Previous to March 2022 Apple bought two sizes of its iMac desktop laptop. The smaller mannequin was extra suited to house customers as a result of its much less highly effective processor, whereas the bigger 27-inch mannequin, with extra velocity and higher-end options, was meant to be highly effective sufficient for extra demanding customers.
When Apple launched the 24-inch iMac in 2021 with a colourful redesign and M1 chip, it was the start of the tip for the high-end model. First Apple discontinued the iMac Professional, and a yr later launched the Mac Studio with the 27-inch Studio Show in March 2022 and discontinued the 27-inch iMac on the similar time.
However the story doesn’t finish there. Ever because it was retired, there have been rumors that Apple has plans to introduce a brand new model of the iMac Professional that may additionally mark the return of the 27-inch iMac–though it may have a fair larger display, maybe 32-inches! On this article, we’ll consider the studies that recommend that Apple may revive the previous model with a brand-new iMac Professional. Learn on to search out out when it may launch and what options it’d provide.
Is there even a necessity for a brand new iMac Professional now the Mac Studio has arrived? We expect there’ll all the time be room for a professional desktop with a big display in-built. See: How the iMac Professional may come out of retirement to dominate the desktop.
Replace October 20: Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple is engaged on a “higher-end” iMac with a 32-inch mini-LED show, however it might not launch till 2025.
Is a brand new 27-inch iMac Professional popping out?
The rumors that Apple would revive the iMac Professional have been circulating for years. Again in October 2021, in a tweet that’s now not on-line, retired Apple leaker Dylan made predictions about an iMac Professional. Clearly, Dylan was incorrect about this prediction, however even when we low cost him, others have additionally claimed that Apple is engaged on a brand new iMac Professional.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo made predictions a few new iMac Professional again in March 2022. Suggesting that Apple would ship an iMac Professional in 2023. Nonetheless, that prediction got here simply earlier than Apple launched the Mac Studio and eliminated the 27-inch iMac from the lineup.
Kuo had been quiet in regards to the new iMac, till October 18, 2023, when he tweeted {that a} 32-inch iMac may arrive in 2025.
It’s not solely Kuo who sees a bigger iMac in Apple’s future. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in April 2022 (after the launch of the Mac Studio): “For these asking, I nonetheless assume an iMac Professional is coming. It simply gained’t be anytime quickly.”
In June 2023 Gurman talked about the bigger iMac once more in a weekend e-newsletter. He claimed that Apple “can also be conducting early work on an iMac with a display over 30 inches.”
In July 2022 a report on Macrumors, based mostly on data shared by a supply to a discussion board member—so we will’t vouch for its accuracy—advised that “Apple prototyped no less than three bigger iMac fashions with Apple silicon chips” in 2021.
If these studies are true Apple has been engaged on a alternative for the 27-inch iMac (and iMac Professional) for a while, and but nothing has materialized. Evidently there are difficulties which can be resulting in delays. In December 2022, Gurman indicated that the iMac Professional had been delayed, citing (as with the brand new Mac Professional) excessive growth prices and difficulties engineering chips as the reason for the delay. In his first e-newsletter of 2023, Gurman additionally wrote that the iMac Professional “has been on and off Apple’s highway map”, and that “I’d be stunned at this level if it arrives in 2023”.
LeaksApplePro (through Howtoisolve) was extra optimistic, claiming, in January 2023, {that a} new iMac Professional, with M2 Professional and M2 Max processors, could be launched in 2023. This clearly didn’t occur and LeaksApplePro got here below criticism from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who known as him a troll.
Mac Otakara has additionally reported in October 2023 {that a} new iMac with an M2 Professional chip may very well be launched, however the weblog doesn’t cite sources, solely that shipments for the present M1 iMac are delayed.
27-inch iMac Professional: Launch date
When Gurman referred to the large iMac in July he claimed that the 32-inch iMac has entered the early testing part of growth and will launch in late 2024 on the absolute earliest, though we may very well be ready till 2025.
Kuo’s October 2023 tweet additionally signifies that we’d have to attend till 2025.
Earlier than this new iMac with a bigger display seems Apple is predicted to launch an M3-powered iMac, maybe in late 2023 or early 2024.
If the brand new 27-inch iMac (or bigger) arrives in 2025 that can be three years after the equal mannequin was discontinued. That’s an extended hiatus.
27-inch iMac Professional: Design and colours
In a July 31, 2021 e-newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman advised that the brand new iMac Professional could have “an identical design to the present M1 iMac.”
It is sensible that the iMac Professional will borrow a few of its design inspiration from the 24-inch iMac. Apple presents the 24-inch iMac in a number of shade decisions, however there haven’t been studies on what shade decisions Apple will use for the iMac Professional. To create a differentiation between the patron and professional ranges, Apple might resolve on totally different shade decisions as with the iPhone Professional, or keep on with the standard silver like that on the 27-inch iMac or Area Grey as on the discontinued iMac Professional.
One other distinction we may see on the bigger iMac is darkish bezels moderately than a white border across the display. There may additionally be a notch as there may be with the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professional. This might enable Apple to increase the peak of the display because it has with these fashions. We’d additionally prefer to see the iMac Professional lose a few of its “chin.” Based mostly on teardowns of the iMac and the Studio Show, and the low energy and warmth necessities of Apple silicon, a chinless iMac Professional may very well be doable.
The following massive iMac Professional will most likely look nothing like the present 27-inch mannequin (proper) and extra just like the 24-inch iMac (left).
Apple
27-inch iMac Professional: Show dimension
Show analyst Ross Younger and others had acknowledged that the iMac Professional could have a 27-inch show, which we’ve to confess to being upset by. Nonetheless, in June 2023 Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicated that he had data suggesting that Apple is creating an iMac with a display bigger than 30-inches. He then elaborated additional just a few weeks later suggesting {that a} big 32-inch iMac is reportedly in testing. At the moment, the 32-inch Professional Show XDR is Apple’s largest show.
Kuo agrees that this new bigger iMac may have a 32-inch show, as per the October tweet. Kuo doesn’t increase on the display specs, however it’s going to presumably have ProMotion and XDR (Excessive Dynamic Vary).
A bigger show will surely make the iMac Professional extra engaging to potential consumers. Subsequent to the 24-inch iMac, with its 4.5K show (4,480 x 2,520 pixels), the 27-inch iMac solely seems to be barely extra spectacular with its 5K show (5,120 x 2,880 pixels). But it surely’s not solely the 24-inch iMac that the iMac Professional can be in comparison with. The 27-inch display additionally doesn’t examine significantly favorably with many trendy shows which can be bigger than 30-inch (together with the 32-inch, 6K Apple Professional Show XDR). We want to see a 32-inch show on the brand new iMac Professional.
Gurman has beforehand predicted that the 27-inch iMac may see its show dimension enhance by an identical quantity to the 24-inch iMac: “I completely nonetheless imagine {that a} bigger, redesigned iMac to switch the Intel 27-inch fashions is en route. Apple growing the display dimension of the smaller mannequin from 21.5 inches to 24 inches appears to point that the 27-inch mannequin may see a dimension enhance as properly,” he wrote in July 2021.
A bigger show may very well be doable with out growing the dimensions of the iMac considerably. The 27-inch iMac measured 25.6-inches extensive, 20.3-inches tall, and 8-inches deep, and Apple’s new design helps make the 24-inch iMac smaller than even the 21.5-inch iMac it changed (21.5-inches x 18.1-inches x 5.8-inches vs. 20.8-inches x 17.7-inches x 6.9-inches). Apple may additionally incorporate a notch into the highest of the display to accommodate the FaceTime digital camera, thereby lowering the dimensions of the bezel on the high of the display.
The brand new iMac Professional wouldn’t truly have to be as massive because the Professional Show XDR to supply a 6K show. A 30-inch show with smaller bezels may nonetheless accommodate the 6,016 x 3,384 pixels for Retina 6K decision and a 6K iMac.
It’s doable that the display of the iMac could also be extra corresponding to the standard of the present 27-inch Studio Show, which lacks ProMotion and HDR, however these are each options that may be helpful to an iMac Professional consumer. Apple has added these options to its different Professional units–iPhone, iPad, MacBook, we’d prefer to see them right here too.
To get an concept of what we may count on with the show within the bigger iMac if Apple takes it past the Studio Show we will have a look at the way it compares to Apple’s Professional Show XDR.
- Professional Show XDR: 6K Retina show (6,016-by-3,384 decision), 1,000 nits (XDR) or 500 nits (SDR) brightness, extensive shade (P3), True Tone
- Studio Show: 5K Retina show (5,120-by-2,880 decision), 600 nits, extensive shade (P3), True Tone
The upcoming bigger iMac is prone to have smaller bezels than the 27-inch iMac and iMac Professional, which may assist the show attain the next pixel density with out having to make the show a lot larger. A rumor by Ross Younger in October 2021 and a follow-up report in December 2021 claimed that Apple will deliver a Liquid Retina XDR show with “round 1,000 zones and over 4,000 mini-LEDs” to the iMac. That might be fewer than the ten,000 mini-LEDs within the iPad and the 8,000 mini-LEDs within the MacBook Professional, although it might probably be visually indistinguishable as a result of dimension and viewing distance.
The 27-inch iMac has a nano-texture glass choice (proper) that does a greater job of resisting glare and reflections.
IDG
The 27-inch iMac used to ship with normal glass on the entrance of the show, however (for $300) Apple supplied a nano-texture glass that supplied a matte-like end and did a superb job of reducing down glare. Apple will most likely proceed to supply this with the brand new iMac Professional. As you may see above, it dramatically cuts down on the gloss and glare.
27-inch iMac Professional: CPU and GPU
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported again in January 2022 that the iMac Professional would have “related chips to the M1 Professional and M1 Max processors inside the MacBook Professional.” That rumor got here earlier than the launch of the Mac Studio, which did ship with M1 Professional and M1 Max chips, so it appears probably that Gurman’s supply was referring to that machine.
With the subsequent 24-inch iMac anticipated to skip the M2 and transfer straight to M3 chips, it seems to be probably that if Apple launches a bigger iMac it’s going to function the M3 Professional – or if it doesn’t launch till 2025, an M4 Professional.
If the iMac Professional options the M3 Professional what sort of specs can we count on? In a Energy On e-newsletter in Might 2023, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote {that a} model of the chip seen in testing presents a 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU and 36GB of reminiscence. That’s with six high-performance cores and 6 effectivity cores. Gurman means that that is “probably is the base-level model of what would be the M3 Professional coming subsequent yr”.
He later indicated the next specs for the M3 Professional: 12 or 14 CPU cores (6 or 8 efficiency, 6 effectivity), 18 or 20 GPU cores.
The usual M2 Professional presents 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU and 16GB RAM. The brand new specs characterize an identical leap because the one from the M1 Professional to M2 Professional. Examine what to anticipate from the M3.
Will this iMac solely provide the M3 Professional, or will it provide the M3 Max too? It’s unclear however the expectation is that Apple will differentiate the Mac Studio and Mac Professional from the iMac Professional by providing simply the M3 Professional with that mannequin, because it does with the Mac mini.
27-inch iMac Professional: RAM
The M2 Professional can assist as much as 32GB RAM whereas the M2 Max can assist as much as 96GB Unified Reminiscence. That is lower than the 128GB RAM that was supported by the 27-inch iMac. This may very well be a disappointment to customers.
Gurman notes that Apple may very well be altering the unified reminiscence configurations as a result of the MacBook Execs noticed in testing have 36GB and 48GB reminiscence. At the moment, Apple presents 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 96GB configurations for the M2 Professional and M2 Max.
One limitation of Apple’s RAM is that it’ll not be consumer upgradable. The 27-inch iMac had RAM slots that have been user-accessible. With Apple silicon RAM – correctly known as Unified Reminiscence – is constructed into the SoC, so it isn’t consumer upgradable.
The utmost quantity of RAM supplied by Apple is 192GB unified reminiscence within the M2 Extremely Mac Studio and Mac Professional.
27-inch iMac Professional: Storage
Dylan’s October 2021 tweet additionally advised that there can be 512GB storage as normal with the brand new iMac (Professional).
That might be an enchancment on the 256GB supplied by the entry-level 27in iMac previous to it being retired. However it might observe the sample of the 16-inch MacBook Professional, which has 512GB and 1TB choices for the usual machines (and 8TB as a build-to-order choice).
27-inch iMac Professional: Ports and enlargement
The 24-inch iMac comes with two USB 3 ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a headphone jack. After Apple launched the MacBook Professional with HDMI and an SDXC card slot, rumors advised the iMac would observe swimsuit. The skinny enclosure may very well be a problem, however Apple solved that concern on the 24-inch mannequin by placing the headphone jack on the aspect. Apple may place the SD slot equally to keep away from making the iMac thicker.
Thunderbolt 5 is now on the horizon so we may even see that on this Professional iMac. Thunderbolt 5 presents double the bandwidth at 80 Gbps.
For all however the entry-level 24-inch iMac, Apple positioned the ethernet port within the energy adapter brick. The identical energy adapter is probably going for use for the bigger iMac as properly.
The ethernet-equipped energy adapter will most likely be normal with the bigger iMac Professional.
Apple
27-inch iMac Professional: Different options
The 24-inch iMac has an improved FaceTime digital camera that makes use of the M1’s ISP to supply higher picture high quality. That very same FaceTime digital camera implementation is predicted for the bigger iMac Professional as properly.
We’d prefer to see the digital camera additionally assist Face ID. True Depth references have been noticed in macOS Huge Sur indicating that this was one thing Apple had checked out. Nonetheless, no Mac has but arrived with assist for Face ID. If it doesn’t have Face ID, the brand new iMac could have Contact ID constructed into the keyboard, that being supplied with the 24-inch iMac and the Contact ID keyboards. Learn: When will Face ID come to Mac?
27-inch iMac Professional: Worth
As for the value, it’s going to probably fall consistent with the pricing of the 27-inch iMac, which began at $1,799 since Apple stored related pricing to the 21.5-inch iMac when it launched the 24-inch mannequin. It’s additionally doable that the value can be a bit larger, maybe beginning at over $2,000, which might be extra consistent with Apple’s value enhance for the higher-end MacBook Professional.
The next value is probably going outdoors the U.S. the place Apple has been growing costs consistent with the trade charges.