Exactly! Sorely missed. Nailed it.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Have We Seen the Last of the 27-inch iMac?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I'm writing this on a 2013 27-inch iMac. It's slowing down, without a doubt, and I can't upgrade to the latest operating system. Aside from that though, it's still a cracking machine. So perhaps Apple's thinking they made these things too good...
"Only buying a new machine every nine years? Oh, we need to change that". ;-)
"Only buying a new machine every nine years? Oh, we need to change that". ;-)
I'm with you. in 2017 maxed out what I could afford - for $3K got 27", 3TB fusion, 64GB. that similar comparison now with studio + screen is roughly $5200. the 24" iMac doesn't achieve these specs, nor does the Mac mini. there's a gap and I'm super frustrated by it.
Me since 2012.... and its currently been dead over 6 months! I was expecting the new one over a year ago as it is!
How much longer before Apple decides to not update the Intel based Macs? That's another issue I think will be big decisions in the near future. Those of us with older systems are now running against the clock.
Has Apple forgotten about all its loyal Gamers, Working people that need a larger screen, casual users etc.
What a bad move by Apple to quietly discontinue the 27” iMac
People needing a new iMac are not spending twice the price for the Mac studio
What a bad move by Apple to quietly discontinue the 27” iMac
People needing a new iMac are not spending twice the price for the Mac studio
I like the direction that Apple's going in right now, and as other users have stated I think there's a clearer difference between their consumer vs pro lines. However, that being said, it seems like the Pro line is getting more of a focus now while the consumer segment still needs a bit more attention?
Here's what I'm hoping for in the future Mac line-up as Apple starts to address all market sectors.
Consumer:
MacBook Air: 13", 16"
iMac: 24", 27"
Mac Mini
Pro-Sumer (mid-tier somewhere between a consumer and a pro):
Studio Display: 27" with Camera & Speakers, 27" without Camera & Speakers
Mac Studio
Pro:
MacBook Pro: 14", 16"
Cinema Display: 27", 32"
Mac Pro
I think there's a use-case for a consumer level 27" iMac, but I'm not sure how large of a market they have to justify building them. Judging from the posts here, it seems like there's a large enough market. It makes more sense to push anyone who requires pro-specs to a separated Mac mini, Mac Studio, or Mac Pro with a paired display. It reduces e-waste and you're able to upgrade the computing without tossing out a perfectly usable display.
The world of e-waste is a real thing, and the industry is rife with issues. Also, gold is a limited resource which is also needed in electronics:
[Edit: There's a much better way to address e-waste in the consumer level market, since this might be their largest selling market. Pro being more niche. If they sold the iMacs screens at 24" and 27", but turned the stand/base into a computer, customers could update their iMacs stands (the computer) without tossing the display. There's plenty of creative solutions that won't sacrifice aesthetics when addressing e-waste and the iMacs. Why Apple doesn't? Who knows? An interchangeable iMac stand that has the guts of the computer, would be a much better way to reduce consumer level e-waste.]
With the suggested lineup above, I think Apple could cover almost all of the markets. I read a post mentioning a plethora of designers and creatives who were using the 27" iMacs in-studio. I use to work in-house, contracted, at a studio from 2017-2018 filled with 27" iMacs (not an iMac Pro, or Mac Pros). I had an iMac 27" from 2016-2017. The main reason that particular studio was using the 27" iMac was for the 27" screen. Since it was built right into the unit, it was less of a headache for the studios to deal with than trying to setup the LG screens since Apple had discontinued their Displays starting 2016. Other in-house studios prior to 2016, in my experience, had both PC and Macs. I was set up with a Mac Pro and Third Party color accurate monitor.
Mac Pro segments are tiny within the entire creative field: 8k videographers, special effects houses, animation, 3D heavy industries, maybe even real time simulations that need procedural calculations (though this segment isn't creative, more scientific). There are other segments like typography, print, graphic design, illustration, photography (wedding, corporate/commercial, personal or professional), product design, and drafting types that don't require Mac Pro level of computes. I feel like, the Mac Studio is targeted towards this market, and I think it addresses those industry quite well.
I don't really understand who the iMac Pro is for? If I remember correctly, it was MKBHD who begged Apple for an iMac Pro. Once the M1 series of MBP were released, he mentioned not needing lug around his iMac Pro to edit on the go and was all in on the MBP.
The Mac Studio addresses the iMac Pro segment quite well. Yes you won't get the compact all in one, but at a mid-tier level this segment is covered. The rest is merely about aesthetic and convenience. The Mac Studio isn't some beefy tower and it's footprint is relatively small. The aesthetics are maintained and your desk won't suffer from too much clutter - with front facing ports for functionality to* boot.
If there's going to be a 27" iMac offering, I would be content keeping it at the consumer level with the 24" iMac. I think letting the Pro-Sumer + markets move towards the separate Display + Computer setup is ideal. Apple Displays last a long time and aren't updated often, better for the environment overall to keep them in a separate housing. I like the direction. I also feel like Apple is really starting to focus on and address the Pro market again, which I'm happy to see.
Here's what I'm hoping for in the future Mac line-up as Apple starts to address all market sectors.
Consumer:
MacBook Air: 13", 16"
iMac: 24", 27"
Mac Mini
Pro-Sumer (mid-tier somewhere between a consumer and a pro):
Studio Display: 27" with Camera & Speakers, 27" without Camera & Speakers
Mac Studio
Pro:
MacBook Pro: 14", 16"
Cinema Display: 27", 32"
Mac Pro
I think there's a use-case for a consumer level 27" iMac, but I'm not sure how large of a market they have to justify building them. Judging from the posts here, it seems like there's a large enough market. It makes more sense to push anyone who requires pro-specs to a separated Mac mini, Mac Studio, or Mac Pro with a paired display. It reduces e-waste and you're able to upgrade the computing without tossing out a perfectly usable display.
The world of e-waste is a real thing, and the industry is rife with issues. Also, gold is a limited resource which is also needed in electronics:
With the suggested lineup above, I think Apple could cover almost all of the markets. I read a post mentioning a plethora of designers and creatives who were using the 27" iMacs in-studio. I use to work in-house, contracted, at a studio from 2017-2018 filled with 27" iMacs (not an iMac Pro, or Mac Pros). I had an iMac 27" from 2016-2017. The main reason that particular studio was using the 27" iMac was for the 27" screen. Since it was built right into the unit, it was less of a headache for the studios to deal with than trying to setup the LG screens since Apple had discontinued their Displays starting 2016. Other in-house studios prior to 2016, in my experience, had both PC and Macs. I was set up with a Mac Pro and Third Party color accurate monitor.
Mac Pro segments are tiny within the entire creative field: 8k videographers, special effects houses, animation, 3D heavy industries, maybe even real time simulations that need procedural calculations (though this segment isn't creative, more scientific). There are other segments like typography, print, graphic design, illustration, photography (wedding, corporate/commercial, personal or professional), product design, and drafting types that don't require Mac Pro level of computes. I feel like, the Mac Studio is targeted towards this market, and I think it addresses those industry quite well.
I don't really understand who the iMac Pro is for? If I remember correctly, it was MKBHD who begged Apple for an iMac Pro. Once the M1 series of MBP were released, he mentioned not needing lug around his iMac Pro to edit on the go and was all in on the MBP.
The Mac Studio addresses the iMac Pro segment quite well. Yes you won't get the compact all in one, but at a mid-tier level this segment is covered. The rest is merely about aesthetic and convenience. The Mac Studio isn't some beefy tower and it's footprint is relatively small. The aesthetics are maintained and your desk won't suffer from too much clutter - with front facing ports for functionality to* boot.
If there's going to be a 27" iMac offering, I would be content keeping it at the consumer level with the 24" iMac. I think letting the Pro-Sumer + markets move towards the separate Display + Computer setup is ideal. Apple Displays last a long time and aren't updated often, better for the environment overall to keep them in a separate housing. I like the direction. I also feel like Apple is really starting to focus on and address the Pro market again, which I'm happy to see.
Last edited:
This is likely more true if they determined that most 27" iMac buyers were really prosumers who were getting by with the great value it offered, but were often disappointed in its limitations. Many of those people likely have more to spend on a Mac Studio solution that would raise the ceiling on performance immensely in a way a niche all-in-one iMac Pro could not.
I have a 2020 iMac. Amazing performance and display for the price. My wallet has just slammed shut for Mac upgrades for the next 5 years, unless some other reasonable equivalent options are forthcoming
My 2013 iMac 27" is an old retired thing. Been a god friend though all these years. But I won’t miss the iMac.
I look forward to trade it for the Mac Studio and 1 Studio Display to start with. I am really happy for the shift Apple done.
I don’t see a larger iMac than the 24" coming.
I would pick Mac Studio and Studio Display every day in the week before a larger iMac again.
These new displays will last into next computer shift too probably, how long will that take? 5-7 yrs hopefully.
Only complain I have after this keynote is the long delivery times at Apple for these things. So I’ll try to get a Display from a reseller soonest possible, and run my MBA with that. Then I can trade in the old iMac, and wait for the configuration I decide, which I haven’t done yet. If I decide a Max config I need to buy it from Apple. Long wait. If I decide an Ultra config I can buy that configuration also at a reseller. Less waiting.
I like this shift from Apple. A better lowpro computer than iMacs imho.
I look forward to trade it for the Mac Studio and 1 Studio Display to start with. I am really happy for the shift Apple done.
I don’t see a larger iMac than the 24" coming.
I would pick Mac Studio and Studio Display every day in the week before a larger iMac again.
These new displays will last into next computer shift too probably, how long will that take? 5-7 yrs hopefully.
Only complain I have after this keynote is the long delivery times at Apple for these things. So I’ll try to get a Display from a reseller soonest possible, and run my MBA with that. Then I can trade in the old iMac, and wait for the configuration I decide, which I haven’t done yet. If I decide a Max config I need to buy it from Apple. Long wait. If I decide an Ultra config I can buy that configuration also at a reseller. Less waiting.
I like this shift from Apple. A better lowpro computer than iMacs imho.
Last edited:
people keep saying there’s no replacement for the low end 27” iMac. You can connect the Studio display to a Mac mini
The Mac mini is not a direct replacement for anything than the lower end of the 27" iMac. For those of us with a higher end non iMac Pro there is no replacement in the price range.
For $3500 with keyboard and mouse. (16GB, 2TB). Not a good deal. Not paying that much for a side-grade. (In some respects actually a down-grade)
Last edited:
I absolutely love my current 27" iMac ... and the 5 previous ones I've used over the years.
The Studio is a *perfect* replacement for me, and my only reaction to the announcements this week was "FINALLY!!!" I can finally have more power than a Mac Mini, and the exact monitor setup I want, without the overkill of a Mac Pro.
Farewell beloved 27" iMac ... you were a good friend, but fraught with compromise.
The Studio is a *perfect* replacement for me, and my only reaction to the announcements this week was "FINALLY!!!" I can finally have more power than a Mac Mini, and the exact monitor setup I want, without the overkill of a Mac Pro.
Farewell beloved 27" iMac ... you were a good friend, but fraught with compromise.
I will have to settle for a iMac 24" when my iMac 27" die. iMac 24" 16/512 is $1,779.00. The screen is not bad when you're looking at it up close. I can also expand the storage with cheap external SSD drives.
Studio Display ($1600) + Mac Mini ($699) + Keyboard ($99) + Mouse ($99) = $2500
2020 27" iMac = $1800
This is not an adequate replacement from a price standpoint. Not to mention that the base M1 Mini GPU is a distinct downgrade in performance compared to the entry-level 27" iMac GPU (Radeon Pro 5300).
We're all prophets on here, but the fact that Apple included speakers, a webcam, and microphones on the Studio Display makes me believe that there probably won't be a 27" iMac. I'm an A/V hobbyist who doesn't need a lot of power but who wanted the 5K monitor, so I bought the 2019 base-level 27" i5 iMac when it appeared in the Refurbished Store. It's still a great computer, and I expect it to last me a few more years.
I don't see the point of a 27" M1 iMac Pro vs. a Studio Display and some configuration of the Mac Studio, given what the iMac Pro used to cost. The only reason to buy one would be if a 27" M1 iMac Pro cost substantially less than an equivalently specced Mac Studio/Studio Display combo. Apple would do that only if they believe that there's a substantial group of users who would buy the iMac Pro but not a combo.
As for the standard 27" iMac, it was so popular partly because there was no close alternative. The iMac was much more elegant than a Mac mini and separate third-party 4K monitor, keyboard, mouse, webcam, microphone, and speakers. For people who needed the screen real estate, the 27" iMac was worth the price premium over the 21" iMac. When I compared the 24" M1 iMac and the 27" i5 iMac side by side in the store last year, there wasn't enough difference that I would have gone for the 27" over the 24" had I been in the market for a new computer then.
If I were going to buy a new computer within the next year, a 24" M1 iMac would be enough for me. However, knowing myself, I'd probably spring for a Studio Display and the next version of the Mac mini, as it would allow me to keep the monitor and upgrade the computer later if I needed to. I'd even consider getting the next-generation MacBook Air and a dock instead of the mini, just for the flexibility.
Finally, I don't understand the people on here who say, "I hope Apple doesn't make a 27" or 30" iMac!" Why does it bother them if Apple makes products they personally don't want? I don't think it's likely that Apple will make such a computer, but I hope I'm wrong for the sake of the people who do want one.
I don't see the point of a 27" M1 iMac Pro vs. a Studio Display and some configuration of the Mac Studio, given what the iMac Pro used to cost. The only reason to buy one would be if a 27" M1 iMac Pro cost substantially less than an equivalently specced Mac Studio/Studio Display combo. Apple would do that only if they believe that there's a substantial group of users who would buy the iMac Pro but not a combo.
As for the standard 27" iMac, it was so popular partly because there was no close alternative. The iMac was much more elegant than a Mac mini and separate third-party 4K monitor, keyboard, mouse, webcam, microphone, and speakers. For people who needed the screen real estate, the 27" iMac was worth the price premium over the 21" iMac. When I compared the 24" M1 iMac and the 27" i5 iMac side by side in the store last year, there wasn't enough difference that I would have gone for the 27" over the 24" had I been in the market for a new computer then.
If I were going to buy a new computer within the next year, a 24" M1 iMac would be enough for me. However, knowing myself, I'd probably spring for a Studio Display and the next version of the Mac mini, as it would allow me to keep the monitor and upgrade the computer later if I needed to. I'd even consider getting the next-generation MacBook Air and a dock instead of the mini, just for the flexibility.
Finally, I don't understand the people on here who say, "I hope Apple doesn't make a 27" or 30" iMac!" Why does it bother them if Apple makes products they personally don't want? I don't think it's likely that Apple will make such a computer, but I hope I'm wrong for the sake of the people who do want one.
The 24“.
You do not understand. That is the point. I bought the 27“ Retina iMac for 4200€ in 2014 and sold it for 800€ this year, now totally missing the screen. I would have loved to use the screen with my M1 Air, but I cannot. A good monitor can be used for 10-14 years, you save the money in the long run. But for cheap, take the 24“ and replace it after the guts got old.
If you want a fast 27” iMac or an iMac pro, it’s called the mac studio + studio display.
You can also pair the screen with a mini.
Can’t see a 5k iMac 27” fitting in. How would they price it?
You can also pair the screen with a mini.
Can’t see a 5k iMac 27” fitting in. How would they price it?
I’ve said it before, the original iMac Pro was a stop gap machine, a one off offering from Apple to the Pro user community to try and claw back PC sales from pro users looking to replace their trashcans and that couldn’t wait for the cheese grater to come out. Plenty of folks I know bought it as a 2-3 year machine that they could upgrade once apple had the mac pro out or now a high end silicon mac like the Studio… and that’s it old iMac Pro users are ditching their iMac Pro and buying a Mac Studio and display that tells you what this machine is, in essence its a 27” iMac Pro replacement…
so yeah I believe that the 27” iMac is dead. Will there be a 32” iMac? more space for all that cooling, but would it be enough space? Maybe it would have the XDR display, in which case it would be very expensive… like MAc Pro expensive… Is that it? IS the New Mac Pro going to be an all in one iMac style form factor with XDR display and M1 Ultra or M2 Ultra inside? Have we witnessed the end of the Mac Pro tower and we just don’t know it yet… I mean it kinda makes sense, a silicon Mac Pro doesn’t make a lot of sense to be in a tower when you cant upgrade the ram and gpu etc. I suspect Apple will want to distance it’s self from the cheese grater design and let that be the Intel machine and the new Mac Pro will have a totally new form factor so why not make an all in one that looked like the XDR display but fatter, that would drive XDR display sales as well for folks that wanted a second monitor….Or and bare with me, the Mac Pro is dead… The new Mac Pro will be called the “Mac Studio Pro”. It will look like the Studio Pro but be twice or more the height and a slightly bigger foot print and will be paired with the XDR display…
so yeah I believe that the 27” iMac is dead. Will there be a 32” iMac? more space for all that cooling, but would it be enough space? Maybe it would have the XDR display, in which case it would be very expensive… like MAc Pro expensive… Is that it? IS the New Mac Pro going to be an all in one iMac style form factor with XDR display and M1 Ultra or M2 Ultra inside? Have we witnessed the end of the Mac Pro tower and we just don’t know it yet… I mean it kinda makes sense, a silicon Mac Pro doesn’t make a lot of sense to be in a tower when you cant upgrade the ram and gpu etc. I suspect Apple will want to distance it’s self from the cheese grater design and let that be the Intel machine and the new Mac Pro will have a totally new form factor so why not make an all in one that looked like the XDR display but fatter, that would drive XDR display sales as well for folks that wanted a second monitor….Or and bare with me, the Mac Pro is dead… The new Mac Pro will be called the “Mac Studio Pro”. It will look like the Studio Pro but be twice or more the height and a slightly bigger foot print and will be paired with the XDR display…