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iMac update soon?
- Thread starter jclin10
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Maybe, maybe not. They launched the M2 on the laptops first, then the iPads, then just last week, the Mac mini. No reason to think they are done launching new M2 products - there'll probably be an M2 iPad Air at some point too, at least.
There must be some logic behind this - maybe there is a finite amount of M2 production capacity and they are picking the most strategically-important/profitable/etc first? Maybe the highest volume products first?
What was the order with M1? Laptops/mini, then iPad Pro/iMac, then a year later, iPad Air? But with M1, they needed to have at least some desktop option for developers who had to return their DTKs...
You hit it on the head. Product release is supply chain driven based on consumer demand. The highest volume/most profitable gets the latest release 1st. When excess capacity becomes available then the chip finds itself into unexpected places
For the M1
All in Nov 2000
- Macbook Air
- Mac mini
- Macbook Pro 13"
All in May 2021
- iMac 24"
- iPad Pro 11"/12.9"
All in Mar 2022
- iPad Air
For the M2
All in Jun 2022
- Macbook Air
- Macbook Pro 13"
All in Oct 2022
- iPad Pro 11"/12.9"
All in Jan 2023
- Mac mini
I think the 2022 Mac mini was delayed for these reasons
- supply chain constraints on M2 parts
- Apple wanted to introduce the Mac mini with both M2 & M2 Pro chips in late 2022 like say Oct/Nov 2022.
Latest die shrink tech will always be used with iPhone chips 1st before Mac chips. So a 3nm M3 chip will come months after a 3nm A17 Bionic chip.
If it did, my guess would be April or May. I have not seen many new products come from WWDC in recent years, at least major ones.
Personally, I'm hoping that with the introduction of the M2 Pro in the Mac mini, Apple will offer the same option for a refreshed iMac this spring, almost exactly at the 2 year mark since the M1 model's debut.
While I don't need a more powerful machine for my lazy, everyday use at home, a yellow iMac with M2 Pro and 32GB of RAM would be a tempting purchase, and one I'd likely invest in without a second though. Much to the detriment of my wallet.
While I don't need a more powerful machine for my lazy, everyday use at home, a yellow iMac with M2 Pro and 32GB of RAM would be a tempting purchase, and one I'd likely invest in without a second though. Much to the detriment of my wallet.
I could copy and paste this with orange instead of yellow
Have been wanting a "Pro" chip in the iMac since the MBPs came out in 2021 - would be an awesome machine. Feel like it will push the thermals to the limit but I'd take some more fan noise/a bit of throttling for the extra performance. Maybe more realistic when the M3 Pro is out given the likely 3nm die shrink/greater efficiency?Hoping it'll be soon though!
I hate apples release strategy. It’s ridiculous that the mini is now more powerful than the iMac and even most configurations of the studio. I need to get my parents a new iMac to replace their 2013 that just died but im really struggling to think of buying a 2 year old iMac
Some dealers have reduce pricing for em
Best iMac Deals for December 2024
When it comes to the iMac, Apple's focus has shifted to the M4 iMac. At the current time, the M4 iMac comes in one size option, 24-inch, and an...
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I am so ready for a iMac 27" replacement.
Me too
Preferably a 32 inch one super slim and super quiet , maybe even bigger ?
Preferably a 32 inch one super slim and super quiet , maybe even bigger ?
Pushes base model price of 2020 iMac 27" of $2k to $3k or more for the iMac 32" 6K
I’d love to replace my tv with an iMac 🖥️
Maybe that’ll be the mythical real Apple TV they’ve been working on for so long ?
Maybe that’ll be the mythical real Apple TV they’ve been working on for so long ?
Odds are if I did not buy a 2015 Google Nexus 6P with an AMOLED display I would not have bought the 2016 LG B6 OLED 4K TV.
So my iMac would have remained my "TV" until now.
I hadn't even thought of it that way. I don't think the Mac mini has ever been more powerful than the iMac, especially in base configurations. It's kind of sad, but I think that rumor about an M3 model in the Fall is starting to make more and more sense. And Apple only seems to be updating the smaller iMac every 2 years (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021). I consider the 24" a "small" model because I do think eventually a larger one is coming.
What would your parents do that a 24" iMac won't be able to handle well for several more years? I think people need to look at these computers for how they actually perform rather than how "old" they are
It's also possible that it will get the M2 right before the M3 is released in other products. Hoping not, though.
M2 has been a little underwhelming, so I'm guessing any Mac device from this point on will have the M3 chips.
Thus, given that iMacs are due an update, you can take it to the bank that Apple will introduce a new iMac Pro or Mac Pro before an updated iMac.
Thus, given that iMacs are due an update, you can take it to the bank that Apple will introduce a new iMac Pro or Mac Pro before an updated iMac.
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Amen! Hope if we don't get the M2 Pro then we'll get the M3 Pro in the fall/early 2024...
Imo we seem to be skipping the M2 (no idea why) but I’m expecting M3 Mac’s to start appearing in October/November, so a lengthy wait. If you buy the current one and BTO the 16gb of ram then it should last a long time. Even my 8gb model has been fine for simple stuff
I think it’s also useful to see how Apple updated the iMac before the transition. The reason being: we know there was no major bottlenecks like the pandemic and chip shortages. Intel always had new chips every year appropriate for the iMac. So we can assume their release cadence pre-2019 was likely mostly unobstructed.
With that in mind:
2015 - new imac
2016 - nothing
2017 - new imac
2018 - nothing
2019 - new imac
2020 - nothing (small 27” update)
2021 - new imac
2022 - nothing
It seems Apple started to prefer a 2 year cadence for the iMac starting in 2015. Of course I’m not saying this means 2023 should get a new iMac - because I think TSMC and Apple are behind schedule. I think had everything gone to plan, we should have seen an iMac this year. Maybe that’s still possible. But I think Apple is waiting for M3. TSMC is very quickly ramping up 3nm chips, and according to their roadmap, they plan to be off 5nm chips by 2024.
I don’t think Apple is always going to update every Mac on every generation. I think apple will always update the MacBooks every generation, but desktops will depend on the year. Here is how I think their chip candenxe will go, and I suspect iMac will be updated on odd-numbered generations only.
M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra
M2, M2 Pro, M2 Max
M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max, M3 Ultra, M3 Extr
M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max
M5, M5 Pro, M5 Max, M5 Ultra, M5 Extr
M6, M6 Pro, M6 Max
M7, M7 Pro, M7 Max, M7 Ultra, M7 Extr
Just my theory!