Apple Developing iMac Pro With M5 Max Chip

[deconstruct60]

But WHY? Surely a Mac Studio with a nice display is more "pro" than an iMac?

In 2017, a 4 year old Mac Pro 2013 was not replaced with a new model. Apple rolled out a new concept ... the iMac Pro. It could b e Apple trying to 'prove' that they were right all along and that what some folks want is a >$5K iMac and also as a distraction from there being no Mac Pro update.

If Apple updates the XDR then this could be a way of selling incrementally more custom XDR panels. If aimed at the "professional market" there is pretty good chance it won't be anywhere near the old $1,799-2099 range for a 'entry-mid' 27" iMac from Intel era.

I will also be a way to sell more 'Max" powered desktops without selling an Ultra option. It probably would not be a big seller but the Mac Pro units sales slowing even more it is an offset on unit volume. It probably will have a 'low volume' tax on it.

 

[poematik13]

Mac pro is likely done- maybe theyll replace it with a rackmount only version aimed at enterprise AI

 

[bollman]

My iMac Pro 10-core still chugging along wonderfully. No need to replace until it no longer gets updates, which will be late 2027.

 

[Pezimak]

Not for me, but I know people on here have been begging for this! So if it's true good for them.. I assume it will have a bigger screen as it can't take that much to put a Max chip in the current chassis? As they literally have been putting it in a thin laptop for 5 years ish at this point.

 

[omarjanak]

Apple is developing a high-end iMac featuring the M5 Max chip, according to information from leaked internal software.

The finding comes from leaked kernel debug kit files used by Apple engineers. These kernel debug kit files enumerate unreleased Apple hardware by internal identifiers, such as codenames and platform names, and they can also include separate references that map platform identifiers to chip codenames and marketing names. Secondary summaries and screenshots referencing the same internal code have also circulated in the Chinese tech community over the past week, including posts on Weibo and BiliBili.

The software contains references to an iMac with the identifier J833c running platform H17C. H17C is associated with the codename "Sotra C," which relates to the expected marketing name "M5 Max." This suggests that an iMac with the M5 Max chip is in active testing.

The software refers to a number of devices believed to be used exclusively for internal testing, such as iPad minis running tvOS and MacBooks with the A15 chip, so there is a chance that the M5 Max iMac is used for testing only. However, since the M5 Max chip is expected to be introduced next year and there have been rumors about Apple reintroducing a high-end "Pro" iMac for several years, it may well be destined for launch. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believed that Apple was still "working on a larger-screened iMac aimed at the professional market" following the launch of the Apple silicon iMac, a rumor supported by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Beyond the iMac entry, the kernel debug kit lays out several additional future Mac configurations. It lists 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro variants with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip, and 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. There are new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, Mac mini models with the M5 and M5 Pro chips, and new Mac Studio models with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. The leak also lists a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, which is widely believed to be an all-new, low-cost model.

Article Link: Apple Developing iMac Pro With M5 Max Chip

You may think that. But I still have my 2011 iMac that I am still using. I can't wait to replace it with this one. Was waiting for this for a long time.

 

[Kidseeghost]

I don’t know if this makes sense. Professionals have to replace and buy more powerful macs more often than regular costumers. With an iMac Pro you have to replace the whole thing display included if you want to upgrade. Mac Pro and a display should be targeted towards professionals but they neglected it and its overpriced.

 

[Lioness~]

Beter to buy a mini, Studio with that or better specs, and a ASD or other display.
Big iMac’s are dead, the smaller might fill a need for some.

But I liked the ones I had earlier, at that time - but it's outdated and waste of money with big iMac’s today.

 

[Chet-NYC]

This is probably true due to the fact that after waiting 3 years for this, I gave ion and got a Mac Studio :l

I got my MacStudio soon as the M4 Max version was released and retired my 2019 i9 iMac. I would've loved a new all in one, but now I really just wish I had a larger monitor... the Studio Display is great, 30 or 32" would have been so much nicer. (And that's now a year older than the Mac Studio..grabbed that before I stopped working at Apple.)

 

[Return Zero]

I don't get the hate. I'm a pro and I would love a machine like this.
I could easily see something like:
Mac mini, 599. iMac, 1299.
Mac Studio, 1999. iMac Studio, 2999.

If it comes with a screaming chip and mini-LED screen, I could see it selling well enough at that kind of price.

That, or just give the regular iMac the Pro/Max chip option (with some tweaked thermal design) around 1999/2499, at least.

 

[Kidseeghost]

I find the name iMac Pro funny since the the iMac was for consumers and the PowerMac for professionals. The name iMac Pro contradicts itself. It makes sense that professionals don’t need a all in one.

 

[Gabebear]

What would be mind blowing would be a AIO design meant to be upgradable; where you could swap the mainboard and maybe a couple daughter-boards(e.g. WiFi). I think having "upgradable" RAM and CPUs isn't worth it... even desktop PC CPUs are getting way less upgradable and non-integrated RAM is just so slow.

The main things that can stay the same for 7+ years is the power supply and display.

 

[Kidseeghost]

But WHY? Surely a Mac Studio with a nice display is more "pro" than an iMac?

That makes sense and how it was in the old Apple until Apple decided we call everything expensive a Pro.

 

[mark63303]

Would have to be a min of 32in to spark my interest.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

This would surprise me. I can understand the Pro chip at 3nm, but I’d question whether the iMac has enough thermal capacity for the Max chip.

 

[Kidseeghost]

Never understood why someone would buy an all-in-one. Why would you toss the entire thing if the display died. I don't imagine they're cheap to replace.

That being said, I'm still waiting for the Mac Studio M5 Ultra.

Even though its an environmental nightmare. For consumers who upgrade their computers maybe every 10 years it makes sense to buy a all in one package and be done (still wouldn’t buy it because displays hold one for a long time). For professionals? It makes bo sense at all. They have to upgrade their hardware more often and usually its not the display they upgrade but the computer.

 

[Kidseeghost]

It'll be impossible to install another OS on it so you'll have a really nice retina display which you can't use.

Everyone should call out Apple one this one. They pretend to care about the environment but they artificially don’t let you use a perfectly fine display as a display.

 

[BGPL]

Will only work if they do a 32" display. I got a Studio and got to pick a display, a 35" curved ultrawide... probably wouldn't ever go back to an iMac again. They had their time.

 

[Kidseeghost]

Maybe going to eliminate the Mac Pro and replace it with an iMac Pro?

A smaller Mac Pro will be more professional than an all in one. Apple should just rename the studio into Mac Pro already. iMac Pro is just the fancy version of the iMac.

 

[wonderings]

Apple does not need an iMac Pro. They need to offer similar specs to the 5K iMacs of the past. 27" screen at minimum, it is a sweet spot for many in graphics and print. They need to have decent options for CPU and GPU handling. The current iMacs are stripped down too much and screens are too small. With an iMac Pro we will again get an iMac for a small niche market while ignoring a larger market that can use a powerful iMac that does not cost a fortune. Many places are still using 5K iMacs in production now, I know I could still use mine if I did not have an M1 Max.

 

[Kidseeghost]

They’re both sealed boxes

With one of them you have to throw the whole thing out and the other you just have to change the little box.

 

[deconstruct60]

An iMac Pro with an M5 Max chip, but still with a 24-inch display or will Apple offer it with a larger display again? 32-inches?

It would diffcult to get a M5 Pro chip into the current iMac enclosure, let alone a M5 Max.
If Apple sticks to the same design constraint ( the main computer logic board has to fit inside the 'chin'.) then they will need a bigger 'chin'. Bigger 'chin' --> bigger screen.

Or they can just dust off the old iMac Pro chassis and re-release it with new internals.

Either way a bigger screen.

And for the love of God, bring back Target Display Mode

Probably not going to happen. All the display routing functgion happens inside the M-series chip now. There is about zero good reason to saddle the other systems ( MBP 14"/16" and Mac Studio) with that overhead.

Target display mode was hocus pocus is with a disply port routing chips that Apple somewhat already bought with a few other systems.

 

[zombierunner]

There is hope after all.

 

[visualseed]

Between this and the Mac Studio, the prospects for another Mac Pro keep dimming.

As much as I love the concept of a Mac Pro, it currently doesn’t have a place in the existing lineup. However, I foresee a future where an ultra chip or a chip with more cores than an ultra requires a power supply and thermal management system beyond what the current form factor can provide. Consequently, the tower case and the “Mac Pro” name would become relevant once again. Even if they don’t explicitly address this, the roadmap of the Max/Ultra chips will likely see the chips becoming larger and hotter to maintain the performance gains between releases requiring some changes to the case and form factor of the Mac Studio.

 

[ISignedUpToAskThis]

Loooooved the first iMac Pro, glad to hear it's potentially returning. Ticks a lot of boxes for many creatives. Would be a definite purchase for me.

Wonder whether they'd go for a 5K or 6K display. Probably Mini-LED.

 

[gnomeisland]

Mac pro is likely done- maybe theyll replace it with a rackmount only version aimed at enterprise AI

Not convinced Apple will do this, but I actually think it makes more sense. Of course they'll sell a very elegant and expensive rack "adapter" so you can still put it under a desk or add wheels.