Will there ever be a new 27-inch iMac?

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

Apple said there will not be a new 27 inch imac.Apple is working on a larger than 27" imac.

That's semantics and speculation:

Apple has maybe stated or strongly indicated that no new 27" iMac is coming. But that is in no way the same as them stating that a >27" iMac is coming.

It's this way of talking about tech rumors that has people constantly bringing up the same rumors when they've already been debunked multiple times over tha least couple of years.

I use to defend Gurman and his peers. But I'm really starting to despise how they keep stories alive just because they are click-magnets when there's absolutely nothing new to talk about.

Neither he nor any other leaker has anything on a new 27" or 27"+ iMac. It's all speculation as of now.

 

[PaulD-UK]

The 2021-early22 ‘new’ 27” iMac rumours probably came from leakers not realising a new 27” screen with an A13 logic board in it wasn’t an iMac but the Studio Display.

Very likely that any new display, with SoC etc, that Apple develops will be misinterpreted as a new iMac too.
Until Apple actually announces something.

 

[snak-atak]

I feel like a new model would cannibalize the sales of the Mac Mini and Studio...

That’s correct, which is why you will see a modular solution in the not so distant future where people can purchase a very mini Mx module, and then dock it into the back of a studio display. Then as technology or needs change, they can continue to upgrade the CPU or the display.

 

[Ivabign]

I have nursed my Late '15 27" for the last couple of years - it can be slow, but also pretty fast for just surfing and video consumption - because, of course, the monitor is still gorgeous. I have waited for a new big iMac - if I assume that there is no new big iMac on the horizon, I have almost too many options - Mac Mini and Studio display? Mac Studio and Studio Display - or MPB and Studio Display...

I like the idea of having a powerful laptop - even though I have a 12.9" iPad Pro with cellular for going mobile. The options above can get costly - a lot goes towards the monitor - but I don't want to scrimp on the monitor...

SSD & RAM on any of the above needs to be set in stone upon purchase - so the cost can get crazy fast. My 27" I can update RAM and SSD - won't have that option anymore...

Too many choices - any idea I haven't thought about? I wish here was a way to keep my iMac monitor in the system as well.... Ugh.

 

[leifp]

The LCD iMac has gone from

a single 15” to
a 15” and 17” to
a 17” and 20” to
a 20” and 24” to
a 21.5” and 27” to
Just a single 24”…

I would guess that sales are the thing that will determine whether Apple offers a second screen size or whether they simply replace the 24” model with a larger one at a future date when the stars align…

 

[leifp]

I have nursed my Late '15 27" for the last couple of years - it can be slow, but also pretty fast for just surfing and video consumption - because, of course, the monitor is still gorgeous. I have waited for a new big iMac - if I assume that there is no new big iMac on the horizon, I have almost too many options - Mac Mini and Studio display? Mac Studio and Studio Display - or MPB and Studio Display...

I like the idea of having a powerful laptop - even though I have a 12.9" iPad Pro with cellular for going mobile. The options above can get costly - a lot goes towards the monitor - but I don't want to scrimp on the monitor...

SSD & RAM on any of the above needs to be set in stone upon purchase - so the cost can get crazy fast. My 27" I can update RAM and SSD - won't have that option anymore...

Too many choices - any idea I haven't thought about? I wish here was a way to keep my iMac monitor in the system as well.... Ugh.

You can convert your iMac into a Studio Display equivalent. It takes a bit of handy work and $150 USD or so (plenty of YouTube videos for it available)… I looked into that a fair bit, however I ended up giving my 2014 5K to a friend, whose children use it as a school computer, and buying myself a Studio Display because I’m quite impatient and not quite so handy…

 

[drrich2]

I need to switch to Apple Silicon, but I don’t want to buy a Mac Studio and a separate screen.

Considering how much Apple charges for the ASD, an iMac with a 32" screen will likely be very expensive. Will it be 6K?

You prefer the iMac approach, but let me suggest we approach this with the question...why? There are reasons often cited.

1.) Good value (if you ignore throwing away the monitor when you change computers, or the non-monetary costs of sticking with an old system longer than you want because you won't relinquish using the built-in monitor) - I don't think that's coming back. Not with what the ASD is priced at.

2.) The aesthetically minimalist look with minimal clutter. Sit down in front of your computer like you usually do. Notice that you probably only see the front it the big majority of the time.

You can buy a VESA mount for the back of a monitor that will hold a Mac Mini to the back of it. Yes, that's one more power cable. You also lose the notorious iMac 'chin' some people objected to.

Some people are aesthetic purists who'd balk at mounting a Mac Mini in a bracket on the back of the monitor, but really...how often you gonna be looking at it?

3.) An affordable system with a 5K retina display 27" monitor. 5K is not mainstream. You can get a cheaper one than the ASD (LG and Samsung come to mind; you can check out some reviews for pro.s and con.s). People differ on how good 4K 27" is compared to 5K 27".

You may have another angle I haven't thought of. So...why do you strongly prefer iMacs?

 

[decafjava]

Considering how much Apple charges for the ASD, an iMac with a 32" screen will likely be very expensive. Will it be 6K?

You prefer the iMac approach, but let me suggest we approach this with the question...why? There are reasons often cited.

1.) Good value (if you ignore throwing away the monitor when you change computers, or the non-monetary costs of sticking with an old system longer than you want because you won't relinquish using the built-in monitor) - I don't think that's coming back. Not with what the ASD is priced at.

2.) The aesthetically minimalist look with minimal clutter. Sit down in front of your computer like you usually do. Notice that you probably only see the front it the big majority of the time.

You can buy a VESA mount for the back of a monitor that will hold a Mac Mini to the back of it. Yes, that's one more power cable. You also lose the notorious iMac 'chin' some people objected to.

Some people are aesthetic purists who'd balk at mounting a Mac Mini in a bracket on the back of the monitor, but really...how often you gonna be looking at it?

3.) An affordable system with a 5K retina display 27" monitor. 5K is not mainstream. You can get a cheaper one than the ASD (LG and Samsung come to mind; you can check out some reviews for pro.s and con.s). People differ on how good 4K 27" is compared to 5K 27".

You may have another angle I haven't thought of. So...why do you strongly prefer iMacs?

Good points, I do think the Mac Mini and either 3rd part monitor or Mac Studio will be more flexible when it comes down to it.

 

[leifp]

Considering how much Apple charges for the ASD, an iMac with a 32" screen will likely be very expensive. Will it be 6K?

You prefer the iMac approach, but let me suggest we approach this with the question...why? There are reasons often cited.

1.) Good value (if you ignore throwing away the monitor when you change computers, or the non-monetary costs of sticking with an old system longer than you want because you won't relinquish using the built-in monitor) - I don't think that's coming back. Not with what the ASD is priced at.

2.) The aesthetically minimalist look with minimal clutter. Sit down in front of your computer like you usually do. Notice that you probably only see the front it the big majority of the time.

You can buy a VESA mount for the back of a monitor that will hold a Mac Mini to the back of it. Yes, that's one more power cable. You also lose the notorious iMac 'chin' some people objected to.

Some people are aesthetic purists who'd balk at mounting a Mac Mini in a bracket on the back of the monitor, but really...how often you gonna be looking at it?

3.) An affordable system with a 5K retina display 27" monitor. 5K is not mainstream. You can get a cheaper one than the ASD (LG and Samsung come to mind; you can check out some reviews for pro.s and con.s). People differ on how good 4K 27" is compared to 5K 27".

You may have another angle I haven't thought of. So...why do you strongly prefer iMacs?

The main reason, for myself, is that there are fewer niggles with it. I have had more (admittedly minor) issues with my Mac mini and Studio Display in the year I’ve had them than I had with my 2014 5K iMac in the seven years it held duty as my main computer.

The other benefits are not to be sneezed at but it’s mainly that… but I’ll address your three points directly (and anecdotally); drrich2 will almost definitely have a completely different take.

1. Correct! I cannot imagine Apple throwing that money away… however, offering something new…

2. Wrong guy to ask about this as I’m far too OCD (no actual disorder). Every time I enter my office, I look at its setup and mutter… an iMac wouldn’t cure that all by itself but it would be instantly superior. VESA mount: I have those for my main computer’s dual 32” 4K monitors. Great! Absolutely would get that for my next screens, whether or not they contain a computer… and that chin made for superior audio (my anecdote, value=1). As to mounting the mini itself: well, I’d be getting a Studio and I want access to those ports… or an iMac 32”

3. Affordable depends on the afforder… the Studio Display is the last 27” display I hope to ever purchase. 32” + for this guy… and that means 6K… and there’s only one of those at the moment. Is further comment on that necessary? Okay, I goaded myself into it: I’m unwilling to pay what Apple demands for its XDR display even if it had a Mac in there… unless that was a tandem OLED or better (not holding my breath for microLED but am ever hopeful).

All of those points made, I expect to purchase a Mac Studio and some new displays when the time comes… but I’d still prefer an iMac.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

30+ inch will come

Sure, but let’s do the math.
Current 60 Hz Mini LED 32 inch display from Apple: $4999
Current low-end M2Max Mac Studio: $1999

Even assuming Apple decides that for them together,you can get $1000 off, you’re still looking at $5999 before tax and upgrades.

Apple said the big iMac is dead, and this is one of the few cases where I can say that I believe them.
It just does not make sense in their current lineup, and for the customers looking for that old $1800 big iMac you’re really better off with a display and a Mini.

 

[leifp]

Sure, but let’s do the math.
Current 60 Hz Mini LED 32 inch display from Apple: $4999
Current low-end M2Max Mac Studio: $1999

Even assuming Apple decides that for them together,you can get $1000 off, you’re still looking at $5999 before tax and upgrades.

Apple said the big iMac is dead, and this is one of the few cases where I can say that I believe them.
It just does not make sense in their current lineup, and for the customers looking for that old $1800 big iMac you’re really better off with a display and a Mini.

I’d be tempted to agree… except that Apple was awfully specific in saying that there wouldn’t be a 27” iMac… not that there wouldn’t be a larger iMac. And I would have bet money that they wouldn’t make a computer like a Mac Studio after their last experience. And I would have bet money that the MacPro wouldn’t be such a terrible deal for most use cases for which the prior Intel MacPro was such a great machine. And after abandoning the display business, I’d have bet (very sadly indeed) that they weren’t coming back.

Happily, I never bet! And I’m a bit of an optimist. And I figure if Apple releases a 32” 6K iMac it would be a 32” version of the Studio Display, not a Mac stuck in a Display XDR… huge price difference.

Anyhow, you can all be content now: I will not post on this topic again unless Apple actually releases a 32” iMac…

 

[Mimiron]

I pulled the trigger and ended up buying an iMac Pro for 1,400 euros. it has a 27" 5K screen, 10-core Xeon W, 64 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, and Vega 64 16GB, hopefully it will last me until they decide to introduce another 32-inch iMac Pro. One might say it's overpriced or old, but considering the cost of buying a separate screen (1-2K), Mac studio (2-5K), and dedicated eGPU (300 enclosure + 1-1.5K), it's 100% worth the money.

I'm in Europe, so the prices are higher than in the US, saw a 2019 Mac Pro for 1200$ lol, although it was a base config, it's still insane how cheap that is, considering they sell for 3-4K in Europe.

 

[specialstyle]

I've been waiting for a few years now, but there’s still no sign of Apple releasing a new iMac with a 27-inch screen. A while back, I bought an older 2017 iMac, maxed out the RAM to 64GB, and added an NVMe SSD. It’s fast, but the CPU is showing its age. I need to switch to Apple Silicon, but I don’t want to buy a Mac Studio and a separate screen. The 24-inch iMac is too small for me, and I prefer not to use two screens for work. Do you think the rumors about a new 32-inch iMac are true, or am I the only one waiting for Apple to release an iMac with an M-chip and a bigger screen? How long do you think we'll have to wait?

I feel like a new model would cannibalize the sales of the Mac Mini and Studio...

I was in this boat too! I have an old 2015 imac 27 that was grueling to edit on.

What might help... I ended up finding a deal on eBay for a 2019 27 inch with a core i9 processor -- that CPU is more or less in line with an M1 in terms of performance. Obviously it's not going to beat Apple silicone, but if you want a banger machine with the goodies of the 27 inch screen, ports, SD card slot was big for me -- I would look at the 2019-2020 models to see if you can get something for a decent price.

If you do video rendering I would avoid the iMac PRO models as the Xeon chips are not as good as the core i7-i9s

The 24 inch model is enticing, but for that price I want more than 4 ports, I need the sd card slot, and I mind as well have the bigger screen too!

Just a thought! Also if you can find a model with the Vega graphics (mine is not that unfortunately) it's going to be a really nice beast for the price. Anywho...it should be a good deal, but I wouldn't pay more than $1.2k for it I think.

 

[pshufd]

I pulled the trigger and ended up buying an iMac Pro for 1,400 euros. it has a 27" 5K screen, 10-core Xeon W, 64 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, and Vega 64 16GB, hopefully it will last me until they decide to introduce another 32-inch iMac Pro. One might say it's overpriced or old, but considering the cost of buying a separate screen (1-2K), Mac studio (2-5K), and dedicated eGPU (300 enclosure + 1-1.5K), it's 100% worth the money.

I'm in Europe, so the prices are higher than in the US, saw a 2019 Mac Pro for 1200$ lol, although it was a base config, it's still insane how cheap that is, considering they sell for 3-4K in Europe.

Those RAM and SSD upgrades are expensive with Apple Silicon too. The iMac Pros also have really beefy cooling systems.

 

[pshufd]

I was in this boat too! I have an old 2015 imac 27 that was grueling to edit on.

What might help... I ended up finding a deal on eBay for a 2019 27 inch with a core i9 processor -- that CPU is more or less in line with an M1 in terms of performance. Obviously it's not going to beat Apple silicone, but if you want a banger machine with the goodies of the 27 inch screen, ports, SD card slot was big for me -- I would look at the 2019-2020 models to see if you can get something for a decent price.

The 24 inch model is enticing, but for that price I want more than 4 ports, I need the sd card slot, and I mind as well have the bigger screen too!

Just a thought! Also if you can find a model with the Vega graphics (mine is not that unfortunately) it's going to be a really nice beast for the price. Anywho...it should be a good deal, but I wouldn't pay more than $1.2k for it I think.

There's an iMac Pro, 8 core Xeon W, 2 TB SSD, 64 GB RAM, Vega 56 for $500 on Craigslist. I'm not posting the link as that may be against the rules. I'd buy it if I lived there.

 

[Minghold]

There's your answer I'm afraid. I would be keen to replace my vintage 2015 27" iMac with an equivalent Apple Silicon model but I don't see it happening.

Backgrade its OS to Mojave running in an HFS+ partition, and it'll run three or four times faster. Run Linux in Parallels For Mac hypervirtualization for extra oomph.

 

[darrenoia]

They don't really need the iMac Pro. The high-end market is served by the current offerings for those who are willing to pay. What's lacking in the lineup is a larger screen, more affordable version. The point of the iMac since its inception has been to be the affordable AIO. While the 24" model serves that function now, it's hard to make the jump down in screen size and resolution from the earlier 27" models.

 

[Minghold]

I ended up finding a deal on eBay for a 2019 27 inch with a core i9 processor....

the 2019 i9 is the absolute apex of 27" iMacs. (The 2020 i9 is slightly faster by raw benchmark, but is restricted from running Mojave/HFS+) The i9s are stupid fast, and way faster than any normal human being's daily activities will ever task.

 

[specialstyle]

the 2019 i9 is the absolute apex of 27" iMacs. (The 2020 i9 is slightly faster by raw benchmark, but is restricted from running Mojave/HFS+) The i9s are stupid fast, and way faster than any normal human being's daily activities will ever task.

I swear by it being the best desktop i've ever owned. The big slowdown with these machines are the Fusion drives with the 5400 spinning disks. So happy to be on SSD now, and since you can hurl 128 gigs of ram into it.... you can build it out so much better than a new imac in its current iteration.

 

[Minghold]

I swear by it being the best desktop i've ever owned. The big slowdown with these machines are the Fusion drives with the 5400 spinning disks. So happy to be on SSD now, and since you can hurl 128 gigs of ram into it.... you can build it out so much better than a new imac in its current iteration.

IIRC, the 27" base-models were default 3.5" 7200rpm spinner drives while the 21.5s had 2.5" 5400rpms. The problem wasn't the drives per se, it was MRT, Spotlight Indexing, iSpy ecosystem auto-synching, and all the other crap Apple started larding into the OS so as to keep an eye on you 24/7. Turn that garbage (which doesn't do the longevity of SSDs any favors either) off, and even a plain spinner drive (i.e., not a Fusion) is surprisingly nimble ...as long as the OS is using the HFS+ file-system. APFS is a turd on rotational drives, and Apple deliberately made it an upgrade path (default in Mojave and mandatory in Catalina+) for intel machines it wished to artificially obsolesce.

Go turn on your nearest intel Mac right now; is it running Catalina or more recent? Figure out how to backgrade it to Mojave/HFS+.

 

[specialstyle]

IIRC, the 27" base-models were default 3.5" 7200rpm spinner drives while the 21.5s had 2.5" 5400rpms. The problem wasn't the drives per se, it was MRT, Spotlight Indexing, iSpy ecosystem auto-synching, and all the other crap Apple started larding into the OS so as to keep an eye on you 24/7. Turn that garbage (which doesn't do the longevity of SSDs any favors either) off, and even a plain spinner drive (i.e., not a Fusion) is surprisingly nimble ...as long as the OS is using the HFS+ file-system. APFS is a turd on rotational drives, and Apple deliberately made it an upgrade path (default in Mojave and mandatory in Catalina+) for intel machines it wished to artificially obsolesce.

Go turn on your nearest intel Mac right now; is it running Catalina or more recent? Figure out how to backgrade it to Mojave/HFS+.

I will look into this, thank you! The current use for the older mac is literally a display showing current stats on some stuff, so really just using as a monitor -- but that is really good information!

 

[Timpetus]

We upgraded from our loaded 2020 iMac to a Studio+Studio Display because it's been obvious for a while now that no higher-end iMac is coming. It actually didn't cost much more than the iMac did, and when it comes time to upgrade the Studio we'll keep the rest of the setup. This really does make more sense for a power-user (we are photographers) and it'll save money in the long run. The Studio Display was on sale for $1299 so it wasn't quite as hard to justify.

 

[Minghold]

We upgraded from our loaded 2020 iMac to a Studio+Studio Display because it's been obvious for a while now that no higher-end iMac is coming. It actually didn't cost much more than the iMac did, and when it comes time to upgrade the Studio we'll keep the rest of the setup. This really does make more sense for a power-user (we are photographers) and it'll save money in the long run. The Studio Display was on sale for $1299 so it wasn't quite as hard to justify.

"on sale"? Ouch. You definitely paid the Apple-tax on that external monitor.

(Tricks with a 2014 MBP Retina 15" i7 SSD running Mojave/HFS+: browse FB marketplace looking for used 4k smart-TVs, pick up a 50" for $40, and use it as a dumb display w/remote via HDMI.)

 

[Minghold]

I will look into this, thank you! The current use for the older mac is literally a display showing current stats on some stuff, so really just using as a monitor -- but that is really good information!

If it's a 2012 to 2019 iMac, then go Mojave thusly. If it's a "silverback" DVD iMac, then High Sierra. If a "blackback" iMac, then El Capitan. (Also: turn SIP off, and leave it off for any computer that's not a laptop you frequently leave unattended on a ghetto bus-stop bench.)

 

[Timpetus]

"on sale"? Ouch. You definitely paid the Apple-tax on that external monitor.

(Tricks with a 2014 MBP Retina 15" i7 SSD running Mojave/HFS+: browse FB marketplace looking for used 4k smart-TVs, pick up a 50" for $40, and use it as a dumb display w/remote via HDMI.)

Yes, I know it was expensive but good luck finding anything else that matches the 27" iMac 5K display in quality. It's for our business, so while I do know that there are hacks that will save money, quality is essential when editing our clients' photos. Amortized over the 10+ years I expect the monitor to serve our needs, it's worth it for the quality.