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Will There Really Be Another iMac Pro?
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As an iMac Pro owner (two in fact, 8core and an 18 core), since adding a Mac Studio with an LG 27” 5K Ultrafine, then I don’t really see the need for an i’Mac any more. The screen without the chin makes for better ergonomics (screen positioning on the VESA monitor arm) and the separation of CpU unit and screen makes it far easier to connect Thunderbolt kit (as the cable range is so short!).
So even if they made another with M2 Max or whatever - I would stick with the studio or upgrade to a proper modular Pro (if I needed more power which currently I don’t).
It could be different in other use cases, but for Pro Audio the Mac Studio is all you need.
So even if they made another with M2 Max or whatever - I would stick with the studio or upgrade to a proper modular Pro (if I needed more power which currently I don’t).
It could be different in other use cases, but for Pro Audio the Mac Studio is all you need.
I bought one of the last Intel 27” iMacs as an Apple refurb. 5k screen, i7 10th gen Intel CPU, decent AMD GPU 5700 XT 16GB, 1TB SSD. User upgradable RAM. Runs Windows 11 smoothly in boot camp for games and Windows-only apps and is silky smooth for MacOS. 1080p webcam which is significantly better than the studio display webcam and great audio. It’s effectively a “2020 iMac Pro“ for ~$2k.
As the owner of an iMac Pro, I would definitely be interested in a new iMac Pro if the price and power are right. I'm not particularly interested in a separate CPU and display for my use.
As you have decided to quote me the same thing again, I will reply in another way where hopefully you will get my point. Many do buy for simplicity and mobility. But there are also a significant number who bought a laptop as a desktop replacement, and the laptop stays in the same place for almost it's entire life. Mobility is not an issue.
A computer is just a tool for many people. The simplest options are what they often choose. Walking away with a single box that they know will not have any issues interacting with any other piece of kit is the simplest option. That option often has good mobility, but that is not why they bought it, and is not something they make use of. An iMac is usually a better desktop option than a laptop.
Being a professional working on maxed-out 2017 iMac for years (still happy with the machine), I would gladly replace it with a newer model when the time comes.
I agree.
The original iMac Pro was built to fill a gap when the Mac Pro feel behind and Apple was not planning to replace the Mac Pro. Once they pivoted and decided to put resources into a new Mac Pro, they stopped putting effort into the iMac Pro.
In the new AS world, I could see them bringing out a new, larger iMac but don’t see them trying to reproduce the Mac Pro in an AIO package like before. It would most likely have the same SOC options as the MacBook Pros. They might call it an iMac Pro but it would be a mid-range performance device, not top range. There does seem to be significant interest in such a device.
If they used the 27” Studio Display as the basis, it would probably still start around $3000. The presence of the 24” iMac does complicate that. It would make sense to grow the larger iMac to 30-32” but that would use a non-standard panel and would push the price up more. Still there is no reason to expect the price to match the Pro Display XDR. That is a low volume, specialty device for a specialty market and would not justify it’s price in a more general product category.
100%. I'm definitely in this boat. I may be in the minority, but considering how I work, I'd rather invest in an all-in-one and a cheaper laptop for more portability. With iCloud syncing and Universal Control, it's even easier to expand your desktop experience if you need it. I'd even consider buying a traveling case for an iMac if I ever snap and go digital nomad.🌴☀️🏖️
There is a market for both. The Studio is a headless for certain environments.
But an iMac pro is good enough for many depending on their profession, and supports a second (third, fourth?) display for those who need to keep pallets, video output monitor or files open on the side(s).
Th 27 inch was used for work* without having the ”Pro” label. The 27 was also very popular and I was surprised it was killed. Made no sense. A 32 inch with MX Pro/Max would be lovely. Who cares what the name will be - that is just marketing.
*In Apple terminology ”Pro” means better not “work”. Only fools think that you need a “pro” labeled computer for work. A “pro” knows which tools to use and when.
*In Apple terminology ”Pro” means better not “work”. Only fools think that you need a “pro” labeled computer for work. A “pro” knows which tools to use and when.
Rumor is they are extending the 'Studio' monicker to the iMac line instead of the 'Pro'. I'm waiting for the 32" iMac Studio
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I've had several iMacs, including two 27" 5K models. Both eventually became underpowered for my needs, so I started looking around early this year. Sadly, Apple discontinued the ability to use iMacs as external monitors — both displays were in great shape when I got rid of the iMacs, and I would happily have kept them as a second screen.
I was hoping for a 27" M1 iMac, but since Apple didn't offer one, I bought a Mac Studio and Studio Display. (Yes, the ASD is expensive, but there was nothing quite as good at its price point or lower.)
I was a bit skeptical about the Mac Studio after using iMacs for years, but it's been great. It doesn't take up too much space on my desk, and the front ports are handy for backups and other tasks. Getting to the other ports on the back is also easier than on the iMac.
Still, I think there's a market for a 27" iMac, if not a higher-end "pro" model.
I was hoping for a 27" M1 iMac, but since Apple didn't offer one, I bought a Mac Studio and Studio Display. (Yes, the ASD is expensive, but there was nothing quite as good at its price point or lower.)
I was a bit skeptical about the Mac Studio after using iMacs for years, but it's been great. It doesn't take up too much space on my desk, and the front ports are handy for backups and other tasks. Getting to the other ports on the back is also easier than on the iMac.
Still, I think there's a market for a 27" iMac, if not a higher-end "pro" model.
As much as I love this idea (typing this on an aging iMac 5K that I use for everything including intense Photoshop/Lightroom work), I think it's a pipe dream. It seems like Apple has thrown in with Mini or Studio paired with a display, rather than an all in one.
But if Apple DOES do a 27" or larger pro-level iMac, I'm in.
But if Apple DOES do a 27" or larger pro-level iMac, I'm in.
This is my main argument against all-in-ones.
Too many iPad SKUs IMO. Diverts resources from the iMac.
I used to use an all-in-one 27" iMac for my professional stuff but ever since the laptops became more capable of doing more high intensive stuff like graphic design or video editing, I really have no need for an all-in-one. I like to be remote at times with a laptop. Plus, when I sell my equipment, the laptop has a smaller footprint to mail via UPS or FedEx. And if I wanted more processing power where I'm not so much into taking my work with me, I can just buy myself a Mac Studio. Now, unless Apple creates something that incorporates touch like an iPad or modular where we can expand, then I might reconsider.
Apple still calls its only iMac, the 24” iMac as opposed to simply the iMac.
After the introduction of the Mac Studio and Studio Display in Apple's product lineup, and with mixed signs of a larger Apple silicon iMac on its product roadmap, will there ever be another iMac Pro?
Five years ago this week Apple launched the iMac Pro – presented at the time as "the most powerful Mac ever made". In March 2021, Apple announced that it was discontinuing the iMac Pro. By that time, the machine had been surpassed by the 2019 Mac Pro, a significant final update for the 27-inch iMac, and the first Apple Silicon Macs. In April 2021, Apple introduced the 24-inch iMac as its first all-in-one desktop Mac with an Apple silicon chip. Apple discontinued the Intel-based 27-inch iMac in March 2022, leaving the junior iMac with an entry-level chip as the only all-in-one in Apple's lineup.
Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young has said since 2021 that Apple is working on an iMac with a 27-inch mini-LED display with ProMotion, but rumors about this device have faded since the launch of the Mac Studio and Studio Display in March this year. When Apple introduced these two new machines, it lauded their "modularity" and collective positioning between the iMac and the Mac Pro. As such, the location of the Mac Studio in Apple's product lineup aroused suspicion that there was simply no place for a "Pro" iMac anymore. Other reports suggested that Apple had no plans to release an new iMac Pro or an iMac with a larger display anytime soon.
Nevertheless, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that a new iMac Pro model will launch in 2023 alongside a new Mac Pro – a rumor seemingly supported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Earlier this year, Gurman said that Apple was continuing work on a high-end iMac model:Beyond a rumor from Young explaining that the iMac Pro will have fewer mini-LED zones than the iPad Pro or MacBook Pro, little else is known about what it could feature. It seems likely that a larger, ~27-inch mini-LED display with ProMotion, M3 Pro and M3 Max chip options, and a slew of ports brought over from the MacBook Pro are on the cards for the iMac Pro based on what we are aware of at the current time.
With Young, Kuo, and Gurman all coalescing around the idea of a new high-end iMac, likely set to launch next year, it seems that the chances of Apple releasing a new iMac Pro are still relatively high, regardless of the presence of the Mac Studio and Studio Display.
Article Link: Will There Really Be Another iMac Pro?
So that's why they updated the cheaper iMac first. So that I won't even get tempted to fork out $2000.
How about just a standard 27" imac? There doesn't have to be a "Pro" (of which only one has ever existed), just a larger version of the 24" with performance parity of the smaller machine...
Yep. Plus an option to config it with an Mx Pro chip.
Doesn’t need to become an extra product in their product matrix. It’s just an iMac and you can choose between two sizes. Just like a MacBook Pro. (Ignoring the 13)
When the 24" iMac came out in April 2021 there were these two images I saved that showed the design/size differences. It's nice to look back and see the differences and why we were looking forward to a 27" iMac successor especially if it was more rectangular and weighed less. Yeah carrying older design was harder with those sharp edges and larger stand.
