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M3 iMac Rant

T

TrenttonY

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 14, 2012
1,218
1,536
This was going to be my dream machine after a long time of not upgrading. However, the 8/256GB standard, no USB-C accessories, and still charging extra to have Touch ID and a Magic Trackpad really leave a bad taste in my mouth. It seems they just slapped this thing together within the past month, when they had literally two years of planning available.

It should've been 12/320GB, at least for the base model, and 16/512GB for the mid and upper configurations.

They also, at least, could have lowered the price of RAM and SSD upgrades to $100, and not the current stingy price of $200.
 
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RokinAmerica said:
12GB Ram is odd in the era of DDR (double data rate) and I do not think I have seen a 320GB drive in 10, maybe 15 years, other than the one I have from back then. I believe that was a HDD.
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Well, it was rumored that they would be giving us 12GB RAM standard, so I assumed a 320GB SSD would be the matching equivalent.

➡️ EDIT: Judging by the amount of "haha's" I received, I have no idea what I’m talking about, and a 320GB SSD is technically impossible. So I concede for being ignorant on that subject. However, that was the bare minimum number I came up with that Apple would put in the base model, so it gives people a little more storage, but it still gives a reason to spend more on the mid and upper configurations for 512GB. We all know how stingy they are with RAM and SSD’s upgrades…
 
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Compared to my 2020 i7 27' iMac with the 5700 XT Pro graphic card, the new iMacs are a joke. No CPU choice, just the standard M3, up to 24GB RAM, still only 2 standard usb ports. At least my iMac is still a pretty decent gaming computer with the possibility to bootcamp.

I don't know what the new iMac is like for gaming and all, but I still have the feeling my current mac is still an overall better machine with the extra ports as well.
 
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Yup. I have a 27-inch 2019 iMac with i5 9600K chip, 64GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and 8GB of dedicated video/graphics memory. The fanbois will insist even an M1 chip will wipe the floor with my computer. In some ways that’s true but in other ways, it’s not. Overall, I still consider my machine to be better - and it still takes the latest macOS updates. I’m just going to pass on the new iMac. If an M3 Pro chip were offered, I’d consider it. Now, I need think about whether I’m going to wait for an M3 Pro Mac Mini and pair it with a third-party monitor, save up for an Apple Studio and pair it with a Studio Display… or just leave the ecosystem.
 
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macrumor2018 said:
I'm annoyed they didn't release a mouse, trackpad and keyboard with a USB-C port. Anyone guess how long before Apple changes this? Very soon I will have had my current iMac for 10+ years.
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Cook is known as the "king of the supply chain." As soon as existing inventory of Lightning accessories fades down to a level low enough they will sell out without a disruption by offering new USB-C versions, the latter will be available. Offer them now and potentially be stuck with inventory of Lightning stuff. Simple business management.

My guess is that they won't all transition to USB-C at the same time either... only as each hits the thresholds for replacement. Then, they will just quietly switch over one by one.
 
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macrumor2018 said:
Surely before then, given that all keyboards and mice require USB-C ports by the end of next year to be EU compliant. Wouldn't you say?
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EU is not the world. iPhones with SIM cards are still a thing... solid in countries other than the U.S. Apple could comply with EU law by introducing USB-C versions there at the very last minute while still selling out of Lightning inventory everywhere else. Just as there is a SIM card phone, there could have been USB-C phones for the EU while the rest of the world clung to Lightning too.

I believe EU law is also forcing the App Store to be more open. So Apple is making it more open THERE while maintaining the tight lock on it everywhere else. EU will enjoy the benefits of more competition and select app functionality that Apple will not allow in "their" app store, while the rest of the world can continue to let Apple decide all such things for us.

Someone should chime in with "security" etc here... but the EU has not exactly been brought to its knees by insecure third party app availability anymore than we Mac people are wiped out by enjoying the option to buy Mac apps direct from sellers or other sources and install them. Less secure? Yes. Wildly promoting virus, trojans, etc with every download not from the one and only App Store? Nope.
 
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Biro said:
Yup. I have a 27-inch 2019 iMac with i5 9600K chip, 64GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and 8GB of dedicated video/graphics memory. The fanbois will insist even an M1 chip will wipe the floor with my computer. In some ways that’s true but in other ways, it’s not. Overall, I still consider my machine to be better - and it still takes the latest macOS updates. I’m just going to pass on the new iMac. If an M3 Pro chip were offered, I’d consider it. Now, I need think about whether I’m going to wait for an M3 Pro Mac Mini and pair it with a third-party monitor, save up for an Apple Studio and pair it with a Studio Display… or just leave the ecosystem.
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The intel iMac designs were so incredibly classy looking. Still are. I always wanted one and still consider picking one up.

This release from Apple is a joke. Full agree, OP. It seems they slapped it together last week. The color scheme is truly dreadful, and the actual usability and design is so far below the intel ones it’s not funny.

The new Apple Pencil is a step back. These iMacs are a step back. It’s getting a little worrisome to be honest. They’re cheaping out, no thought into products.

When my 2018 Mac mini goes belly up I truly don’t know if I’ll stay with Apple.
 
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LionTeeth said:
The intel iMac designs were so incredibly classy looking. Still are. I always wanted one and still consider picking one up.

This release from Apple is a joke. Full agree, OP. It seems they slapped it together last week. The color scheme is truly dreadful, and the actual usability and design is so far below the intel ones it’s not funny.

The new Apple Pencil is a step back. These iMacs are a step back. It’s getting a little worrisome to be honest. They’re cheaping out, no thought into products.

When my 2018 Mac mini goes belly up I truly don’t know if I’ll stay with Apple.
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I still think intel based macs were better machines than M-series Macs. Those machine were more complete with the possibility of boot camp and was more powerful with dedicated graphic card, ability to add ram by ourselves etc.

Nowadays I have the impression Macs computer are targeted towards creators and photo/video editors more than ever or for those who just want a simple computer for their daily workflow. When the time will come when I'll have to change my computer, I'll probably go back to the PC world. The way mac computers are going isn't what I needed anymore.
 
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avro707 said:
I looked at what the maximum specs on it were and the screen size and rolled my eyes...

Not interested.
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John Termus’ remark in the presentation about the 24” perfectly replacing both the 4k and 5k iMacs seems to indicate no larger iMac is coming any time soon.

I was half expecting an M Pro model, but I guess not. Apple may have made the iMac too thin for that.

HobeSoundDarryl said:
Cook is known as the "king of the supply chain." As soon as existing inventory of Lightning accessories fades down to a level low enough they will sell out without a disruption by offering new USB-C versions, the latter will be available. Offer them now and potentially be stuck with inventory of Lightning stuff. Simple business management.

My guess is that they won't all transition to USB-C at the same time either... only as each hits the thresholds for replacement. Then, they will just quietly switch over one by one.
Click to expand...
This is kind of my guess as well. But hopefully there will be usbc versions released soon and buyers will have the option of either when they check out.

LionTeeth said:
The color scheme is truly dreadful, and the actual usability and design is so far below the intel ones it’s not funny.

The new Apple Pencil is a step back. These iMacs are a step back
Click to expand...
The USBC Apple Pencil is a lower cost option. It’s not supposed to be better than the flagship Pencil 2. (It also doesn’t replace Pencil 1–firstly because Pencil 1 is still for sale, and secondly because Pencil 2 is the replacement for Pencil 1. The only reason Pencil 1 is still being sold is because it’s the only Pencil that the 9th Gen iPad is compatible with—but when that iPad is gone, the Pencil 1 will soon follow.)

These iMacs are a step back from the Intel ones in terms of usability? How so? Performance-wise I thought they are supposed to be much better. They are a step down in size from the 27”, but step up from 21”. Color and design is pretty subjective.
 
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SoYoung said:
I still think intel based macs were better machines than M-series Macs. Those machine were more complete with the possibility of boot camp and was more powerful with dedicated graphic card, ability to add ram by ourselves etc.

Nowadays I have the impression Macs computer are targeted towards creators and photo/video editors more than ever or for those who just want a simple computer for their daily workflow. When the time will come when I'll have to change my computer, I'll probably go back to the PC world. The way mac computers are going isn't what I needed anymore.
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Yeah AS Macs have pretty unapologetically left Bootcamp users behind.
I guess Apple is trying a different approach with GPU. We’ll see where it goes but there are definitely going to be weaknesses for the foreseeable future. Although the new Dynamic Caching feature seems interesting.
Yeah Apple definitely aims for the average buyer with their products. They’ve never really targeted the tinkerers/DIYers, but it does seem even less so over the years. I think the only upgradeable device left is the Mac Pro.
 
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HobeSoundDarryl said:
Cook is known as the "king of the supply chain." As soon as existing inventory of Lightning accessories fades down to a level low enough they will sell out without a disruption by offering new USB-C versions, the latter will be available. Offer them now and potentially be stuck with inventory of Lightning stuff. Simple business management.
Click to expand...
So the "king of the supply chain" is making major product decisions because he has way too much inventory of certain peripherals? That doesn't sound very supply-chain-kingy to me.
 
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Do you think apple will have USB-C keyboards by end of 2024 in any event? Seems a stretch not to. They've done it with just about everything else.
 
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subjonas said:
The USBC Apple Pencil is a lower cost option. It’s not supposed to be better than the flagship Pencil 2. (It also doesn’t replace Pencil 1–firstly because Pencil 1 is still for sale, and secondly because Pencil 2 is the replacement for Pencil 1. The only reason Pencil 1 is still being sold is because it’s the only Pencil that the 9th Gen iPad is compatible with—but when that iPad is gone, the Pencil 1 will soon follow.)
Click to expand...

Gotta correct you there :( The USBC Apple Pencil is not a replacement for the Pencil 1; I don't think. The only iPad that is compatible with both the USBC and the Pencil 1 is the iPad 10th Generation. Excluding that iPad, if an iPad uses the Apple Pencil 1, it can not use the USBC Pencil.
 
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