Will there be an M2 iMac in 2022?

[Deedeekay]

I really need to upgrade and I'm tired of a laptop format (I have a MacBook Pro 2017 13") and will have enough money by September to buy something new. This would've lined up perfectly with the Apple September iPhone event where some rumours had said this might also include an iMac update. I've been refreshing and clicking and scouring for information about a 2022 M2 release date for a new iMac. But the only information seems to indicate that this won't be happening.

So what's the general consensus opinion at this point? Do we think the rumours of no update and a wait until 2023 for an M3 are right or is there any hope for a 2022 update?

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Why not just get a refurbished M1 from Apple or a new one when the go on sale? There’s very little gained going from one generation of Apple chip to another unless your job demands it or you like being on the bleeding edge. After all, you’re talking about having enough money saved so I would imagine money is your main concern and the base M2 isn’t worth full price IMO.

 

[senttoschool]

Yes.

I doubt it's hard to put the M2 into the iMac, Mac Mini, iPad Pros. I think Apple will do it in the Fall.

 

[darngooddesign]

I really need to upgrade and I'm tired of a laptop format (I have a MacBook Pro 2017 13") and will have enough money by September to buy something new. This would've lined up perfectly with the Apple September iPhone event where some rumours had said this might also include an iMac update. I've been refreshing and clicking and scouring for information about a 2022 M2 release date for a new iMac. But the only information seems to indicate that this won't be happening.

So what's the general consensus opinion at this point? Do we think the rumours of no update and a wait until 2023 for an M3 are right or is there any hope for a 2022 update?

Except for the unknown MacPro, I think there will be M2 versions of all the M1 devices. And then there will be M3 versions. So yes there will be an M2 iMac, just don't know when. Its going to have the same performance increase you see in the 13" M2 MBA and MBP.

 

[Sydde]

Can you wait an extra 2 months? Because Apple usually announces new larger-than-iphone models in early November, occasionally late October. I suspect Mini and iMac will get a M2 Pro, probably 2+6 or 2+8 (because, why more than 2 E-Cores in non-portables).

 

[Deedeekay]

Can you wait an extra 2 months? Because Apple usually announces new larger-than-iphone models in early November, occasionally late October. I suspect Mini and iMac will get a M2 Pro, probably 2+6 or 2+8 (because, why more than 2 E-Cores in non-portables).

I was planning for an October purchase, I just will have the money to start making that decision in September. So November would be fine. Late 2023 for an M3, like the latest rumours are suggesting, though, is like... ugh... if that were the case then I'd just go an M2 Air even though I really don't want to stay within the portable paradigm.

 

[jav6454]

I really need to upgrade and I'm tired of a laptop format (I have a MacBook Pro 2017 13") and will have enough money by September to buy something new. This would've lined up perfectly with the Apple September iPhone event where some rumours had said this might also include an iMac update. I've been refreshing and clicking and scouring for information about a 2022 M2 release date for a new iMac. But the only information seems to indicate that this won't be happening.

So what's the general consensus opinion at this point? Do we think the rumours of no update and a wait until 2023 for an M3 are right or is there any hope for a 2022 update?

Likely we will see one in October if Gurman's prediction on M2 Pro/Max come to pass.

 

[vigilant]

I was planning for an October purchase, I just will have the money to start making that decision in September. So November would be fine. Late 2023 for an M3, like the latest rumours are suggesting, though, is like... ugh... if that were the case then I'd just go an M2 Air even though I really don't want to stay within the portable paradigm.

No inside info. The best guess I have is that we are waiting on yields to go up enough, considering Apple probably had a time fixed exclusive to 5NM, and I have to guess that is close to running out. That's speculation. If I had to guess though, Apple's exclusive rights to 5nm probably ends on a 2 year anniversary of the first time things go into full on production. The other way to look at it is their exclusive rights could end at a set time period once 5nm actually shipped. Since the M2 is shipping now, and the M1 is about 18 months old, I'd say that there is a good chance the exclusive rights could expire in a few months for exclusivity.

The pandemic didn't really help, considering these decisions were probably made probably roughly 5-7 years ago based off of early POC hardware.

 

[staypuftforums]

If you are planning on buying the base model, I’d just go for a refurbished M1. Whatever benefits the M2 brings are more than offset by the significantly slower SSD.

 

[CooperBox]

Can't answer your question directly, but I'm banking on at least an M2 iMac 27" at the end of 2023. For those who have regularly used a 27", the 24" is imho no substitute - I've tried one quite often and even when a 24" M2 version arrives it certainly won't be for me, and no doubt for so many with similar views.
If/when the next large all-in-one appears (I'm certain it will happen) I certainly wouldn't place an order pre-release (as many do). I'll wait for the press reviews, as being a long-term Apple/Mac user, unfortunately the quality generally is not what it was, and we're seeing newer products rushed to the market place. As a recent report interestingly states, "Apple's board was populated with directors with backgrounds in finance and operations rather than technology." Sales would now appear to be the main priority.

 

[Deedeekay]

Whatever benefits the M2 brings are more than offset by the significantly slower SSD.

Isn't that just specific to the Macbook Pro and even then, only the 256GB model?

 

[darngooddesign]

Isn't that just specific to the Macbook Pro and even then, only the 256GB model?

Only the 256GB is affected by it.

So far the M1s all used the same SoC SSD so if the M2s are the same, and the Air will answer that question, then all 256GB M2s will have the slower SSD.

 

[Andres Cantu]

My guess is no. Apple has been on a two-year cycle for the iMac since 2015 (with the exception of the 2020 27" iMac). But since that model was discontinued, I'm thinking they will wait until the Fall of 2023 to update the 24" iMac with an M3 chip and skip the M2 all-together.

 

[staypuftforums]

Isn't that just specific to the Macbook Pro and even then, only the 256GB model?

*deleted*

 

[jav6454]

My guess is no. Apple has been on a two-year cycle for the iMac since 2015 (with the exception of the 2020 27" iMac). But since that model was discontinued, I'm thinking they will wait until the Fall of 2023 to update the 24" iMac with an M3 chip and skip the M2 all-together.

Likely we will see an M2 and a M2 Pro iMac.

 

[MayaUser]

Isn't that just specific to the Macbook Pro and even then, only the 256GB model?

if the rumours are true and we get M3 iMac next year, i think the wait should be worth it
M2 is already good enough on the gpu compared to the M1, but the M3 you could get almost 50% more on the cpu, maybe ray tracing and double the performance on the gpu side (everything compared to the M1)
So going from M1 to the M3 imac should worth the wait, of course if you can,not to mention going from intel Mbp to the M3 iMac