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Mini-LED iMac Pro to Launch in Mid-2022, Not Expected at Spring Event

now i see it said:
Well SOMETHING has to be revealed at the Spring event …. So a new faster M1/Pro/Max Mac Mini looks even more possible……….
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Well since the M1 was based on iPhone 12's A14, and A15 came out w the iPhone 13 last year, then presumably the M2 would be based on the A15? I've heard a rumour that M-series might not be a 1 year cycle, but it seems simple and easy to me to make it a 1 year cycle, and produce annual Mac updates with only minor updates. Easy work to generate sales to the upgrade addicted.
 
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sideshowuniqueuser said:
Why do they even make an 8GB model? Nothing but bad publicity for the lack of upgradeability, as everyone suffers the buyer's remorse of discovering too late, that 8GB just doesn't cut it on M1. Back in the good old days, you could just slot in an extra 8GB, but now the only way to do it is to trade it for a new machine. And ouch, what a whoppingly expensive and time consuming 8GB that turns out to be! And why do people even buy the 8GB model in the first place? Because of the insane Apple Tax they whack on top of the 16GB option.

I am still rocking my 2015 15" Retina MBP (a brilliant, but aging machine), and look at the new 16" M1 MBP's with lust, but the Apple tax they throw onto the 32GB/2T model makes my eyes water. So I wait patiently, and meanwhile, my current machine chugs on, happily handling everything I throw at it, all day long, day in, day out. Long may it reign.
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To be fair. Intel 8 GB isn’t the same as Apple Silicon 8 GB.
 
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sideshowuniqueuser said:
Why do they even make an 8GB model? Nothing but bad publicity for the lack of upgradeability, as everyone suffers the buyer's remorse of discovering too late, that 8GB just doesn't cut it on M1. Back in the good old days, you could just slot in an extra 8GB, but now the only way to do it is to trade it for a new machine. And ouch, what a whoppingly expensive and time consuming 8GB that turns out to be! And why do people even buy the 8GB model in the first place? Because of the insane Apple Tax they whack on top of the 16GB option.

I am still rocking my 2015 15" Retina MBP (a brilliant, but aging machine), and look at the new 16" M1 MBP's with lust, but the Apple tax they throw onto the 32GB/2T model makes my eyes water. So I wait patiently, and meanwhile, my current machine chugs on, happily handling everything I throw at it, all day long, day in, day out. Long may it reign.
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Can’t claim to be an expert here, but from all I’ve read the M1 unified memory swaps data more efficiently than on Intel-based machines, meaning that 8GB of RAM will handle pretty much all that a non-pro user is likely to chuck at it. Like the new M1Pro MPBs, the 27-inch iMac (the ‘pro’ model I and many others here are holding out for) will almost certainly have a base RAM of 16GB, which will be hellish faster than my current maxed-out 32GB 2014 iMac.

But yes, I miss the days when you could just flip open the slot and bung in some cheap DDR3 RAM from Crucial...
 
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StupidOpinion said:
this is true, but it's hard to compare the two. intel 16gb is still better than m1 8gb.
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Even with the M1's SSD access at close to 3,000 Mbps, the newer M1 Pro/Max do close to 5,000 Mbps. So when exceed your limited 8GB Ram limits its almost like the iMacs SSD as fast as RAM. Still its common sense to install enough memory so you don't always see the memory pressure going yellow or red because you now have to make use of your SSD all the time in place of actual RAM. What I am implying is shortening the SSD life expectancy by constant swap used because you chose only 8GB and your OS uses a couple of GB of that.
 
Well then, IT’S OFFICIAL: The spring event will be a snooze. The least capable iPhone, a spec bump on the middle iPad, and spec bump on a screenless Mac. Looks like it’s WWDC or bust!
 
So many rumors...
  • It will be 27 inches. No, 32 inches. Well, 28-29 inches. No, 27 inches was right the first time.
  • It will have MiniLED. No, it will have the same edge-lit panel as the current iMac 5K. No, it really will have MiniLED.
  • It will have M1 Pro. It will have M1 Max. It will have M1 Max Duo (Jade2C-Die). It will have a new M1 ProMax SoC with 12 CPU cores.
  • It will only be an iMac Pro and cost $3000 and up. No, it will be an (Apple Silicon) iMac 5K and cost $2000 and up.
I'm fortunate to be able to just wait it out since I bought a 2020 iMac and a 2021 MacBook Pro 14 late last year so I'm good for the next half-decade. :)
 
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ikir said:
Still less than any other iMac and all in one PCs. MacBook Pro have been incredible, beating even the few oled PC notebooks. Users will always going in paranoia mode.
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MacBook Pro screens are incredible because of the number of local dimming zones. If you put a bigger screen with less local dimming zones, blooming can only be worse. It's not paranoia, it's maths. And I have both the M1 iPad Pro and the latest MacBook Pro, I love them. I only state the obvious
 
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CWallace said:
So many rumors...
  • It will be 27 inches. No, 32 inches. Well, 28-29 inches. No, 27 inches was right the first time.
  • It will have MiniLED. No, it will have the same edge-lit panel as the current iMac 5K. No, it really will have MiniLED.
  • It will have M1 Pro. It will have M1 Max. It will have M1 Max Duo (Jade2C-Die). It will have a new M1 ProMax SoC with 12 CPU cores.
  • It will only be an iMac Pro and cost $3000 and up. No, it will be an (Apple Silicon) iMac 5K and cost $2000 and up.
I'm fortunate to be able to just wait it out since I bought a 2020 iMac and a 2021 MacBook Pro 14 late last year so I'm good for the next half-decade. :)
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My 2019 i9 iMac is pretty much maxed out for me: Vega 48/64GB/1TB SSD and I have a 13” M1 MBP, 8GB/512GB, so I’m pretty much in the same boat. I just have a lot of older macs from 2011-2016 to part with, though.
 
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Apple Knowledge Navigator said:
I just find it hard to believe that Apple could meet that 1,800-2,000 RRP with a device that is, essentially, a much larger MBP.
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It will get a little bit more expensive, more like 2500 $, but not 5000$ as starting price.
Mr. Dee said:
The Mac Pro is such a niche thing. Personally, I deploy computers all day and I am not seeing any need for large towers except for some very narrow use cases.
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The Mac Pro is an image machine for Apple. They make almost no money from the Mac Pro. But with the Mac Pro they keep up an offer for a very important user group: Professionals. Not because of their purchases but because of their recommendations to others. If pro users recommend Macs to others it's much more credible. Also if you find out some piece of art was made by Macs it also shines a good light on Apple. So I suppose we will see a great new Mac Pro at the end of this year to round up the M1 life cycle.
 
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newyorksole said:
I really hope there’s an AFFORDABLE larger iMac. If the Pro is like $2,000ish, ok fine. Old price of $5K? Hell no.
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It probably will not be a direct replacement for the old iMac Pro.

If the "larger screen" iMac starts off with an M1 Pro as its SoC (as opposed to a 'plain' M1) then there is more than decent chance that Apple will take the 'Pro' suffix of the SoC and apply it to the end end of the iMac.

M1 Pro --> iMac Pro

that would actually put some better consistency in their naming.

M1 -> Macbook Air
M1 --> Macbook (drop the Pro)
M1 --> Mini
[ perhaps M1 Pro ---> Mini Pro ]
M1 Pro --> Macbook Pro 14/16
M1 Pro ---> iMac Pro
M1 Max <something > --> Mac Max ( or maybe 'Mac Pro' and pragmatically another reassigning of the meaning of the product name. )


A fully flushed out iMac with M1 Max with all CPU and GPU cores , 3TB SSD , and full 64GB of memory and mini-LED display panel with micro-etched glass... yeah that could very well be back in the 'old' iMac Pro price zone. However, that would be walking up all of the built-to-order options.

But if Apple is going to 'disconnect' the SoC of the 24" and 27" model by SoC suffixes then it doesn't really make sense to keep the names exactly the same anymore.

There isn't much of a good reason to start the larger screen iMac off with an 'plain' M1. If start with a "Pro" suffix on inside than get the suffix on the outside also. [ If there are two Mini's if other people want to mix and match screen sizes ... that would be what those are for. Mini Pro with a 23" screen or Mini with a 27" screen . ]


newyorksole said:
I don’t want to settle for a 24”, but if the only other option is very expensive then no deal.
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It is unlikely that Apple is going to leave some $2-3K sized gap in their overall desktop product line up. ( even more so if upgrade the current Mini chassis to a M1 Pro. Apple likely will want to sell more panels in that price zone even if they open up the door to go "headless". )
 
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Based on the MBP delays in shipment, I expect the iMac pros will follow a similar trajectory. Even the release date slipping into summer is telegraphing there are going to be problems. Apple has lost its MOJO in this regard. I wish it was not so.
 
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Apple Knowledge Navigator said:
There's nothing to suggest Apple couldn't release a 'standard' M1/2 27" iMac at the Spring event, followed up by a 'Pro' model later in the year...
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Nothing? Three pretty crystal clear suggestions.

1. Before the arrival of M-series Apple used a segmentation split the 21.5" and 27" on CPU and/or GPU performance. The smaller screen iMac never had the CPU+GPU combo of the larger. Nor did Apple "shave costs" by throwing the smaller screen model's CPU+GPU combo into a larger screen size. For over a decade Apple has made it not just about screen size but performance. [ That way they can 'walk' users looking for performance into a buying the bigger screen. A tactic they are not likely going to abandon. ]

Putting a M1 in a large screen iMac would be doing a 180 turn on established iMac product segmentation.


2. The Mini is still split on M1 and Intel for the "upper end". Once again Apple has two different performance zones they likely are going to address with the Mini. Otherwise, they could have dumped the Intel variant a while back.
There are rumors of a chomped down ( like the 24" chassis was chopped down) update for the M1 Mini. Split the mini by size and also by performance.


3. Apple's standard modus operandi is to put SoC in a wide variety of products to get economies of scale. M1 already has economies of scale with the MBA , 'low end' MBP , and "small" Mini. Throwing a $2K iMac on top of that isn't going to move the needle much. ( Apple was at over 50% on m-series back when only had the M1 systems in the line up. . Those three models are the volume. ) Whereas for the MBP 14/16" need some "running buddies" to get the SoC unit count up. Adding a 'large screen iMac to the mix would boost those numbers.


A M1 27" would be a backslide on GPU , probably ports , RAM capacity.

If Apple sanctioned a 27" modular display then a M1 Mini and that display would be a 27" option. And if they had a M1 Pro mini then folks could coupled a 24" display to it. Chasing all the permutations and combinations ... there really isn't a good driver for that with an iMac.



P.S. If trying to throw a M1 into a 27" iMac primarily because the screen is 'crazy expensive' there is a shockingly simple to that. If the screen is too expensive... just use a more affordable screen of the same size. Can always make the "crazy expensive' screen a BTO upgrade. Address the 'problem' directly instead of gutting the SoC.
 
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It occurs to me that there is a way to make this consistent with previous rumors. It’s conceivable that Apple could introduce the iMac Pro without mini-LED, as previously rumored, in the spring, then introduce the mini-LED screen as an option during the summer.

In that case, the mini-LED would command a significant price increase over the $2000 base model.

I’m not saying this will happen, just that the pieces fit. Of course, it’s likely that some of the pieces are misshapen.
 
MacRumors said:


Apple's rumored iMac Pro will launch in the summer rather than in the early months of the year, according to display analyst Ross Young.

iMac-Pro-2022-27-and-24-iMac.jpg

Young, who often provides accurate insight into Apple's display plans, said that he no longer expects the iMac Pro to launch in the spring, and that a "summer" launch seems more likely at this point. Panel shipments are expected to begin in June, and a release could follow in August or September.


Back in December, Young said that the iMac Pro with mini-LED display was going to launch in the spring, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman had also floated the machine as a possibility for a spring debut at an event that's expected to take place in March or April.

According to Gurman, Apple's spring event will focus on the iPhone SE with 5G connectivity, a refreshed version of the iPad Air with an updated A-series chip, and at least one new Mac powered by Apple silicon chips. Gurman suggested that this Mac might be either the new mini-LED iMac or the Mac mini, and with Young's new data, it's looking like we might see the new Mac mini ahead of the refreshed iMac if Gurman's information pans out.

Rumors suggest that Apple is working on a 27-inch iMac that will be sold alongside the smaller 24-inch iMac. The new iMac will feature a mini-LED backlight, but Young said today that he believes it will have fewer mini-LED zones than are available in the mini-LED iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models.

The 27-inch iMac is expected to see Apple revive the "iMac Pro" name to distinguish the device from the 24-inch iMac and to bring it in line with the naming of the MacBook Pro models. The iMac Pro will include the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that are in the MacBook Pro models, along with a refreshed design that features slimmer black bezels and perhaps new color options.

We have a full rundown on what to expect from the 27-inch iMac Pro coming in 2022 in our iMac Pro guide.

Article Link: Mini-LED iMac Pro to Launch in Mid-2022, Not Expected at Spring Event
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Very underwhelming...'same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips' and a mini-led that will add little bu t bump the price up...may have to look at Mac-mini.
 
Ooofff...
If that's the case a mac mini M1 Max would be even more of a priority now.
 
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