Will there ever be a new large iMac (Pro)?

[krell100]

As much as I'd love a redesigned iMac I just can't see Apple doing anything more than a mild refresh at this time with SSD's in the base models and some minor tweaks to I/O and maybe slightly upgraded GPUs.

Perhaps 2021 will see a major update with a completely new design; this would make sense as the whole CPU/GPU/TB/USB landscape is shifting with perhaps a move to ARM on the cards too. 2020 just seems to be a write off at this stage for many reasons. I'd love to be wrong but NewApple always under-delivers..

 

[Azrael9]

Can we all not be friends? :-D

"Here's to the crazy ones..."

Azrael.
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As much as I'd love a redesigned iMac I just can't see Apple doing anything more than a mild refresh at this time with SSD's in the base models and some minor tweaks to I/O and maybe slightly upgraded GPUs.

Perhaps 2021 will see a major update with a completely new design; this would make sense as the whole CPU/GPU/TB/USB landscape is shifting with perhaps a move to ARM on the cards too. 2020 just seems to be a write off at this stage for many reasons. I'd love to be wrong but NewApple always under-delivers..

The pattern of releases so far this year is 'incremental.' But we seemed to hear alot about those products, rumours wise, before they dropped.

Perhaps we're getting that updated design. Think positive. The design gods demand it.

The 23 inch rumour suggests 'something' new is pending.

It's been 'long enough.'

The rumours are still very quiet...which could suggest the 27 (30 incher?) is getting the 'treatment' 1st. WWDC.

30 inch screen. Slimmer bezels. SSD as standard and RDNA gpus.

Azrael.

 

[macpro2000]

Let's hope Azzy!!!

 

[Spungoflex]

The only thing stopping Apple from selling that base 21.5" non retina is lack of supply of panels or CPUs. While the Kaby Lake desktop CPUs are beginning to get discontinued the mobile CPUs are not, Intel still haven't discontinued mobile CPUs all the way back to Haswell (4th gen).

And that Kaby Lake CPU isn't the only outlier that Apple have used in their based 21.5" model - the late 2015 model used a really poverty spec Broadwell CPU which was on a Thunderbolt 2 motherboard.

I'm guessing they needed to use Thunderbolt 3 when they specced out the 2017 models so went for the Kaby Lake mobile option when the motherboard redesign was forced.

When the time comes for another redesign it might need Thunderbolt 4 to be a thing - its already slated for release with 10nm Tiger Lake for mobile later this year and Rocket Lake S next year. It's not going to offer a speed increase over Thunderbolt 3 but it will at least incorporate all manner of new and balkanised USB3 standards that have been recently released.

The other thing that Rocket Lake S will bring will be 20 lanes of PCIe 4.0 (up from 16 on Comet Lake and prior CPUs) - this would enable even faster SSD, and better GPU performance.

Imagine direct connection of RDNA2 GPUs on 8x PCIe 4.0 lanes (equivalent performance to 16x PCIe 3.0 lanes) - and the possibility for a standard iMac to carry 4 Thunderbolt 4 ports in addition.

There wouldn't be too much of a performance penalty if the same RDNA2 card would connect via 4x PCIe 4.0 lanes (same as the current 8 lanes of PCIe 3.0); 4x for the super fast SSD, 8 for 4 Thunderbolt 4 ports via 2 Titan Ridge controllers, and keep an extra 4 lanes back for optional 10Gig Ethernet. That would then cater for pretty much a replacement iMac Pro using Rocket Lake S CPUs.

And imagine the flexibility of a headless Mac (mini) with 4 Thunderbolt 4 ports and an onboard GPU...

Perhaps another reason to stick around for 2021 Macs - and a compelling reason for Apple to tread water this year, especially if they can somehow justify a warmed over Coffee Lake spec or storage bump to keep the iMac ticking over during this exceptionally odd year.

These are good points, but I think we've passed the days of Apple releasing any product with a non-retina display (phones, laptops and desktops are all retina from 2019 forward). I predict the 2017 iMac is the last non-retina display Apple will ever sell.

 

[Freida]

Fine, you've asked for it

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"Here's to the crazy ones..."

Azrael.
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The pattern of releases so far this year is 'incremental.' But we seemed to hear alot about those products, rumours wise, before they dropped.

Perhaps we're getting that updated design. Think positive. The design gods demand it.

The 23 inch rumour suggests 'something' new is pending.

It's been 'long enough.'

The rumours are still very quiet...which could suggest the 27 (30 incher?) is getting the 'treatment' 1st. WWDC.

30 inch screen. Slimmer bezels. SSD as standard and RDNA gpus.

Azrael.

 

[Sooby]

I really hope they keep the iMac Pro in the lineup and update it. I'd like to get a new updated one because an iMac with 5700XT is not powerful enough to me and it doesn't have enough thunderbolt ports. I don't want a Mac Pro because it's poor value for money.

 

[iPadified]

Another day without a new iMac. What are we going to discuss today to handle our frustrations?

And most importantly, who will be right in their predictions?

 

[AAtte]

Another day without a new iMac. What are we going to discuss today to handle our frustrations?

And most importantly, who will be right in their predictions?

I almost bought a 3.7ghz i5 580x iMac 2019 yesterday used for 1700 euros. Then I remembered that I need to keep myself strong. I CAN wait for couple weeks even though my daily computer is my 14" Lenovo work laptop. My summer holiday will be during June and it will be sad to not to be able to edit my holiday pictures and videos with a decent computer. I will have to wait until I get the iMac.

I'm happy about the rumors about the 5700 and 5700XT. They would be a very good bump from the 580X. The 5700 would be enough for me for pics and video and a bit of CIV6 maybe. Other light games too.

 

[Icaras]

Another day without a new iMac. What are we going to discuss today to handle our frustrations?

And most importantly, who will be right in their predictions?

It was Memorial Day holiday here in the US, so no products would have launched today anyway.

 

[scotttnz]

Another day without a new iMac. What are we going to discuss today to handle our frustrations?

And most importantly, who will be right in their predictions?

But.....but......my uninformed predictions and wish lists are better than yours, so they must be right!

 

[krell100]

If there's no iMac update at all this WWDC will this thread self destruct?

 

[iPadified]

If there's no iMac update at all this WWDC will this thread self destruct?

No, this has just started . New Mac mini and Mac Pro threads, they were really long running threads.
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But.....but......my uninformed predictions and wish lists are better than yours, so they must be right!

Considering that I have made at least three different predictions, I hope I am right about any of them.
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I almost bought a 3.7ghz i5 580x iMac 2019 yesterday used for 1700 euros. Then I remembered that I need to keep myself strong. I CAN wait for couple weeks even though my daily computer is my 14" Lenovo work laptop. My summer holiday will be during June and it will be sad to not to be able to edit my holiday pictures and videos with a decent computer. I will have to wait until I get the iMac.

I'm happy about the rumors about the 5700 and 5700XT. They would be a very good bump from the 580X. The 5700 would be enough for me for pics and video and a bit of CIV6 maybe. Other light games too.

I am "surviving" on a 15.6 " MBP from 2014 and a 12.9 inch iPP (no sidecar). OK, but the screen is small when working from home and there are some big excel sheets that looms at the horizon. CIV6? I use my iPad for that. It work surprising well.

 

[krell100]

I'm making do with a 6,1 Mac Pro. I'd have gone with another Pro but unfortunately you need to be a certifiable looney and rich with it to get one of those so I'll now be slumming it with the sweaty masses in iMacLand. Only another year+ to wait hahaha

 

[iPadified]

I'm making do with a 6,1 Mac Pro. I'd have gone with another Pro but unfortunately you need to be a certifiable looney and rich with it to get one of those so I'll now be slumming it with the sweaty masses in iMacLand. Only another year+ to wait hahaha

My 6.1 is at work together with 2X27 inch screens. Only reason I want to goto work. Nice, quite and efficient at home. Yes yes I have too many Apple things...

 

[Voyageur]

People whose work is idle due to the lack of a workable mac - maybe you have a rental option in the region? For a while, this can be a good solution to waiting for a new mac calmly and without wasting time in vain.
Maybe this will help someone ...

 

[gusping]

Another day without a new iMac. What are we going to discuss today to handle our frustrations?

And most importantly, who will be right in their predictions?

I'll just restate I want a 32in, completely redesigned iMac with good cooling and a 5700 XT.

The chance of this happening is the same as me winning the lottery (Never bought a ticket). *Cries profusely*
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I am "surviving" on a 15.6 " MBP from 2014 and a 12.9 inch iPP (no sidecar). OK, but the screen is small when working from home and there are some big excel sheets that looms at the horizon. CIV6? I use my iPad for that. It work surprising well.

You don't have a monitor when WFH? Get one asap. Your productivity will rocket.

 

[Dave245]

If there's no iMac update at all this WWDC will this thread self destruct?

I think if there isn't an iMac update at WWDC or before, everyone in this thread will self destruct ?

 

[gusping]

I think if there isn't an iMac update at WWDC or before, everyone in this thread will self destruct ?

I don't know what will make me more angry. A spec bumped iMac (aka, a big tease to those like me who want a huge revamp) or nothing at all. The former would suggest it is at least another year before a big redesign. Fingers crossed for a huge change. Come on Apple!

 

[NewUsername]

People whose work is idle due to the lack of a workable mac - maybe you have a rental option in the region? For a while, this can be a good solution to waiting for a new mac calmly and without wasting time in vain.
Maybe this will help someone ...

I did something similar, got a 2017 4K iMac last year second hand — a rich guy was selling it for a price way too low.

I was planning to use it until the next big update, but actually this computer is great for my usage. Sure, I would like to have a 27", 16GB RAM, internal SSD (now I use an external one, but I use the spinner for Windows) and a better CPU/GPU would also be nice. But Apple will have to come with a really good deal on the 27", I'm not spending 2000 euros on a computer if it's only slightly better than what I have now. A new iMac isn't that urgent for me.

 

[Dave245]

I don't know what will make me more angry. A spec bumped iMac (aka, a big tease to those like me who want a huge revamp) or nothing at all. The former would suggest it is at least another year before a big redesign. Fingers crossed for a huge change. Come on Apple!

I understand that frustration! i'm currently using my 2012 iMac in the hope that Apple updates the iMac with a redesign this year. I don't know if i can hold out another year. I'm already indecisive about whether i should get the new Surface Book 3 and use that as my iMac and iPad replacement, or if i should stick it out with Apple and get the new iPad Pro and really hope that they update the iMac at WWDC, which i can then use the iPad with the Side Car feature, which i think is a nice little feature.

Apple has left the iMac to stagnate it seems, it's a shame because it's my favourite desktop ever!

 

[DrRadon]

Why are you so sure? Do you have any source?

Rumour is about substantial update so that could be redesign also at least internally for iMac Pro's cooling.

I do find your approach a bit reckless here. Can we all not be friends? :-D

I feel so certain because ARM and MiniLED have been pushed to 2021 according to reliable leakers. It makes zero sense to bring a redesign now while production lines need to change for next years vastly different new parts. It's just not going to happen. It's the SE thing of apple saving millions and millions because everything is in place.
Right now you just put new hardware in the same place it's gone in while making sure that nothing burn itself inside the iMac.

Same reason the webcam will be 720p again. And next year they can sell you "due to civid we decided for a new 4k webcam in out brand new designed iMac, and we got this special data transfer technology were 4k chat dos not even ruin all of everybody's internet in your neighborhood"...

 

[gusping]

I understand that frustration! i'm currently using my 2012 iMac in the hope that Apple updates the iMac with a redesign this year. I don't know if i can hold out another year. I'm already indecisive about whether i should get the new Surface Book 3 and use that as my iMac and iPad replacement, or if i should stick it out with Apple and get the new iPad Pro and really hope that they update the iMac at WWDC, which i can then use the iPad with the Side Car feature, which i think is a nice little feature.

Apple has left the iMac to stagnate it seems, it's a shame because it's my favourite desktop ever!

I wouldn't buy anything until WWDC at the very least. After that, you'll know we aren't expecting any new iMac/iPad announcements until probably Q1 next year (assuming most non-phone Q4 stuff has been pushed back).

A desktop Mac and iPad Pro is a great combination. You would not regret it! It is my favourite Desktop too. The only thing to top it would be a Mac mini with a dGPU.

 

[Migranya]

I feel so certain because ARM and MiniLED have been pushed to 2021 according to reliable leakers. It makes zero sense to bring a redesign now while production lines need to change for next years vastly different new parts. It's just not going to happen. It's the SE thing of apple saving millions and millions because everything is in place.
Right now you just put new hardware in the same place it's gone in while making sure that nothing burn itself inside the iMac.

Same reason the webcam will be 720p again. And next year they can sell you "due to civid we decided for a new 4k webcam in out brand new designed iMac, and we got this special data transfer technology were 4k chat dos not even ruin all of everybody's internet in your neighborhood"...

I hope the new iMac brings a 1080p webcam (maybe the same that iMac Pro actually has). Is a very important component these days of lockdown. For me it's more important to bring these improvements (T2 chip, WiFi 6...) than a redesign.

 

[Moonjumper]

The pattern of releases so far this year is 'incremental.' But we seemed to hear alot about those products, rumours wise, before they dropped.

Hopefully the reason from everything else getting incremental updates is because the Apple design team were busy on the iMac. And we heard about those products before launch so that people didn't feel let down when they saw them, but want people to feel delight at the iMac and can order immediately.

 

[DrRadon]

I hope the new iMac brings a 1080p webcam (maybe the same that iMac Pro actually has). Is a very important component these days of lockdown. For me it's more important to bring these improvements (T2 chip, WiFi 6...) than a redesign.

But since this iMac was supposed to be presented and shipped in march i doubt they had a lockdown in consideration by the time it actually was on the production lines. I suppose the iMac pro could be an argument made to just put 1080p in, but they could have don that for three years by now so.... do you really think they do? I don't. Base model will probably still come with fusion drive because that drives sales of the mid priced model.