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Apple Discontinues 512GB and 1TB SSD Configurations of 4K 21.5-inch iMac
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I wouldn't have thought Apple would be reactive like that, after all some time in the future Intel may come up with something worth having, no point being truculent about it.
A schedule is a schedule, I'm just interested to see that Intel could lose the 7th and 8th generation CPUs from their lineup (in the 21.5" iMacs) but it makes senses as they would be expected to eliminate the high end SKUs of the Intel Mini which also use 8th generation CPUs.
Discontinuing the base SKU 27" iMac might also make room for a largely SSD based ARM iMac line-up, I don't see anything wrong with leaving the mid and top SKUs of the 27" Intel Macs until 2022 when we might see a replacement for the Mac Pro, and perhaps the iMac Pro?
Well obviously that’s the plan.
I have a fusion drive in my iMac and it’s fine, I just think it’s a pretty outdated technology in a $1,099 computer.
Never really looked at the base 27" iMac to be fair - just confirmed on everyman.com - hats off to you for the correction
Isn't a condition of cellular licensing that the patent holders get a FRAND (fair and reasonable) fee of a percentage of the retail price? This is why the price for a cellular uplift in the iPads are increasingly bigger as you go up the range.
Laptops can get quite steep and Apple are already quite good at getting tethering working. Doesn't make much sense for Apple to engineer space for a SIM card and then charge $200-300 more for a cellular option that few would take up - leaving empty space in the laptop.
It makes sense on something like a MacBook Air I guess, made even more sense on the old MacBook which was a very portable item but I cannot see the sense in doing the same with bigger units.
I guess screwing their customers is how they obtained such incredible customer satisfaction and loyalty and grew into a 2-trillion-dollar business?
Apple Devices Rank #1 in PC and Tablet Customer Satisfaction in 2020
Apple's Macs and iPads continue to have the highest satisfaction score among PC and tablet makers in 2020, according to new data shared today by...
www.macrumors.com
As do other pc producers, and where Intel are reportedly
That makes little sense Sasparilla. If you'd take a fusion because of the size, presumably its the data your store? in that case its nuts to have a fusion drive with the time overhead it creates. Better off having a 256Gb SSD (where it may even be a 512Gb base level SSD rather than 256GB) where 256Gb is adequate to store systems plus most applications, and where then you'd be better off with the new Sandisk Extreme drive 512Gb, which you can pick up for £66 in the UK which has a very rapid read write speed for saving data
Commendable, and Apple may be able to rock the boat with 14" displays and 16" models without Touch Bar implying new engineering design for the M1X/M2 iterations.
They might also sweep aside the 21.5" Intel Macs to replace them with M1X architecture in the same casing and I guess the 27" iMacs could hang around as Intel machines for a while before a unifying 24" model is launched.
Same thing with the mini too but data centre demands may mean they stick with the same form factor there. The benefit there is it's capable of powering and cooling much more than the current M1 CPU in the ARM variants so there's plenty of room to grow.
I just use tethering on my iPhone when I need a cellular connection. iPads have cellular data if you need that option. I think the use case for laptops is low enough that it’s not worth it for Apple to put it in there. They tend to leave all the “kitchen sink” of options to the other vendors and focus on the core product.
Wow, you have some pretty serious issues with reading comprehension. Maybe read the post you were quoting a few more times.
If they stay with their current tradition, they will offer hardware support for 5-6 years after the model is last sold retail - if they can't get the parts for it any more they'll offer newer replacements perhaps but this might be an issue if there is specific Intel only software at stake. Software support is more difficult to gauge but annual upgrades are a bit artificial and currently Big Sur supports Macs going back to 2013.
That's 8 years old from when they were first introduced in some cases which is amazing.
If you look at when they were last sold, we're looking at the Mac Pro 2013 last sold effectively in 2019, Mac mini 2014 last sold in 2018.
The only issues I can see affecting Intel Macs going on from here are minimum RAM (4Gb on some Mini and Air models) and graphics (again, the poor graphics in the Air and perhaps the 2014 Mini). Apple are more likely to rule out entire models rather than stop installation on specific machines with less than 8Gb RAM.
Guys, I think you missed the point of the post. It wasn't about LTE, it was that the SSD was easily removable.
Another fair comment (Ithis is a fast moving thread so I was replying to multipole posts at once), perhaps you'd be a bit less rude with it though). I'll reply properly to the post, you can reply there.
I think you're being way too generous here. I think Apple will want to push a transition to their own silicon much faster, so they can streamline the OS and get rid of the dual binaries and the translation layer.
I don't foresee MacOS supporting Intel Macs beyond the OS that is released in 2023.
I think anyone buying something as expensive as a well spec'd Mac Pro now is a fool, unless they are actively working from it making money.
Here is what will happen. They will replace the base configurations with new Apple Silicon without a redesign and keep the high end Intel options around for a bit. Later in the year they will release the redesigned 32-inch iMac with a bad-ass Apple Silicon. Early 2022 there will be a redesigned 24-inch iMac. Wait and see
Just hours after officially discontinuing the iMac Pro, Apple has also discontinued the 512GB and 1TB SSD configurations of the 4K 21.5-inch iMac.
Last month, both options became unavailable for purchase, although it was unclear at the time whether it was a temporary issue due to a component supply problem or if it was a permanent decision to no longer offer the options.
Apple has now removed both of the affected SSD options from the iMac’s configuration page entirely, leaving a 256GB SSD and a 1TB Fusion Drive as the only options for customers.
An all-new redesigned iMac based on Apple silicon is expected to launch later this year, but a more specific launch timeframe isn't yet known.
Article Link: Apple Discontinues 512GB and 1TB SSD Configurations of 4K 21.5-inch iMac
OK, second take at this, apologies for the misunderstanding the first time - I stopped at SIM having seen the LTE bit -
I'll start with the RAM issue first. The reason given for soldering RAM was to make it more reliable and to reduce the space required to enable Macs to become thinner (from being lower profile, lower power, and not having to cater for fat fingered users trying to remove it). Remember many manufacturers have since followed that example and do the same with ultra thin laptops.
And this is the point, Macs would still be a thick and heavy as the old 2012 Ivy bridge non retina MacBook Pro if they'd stuck with SATA, DVD, and replaceable RAM. That's 4.5lb (2.06kg) vs 3.0lb (1.4kg) for the 2012 vs 2020 M1 13" MBP.
The Surface Pro doesn't seem to be as thin as a MacBook Pro so I'll assume part of this is due to a certain level of serviceability.
Don't get me wrong here, I like a bit of serviceability and have added RAM and HDD/SSD to Macs before when they were serviceable. The fact that the 27" iMacs are upgradable makes them a great budget option for users who want more RAM.
Apple's next point will be about data security and reliability. Remember that they use some of the fastest SSDs available, and if it were down to an average computer user with replaceable parts they'll buy the cheapest they can find and then complain that their Mac runs like crap when it's the fault of the hardware they bought.
Remember Apple are going down a road with Unified RAM that doubles down on replaceable RAM and I think the storage is on die too - this is for performance and power efficiency reasons. They select the correct components to fit their design.
I haven't used this kind of argument in a while but how many people buying a 2230 m.2 are going to buy SSDs of a top tier quality? Are they even available because a cursory look reveals they are quite rare at higher capacities and seem to be dying out. They'll just buy cheap crap if they can and probably botch the install job. And If you're advocating that Apple leave an empty space in the machine for users to add their own storage then that's a massive error because for a majority of users it means the space will be left blank. If you think they'll out a 256Gb unit in there for people like you to replace with a 1Tb unit - great. But how well will it perform? And will you even be able to get a replacement in 4 years?
I have seen links for a Samsung 970 PCIe 3.0 x4 EVO 1Tb in a 2280 form factor (which is a lot bigger than the postage stamp sized 2230) for 122 quid on Amazon today. But a casual search for a 2230 didn't turn up much.
Let's then not forget that you can accidentally buy a SATA SSD in an M2 form factor. Imagine the frustration as the fat fingered user buys the wrong item. Thankfully these appear to be dying out, and manufacturers in the budget sector appear to be happy to swap controllers and hardware on the same product name items (bit underhand there).
If I were building a PC today I might look for a PCIe SSD to go on the motherboard but I'd buy a high performance Samsung EVO or Pro with true PCIe 3.0 x4 performance. I'd also look into the possibility of waiting for PCIe 4.0 for even more performance. Remember the very best SSDs are 2280, with heatsinks, and boast SERIOUS figures for read and write.
I daresay a lot of average Joes will be looking for cheap storage on a postage stamp they can just plug into a computer as easily as plugging in a SD card. Well, if you'd only just have a look at the murky world of SD card reliability and performance you might then come back and see why Apple won't want users raging on them after botching their install of a no-mark brand and the industry has moved on from that connector technology.
Yes, it's convenient, cheaper, but we've yet to see the performance figures for Apple's Unified architecture to see if it outperforms it to any serious degree.
I think Apple will support Intel Macs until 2027 - 5 years after the last Mac Pro stops being sold. It's up to them which older models they will discontinue support for within that scope and their reasoning behind it. I guess they could even go up to 2029 if they allow security updates for the OS of 2027.
The entire reasoning here isn't all technical. It's reputation. If I were a pro who had spent tens of thousands of dollars on a Mac Pro I would be unhappy to see support end so quickly, I might then take my business away to Windows PCs.
From the Big Sur support list you could see that removing updates to Iris Graphics for instance takes out a lot of old Macs right up to the launch of the 2018 Mac mini but given that Apple still sell Intel MacBook Air Macs with HD graphics they'll just be drawing arbitrary lines across model lines as the years go on.
Pointed example here in that Adobe lag behind with their software updating - it was the same with the move to Intel from PPC, they may need that translation layer for as long as possible.
One reason I didn’t upgrade my Ivy Bridge 2012 15” MBP is because I didn’t have to commit to expensive RAM and SSD upgrades at time of purchase. So now it’s maxed out with full RAM and a 2TB SSD.OK, second take at this, apologies for the misunderstanding the first time - I stopped at SIM having seen the LTE bit -
I'll start with the RAM issue first. The reason given for soldering RAM was to make it more reliable and to reduce the space required to enable Macs to become thinner (from being lower profile, lower power, and not having to cater for fat fingered users trying to remove it). Remember many manufacturers have since followed that example and do the same with ultra thin laptops.
And this is the point, Macs would still be a thick and heavy as the old 2012 Ivy bridge non retina MacBook Pro if they'd stuck with SATA, DVD, and replaceable RAM. That's 4.5lb (2.06kg) vs 3.0lb (1.4kg) for the 2012 vs 2020 M1 13" MBP.
The Surface Pro doesn't seem to be as thin as a MacBook Pro so I'll assume part of this is due to a certain level of serviceability.
Don't get me wrong here, I like a bit of serviceability and have added RAM and HDD/SSD to Macs before when they were serviceable. The fact that the 27" iMacs are upgradable makes them a great budget option for users who want more RAM.
Apple's next point will be about data security and reliability. Remember that they use some of the fastest SSDs available, and if it were down to an average computer user with replaceable parts they'll buy the cheapest they can find and then complain that their Mac runs like crap when it's the fault of the hardware they bought.
Remember Apple are going down a road with Unified RAM that doubles down on replaceable RAM and I think the storage is on die too - this is for performance and power efficiency reasons. They select the correct components to fit their design.
I haven't used this kind of argument in a while but how many people buying a 2230 m.2 are going to buy SSDs of a top tier quality? Are they even available because a cursory look reveals they are quite rare at higher capacities and seem to be dying out. They'll just buy cheap crap if they can and probably botch the install job. And If you're advocating that Apple leave an empty space in the machine for users to add their own storage then that's a massive error because for a majority of users it means the space will be left blank. If you think they'll out a 256Gb unit in there for people like you to replace with a 1Tb unit - great. But how well will it perform? And will you even be able to get a replacement in 4 years?
I have seen links for a Samsung 970 PCIe 3.0 x4 EVO 1Tb in a 2280 form factor (which is a lot bigger than the postage stamp sized 2230) for 122 quid on Amazon today. But a casual search for a 2230 didn't turn up much.
Let's then not forget that you can accidentally buy a SATA SSD in an M2 form factor. Imagine the frustration as the fat fingered user buys the wrong item. Thankfully these appear to be dying out, and manufacturers in the budget sector appear to be happy to swap controllers and hardware on the same product name items (bit underhand there).
If I were building a PC today I might look for a PCIe SSD to go on the motherboard but I'd buy a high performance Samsung EVO or Pro with true PCIe 3.0 x4 performance. I'd also look into the possibility of waiting for PCIe 4.0 for even more performance. Remember the very best SSDs are 2280, with heatsinks, and boast SERIOUS figures for read and write.
I daresay a lot of average Joes will be looking for cheap storage on a postage stamp they can just plug into a computer as easily as plugging in a SD card. Well, if you'd only just have a look at the murky world of SD card reliability and performance you might then come back and see why Apple won't want users raging on them after botching their install of a no-mark brand and the industry has moved on from that connector technology.
Yes, it's convenient, cheaper, but we've yet to see the performance figures for Apple's Unified architecture to see if it outperforms it to any serious degree.
But one reason the older machines are thicker and heavier are their inclusion of a DVD drive. Soldered RAM may be inevitable in laptops but a side slot SSD as described for the MS machine seems doable in a slim case.
So I started school this year and all my classes are online and I really needed a computer since all I had was an iPad and my iPhone. I bought a 2020 iMac with 512GB storage on Amazon since they were taking $150 off. Did I make a mistake buying it? Do you think they will support it for the next 5 years or so? I'm gonna be using it mainly for school and I also plan on using windows on it for certain things.
My return window closes on April 14th, Do you think they will release later this year or maybe in April?
My return window closes on April 14th, Do you think they will release later this year or maybe in April?
Hard to see anything amazing in that. This is standard in the industry that computers (powered by Windows/Linux) can be run using latest software even if they are 10+ years old.
Another thought while thinking about the 21.5". The M1 CPU chipset (not even any imagined M1X) probably could do some sort of job in the 21.5" iMac but it only makes sense if they are keeping that screen size going forward. Why update the 21.5" to the ARM architecture if they are going to ditch that size in favour of a 24" model whether the 27" stays or not?
In this case, the fact that the M1 chipset has been released in the MBA, MBP, and Mac mini SKUs could serve as the soak testing on the basis that it gets used again on a (redesigned) iMac.
Either way would work though, Apple could make the 21.5" body shell work with 2 Thunderbolt ports from the M1 chipset so it's a wash.
The M1 seems capable of competing with the GTX 1050Ti or AMD RX560 which would be comparable with the 560 Pro in the top SKU 21.5" - maybe not the BTO VEGA20.
If Apple were instead aiming for an M1X with more graphics cores because they want to drive a 24" 4.6K (or even the existing 27" 5K) retina panel they may be waiting for October for a proper release. Remember the 2020 27" model was only released in August but the 21.5" model wasn't refreshed at the same time and was released 2 years ago on March 19 2019.
So in theory if Apple intend to continue with a 21.5" model it's the perfect time to do the 21.5" if they have plans for it going ahead - the panel is high quality and density if a little small.
The last point to consider is mini LED backlit displays that Apple have been looking into - ARM Macs are the perfect machines to introduce those displays and might be a reason behind a potential move to unify iMacs to one size.