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In a way, Apple have tied their own hands by making the M1 non-upgradable. They have to continue supporting it for years, which means they are somewhat constrained by their own decision to release an 8Gb base version.

OS X had a minimum RAM requirement of 2GB since OS X Lion. It took 8 years for them to up the minimum RAM to 4GB. Even if they double it quicker for some reason this time around and 8GB becomes the minimum (when was the last time they actually sold a machine with 4GB base RAM?) - they'd have to increase the requirement again before it becomes an issue. The machines will be constrained by the M1 processor long before that.
 
when was the last time they actually sold a machine with 4GB base RAM?
As recently as October 2018, just 2.5 years ago, when the 2014 1.4GHz dual-core i5 model was discontinued. Soldered and unupgradeable, it's measly 4Gb RAM is only made worse by the pitiful 5400rpm spinner inside. And, yes, due it being left to rot on sale for far too long, it officially runs Big Sur.
 
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Next generation m-series CPU chips are supposed to start shipping in July.
It would probably take an additional 30-60 days to get production iMacs started using them.

So... looks like September/October for the "larger-screen" iMac to begin shipping, at least in limited quantities.

I reckon almost all the design work has already been done on these (probably done alongside of the 24" m1 models), and the production equipment will be ready-to-go before too long.

However, it looks like the upcoming "redesigned" 14" and 16" MacBook Pros have run into some "glitches" (perhaps with sufficient production of the displays?). Now the rumor is that they won't start shipping "in quantity" until early next year...
 
In a way, Apple have tied their own hands by making the M1 non-upgradable. They have to continue supporting it for years, which means they are somewhat constrained by their own decision to release an 8Gb base version.
No they don't. They will make sure it will look like they support them... but it will be like a 5 years old iPhone.

And developers will be too, not because they'll be under threat of class-action lawsuits for building planned obsolescence into their product, as Apple will, but because the market of Mac users will contain a very large number of 8Gb systems. Too big and profitable a market to ignore.

If there is one thing that I hope the M1 can achieve, at least in part, it is the inexorable bloating of OS, software and web development.
Developers who? Those guys who make a 500 MB "hello world" app and call it an achievement?
We are at a point in history when you can't skimp on RAM, because desktop development is moving from traditional and lightweight languages and frameworks into heavier and slower stuff (read: js, html and css) *
Metrics clearly shows how 8 GB are filled pretty quickly in everyday usage already. A fast SSD won't save you - in fact, you're the one killing it, and the smaller the worse.

This is the biggest load of bollocks I've ever read on here, and that's saying something...
Ok, maybe not "happily", but they do run decently. There are still tons of Core 2 Duos out there doing their work, especially those with an SSD. Last year charities gave out tons of them for remote learning, ditching Pentium 4s only because they couldn't do video well.

* Please don't start a discussion on this, it's off topic
 
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The only reason this hasn't been the case in the past is Intel's feet-dragging on its cycles. Apple would always have liked to integrate new chips on an annual basis, in which case we'd always have been in this situation (which, as others have pointed out, doesn't remotely matter. The M1 remains an amazing chip regardless of when the M2 comes out.)
 
In three years, the new macOS will make M1 feel "laggy" and "choppy", if not outright "buggy".

In five years, the new macOS won't support them anymore, youtubers will suggest to just buy a new one anyway because "look how fast they are", and will be relegated to grandma's facebook machines. Also, they will start to fail in numbers, and being so difficult to repair, they will end up in landfills.

In seven years, they won't get security updates any more, websites and apps will stop supporting them, and even the last die-hard owners will secretly crave a new one.
I learned early on to stop updating operating systems after a certain point, as they’re inevitably optimised for newer, faster devices.

My iPad 2 was reduced to a doorstop when I stupidly updated to the final iOS version it supported. Totally unusable. Same thing with my 2012 MBP with a mechanical HD. I fixed that by adding an SSD, but I’ve kept that on High Sierra. Runs absolutely fine, no issues at all.

I’ll do the same with my 16” MBP, since that’ll be left behind when they drop Intel support.

Yes it would be great to have the latest system features and security, but experience has shown me that a crippled device is worse.
 
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OP is right by the way - there’s a very good chance that Apple’s laptop computers will outperform this desktop computer within 6 months. That‘s a hard pill to swallow, and doesn’t exactly endear themselves to anyone but those that diefy the most profit-driven company that’s ever existed. We‘ll soon see their product roadmap, but if this is what Apple ends up doing it’s pretty irresponsible and consumer hostile on their part.
Why is it so hard? Will your computer stop working as soon as the newer model comes out? Will it become slow? Will the reasons why you bought it at the first place be gone?
Wait 12 months and the next iteration will be even faster. With this kind of thinking you will never be happy with your computers. There will always be something faster and better.
 
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I brought the Mac Mini M1 8GB and Yes even tho it performs like a champ my overall user experience was trash. 8Gb was constantly paging out, Non Native apps take ages to load and hang, many 3rd party plugin dont work at all. So unless you just use Apple Apps and dont rely on 3rd party plugins then the current M1 Macs are amazing or else do what I did just yesterday and buy the high end iMac 2020 and get on with your work. Its a great machine.
 
These are powerful, very unique looking devices that will no doubt serve their purpose for years to come, BUT... we're already halfway through the M1 processor cycle. As early as this summer we will most likely start seeing the M2 so this next gen MBP (and possibly MBA) will outperform the just released iMac just a few months after release... Thoughts?

Side note: I'm WELL AWARE that "something better is always around the corner". But that better thing is like RIGHT around the corner...
Josh, all M1 Macs outperformed almost all Intel Macs except say the iMac Pro & Mac Pro.

When the M1x or M2 Macs come out these will cost considerably more than any M1 Mac sold today.

So you have to ask yourself this. Will you not complain about the higher price?

Just skimming off some choice threads you see a litany of complaints about how "expensive" the M1 is right now.

I expect the M1 Macs to be updated by as early as November.
 
These are powerful, very unique looking devices that will no doubt serve their purpose for years to come, BUT... we're already halfway through the M1 processor cycle. As early as this summer we will most likely start seeing the M2 so this next gen MBP (and possibly MBA) will outperform the just released iMac just a few months after release... Thoughts?

Side note: I'm WELL AWARE that "something better is always around the corner". But that better thing is like RIGHT around the corner...
If the M1 chips were only as fast as the Intel ones they were replacing then that would be a concern, but the truth is they're a massive leap forwards for the majority of users. You only have to look at the reviews to see how how highly praised all the M1 machines have been.

Outside of this type of forum, a lot of people won't have any idea about the next chips coming down the line (nor care) and the truth is, they can now buy an iMac which will last a very long time and is much more powerful than the one its replaced.
 
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I learned early on to stop updating operating systems after a certain point, as they’re inevitably optimised for newer, faster devices.

My iPad 2 was reduced to a doorstop when I stupidly updated to the final iOS version it supported. Totally unusable. Same thing with my 2012 MBP with a mechanical HD. I fixed that by adding an SSD, but I’ve kept that on High Sierra. Runs absolutely fine, no issues at all.

I’ll do the same with my 16” MBP, since that’ll be left behind when they drop Intel support.

Yes it would be great to have the latest system features and security, but experience has shown me that a crippled device is worse.
I reckon they have already crippled the 16" with bootcamp.

Mine constantly goes to a black screen now when rebooting from bootcamp to macOS. Never did before.......

funny how all of a sudden it has become gimped. Must be a new one on the horizon :).
 
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I reckon they have already crippled the 16" with bootcamp.

Mine constantly goes to a black screen now when rebooting from bootcamp to macOS. Never did before.......

funny how all of a sudden it has become gimped. Must be a new one on the horizon :).
Really? Blimey. I’m still a few versions behind on mine. No problems so far (touch wood), though I don’t use Bootcamp.

Hmm, I wouldn't recommeng going online with anything less than the latest security updates...
Quite often security issues are introduced with an OS or browser update itself, which are then patched.

I totally agree with keeping everything secure and updated and wouldn’t recommend anyone did the same as I do. I keep everything updated for a number of years, and only ‘freeze’ them when they’re replaced with a new device, and not in regular use. I don’t tend to sell old devices, so it’s a good way to keep them running for a few more years. So for example my MBP 2012 running High Sierra is used for music production, but kept offline.

The ‘freezing’ I do is more for iOS devices though, rather than Mac OS, as you can’t roll back to a previous iOS version if there’s a problem with the new one.
 
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OP is right by the way - there’s a very good chance that Apple’s laptop computers will outperform this desktop computer within 6 months. That‘s a hard pill to swallow, and doesn’t exactly endear themselves to anyone but those that diefy the most profit-driven company that’s ever existed. We‘ll soon see their product roadmap, but if this is what Apple ends up doing it’s pretty irresponsible and consumer hostile on their part.
Yes, but the smaller iMacs were always lower spec'ed than the big ones. And the new big iMac will have the new, more powerful Apple chip.

The only reason why it's strange that the laptops with the new Apple chip will be faster than the 24" desktop with the M1, is because we are used to Intel's desktop/mobile chip paradigm. Mobile = slow, desktop = fast. So low end desktop = faster than high end laptop. But with Apple getting rid of the difference between the two, high end = fast, no matter if it's desktop or laptop.

I'm typing this on my 64GB/2TB 16" that I would not have bought if a 16GB/2TB M1 MBP had been available in April 2020. But it's darn fast and capable, even now that I'm starting music production. Aside from the heat problems, it's a keeper. On the other hand, I'm seriously considering the new 30" iMac with apple silicon for music production instead of just adding an external monitor, because I have a feeling it will be a better choice in the long run.
 
Yes, but the smaller iMacs were always lower spec'ed than the big ones. And the new big iMac will have the new, more powerful Apple chip.

The only reason why it's strange that the laptops with the new Apple chip will be faster than the 24" desktop with the M1, is because we are used to Intel's desktop/mobile chip paradigm. Mobile = slow, desktop = fast. So low end desktop = faster than high end laptop. But with Apple getting rid of the difference between the two, high end = fast, no matter if it's desktop or laptop.

I'm typing this on my 64GB/2TB 16" that I would not have bought if a 16GB/2TB M1 MBP had been available in April 2020. But it's darn fast and capable, even now that I'm starting music production. Aside from the heat problems, it's a keeper. On the other hand, I'm seriously considering the new 30" iMac with apple silicon for music production instead of just adding an external monitor, because I have a feeling it will be a better choice in the long run.
Yeah, I’ll be keeping my 16” MBP until it gives up the ghost. Even if updates slow it down, the screen is amazing, and I doubt I’ll be spending this much on another laptop again.

Worth checking software/hardware compatibility if you’re going to be making music on an M1 - I notice NI’s Reaktor for example isn’t compatible, which is an issue for me. But on the plus side, some of the £3k’s worth of music apps I have might be!
 
The only reason why it's strange that the laptops with the new Apple chip will be faster than the 24" desktop with the M1, is because we are used to Intel's desktop/mobile chip paradigm. Mobile = slow, desktop = fast. So low end desktop = faster than high end laptop. But with Apple getting rid of the difference between the two, high end = fast, no matter if it's desktop or laptop.
This, right here, this is it. Apart from heat emission and power consumption there's really no compelling reason why a laptop chip should be any slower than a desktop chip. For decades we've been told and taught that low-power laptop CPUs will have to require performance compromises in order to fit the thermal and power budgets required for portable devices. Achieving desktop-class performance on a truly portable device was impossible, and everybody agreed that it couldn't be done - until someone came along who wasn't aware of that and just did it.
 
I don't think it's right round the corner for this class of device. The M1 was only released at the end of 2020 and has just been released on the iPad which will have at least a year until a refresh.

We may see an M1X or M2 but it will either be in a new MacBook Pro or iMac Pro. Also Apple usually has longer refresh cycles on Macs.

I can see the M1 being around for some time.
Bloomberg also says that a bigger iMac is also in development, but work on the larger model was paused months ago so Apple could focus on launching the 24-inch iMac.
I think this is very likely that Apple prioritize the consumer edition of iMac to get out first as with Air, Mac Mini, and 13” MBP that all use the M1. IMHO the M2 macs are a lot closer then you think, and likely Sept/Oct.
 
It doesn't matter whether there will be an "M2" in September/October/November. What matters is whether there will be a refreshed entry-level 24" iMac containing an M2 in September/October/November. I seriously doubt there will be; the last time Apple refreshed an iMac model in less than one year's time was 2015.

If I were to purchase one of these new iMacs today I would not be disappointed that there's a new MBA or MBP with M2 in October. For me, a laptop is no substitute for a desktop. The functionality of an AIO desktop - ergonomics, display size, etc. is far more important than whether it has the latest bit of silicon. I don't ask a lot of the processor, so a bump up in processor performance isn't worth waiting for - I certainly wouldn't put off that purchase for an entire year waiting for the next refresh.

I happen to be waiting for the 27-30" iMac - I don't want a display that's smaller than what I have today. I'll be pleased if it has an M1X, M2, or whatever, simply because I'd expect the design will be more mature. I'll be pleased if it supports dual external displays (although I don't have need for dual external displays). I'll be pleased if it has 16 GB RAM (not that anything I've seen so far suggests I'll need more than 8 GB).... Basically, the idea that it'll be "better" is more important than whether I really need "better."
 
These are powerful, very unique looking devices that will no doubt serve their purpose for years to come, BUT... we're already halfway through the M1 processor cycle. As early as this summer we will most likely start seeing the M2 so this next gen MBP (and possibly MBA) will outperform the just released iMac just a few months after release... Thoughts?

Side note: I'm WELL AWARE that "something better is always around the corner". But that better thing is like RIGHT around the corner...
This is why I went with the Mac Mini since I already had a monitor. If you are asking about the upgrade cycle for the CPU in an iMac I don't think you are the target market IMO.
 
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I reckon they have already crippled the 16" with bootcamp.

Mine constantly goes to a black screen now when rebooting from bootcamp to macOS. Never did before.......

funny how all of a sudden it has become gimped. Must be a new one on the horizon :).
I think you're reading too much into that.
 
My issue is with the color scheme, no apple logo on that huge chin and not using the huge chin to have some more speaker buried under or within it. Also the poor value that the base model represents. I would really have to need an iMac to get this current generation M1 or not.
 
My issue is with the color scheme, no apple logo on that huge chin and not using the huge chin to have some more speaker buried under or within it. Also the poor value that the base model represents. I would really have to need an iMac to get this current generation M1 or not.
Wait what? Aren’t there 6 speakers? And you’re complaining they didn’t add more? How do you even know they could fit more?
 
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