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I don't think I'm going out on a limb too far here to suggest that the M4 Ultra is going to be more than a small percentage improvement over the M2 Ultra. Evidence doesn't point that way right now.

The Studio is lagging 2 generations behind, currently using the M2 chip. The M3 Max meets or exceeds M2 Ultra performance in several metrics, even with the thermal constraints of a laptop body. And M4 is somewhat more powerful than M3. Then we're throwing two M4 Maxes together to make the M4 Ultra. Seems like there's room for a substantial increase there.
That’s a $5,000 machine right there. I bought my Mac mini m2 pro 512/16 for $750 with 2.5 years of AppleCare+ left. That m2 pro will easily get me to the M6 and I’ll have no regrets about missing the M3/M4/M5 because I’ll be using the machine bs griping about my i3 intel iMac that it replaced that I got 10 years out of. I’m now doing a few things that require more power but the M2 pro will handle the load for another 2-4 years.
 
I was in same situation waiting to 'trade up to a new Mac' from my 2011 iMac. With the arrival of the M1s I thought the iMac would get the 27" option... nope.
After a 1.5yr half of torturous waiting (due to the endless rumor-mill), I had to settle for an M1 Studio with Apple Display for about double what an 27" iMac should have been.

Personally I don't need MORE power, I need a larger screen (with better camera) and more affordable memory.
waiting for the day I can 'trade down' to a 27" (hopefully 30-32") iMac with 4-6K graphics and iPhone pro quality built-in cam. (The ASD cam is a very real disappointment)
 
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What gives?

Apple has (basically) infinite financial resources, but the number of engineers is very finite. Updating desktops every year while the few people (relative to laptop buyers) who still buy them keep them for 5-10 years is a waste of those finite engineering resources.

Sure, it sucks buying a desktop with older silicon if you need one now, but the majority of customers prefer new phones, tablets and laptops, so Apple is is putting more resources into those departments.
 
I was in same situation waiting to 'trade up to a new Mac' from my 2011 iMac. With the arrival of the M1s I thought the iMac would get the 27" option... nope.
After a 1.5yr half of torturous waiting (due to the endless rumor-mill), I had to settle for an M1 Studio with Apple Display for about double what an 27" iMac should have been.

Personally I don't need MORE power, I need a larger screen (with better camera) and more affordable memory.
waiting for the day I can 'trade down' to a 27" (hopefully 30-32") iMac with 4-6K graphics and iPhone pro quality but in cam. (The ASD cam is a very real disappointment)
Why not go with a Mac mini over the studio? Would have saved you $1,000-$1,500. The cost of a higher end iMac.
 
I replaced my 2014 27 inch iMac with a studio display and M2 Max and love it but with equal part massive regret! a beefed up iMac m3 would of just been as good for me. I think I put the screen size as too big of a factor when in reality you just get use to what you have.

The 27 inch studio felt too small for a while but only cos it didn’t have a big chin ha
 
That’s the problem. Unacceptable to buy something that may get replaced with something that is 50% faster any day now. They don’t update the design of their desktops. There is no excuse for them to wait it out, apart from getting rid of left over M2 stock.
But can you take advantage of a 50% faster benchmark? It has gotten to the point that for most people it is the operator that limits real day to day operations
 
Discontinuing the 27" iMac is one of the few actually eco-friendly things Apple has done. What doesn't make sense from an environmental standpoint?
  • A still perfectly-functional computer with a useless cracked screen.
  • A still perfectly-functional screen with an obsolete decade-old computer inside.
The solution is obvious – separate the computer and screen and offer both individually. That's exactly what Apple did.
 
Apple studio ultra is still the king for many workflows. Mac Studio and Mac Pro will always be treated differently given that Ultra is desktop level chip. Apple may not decide to have ultra every Mx version. My M1 Max is still going strong, I will probably upgrade to M6 or so, unless Apple comes with M4 ultra with 256 GB unified memory.
 
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I have never experienced so many problems with trying to buy an appropriately updated Apple Desktop
in 35 years.

I finally decide to trash my ancient iMac and buy a new desktop but seems Apple is incapable of launching new models on a semi yearly or even 3-4 year basis.

What gives?

This post is a bit confusing because you say you're currently using an "ancient iMac" but also that you need something above and beyond the Mac Studios that are available.
 
I mean laptops overtook desktops in general long ago and I think COV19 + the continued rise of cloud computing became an extinction level event with a long tail with effects still being felt for desktops on the corp side at least.

I’m a software engineer and I dont need the absolute beefiest machine possible at my desk because my truly heavy lifting is either done on on premise systems in our dc or on aws anyway, and a laptop means I can work anywhere and dock to bigger screens/keyboards/etc as needed. Now to be fair I worked like that long before COV19, but that pattern has just become more common, and even easier to implement for folks that dont *have* heavy lifting.

Laptops are powerful enough now for most work, and it’s easier and cheaper for most folks to have a portable/stowable work machine

There’s still plenty of market for desktops, but it’s getting smaller and to some extent more boutique
I’m a programmer. The problem with MacBooks is not the performance, it’s the screen. They’re all tiny. Having to switch between the ide and the terminal because you can only realistically fit 1 window at a time is so tiresome and annoying.
 
I’m a programmer. The problem with MacBooks is not the performance, it’s the screen. They’re all tiny. Having to switch between the ide and the terminal because you can only realistically fit 1 window at a time is so tiresome and annoying.
Use an external screen with MBP, the same screen you would with a Mac Studio. if you are on the move, use built in screen.
 
But can you take advantage of a 50% faster benchmark? It has gotten to the point that for most people it is the operator that limits real day to day operations
Irrelevant. Nobody wants to see the resale value plummet just a few months after purchase. Besides, it might not matter today, but in a few years, your machine couldve lasted a few years longer, had you only waited for the latest gen tech.
 
There is incredible pent up demand for an Apple silicon larger screen iMac. The only logical explanation(s) I can think of… 1. The COVID/supply chain debacle set back Apple 2-3 years. M4 is finally the chip they meant to launch … a while ago: the correct TSMC die shrink & easier to fab, ARM v9, updated GPU, and at the performance and TEMPERATURE levels needed to put in a slim chassis… 2. They could have launched sooner with a less ideal chip M2 or M3(although they will quickly discontinue the M3) but they opted to hold back, waiting on a slow financial quarter where they can strategically unleash an iMac that will kill it in revenue. These sell in large qtys to companies & institutions … eg Art Depts/Music studios & classrooms will snatch these up on day 1 of launch.
 
Feel your pain re the larger iMac. I was waiting for several years but finally gave up after the Mac Studio/ASD keynote, as I realised it might be years away. I bought a base 16" MBP to tide me over until the eventual iMac Pro, but ended up realising that the MBP was actually the right choice, as I love the ability to use it as a competent desktop (when plugged into an XDR) and as an amazing laptop. Recently upgraded to the M3 Max MBP and loving the combo even more - don't think I'd ever go back to an iMac or Apple desktop when the high end MBPs are so damn good now.

Appreciate if you need the power of the Ultra then that's not an option, and must be frustrating. The ASD is also way overpriced for what it is, compared to the value that the old 27" iMacs provided.

The larger iMac crowd (along with Mac Pro users) were definitely the casualties of the AS transition - the price of a Mac Studio + ASD + accessories, compared with a decently specced 27" iMac, is really sad.
 
These sell in large qtys to companies & institutions … eg Art Depts/Music studios & classrooms will snatch these up on day 1 of launch.
Even if they run $6000 -$8000 each? Apple has said there will be no 27” iMac, but they left wiggle room that they might release an iMac with even a larger screen (30-32”). And look at the price Apple charges for their current 32” XDR monitor.
 
At my company they no longer offer desktops at all - laptops only. My department has always had 50 iMacs that are in desperate need of updating and when we asked for the company to make an exception, we were told that our technology vendor (which isn't Apple directly) no longer caries desktop computers at all. It's crazy.
 
There is incredible pent up demand for an Apple silicon larger screen iMac. The only logical explanation(s) I can think of… 1. The COVID/supply chain debacle set back Apple 2-3 years. M4 is finally the chip they meant to launch … a while ago: the correct TSMC die shrink & easier to fab, ARM v9, updated GPU, and at the performance and TEMPERATURE levels needed to put in a slim chassis… 2. They could have launched sooner with a less ideal chip M2 or M3(although they will quickly discontinue the M3) but they opted to hold back, waiting on a slow financial quarter where they can strategically unleash an iMac that will kill it in revenue. These sell in large qtys to companies & institutions … eg Art Depts/Music studios & classrooms will snatch these up on day 1 of launch.
Problem is iMac is small percentage of Mac revenue. Mac line up is dominated my MBP, MBA and desktops according to various analysts reports are around 10%. iMac and AIO don’t sell as much. Apple is mostly a mobile device company, be it phones, iPad or Macs. Been that way for a while. They have a Mac Studio with Apple display, not the same but l doubt Apple will release 27 iMac.
 
Yep. I’m quite unhappy with the current situation. I find it ridiculous that my M3 Max outperforms my M2 Ultra in many workflows.

I despise stationary laptops so Apple put more attention in your desktops. The iPad did not need an M4. The M1 iPad is still over powered. My grandma buying a MacBook Air doesn’t need a newer chip than pros do.
 
Just opt for MacBook Pro 16-inch. These are not your typical laptops with shortcomings that are expected with the notebook form factor from years of past. Apple Silicon has raised the bar so much that these units are now desktops on the go. They are zippy as hell. They can operate for long hours like it's nothing. They are built like tanks. Trust me, you won't miss a desktop.
 
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