Apple's M4 iMac: What to Expect

[Boil]

I have a 24” monitor and… it’s fine, but for my next one I’m jumping to 27”. I think Apple should offer at least a 27” along with the 24”.

I would appreciate a 24" M4 iMac, but would really greatly appreciate a 27" or 30" M4 Pro iMac!

No way I'll be running a dinky 24" display. My current setup is a 7 year old 27" iMac with a 27" LG secondary display. The LG has better color than the iMac. Maybe a Mac Mini will be in my not-too-distant future.

But they left open the possibility of something even larger. Although I’m dubious about that.

Either offer the M4 iMac in 27", with non-laughable base memory, or don't even bother.

TL;DR - Too Expen$ive & Double Di$po$able...

• 27" Studio Display (standard glass & stand, AppleCare+)
• Magic Keyboard
• Magic Mouse
• $2,050

• 32" Pro Display XDR (standard glass & VESA Mount Adapter, AppleCare+)
• Magic Keyboard
• Magic Mouse
• Logitech 4K Pro Magnetic Webcam
• $6,920

• Base Mn Mac mini (AppleCare+)
• $700

• Base Mn Pro Mac mini (AppleCare+)
• $1,400

• Base Mn Max Mac Studio (AppleCare+)
• $2,170

• Base Mn Ultra Mac Studio (AppleCare+)
• $4,170

So base 27" iMac would be $2,750, and a max spec 32" iMac Pro would be $17,000; if Apple were feeling generous we might see those at $2,500 and $15,000...

And with the AIO form factor, when you want to upgrade, you would also need to pony up for another included display...

Sorry folks, I fear the days of lower cost 27" iMacs are a thing of the past, and any 32" iMac would be quite expensive...

 

[Tymbo]

I'm patiently waiting for a Mac with 5k 120hz support. I hope this is the one.

 

[Antony Newman]

Those M4 specs: would not the M4 be underclocked in an iPad Pro? An iMac would happily operate at higher clock speeds.

I speculate the M4 would be the identically performant 10 core version ...
.. but that with an additional 8 watts available, there will be an M4 Pro version available for MacOs to be 'snappier'.

 

[maxfromdenmark]

Hoping for the accessories will get usb c. I’m tired with two different cables.

 

[EugW]

I guess Apple has to refresh all their lineup asap, given that they need to convinced investors they are all in on AI, which they will claim need M4 to run well/fully.

When Apple introduces a new software technology in macOS, usually they will extend that support to at least the previous generation Macs. Meaning, such AI support may just work fine on M3 Macs, albeit slower in some situations, or as you suggested, possibly with some other limitations. So, if Apple does decide to support their AI functionality on M3 Macs, there isn't such a rush from that standpoint to jump to M4 on all Macs right away.

Furthermore, I suspect most entry level users just won't care anyway, and these days the iMac skews more toward entry level than it does to power users. The bulk of the power users will be on MacBook Pros (since Mac laptops represent 80% of Macs sold), with a small minority on the Mac Studio.

 

[Cirillo Gherardo]

Apple has no business making a larger/high-end iMac again unless they add back Target Display mode. This way the iMac doesn’t become a gigantic paperweight once the CPU is past its useful lifespan. I have 2 iMacs collecting dust, both with gorgeous 5K displays that still work just fine and would cost over $1000 a piece on the open market just for the panel, that are useless today. Can’t sell them because they are humongous and a bitch to ship, can’t use them because old Intels are worthless, and can’t repurpose them because no TDM.

 

[Cirillo Gherardo]

There is absolutely no reason for anyone ever to get an Apple Studio Display. You can get a 4k 42" tv for a third the price, and have vastly more real estate and flexibility. Failing that, third party computer monitors.

Spoken like someone who knows absolutely nothing about displays, or TVs.

 

[PsykX]

The best part of an "AI-focused" chip would be to have the "AI" disabled

Absolutely not. Apple will finally have a compelling feature regarding AI : They can do most of it offline.

You're actually already using AI in macOS and you might not even know it.
For instance, search for the word "invoice" or "bill" in Photos and tell me it's not useful again.

 

[Reason077]

“The M4 is built on the same 3-nanometer technology as the M3”

This statement is incorrect. The M4 is reportedly on TSMC’s N3E process node, a 2nd-generation 3-nanometer process compared to the N3 (aka N3B) node used for the M3.

N3E has significant differences aimed at reducing costs and optimising yields, so it’s speculated that Apple will fairly quickly phase out the M3 and A17 Pro in favour of N3E-based SoCs.

 

[SBeardsl]

Apple has no business making a larger/high-end iMac again unless they add back Target Display mode. This way the iMac doesn’t become a gigantic paperweight once the CPU is past its useful lifespan.

I have three just taking up space plus one upstairs (2019) used by the family and the one on my work desk I'm typing this on (2015).

There were technical reasons they stopped supporting Target Disk Mode when the 27" iMacs came out. The standard I/O ports on older large iMacs could not handle the full 5K input. Apple engineered a custom dual display control setup internal to the box but you couldn't push video data fast enough over those older I/O ports.

These days there is plenty of throughput on current generation iMac's usb-c connectors to do it. Also, unlike the older models, all Macs now run off of silent, low power, flash drives so no need to grind the inter hard disk to keep the device running.

So if Apple wanted to, they could design today's 24" iMacs to function in Target Display mode if they choose to put in the work. They could put a 24"/27"/or larger size panel on today's iMacs and support Target Display mode. It would require work that most users would never care about. They probably won't but it could be done.

 

[picpicmac]

Seems like a desperate keypost.

Desktop computers are slowly dying out.

It will take years before they totally go away, maybe decades.

But there is not a fundamental need for them anymore.

All the computer most people need now fits in their pocket.

Simply cast to your big screen TV if you don't want to look at the small screen on the phone.

Use wearables to gesture, as the QWERTY keyboard is one of those things that holds on out of stubborness, sort of like imperial measurements.

 

[EugW]

This statement is incorrect. The M4 is reportedly on TSMC’s N3E process node, a 2nd-generation 3-nanometer process compared to the N3 (aka N3B) node used for the M3.

In fact, Apple actually said M4 used 2nd gen 3 nm right in their presentation.

 

[seek3r]

Expect it to be exactly the same with the new chip in it. For years.

I mean, there’s not really anything wrong with the current machine. I do wish it had bolder colors, maybe we’ll get that, would love it in a (product) red

 

[seek3r]

Seems like a desperate keypost.

Use wearables to gesture, as the QWERTY keyboard is one of those things that holds on out of stubborness, sort of like imperial measurements.

You don’t type things for a living, do you? I’m not coding or writing complex docs on my phone screen and virtual keyboard my dude

 

[Sippincider]

So base 27" iMac would be $2,750

Not bad actually, and IIRC comparable to what the i9 iMacs were. Problem of course being if Apple kneecaps the base specs, and the buyer starts out by adding $1000+ in BTO options...

and a max spec 32" iMac Pro would be $17,000

Heh, yeah not happening. Suppose Apple could offer it, but that club will be (and is) using different hardware.

 

[Algr]

Spoken like someone who knows absolutely nothing about displays, or TVs.

Written by someone who said absolutely nothing about displays, or TVs.

 

[AlexJaye]

Expect disappointment. It’s the new Apple motto.

expect disappointment and rarely you get a surprise.

 

[lowkey]

With the MacMini still on M2 I’d expect that to be updated first.

 

[Tomasulu]

It takes years to develop a larger iMac? Seriously Tim? How lazy can you get?

 

[daabido]

They could stretch the refresh cycles so the Mac Mini is on even 1/2/4/6 number chips and iMac on odd number chips 1/3/5/7.

1 is now both even and odd; just like my car was both fine according to the Hyundai that hit it and damaged according to the good samaritan that took down the plate. Schrödinger's number.

 

[Nugat Trailers]

A reassuring and informative article. I was thinking that for the M4 iMac, Apple was going to go back to Intel. Or PowerPC.

So glad a M4 iMac would use an M4 chip.

 

[Circa1984]

Will this be the generation where Apple’s BASE configuration finally has a minimum of 16GB RAM … or will Apple again hobble an otherwise technically superior chip with inadequate 8GB of RAM, forcing an upgrade for hundreds more? ** Microsoft is bragging that all of their new ARM based surface computers start with a min of 16GB!

 

[Tagbert]

With USB-C keyboard and mouse charging instead of lightning?

Maybe new/different color?

A new range of colors from light gray to a sort of darker gray?

 

[Betterinperson]

If the main selling points of mac products going forward is updated m series chips, then apple really needs to start updating there whole lineup on the same day. How is an ipad more up to date than the latest mac. This is fragmenting their product lines and hurting sales.

 

[Warped9]

I just got an M3 iMac with 16/512 about two weeks ago so it’s astronomically unlikely I would upgrade for a performance boost when I’m already quite satisfied with what I have. So far I’m very pleased. Replacing my 2011 21.5 it’s apparent the new iMac is only slightly larger in width and height than my old iMac, and while the display didn’t immediately impress me as being notably larger I find I’m noticing the bigger size more as I get used to it.

Regarding the off white bezels—I don’t find them distracting or even noticeable.

The only thing I miss is the lack of an Apple logo on the chin—they really should put that back.