December 14, 2017: The much-anticipated iMac Pro finally reaches customers many months after it was announced. With a built-in 27-inch, 5K display and an Intel Xeon processor, the high-end desktop combines the features of an iMac and a Mac Pro.
It is beautiful and far more powerful than earlier iMacs, but is destined to stay in Apple’s product lineup only a relatively short time.
iMac Pro takes all-in-one desktops professional
Apple unveiled the iMac Pro at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2017 but the machine didn’t actually launch until mid-December. The powerful all-in-one came at a time when Apple hadn’t released a new professional-grade desktop since the “trash can” Mac Pro of 2013. It was intended to be a placeholder for those needing a Mac with real power.
Apple built that first model around an eight-core, 10-core, 14-core or 18-core Xeon processor with Radeon Vega graphics. Consumers could configure the iMac Pro with up to 256GB of RAM and a 4TB SSD. The computer easily blew away all previous iMacs. The 18-core Intel processor was more than twice as fast as its most-recent consumer-oriented predecessor.
As an all-in-one, iMac Pro sported a 5,120-by-2,880-pixel display. And the sleek design in a space gray finish – with keyboard and mouse to match – looked brilliant.
Not destined for greatness
Despite the smart looks and speedy processor, on this anniversary of the original iMac Pro launch, it’s no longer possible to buy one. Apple discontinued the iMac Pro in March 2021, so it lasted in Apple’s product lineup for just a bit over three years.
While undeniably powerful, the computer suffered from a number of significant problems. The pro-grade iMac started at $4,999 – that’s more than $6,200 in today’s dollars – putting it beyond the reach of most consumers.
While professionals could afford it, the iMac Pro wasn’t configurable enough to satisfy the pros. As an all-in-one, it left users stuck with the 27-inch display. And although owners could upgrade the RAM and processor, these hardware changes required an expert to dismantle the computer.
Plus, even before this iMac launched, Apple was already talking about a new, redesigned tower Mac. Many professionals decided to hold off on a purchase. The wait stretched on to the 2019 Mac Pro, but that computer offered the configurability that professionals need.
Return of the iMac Pro?
There have been rumors that Apple plans to bring back the iMac Pro, though it’s been a while since any of these surfaced. And none of them have come true, obviously. While there are occasional calls for a return, Apple doesn’t seem to be paying any attention.
As it stands now, the only all-in-one macOS desktop is the 24-inch iMac. Those who want more power and a larger screen can pair a Mac Studio desktop with a 27-inch 5K Apple Studio Display.
As the iMac Pro was a stop-gap measure that unsuccessfully tried to satisfy professionals, it’s really not so surprising that it’s not still around. But it was an interesting beast of a machine.
