Don’t give up on the iMac Pro just yet

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Don't give up on the iMac Pro just yet
A 27-inch iMac Pro is allegedly still a possibility.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Although Apple killed off the iMac Pro line, it’s coming back better than ever, according to a reliable source. That means a high-end macOS all-in-one is supposedly on Apple’s product roadmap.

The company is also reportedly working on a Mac Pro desktop, also powered by Apple silicon.

The once and future iMac Pro

The first iMac Pro launched in 2017, with a powerful Intel Xeon processor, a 27-inch 5K display and a starting price of $5,000. The first iMac designed for professionals, the pricey computer failed to find a market. Apple nixed it in 2021 without ever releasing follow-up versions. But it’s apparently not too late.

In a report about Apple’s future plans, Bloomberg says the company “continues to eye a high-end iMac Pro with Apple silicon, but that machine has suffered internal delays for similar reasons as the Mac Pro.”

Since the computer is supposedly intended for professionals, the processor will likely be the M2 Max or M2 Ultra, or perhaps even the M3 Max or M3 Ultra, depending on when it launches.

The all-in-one presumably will include a larger display than the current consumer-oriented 24-inch iMac. Previous reports indicated the screen on the pro edition would again measure 27 inches.

The upcoming pro-grade iMac will “probably launch at the end of 2023 at the earliest,” according to Bloomberg.

Taking a second swing

It’s slightly surprising that a successor to the 2017 iMac Pro is in development, as the original went off like a wet firecracker. It only remained in Apple’s lineup for a bit longer than three years and, as noted, wasn’t replaced.

While it was powerful, its $5,000 price was too high for most consumers. And the all-in-one computer wasn’t configurable enough to satisfy professionals. For the upcoming version to be successful, it will have to overcome one or both of these problems.

2023 Mac Pro will be out sooner

Those wishing for a professionally oriented macOS desktop won’t have to wait on the iMac Pro. As noted, Apple is reportedly hard at work on a new Mac Pro, though it’s not launching as soon as the company originally hoped. It will surely be very configurable, but supposedly won’t have the extremely powerful Apple processor earlier rumors indicated.

When it comes out in 2023, the Mac Pro will replace the current 2019 model, which uses Intel chips.

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