Apple Announces New 27-Inch iMac With 10th-Gen Processors, Up to 128GB RAM, 1080p Webcam, True Tone, and More

[cardfan]

Er no. As the apps currently on MacOS suck too in comparison to a PC. All the developers develop for Windows first and foremost.
I would much prefer Apple Silicone designed apps, rather than the rubbish I have to work.

There is no way will Apple go backwards. If things don’t pan out properly they can just put their hands into their pockets and pay for the software to be developed. I actually hope this is the case.

Lol. No one will design native apple apps for anything more than an iPad type app. The money isn’t there. Apple will have it locked down anyways. And more lol if you think Apple will pay for software.

Over time these may get better but not for several years. The mainstream might like the simple apps though. Pros will keep using intel. They’ve no choice.

 

[Tagbert]

So I have to wonder - when Tim said they still have Intel macs on the roadmap...was this it?

I don't see Apple putting Intel into a new iMac body. All the notebook lines are ripe for a design refresh. The only thing left is the Mac Pro, which I could see them keeping Intel/ASi options available there (Just because there is easily enough space + cooling to accommodate any processor variation.

i suspect it depends on the ongoing demand for Intel Macs which likely depends on if there is ever a solution to Windows VMs on Apple Silicon. If Apple finds a way for people to run Windows, then there will be little need for Intel Macs. If Windows is just gone, then there will remain a small but important market that needs Intel Macs. In that case, there might be some more spec-bump updates like this to satisfy the market for longer.

 

[slowloris615]

Too little, too late. I do miss Mac OS, but the value proposition for those who don’t have cash to burn is not there.

For the same price as an upgraded iMac, I went with an AMD threadripper with 24 cores that don’t throttle and 2 4k monitors. I laugh at the 10 core “upgrade” they got with Intel.

$2600 for 128 GB ram is ridiculous. I can get 256 GB for less than half that.

The thing I really do like is the display. I can’t really find a better looking display. I just couldn’t stand it that it is tied to the computer and can’t use it anywhere else, even with other Mac products.

Nobody actually buys the ram from apple for a 27 inch because you can pop new modules in the back

 

[MikeSmoke]

I think it is pretty simple. People who rely on running Windows will buy an Intel Mac. People who could care less about Windows will buy an AppleSilicon Mac for things like 15-20 hour battery usage. Maybe at some point they will meet. I really don’t think that Apple is a company culture that throws spaghetti to wall and sees what will stick.

 

[Nermal]

Being old school, I don’t fall in line with the change for the sake of change crowd around here.

Same here. In fact, when we're talking about Apple, when I hear 'redesign' I think 'getting rid of useful ports and making it less compatible than the previous machine'. I'm glad that we got a 'last hurrah' Intel machine without losing half of the functionality.

 

[Zaft]

SSD standard on base iMac? Whoa, hell has frozen over.

 

[richinaus]

Lol. No one will design native apple apps for anything more than an iPad type app. The money isn’t there. Apple will have it locked down anyways. And more lol if you think Apple will pay for software.

Over time these may get better but not for several years. The mainstream might like the simple apps though. Pros will keep using intel. They’ve no choice.

You may well be right, and is the reason I just ordered a custom built PC ! No new intel iMac for me, given we know Apple are moving to a totally different architecture.

I certainly am not hedging my bets on Apple anymore to deliver what I need for my work [burnt too many times], but really they cannot afford for it to fail.
So I am going to sit this one on the side and have windows running my business and happy to see how it goes. Too much risk otherwise to my livlihood.

But if you use a mac for docs, email and the such it will be all good.

 

[PickUrPoison]

SSD standard on base iMac? Whoa, hell has frozen over.

It’s a requirement for T2 compatibility. You can still substitute the 1TB Fusion drive for the 256GB SSD as a no-cost option on the 21.5” iMac.

 

[burgerrecords]

That's an awfully good computer attached to an exceptional 27" 5K screen, very good price/performace IMO

And good value for buyers to have the two permanently attached.

 

[PickUrPoison]

You may well be right, and is the reason I just ordered a custom built PC ! No new intel iMac for me, given we know Apple are moving to a totally different architecture.

I certainly am not hedging my bets on Apple anymore to deliver what I need for my work [burnt too many times], but really they cannot afford for it to fail.
So I am going to sit this one on the side and have windows running my business and happy to see how it goes. Too much risk otherwise to my livlihood.

But if you use a mac for docs, email and the such it will be all good.

Docs or email run fine on Windows, so you’ll be fine on your PC. If you're running Logic Pro X or Final Cut Pro, or have some other need (or want) for running MacOS, then it makes sense to stay with Macs.

The docs/email folks will be fine without Intel CPUs in any case, that’s not a very demanding use case. Late 2000s Mac still more than sufficient for that.

It’s really been the case for some 30+ years that if you don’t need or want MacOS, you can save money buying a PC instead.

 

[macduke]

I think this will be the least purchased iMac of the past decade or so.

 

[Kpjoslee]

I think this will be the least purchased iMac of the past decade or so.

Or the most purchased. This is far safer choice if you are worried about potential compatibility issues with application you rely on with Apple Silicon Macs.

 

[iZac]

I just had the most horrible nightmare, I went to the Apple store and they tried to charge me $500 for a matte screen
.
.
.
Oh Shi...

On a less facetious note it's great to see another 'greatest hits' legacy product that Apple are putting out before the Arm transition.

Lol. No one will design native apple apps for anything more than an iPad type app. The money isn’t there. Apple will have it locked down anyways. And more lol if you think Apple will pay for software.

Over time these may get better but not for several years. The mainstream might like the simple apps though. Pros will keep using intel. They’ve no choice.

I'd say that this is a great opportunity for active iOS developers that make things like Affinity Photo and LumaFusion to overthrow the greedy Adobe's of the world who are pushing for subscription services. This will make the path to MacOS development much easier and more appealing and make iPad apps better by leaps and bounds. As you rightly say, this will take a few years to shake out but I'm optimistic about the future of MacOS.

 

[ix400]

The RAM on the 2017 is slower (still DDR4), so there’s no guarantee. Ostensibly, the voltage is the same but I would just get new RAM.

Thank you! 😀

 

[CWallace]

Weird/sad that there were no actual updates to the 21.5" iMac (aside from having the SSD options be standard on all standard models).

I expect the 21.5-inch will be End of Life when the first Apple Silicon iMac arrives, which is expected to be around 24-inches.

Intel will stop making the CPUs the 21.5-inch uses next year and the AS iMac should cover that market just fine.

 

[PickUrPoison]

And good value for buyers to have the two permanently attached.

There’s a reason iMac is by far the most popular desktop Mac 🙂

If you buy the $1,799 27” model you’re basically getting a free computer along with your awesome display.

 

[Homy]

I put together the specs for the whole AMD Pro 5000-series in MBP/iMac/Mac Pro for comparison. I also included specs for RX cards that pc users buy or you can use as eGPU with Mac. Many tests on Youtube for example show the result for RX cards which are faster than Pro cards in Macs. The specs are from AMD's website.


5300 in iMac is like 5500M in MBP in terms of TFLOPS. 5500XT is like 5600M in MBP. The more I think of it the more disappointed I feel about the GPU options in these new iMacs. I'm not even a serious gamer, but a casual gamer that plays games even with 20 fps with my iMac 2011 Radeon 6750 512MB, but as it is now the only option for us that want to buy a decent and somewhat future proof gaming Mac is to spend 3500-3800 dollars (in Sweden) on a iMac 27" with Radeon 5700/5700XT. That's a lot for me.

For God's sake Apple, Radeon 5300 is the worst card in the 5000-series. You can't even buy it in the retail stores or from AMD. You can't even now pay a bit extra to get a better GPU like 575X vs 570X. You can't even choose storage size for the first 27" model. You're stuck with 256GB. You must go all the way up to the top model to get 5500XT, the cheapest and most underpowered GPU in the 5000-series on the market which manages about 40-50 fps in 1440p TODAY. That for ca $3100!

After almost three decades of owning Macs even I’m starting to agree that Apple plays cheap and Macs are overpriced toys, at least GPU wise. I think this update is one of the worst with least options for those without a pocket full of money. Even with money I couldn’t justify $3800 to get good GPU performance. $400 extra for 5700 when it costs ca $160 extra for RX5700 in stores? $660 extra for 5700XT when RX5700XT costs ca $220 extra in stores? I know you can’t get 16GB in stores but still…

Instead of giving 5300 to iMac 21.5" they gave it to 27" and didn't do a thing with 21.5". The base 27” should start with 5500XT. There would still be several options for the other models. For example, what happened to 5600 and 5600XT? Tier 2 iMac 27” could have 5600 and the top 27” could start with 5600XT, with 5700 and 5700XT as option. Or it could be like 5500XT, 5600XT and 5700 with 5700XT as BTO, but 5300 in both cheaper models? Come on, I’m not that much of a fanboy.

My only hope now is that Apple gets its act together and at least offers decent GPUs in AS iMacs. Otherwise I don’t know what to do. PC, Xbox and PS5 is not an option. Just give me decent GPUs Apple in all your iMacs, not only the top model. Btw, don’t put your money on the 10-core i9 for gaming. Better to buy the 8-core with higher base frequency.

 

[TrevorR90]

So many people bashing this Imac. It'll sell..

 

[Casfin]

For me anyway, the ARM / intel thing is far less of an issue than is screen size. i have my work pc laptop running to a 32 inch monitor and using a 27 inch one literally pisses me off now. There was a time I looked at the 27 inch iMacs and was “wow, those are huge”, but now..meh. Disappointed. I have cash earmarked and ready to give to Apple but if I don’t see a bump to at least 30 inches its a hard pass from me.

 

[burgerrecords]

If you buy the $1,799 27” model you’re basically getting a free computer along with your awesome display.

Yes and all those people who want to buy $1799 displays love to be compelled to stick with said computer for the 7 years the display lasts.

 

[RoboCop001]

I have a SATA SSD from my iMac that died. Would I be able to replace the SSD that’s inside this one? Or does this one have a different type?

 

[retta283]

13 years late on Matte screen option for iMac, almost to the date. Consumers didn't end up caring enough for it to be viable for Apple at the time. Back then, the iMac really was just a laptop in a desktop screen, other than 3.5" HDD really.

 

[ctjack]

as it is now the only option for us that want to buy a decent and somewhat future proof gaming Mac is to spend 3500-3800 dollars (in Sweden) on a iMac 27" with Radeon 5700/5700XT. That's a lot for me.

Most of the gamers will enjoy gaming with Windows on Bootcamp anyway. 5K res of iMac's screen is too much for any GPU as of right now anyway. You will play at maximum on 2K resolution, but usually 1440P, Full HD. So why would u want to play specifically on an Apple computer? It is way cheaper to build a gaming PC for $1000.
Most of the Pro's in youtube(video making) switched to Win-Ryzen PCs for their job and use Macs for leisure time.

 

[PickUrPoison]

<snip>
You can't even choose storage size for the first 27" model. You're stuck with 256GB.

Where is this talking point coming from? I’ve seen this “issue” posted multiple times in this thread.

Why the hell does it matter? It makes as much sense as people complaining about a free CPU upgrade... oh wait, they are

 

[ErikGrim]

Everything will be running at the slowest speed. It works, but is not ideal.

That's what I thought. I'll just be selling my old iMac with the slower RAM. 32GB modules are pretty damn cheap:

FWIW, here are my specs: