Have We Seen the Last of the 27-inch iMac?

[stocklen]

Ok then! I've been ready to replace my late-2014 iMac 27" for a while. I want to be able to use the latest macOS features and upgrade to an Apple Silicon desktop computer.

The Studio Mac and new monitor all look great but are just more than I need or want to spend.

So 24" iMac it is! It will work just fine for me, and it's considerably more affordable as well. I would prefer the option of more RAM perhaps, but realistically it is not needed. Most difficult decision now is what color to select . . .

Thats what I did, though I came to the conclusion that there probably wouldn't be an affordable 27" replacement forthcoming a while ago and took the plunge.

The reality is that the M1 is SO powerful (we are tending to forget this with all the attention on the way-overpowered for average consumer Pro, Max, and Ultra variants) that its all you could need for a long time to come.

The 24 is great - and you really wont notice the loss of 3" of screen.

My other thought was that given Apples pricing.... IF they ever did release a '30" iMac' it would almost certainly be a replacement for the deceased iMacPRO and not be aimed at consumers any more AND have a +£2,000 price tag to match.

Seems to me that the studio and studio display are definitely aimed at the pro market and replacing the iMac Pro for sure.

Enjoy your 24" iMac... you'll love it
Lots of colour choice - my only complaint is that most of us have an iMac against a wall so never really get to appreciate the colour choice once its out the box and on the desk.

 

[MacRazySwe]

As much as I have enjoyed my iMacs, I do believe the iMac 27” is now dead and it’s time to move on.

Most people have moved on to laptops. For situations where a Mac Mini/laptop paired to a separate display isn’t a viable option, the iMac 24” covers all bases. It’s probably going to remain popular for classrooms as it reduces risk of theft. For heavy users, the modularity of the Mac Studio is a much better proposition than the 27” iMac.

 

[bobtem]

Curious why Apple just doesn’t have a third stand option for the studio display with an integrated shelf thingy onto which you could set your Mac Studio. Quasi all-in-one.

 

[44267547]

Apple will hold off any line up changes on the iMac / Studio for for at least 12 months

So you’re assuming/projecting that they (Apple) have nothing else in the ‘works’, only to gauge the market on the iMac/Studio, contingent on the success of that? That’s not how technology generally operates. It’s not like Apple just pieces something together last minute based off the success off one product.

 

[ian87w]

This.

What is (was) the main benefit of an all-in-one? It was not having multiple things plugged in (monitor power, desktop power, monitor cable, speakers, microphone, webcam).

It wouldn't surprised me if the next Mac Mini can be powered via USB-Power Delivery. I believe the Studio Display can output 96 W of power which would be enough to power a Mac Mini. Thus the Sudio Display would be connected tot the power and then to the Mac Mini by 1 cable for a two cable setup and bingo: a 27" 'iMac' with the added benefit of being able to upgrade the compute power without having to pay again for the screen (or having to junk the computer if the screen dies).

That would actually be cool.
Hmm, what if that's where the next AppleTV is heading? AppleTV with Thunderbolt3 so you can just plug it in to the Studio Display....

 

[ian87w]

Thats what I did, though I came to the conclusion that there probably wouldn't be an affordable 27" replacement forthcoming a while ago and took the plunge.

The reality is that the M1 is SO powerful (we are tending to forget this with all the attention on the way-overpowered for average consumer Pro, Max, and Ultra variants) that its all you could need for a long time to come.

The 24 is great - and you really wont notice the loss of 3" of screen.

My other thought was that given Apples pricing.... IF they ever did release a '30" iMac' it would almost certainly be a replacement for the deceased iMacPRO and not be aimed at consumers any more AND have a +£2,000 price tag to match.

Seems to me that the studio and studio display are definitely aimed at the pro market and replacing the iMac Pro for sure.

Enjoy your 24" iMac... you'll love it
Lots of colour choice - my only complaint is that most of us have an iMac against a wall so never really get to appreciate the colour choice once its out the box and on the desk.

I would love the M1 iMac as well. If only Apple made a pre-configured model with 16GB of RAM. 8GB is no longer enough even for typical office tasks.

 

[Marshall73]

27” iMac is gone and good riddance to it. Now you can buy a decent desktop Mac and pair it with an Apple display or one of your own. No more cutting the LCD from the chassis to clean all of the dust out of the computer.

 

[the8thark]

People need to realise this

iMac Pro - essentially replaced by the low end Studio. With even beefier options available.

Low and Mid tier 27 inch iMac - Not replaced by anything. It is effectively the M1 Pro of the lineup.
You can not get this in the All in One form factor or in the Mini plus screen form factor.

Some people just want a little more than the base M1 and 32GB/64GB RAM. You can not get that without going to the M1 Max of the Studio which is complete overkill.

We also need to realise the the Studio is not a prosumer product. It is clearly aimed at the professionals. Even in the name, designed for a "Studio" environment. The big question is will Apple release a prosumer desktop Apple Silicon Mac? I think we all hope so but only time will tell.

 

[ian87w]

People need to realise this

iMac Pro - essentially replaced by the low end Studio. With even beefier options available.

Low and Mid tier 27 inch iMac - Not replaced by anything. It is effectively the M1 Pro of the lineup.
You can not get this in the All in One form factor or in the Mini plus screen form factor.

Some people just want a little more than the base M1 and 32GB/64GB RAM. You can not get that without going to the M1 Max of the Studio which is complete overkill.

We also need to realise the the Studio is not a prosumer product. It is clearly aimed at the professionals. Even in the name, designed for a "Studio" environment. The big question is will Apple release a prosumer desktop Apple Silicon Mac? I think we all hope so but only time will tell.

Maybe that's intentional. Apple is all about upselling, and right now, for Apple, larger things means more expensive premium products. Also the reason we will never see a 15" Macbook Air. Many people would love a larger screen laptop, but have no need for the horse power of the M1 Pro/Max. But with Apple, you have to go all the way to the 16" Macbook Pro if you want a larger screen than the 13" Macbook Air.

 

[Souponastick270]

I was disappointed by what was announced - I was hoping for a nice 27”-32”, 4k/4.5k/5k display, AIO in Space Grey with some sort of combo of M1/M1 Pro/M1 Max to replace my late 2012 21” iMac

Now I’ll probably wait and see if the Mac Mini gets the M1 Pro/Max or see how the M2 chip performs then get a 32” 4K monitor for a third of the price of Apples new 27”…

 

[Y014951]

Somehow it's sad to see the 27" iMac go although I still have no reason to replace my mid 2010 iMac. When I bought it, I did some amateurish video creation but that was a hobby that I have left behind long ago. Today I only use it for some light office tasks and it is still okay for my current needs (although the boot time is soooo 2010! ?)

On the go my mid 2015 15" MacBook Pro (base model) still offers more power than I need and it offers the option to use my old iMac as a screen for this MacBook. When I bought it, the screen size was my only reason to get the 15" MBP. I may WANT a new MacBook Pro and/or a new big iMac but (somehow unfortunately) I'm lacking the need for new devices. ?

I think I will go for the Studio Display and a base model MacBook Pro 16" (again, just because of the screen size) when the time to replace my current devices comes. Regarding the processing-power of the current lineup, even the entry-level M1 devices provide way more than I need.

 

[iSayuSay]

Also worth noting for all the "I don't know why anyone would go for an all in one" comments. The iMac defined Apple. It completely changed the course of history for the company and for competing computers…

Same thing can be said about iPods? Yet Apple didn’t hesitate to slash it down to a mere iPod Touch with barely functional A10 chip, which you can barely find on their online store or website.

 

[stocklen]

I would love the M1 iMac as well. If only Apple made a pre-configured model with 16GB of RAM. 8GB is no longer enough even for typical office tasks.

"typical office tasks" ?!

I have the 8gb MacBook Pro M1, and the 8gb 24" iMac M1.....

both have "only 8gb" RAM... and I throw a LOT at them. The MacBook is my business machine and I have 6 desktops open, with about 10 apps running simultaneously all day every day... on top of that i jump into pages, number etc and even at 8GB its NEVER skipped a beat at all.

Im surprised you think 8 isnt enough but even more surprised that you think its not enough for "typical office tasks" - what type of office do you work in!?!

 

[Phil77354]

Thats what I did, though I came to the conclusion that there probably wouldn't be an affordable 27" replacement forthcoming a while ago and took the plunge.

The reality is that the M1 is SO powerful (we are tending to forget this with all the attention on the way-overpowered for average consumer Pro, Max, and Ultra variants) that its all you could need for a long time to come.

The 24 is great - and you really wont notice the loss of 3" of screen.

My other thought was that given Apples pricing.... IF they ever did release a '30" iMac' it would almost certainly be a replacement for the deceased iMacPRO and not be aimed at consumers any more AND have a +£2,000 price tag to match.

Seems to me that the studio and studio display are definitely aimed at the pro market and replacing the iMac Pro for sure.

Enjoy your 24" iMac... you'll love it
Lots of colour choice - my only complaint is that most of us have an iMac against a wall so never really get to appreciate the colour choice once its out the box and on the desk.

Completely agree. And you make an important point regarding the capability of the M1, particularly for the kinds of things I will be doing with my computer. You're also right, if Apple brings out a larger iMac in another year or so, it'll be more expensive (of course) and more than I need.

My 27" iMac was $2999 plus tax in December 2014, with 16GB RAM and 500 GB SSD. I plan to order the 24" with either 1 or 2 GB SSD and the same 16 GB RAM sometime in the next day or two. I expect it to be cheaper than I paid over 7 years ago, and I'll end up with a much more capable computer. Now THAT is progress!

 

[the8thark]

Same thing can be said about iPods? Yet Apple didn’t hesitate to slash it down to a mere iPod Touch which you can barely find it on their online store or website.

Jobs literally killed the iPod though on the day he said
"we have 3 devices, a Phone, an iPod and a revolutionary internet device"
That ended up being not 3 devices but one single iPhone as we all know.

The iPod had its replacement product in the iPhone. The mid tier desktop Mac does not yet have a replacement.

 

[Phil77354]

I would love the M1 iMac as well. If only Apple made a pre-configured model with 16GB of RAM. 8GB is no longer enough even for typical office tasks.

Why not simply order the configuration you want? That is what I plan to do.

 

[femike]

Personally I really hate iMac as a product. All-in-one computer is the worst of both worlds. It has to be thin it's incapable to handle the heat of desktop chips and/or graphics so it must do with some laptop parts. But it's not really portable either since it has 24" display or more, and you have to plug it in all the time? I don't know why anyone would pick an iMac over a true desktop, or a laptop.

I've been burned buying an 27" iMac once for various problems it had, I'm glad that Apple decides to keep display and Mac separate despite some of its usual quirks (i.e you need a Mac to use the Studio Display to its fullest potential), but it's a nice change of direction.

Totally agree. From my point of view, iMac is a bad product for the consumer and the environment.

 

[Pezimak]

I think the iMac Pro is finished and won’t return as the Mac Studio has replaced it, but I do think they will introduce a larger consumer iMac. As it seemed to be a popular choice for purchasers.
I think it will just be a bigger version of the current iMac 24”.

IMO Apples computer lineup is back to being pretty good. The Mac Mini offered with up to the Pro chip, the iMac may even get the same option? Or it will be the default all in one with an Apple SOC.
the Mac Studio being a very good compact pro machine.
Then the Mac Pro with whatever they do with it, hopefully it’ll be the expandable solution but that remains to be seen.

Then you have the MacBook Air, low end compact portable, 13” MacBook Pro being the budget machine with more ports. Then the 14 and 16” MacBook Pro’s for the power if you need it and ports.

It has certainly gone from a bit of a troubled boring lineup to an exciting performance orientated lineup over the last couple of years. I only hope the sales reflect the investment Apples made into its computer line.

 

[Sinfonist]

Apples point of view - why sell a 27" iMac for £2000 when i can sell the Box for £2000 then sell the keyboard and touchpad for £200 then a display for £1800.....

(prices are guesses as i can't view the pricing on the apple site as its restricted at the minute showing preorders opening in a few hours - the point is though, apple can get away with charging more and they will)

And the answer is: Pro gear versus Consumer gear

Why sell one offering when you can sell two. Pros will like the greater expandibility/choice (or may be given more memory, CPU and SSD options), consumers may like the all-in-one packaging, simplicity, design and lower price.

After all, there's still a Mac mini as well as an iMac...

 

[ian87w]

Why not simply order the configuration you want? That is what I plan to do.

In my country, Apple doesn't offer BTO option, only pre-configured base models.

 

[Phil77354]

In my country, Apple doesn't offer BTO option, only pre-configured base models.

Ah, that is a shame. Sorry!

 

[opeter]

Maybe that's intentional. Apple is all about upselling, and right now, for Apple, larger things means more expensive premium products. Also the reason we will never see a 15" Macbook Air. Many people would love a larger screen laptop, but have no need for the horse power of the M1 Pro/Max. But with Apple, you have to go all the way to the 16" Macbook Pro if you want a larger screen than the 13" Macbook Air.

I think the Macbook line will also get consolidated. 13" (Air), 14", 16". I have a feeling, the Macbook Pro 13" will soon be EOLed.

 

[ian87w]

"typical office tasks" ?!

I have the 8gb MacBook Pro M1, and the 8gb 24" iMac M1.....

both have "only 8gb" RAM... and I throw a LOT at them. The MacBook is my business machine and I have 6 desktops open, with about 10 apps running simultaneously all day every day... on top of that i jump into pages, number etc and even at 8GB its NEVER skipped a beat at all.

Im surprised you think 8 isnt enough but even more surprised that you think its not enough for "typical office tasks" - what type of office do you work in!?!

Typical office task is no longer having just a single excel/word open. It's Word, Powerpoint, Excel, each with maybe dozens of large documents open, PDFs, a web browser with dozens or more tabs with notifications, all those cloud syncing applets, email, zoom/webex/skype, any sort of accounting/proprietary company app, VPN/company monitoring app, etc all at the same time.

On my 2012 mac mini with just 8GB of RAM, I only have a browser with 5 tabs, a word and an excel documents opened, Apple mail, Onedrive and Google drive applets, and it already used up 10GB of RAM total (RAM + swap).

You're not experiencing slowdowns probably because the SSD is fast enough. But doesn't mean 8GB is "enough."

 

[macgabe]

That's completely true

 

[pilotsean]

It is interesting that the current iMac is listed on Apple’s website as “iMac 24 in.” Why name it that if was going to be the only size?