Right there with you with a Late 2014. I don't need any hardware for 2022. I also have an M1 mini next to the iMac and that's enough at this point. I can always get a 2020 iMac 27 if I need more Intel power from the Refurbished Store.
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Have We Seen the Last of the 27-inch iMac?
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Right there with you with a Late 2014. I don't need any hardware for 2022. I also have an M1 mini next to the iMac and that's enough at this point. I can always get a 2020 iMac 27 if I need more Intel power from the Refurbished Store.
The only hope for the 27" iMac is that they still list the 24" iMac as the iMac 24" on the website. If it was the only iMac model in the pipeline then it would just say iMac.
That's not a lot to hang on, but Apple generally's been pretty good about their naming.
That's not a lot to hang on, but Apple generally's been pretty good about their naming.
I'd wager the sweet spot for a 5k 27" iMac would be $2000-$3000. Will they make it? Maybe not. I could see it being discontinued especially if they add an M1 Pro option for the Mini. But that also doesn't mean that they wouldn't add a 27" iMac in as a budget option like the 24" iMac is.
M1 Max Offering:
Studio Display ($1600) + Mac Studio ($1999) + Keyboard ($99) + Mouse ($99) = $3800+
M1 Pro Offering (This is the gap that needs to be filled):
Studio Display ($1600) + Mac Mini w/M1 Pro ($1299) + Keyboard ($99) + Mouse ($99) = $3100+ (Hypothetical)
iMac 27" = $2000-3000 (Hypothetical)
Base M1 Offering:
Studio Display ($1600) + Mac Mini ($699) + Keyboard ($99) + Mouse ($99) = $2500+
iMac 24" = $1300+
Apple probably doesn't care that they will sell fewer Macs with this change; their margins on the Studio must be huge, that they don't need to sell nearly as many to have the same revenue and even greater profit. A metal box with a bunch of electronic bits in it that costs them hundreds they can sell for thousands, dress up an 8-year-old display and also sell it for thousands, and now charge extra for keyboard and mouse.
This is what happens when you don't have any effective competition, guys.
This is what happens when you don't have any effective competition, guys.
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There are 7 pages of 27 inch iMacs at the Apple refurb store right now and I've seen a big uptick in late-model 27 inch iMacs on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace locally. So I do think that Apple is going to sell a lot of these Studio Macs starting at $3,600. I wouldn't mind one myself but I could in no way justify it. I am constantly amazed at how much money people spend on Apple products but, realistically, it's a lot less than the average new vehicle these days and a lot of people use them to earn a living. I use my Macs to make money as well but I just don't need the amount of power in even the base Mac Studio.
I believe there’s a dongle (think Luna display or something?) which lets you use a Mac or ipad as a 2nd display, but since this happens wireless, expect a fair amount of lag.
My comment was more for the people that were complaining about the cost of the Studio Monitor and those that are still hoping for a lower priced 27" iMac, that includes a 5K monitor. From this, it looks the price of 5K monitors alone is well over $1200 dollars. Thus a low end 27" iMac with an M1 chip will likely start over $2000.
I can't wait for YA 27" iMac, resurrected from the dead. So I can run Aperture and Appleworks on it, while backing up to my Time Capsule. 
But seriously...why? A 24" with a boost in the chip and RAM and storage would seem to be the next gen iMac, if only 4.5k vs 5k. I've had a lot of iMacs, but now that Apple has a decent separate 5k display I'm no longer interested in AIOs. I'd rather get the Display and a mini, MBP or Studio going forward.
But seriously...why? A 24" with a boost in the chip and RAM and storage would seem to be the next gen iMac, if only 4.5k vs 5k. I've had a lot of iMacs, but now that Apple has a decent separate 5k display I'm no longer interested in AIOs. I'd rather get the Display and a mini, MBP or Studio going forward.
Hard to imagine a 27” iMac after the Mac Studio
The mac pro is modular and far more powerful, but a 27” imac with M1 max cant cost 3500 as the stuio mac+display
The mac pro is modular and far more powerful, but a 27” imac with M1 max cant cost 3500 as the stuio mac+display
For real, the margins on the Studio must be nuts. If you consider that they no longer have to pay for a deal with Intel or AMD it likely costs them much less to make. Although at this point they may be recouping on the R&D that it took to build M1 in the first place.
As for the Studio Display, I couldn't have described it better myself. It's the same old 27" 5k 60Hz display with slight upgrades (better camera, slightly better brightness (600 nits), and slightly improved speakers). Underwhelming for a $1600 price tag.
I don't think they would need to put the Max or Ultra into the 27" iMac to make it viable. If they made it with M1 and M1 Pro it would better fit the gap that they need to fill. Much like a M1 Mini and M1 Mini Pro would fit the "Consumer/Prosumer" needs. I view the Mac Studio as a higher-end Prosumer/Pro model.
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Great thread.
I honestly don't think Apple sees the Studio Display and Mac Mini as the solution for the 27" iMac. At the end of the day we are talking about an AIO versus a display and square computer and the need to purchase a keyboard and mouse/trackpad too. Do not underestimate the appeal of one purchase that takes care of all the pieces you need versus all those other purchases combined.
Also, I'm seeing a lot of talk here about the 27" size. There was no way moving forward that said size would remain in the lineup with the 24" M1. They are simply too close in size at this point. If Apple ever makes a larger iMac one day it has to be 30" or 32" to justify the need for it to begin with alongside the 24" model.
Lastly, there is a chance that Apple sees the 24" size as large enough to satisfy anyone that wants an iMac. I personally don't agree with that line of thinking but if we never see a larger iMac ever again that's your answer why.
I honestly don't think Apple sees the Studio Display and Mac Mini as the solution for the 27" iMac. At the end of the day we are talking about an AIO versus a display and square computer and the need to purchase a keyboard and mouse/trackpad too. Do not underestimate the appeal of one purchase that takes care of all the pieces you need versus all those other purchases combined.
Also, I'm seeing a lot of talk here about the 27" size. There was no way moving forward that said size would remain in the lineup with the 24" M1. They are simply too close in size at this point. If Apple ever makes a larger iMac one day it has to be 30" or 32" to justify the need for it to begin with alongside the 24" model.
Lastly, there is a chance that Apple sees the 24" size as large enough to satisfy anyone that wants an iMac. I personally don't agree with that line of thinking but if we never see a larger iMac ever again that's your answer why.
If you want high-end, now there is the Mac Studio. Also, a larger screen doesn't mean it's more powerful. Just bigger.
Right.
Then again … just think for a moment … Apple gives us a One More Thing …
The Mac!
Simple.
The Macintosh was THE pinnacle what just about EVERYTHING that Apple IS and WAS since it’s inception. Under Tim, we’ve seen:
Better products,
better economies of scale (both in pricing and power/performance/efficiencies in great products, lower delivery times, weathering the economic cluster-bunk of a storm of limited chip supplies, colours back to the Mac - first with the iMac, then iPad Air, and as you’ve mentioned phasing out the ‘i’ in product names - “internet is a given”.
Why not restore the iMac to what is really is:
Macintosh or Mac. Maybe something incredibly more powerful gets it’s name Mac or The Mac.
I noticed this as well, but I think it might be tied to SEO and transparency purposes. By deliberately specifying that its the iMac 24", they prevent unintended confusion and can still benefit from 27" iMac links that now redirect to the 24" iMac page.
Colleen Novielli stated during the keynote that the Mac Studio and Studio Display is a great solution for 27" iMac owners looking to upgrade to Apple Silicon. That statement combined with Ternus saying there's one Mac left to go in the transition is as transparent as Apple will ever be about the product line.
I think Apple has doubled down on the Mac being an attractive option for the prosumer/pro market and is happily catering to them by offering insane performance at pro level pricing. That's what a lot of people wanted over the past few years and they've delivered.
On the consumer level, they now offer 3 great Macs that are way more powerful than the average person that can't get by with an iPad could want. The MacBook Air/base Pro, Mac mini, and 24" iMac are great consumer level Macs and I get the sense Apple likes the simplicity of the consumer product line and is enjoying wowing the pro market on the high end.
I see a colorful, iMac-like redesign to the MacBook Air coming this year that takes us back to the iBook and multi-color iMac era for consumers. Silver and space gray powerhouses for Pros with deep pockets for high end performance.
3" of screen, lol
That's 20% of screen real estate. So yes, people will "notice the loss."
Maybe you won’t, but not everyone is the same. That is a very generalized statement and does not reflect everyone’s view.
I certainly can tell the difference between the 2, I’ve had both and the 27” is a big upgrade to the 24” screen.
I standardized on 27 inch displays some time ago so my desk looks a lot better with 27 inch displays. I have three 27 inch iMacs and three 27 inch 4k monitors. I guess I can use newer Apple Silicon Macs (mini and/or Studio) to drive the external monitors. No plans to get the 24 inch. The thermals on the 24 inch seem more challenging and I've run into a lot of 27 inch iMacs with dents, cracked screens, etc. It's a beast to move around compared to the 24. So I'll accept that Apple isn't going to make 27 inch iMacs. At least in the near future. I have no plans to buy the Studio Monitor, nice as it is. No plans to buy the Mac Studio either as I don't need the power. But maybe some future equipment consolidation will mean one, the other, or both.
If the display was 7.5yrs old as you claim, it would not have P3 and TruTone.
Gamers are already screwed with M1 transition from the get go. You won’t be able to run Windows from BootCamp, hence no gaming unless Apple is getting in bed with major developers to port many of AAA titles for macOS (unlikely).
24 inch is very true to the original iMac - colours, "kit" for easy setup, affordable (well). The iMac 27 was very affordable - "you get a free computer with the screen" and beefier. Actually the 21.5 inch was poorer value. However, a iMac 24 is not that far off my 2020 iMac in performance but it is less configurable with RAM and SSD. It would make sense to put a M1 pro chip in the 24 inch and possibly offer a 27 inch version in the future.
In the other hand, I think the pro crowd would be much better served with the Studio kit rather than an iMac Pro. I am surprised the the Studio display is only 27 inch. It should have be 32 inch for that price and audience.
In the other hand, I think the pro crowd would be much better served with the Studio kit rather than an iMac Pro. I am surprised the the Studio display is only 27 inch. It should have be 32 inch for that price and audience.
If you're a gamer then you build an Alder Lake Hack if you want to also run macOS.
Here's a new MR post on this topic that says:
Apple confirmed to Ars Technica that the 27-inch iMac "has reached end of life," indicating the company has no intention of releasing a refreshed 27-inch model to go along with the 24-inch iMac.
Does MR not understand what end of life means either?
Apart from Apple swearing over a bible to never to make another 27-inch or larger Mac again, I don't know what more information you need to come off your stance.