The iMac Pro could be poised for a major return — years after Apple discontinued the power all-in-one computer. This time, the professional desktop will be powered by Apple’s next-generation M5 Max chip, according to information found in internal Apple software.
It would be a change in strategy for Apple, but it seems the company is at least exploring the idea of an updated all-in-one desktop for the pro and prosumer markets.
December 14, 2017: The much-anticipated iMac Pro finally reaches customers many months after Apple’s announced the product. 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.
Before Apple’s powerful but sub-Mac Pro-level desktop Mac Studio even existed, there was iMac Pro. We don’t see the premium all-in-one desktop computer in the wild often compared to regular iMacs, but it clearly still has its fans.
Today’s featured user, who records and masters audio in a home studio, refuses to give up his 7-year-old iMac Pro until absolutely necessary. Because it’s still great. And for some people, it could be a great bargain on the used market (check out a few options in the gear list below).
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 27-inch iMac is gone from Apple’s lineup. And it’s not clear when it’s coming back. Or if it will return at all.
One new leak claims that Apple has dropped plans to make a larger iMac. Another says development goes on, but the all-in-one desktop won‘t be out for a long time.
Apple’s next major refresh for Mac mini may not come until 2023, according to the latest claims from one analyst, who has proven reliable in the past.
Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities this week revised his predictions for the next-generation compact desktop, which he previously expected to see this year. It could now launch alongside the first Mac Pro with Apple silicon.
Apple is developing a more impressive version of its new Studio Display that will boast a mini-LED screen and ProMotion technology, according to one analyst. “Studio Display Pro” is reportedly set to make its debut this June.
There is some bad news for iMac fans, however. The rumored iMac Pro upgrade Apple was said to be planning for 2022 may not come at all now that the new Mac Studio and Studio Display have landed.
Apple has a whole bunch of exciting Mac upgrades planned for 2022, according to recent rumors. But if it’s a new Mac Pro or iMac Pro powered by Apple silicon you’re after, you could be waiting until next year.
One analyst, who has proven reliable in the past, doesn’t expect to see refreshes to Apple’s high-end desktops until 2023. But he does believe a more powerful Mac mini and a new 27-inch Apple display are coming this year.
The iMac Pro might start reaching customers in early summer, according to a very reliable tipster. While some are hoping for a debut as soon as March, that’s apparently overly optimistic.
And the leaker says reiterates that the all-in-one desktop will have a mini-LED display.
When Apple demonstrated its new Universal Control feature during its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote back in June 2021, it made Apple fans drool. Too bad Cupertino made everyone wait longer than expected to get their hands on it.
But now, Universal Control is finally in beta testing ahead of its public release, and the anticipatory drool is once again flowing — especially among those who get to test it out.
The owner of today’s iMac Pro-based featured setup, a game developer and blogger, is no exception.
The new iMac Pro with a mini-LED display rumored to launch this-coming spring might not come along so soon. It now looks more likely to show up sometime during the summer, display analyst Ross Young said Monday.
Add faster versions of the Mac mini to the list of products predicted for an spring 2022 Apple event. The tiny desktop will supposed be upgraded with the latest Apple processors.
And an iMac Pro could be out later in the spring.
2022 could be the year Apple takes iMac to the next level. Various leaks point to an iMac Pro with a blazing-fast processor and a beautiful screen.
But it’s not supposed to be any larger than the biggest current iMac, though the overall design is expected to change.
Apple will introduce its next-generation “M2” chipset for Mac next year, followed by an even more powerful “M2 Pro” in 2023, according to a new report. Both are expected to use TSMC’s new 4-nanometer manufacturing process.
The report somewhat contradicts Apple’s plan to do away with Intel and transition all Mac models to custom chipsets within two years. That’s if Apple waits for the “M2 Pro” before updating high-end machines like the Mac Pro.
Apple reportedly plans ambitious upgrades for a number of its hottest products in 2022, including major revamps for iPad Pro and MacBook Air — as well as an Apple silicon boost for the Mac Pro. Mac mini is also expected to see a refresh.
What’s more, the next-generation Apple Watch will come in a “ruggedized version aimed at extreme sports athletes.”
Bacioiu Constantin Ciprian, known online as “Zapa,” was born in Buzau, Romania, in 1991, not long after a revolution toppled communist rule there. He loved technology as a kid, but it was expensive and hard to get. And soon enough he realized how much he loved Apple products — especially those around in his youth.
Now a longtime resident of Bucharest, he designs and develops games to run on vintage equipment. And get a load of that retro setup!
Apple’s next-generation iMac Pro could feature an “M1 Max Duo” chip with 20 cores for processing and up to 64 for graphics, according to a new report.
As its name suggests, the chipset is expected to consist of two M1 Max chips combined together for double the performance. It could also feature up to 128GB of RAM — twice that currently available from Apple’s latest machines.
The high-end iMac Pro is expected to return next year with Apple’s newest M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets. One tipster also claims the powerful all-in-one will feature a 27-inch mini-LED display — and possibly even Face ID.
The machine won’t be cheap, with prices expected to start “at or over” $2,000. But that would make it considerably more affordable than the last iMac Pro.
How many large displays is “overdoing it” in a computer setup? Redditor dm-86 suggested they’d gone too far with four, but that only ties one of our other favorites.
Some commenters joked around that they saw plenty of space for more in the imposing setup, or bank of screens, if you will.
Two weeks after Apple discontinued the iMac Pro, the company pulled the powerful all-in-one desktop from its website Friday.
The computer hadn’t been updated in three years and there have been no reports of a new version in the works. This may be the last iMac Pro … just as it was the first.
The iMac Pro was sleek and fast and capable and ultimately … uninspired.
That’s Cult of Mac writer Luke Dormehl’s take on Apple’s recently expired pro all-in-one. He serves up a compelling “Dear John” letter to a weird period in Mac history. And it doubles as a lovingly hopeful look at what the future holds.
If you want to peer even deeper into the Cupertino crystal ball, we’ve got a hot mess of new rumors and leaks this week as we speed toward a probable Apple event on March 23. Catch up with this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it to enjoy on iPhone or iPad, or get the stories below in your browser.
The iMac Pro is seemingly nearing the end of its natural lifespan — and good riddance to it.
In fairness, the iMac Pro was not a bad computer. It was even, technically, a pretty great one. But it epitomized an era of Mac design that may have been the most uninspired and directionless in Apple history.
Apple discontinued the iMac Pro, which is still one of the fastest Macs available despite being more than three years old. Whether the move means an updated version of the all-in-one desktop is on the way is unclear.
UPDATE: Don’t miss the Cult of Mac editorial “Good riddance to iMac Pro and the era of underwhelming Macs.”
iOS software engineer Christian Roman has a “love-hate relationship” with his impressive triple 5K display setup.
“It’s fantastic when it works,” he told Cult of Mac. “It’s a nightmare when macOS suddenly decides to stop working with triple screens.”
Woot is offering big discounts on a huge range of refurbished iMac and iMac Pro units today only. You can bag yours for as little as $399.99. Bag one before they’re all gone!
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