versions are faster, depending on how multithreaded the task is)
MacBook Pro 15" (especially the new Vega models we'll see soon - even many CPU-intensive tasks also use GPU)
Mac Mini (hampered by really bad Intel graphics if the task uses any GPU at all, but the new laptop 6 core i7 can handily outperform old desktop quad-cores)
iMac
Mac Pro (ancient - high core count versions can be competitive on extremely multi-threaded tasks)

There's a $1599 Mac Mini that looks awfully attractive compared to any non-Pro iMac - max the processor, take the (reasonably priced at $200) 10 gig Ethernet option, because 10 gig NAS boxes are really coming down in price (the cheapest 4-bay I could find at Newegg is an Asus for $359 plus drives), 512 GB SSD, and upgrade the RAM yourself. Another $400 buys the 1 TB SSD - assuming big data files are on the 10 gig NAS.

Under $3000 ($1599 for the computer, $300 for 32 GB of RAM, $359 for the NAS itself and $692 for 4 nice Hitachi DeskStar NAS drives)for a screamingly fast machine with a super-fast boot/application SSD and a 18 GB NAS for storage (10 gig Ethernet is faster than any four hard drives...).

Fool with this any way you like - don't need the NAS? Hang a couple of external drives off TB3/USB-C... (I'd still get the 10 gig option if you want to keep it for any length of time)
Want more SSD? The 1TB option isn't that horribly overpriced for the speed of the drive.
The only thing I couldn't find is the weird 32 GB SODIMMs that Apple's using to get to a 64 GB configuration. They show up on some HP and Lenovo laptop workstation price lists (also horribly overpriced), but they don't seem to appear on Newegg...

If you need GPU power, the Mini makes no sense - Apple would say "add an external GPU", but a modest one is $700-$800, and the high-performance model with a Vega 56 is $1200. Once you're paying that on top of a $1500-$2000 machine and a RAM upgrade, the iMac Pro starts to look attractive (or, oddly, a MacBook Pro)!

The one place where the 27" iMac still makes a lot of sense is if you really want the screen. It's a gorgeous media machine/family computer, and a lot of those tasks (playback, office applications, web, light photo/video editing, not heavy-duty editing) don't tax the processor...

 

[ay42]

I wonder if the little announcement during the Brooklyn event about Divinity: Original Sin 2 being the first game to support HDR is a clue about the next iMac/iMac Pro and the release date(s)?
https://twitter.com/larianstudios/status/1057294492867444736

Others may know more about the technical side of this, but apparently Apple's Metal team is working on the port (which is due in Q1).

I'm also assuming that the iMac Pro receives any update that the regular iMac line gets, so that it does not pale in comparison (Bloomberg claimed the iMac Pro will get an update: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ll-two-devices-out-from-under-iphone-s-shadow).