Important Information about the Speculations Surrounding the 32-inch iMac Pro
Macworld
Before March 2022, Apple offered two options for its iMac desktop computer: one smaller size tailored for home users with a less powerful processor, and a larger 27-inch model designed for more demanding users with greater speed and advanced features.
In 2021, Apple unveiled the 24-inch iMac featuring a vibrant new design and the M1 chip. This marked the start of a shift away from the high-end version. The iMac Pro was the first to be discontinued, followed by the release of the Mac Studio and 27-inch Studio Display in March 2022, coinciding with the discontinuation of the 27-inch iMac.
However, the narrative does not conclude at this point. Speculation has circulated that Apple intends to release a new iteration of the iMac Pro, potentially featuring a larger 27-inch or even 32-inch display, despite its retirement. In this piece, we will examine the claims that Apple may resurrect the previous brand with a fresh iMac Pro. Continue reading to discover potential launch dates and features.
Could the arrival of the Mac Studio render the new iMac Pro unnecessary? We believe that there will always be demand for a professional desktop computer with a large built-in screen. Read on to see how the iMac Pro could make a comeback and become the top choice for desktop users.
As of October 20, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple is developing a premium iMac featuring a 32-inch mini-LED screen. However, this product may not be released until 2025.
Will there be a release of a new iMac Pro with a 27-inch display?
For years, there have been speculations about Apple bringing back the iMac Pro. In October 2021, retired Apple insider Dylan tweeted about the possibility of a new iMac Pro, but the tweet is no longer available. While Dylan’s prediction turned out to be wrong, other sources have also mentioned that Apple is developing a new iMac Pro.
In March of 2022, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasted a potential release of a new iMac Pro in 2023 by Apple. However, this prediction was made right before the unveiling of the Mac Studio and the discontinuation of the 27-inch iMac.
Kuo had not shared any information about the new iMac until October 18, 2023, when he posted on Twitter that a 32-inch iMac may be released in 2025.
Kuo is not the only one predicting a bigger iMac in the future for Apple. In April 2022, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman stated (after the release of the Mac Studio) that an iMac Pro will still be released, but at a later date.
In his weekend newsletter from June 2023, Gurman brought up the topic of a bigger iMac once again. According to him, Apple is in the early stages of developing an iMac with a display larger than 30 inches.
In July of 2022, an article on Macrumors reported that a source shared information with a forum member about Apple potentially creating three larger iMac models with silicon chips in 2021. However, the accuracy of this information cannot be verified.
It appears that Apple has been working on a replacement for the 27-inch iMac (and iMac Pro) for some time, but there have been no developments yet. There seem to be challenges causing delays. In December 2022, Gurman reported that the iMac Pro was delayed due to high development costs and difficulties with chip engineering, similar to the new Mac Pro. In his first newsletter of 2023, Gurman stated that the iMac Pro has been uncertain on Apple’s roadmap and it is unlikely to be released in 2023.
According to Howtoisolve, LeaksApplePro was hopeful about the release of a new iMac Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max processors in January 2023. However, this prediction did not come to fruition and LeaksApplePro faced backlash from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who labeled them a troll.
According to Mac Otakara, a new iMac featuring an M2 Pro processor may be launched in October 2023. However, the blog does not provide any sources for this information and only mentions that shipments of the current M1 iMac are facing delays.
When will the 27-inch iMac Pro be released?
When will the 27-inch iMac Pro be available for purchase?
In July, Gurman mentioned the large iMac and stated that the 32-inch iMac is currently in the early stages of development and may potentially be released in late 2024 or even as late as 2025.
According to Kuo’s tweet from October 2023, it appears that we may not see results until 2025.
Apple is anticipated to release an iMac with an M3 processor, potentially in late 2023 or early 2024, before the arrival of the new iMac with a bigger display.
If the 2025 release of the new 27-inch iMac, or a larger version, happens, it will mark a three-year gap since the previous model was discontinued. This would be a significant break.
The 27-inch iMac Pro features an attractive design and a variety of color options.
According to a newsletter from July 31, 2021 by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the upcoming iMac Pro is expected to feature a design that is reminiscent of the current M1 iMac.
The iMac Pro is likely to take design cues from the 24-inch iMac. While the 24-inch iMac comes in various colors, there is no information on the color options for the iMac Pro. In order to distinguish between the consumer and pro models, Apple may opt for different color choices, similar to the iPhone Pro, or keep with the traditional silver seen on the 27-inch iMac or the discontinued Space Gray iMac Pro.
One variation that may be noticeable on the bigger iMac is the presence of dark bezels instead of a white frame surrounding the display. It is possible that a notch, similar to the one found on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, may also be present. This could potentially allow for an increased height of the screen, as seen in these models. Additionally, it would be desirable for the iMac Pro to have a reduced “chin.” With the use of Apple silicon and the findings from disassembling the iMac and Studio Display, it is feasible that a chinless iMac Pro could be developed due to its lower power consumption and heat output.
The upcoming iMac Pro is expected to have a design that differs greatly from the current 27-inch model (on the right) and will likely resemble the 24-inch iMac (on the left).
Apple
is 27 inches
The display size of the iMac Pro is 27 inches.
Ross Young, an analyst, and other experts claimed that the iMac Pro would have a 27-inch screen, which we found to be underwhelming. However, in June 2023, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg shared that he had received information indicating that Apple is working on an iMac with a screen size exceeding 30 inches. He later revealed that a 32-inch iMac is being tested. Currently, Apple’s largest display is the 32-inch Pro Display XDR.
Kuo concurs with the idea of a 32-inch display for the new, larger iMac, according to the October tweet. However, Kuo does not provide further details on the screen specifications, although it is expected to include ProMotion and XDR technology.
Increasing the size of the display would enhance the appeal of the iMac Pro for potential buyers. When compared to the 24-inch iMac’s 4.5K display (4,480 x 2,520 pixels), the 27-inch iMac’s 5K display (5,120 x 2,880 pixels) may not seem significantly more impressive. Furthermore, the iMac Pro will not only be compared to the 24-inch iMac but also to other modern displays with sizes surpassing 30 inches, such as the 32-inch, 6K Apple Pro Display XDR. Therefore, we believe a 32-inch display would greatly benefit the new iMac Pro.
According to Gurman’s previous prediction, the 27-inch iMac may also see an increase in display size similar to the 24-inch iMac. In July 2021, he stated, “I continue to believe that Apple is working on a larger, redesigned iMac to replace the Intel 27-inch models. The fact that they have already increased the screen size of the smaller model from 21.5 inches to 24 inches suggests that the 27-inch model could also see a size upgrade.”
The iMac’s overall size could remain unchanged while still allowing for a larger display. The 27-inch iMac had dimensions of 25.6 inches in width, 20.3 inches in height, and 8 inches in depth. However, the new design by Apple has enabled the 24-inch iMac to be even smaller than its predecessor, the 21.5-inch iMac (which measured 21.5 inches in width, 18.1 inches in height, and 5.8 inches in depth, compared to the 20.8-inch width, 17.7-inch height, and 6.9-inch depth of the 24-inch iMac). To make room for the FaceTime camera, Apple could potentially add a notch to the top of the screen, resulting in a narrower bezel at the top.
The 6K iMac could potentially have a smaller size compared to the Pro Display XDR, as a 30-inch display with thinner bezels can still support the 6,016 x 3,384 pixel Retina 6K resolution.
The iMac’s display may have similar quality to the 27-inch Studio Display, but it lacks ProMotion and HDR. These features would greatly benefit iMac Pro users. Apple has included them in their other Pro devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, and we hope to see them in the iMac as well.
To gain insight into the potential display of the larger iMac, we can examine its similarities to Apple’s Pro Display XDR.
-
The Pro Display XDR features a 6K Retina display with a resolution of 6,016 by 3,384. It has a brightness of 1,000 nits for XDR content and 500 nits for SDR content. It also supports wide color (P3) and True Tone technology.
-
The Studio Display features a 5K Retina display with a resolution of 5,120-by-2,880 and a brightness of 600 nits. It also has wide color support (P3) and True Tone technology.
The upcoming larger iMac is expected to have smaller bezels than the 27-inch iMac and iMac Pro, potentially allowing for a higher pixel density without increasing the overall size of the display. According to a rumor from Ross Young in October 2021 and a subsequent report in December 2021, Apple may introduce a Liquid Retina XDR display with approximately 1,000 zones and over 4,000 mini-LEDs for the iMac. This would be fewer than the 10,000 mini-LEDs found in the iPad and the 8,000 mini-LEDs in the MacBook Pro, but the difference would likely be imperceptible due to the display’s size and typical viewing distance.
The 27-inch iMac offers the choice of nano-texture glass (on the right) which effectively reduces glare and reflections.
IDG
Previously, the 27-inch iMac came with regular glass on the display’s front. However, Apple also provided an option for a $300 nano-texture glass, which gave a matte appearance and effectively reduced glare. It is likely that this option will still be available for the new iMac Pro. As seen in the image above, it significantly reduces the glossy and glaring effects.
The iMac Pro with a 27-inch display: Central Processing Unit and Graphics Processing Unit
In January 2022, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg stated that the iMac Pro would be equipped with chips similar to those found in the MacBook Pro, specifically the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors. This information was shared before the release of the Mac Studio, which did come with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, suggesting that Gurman’s source was referring to the same machine.
It is anticipated that the upcoming 24-inch iMac will not have an M2 chip and will instead have the M3 chip. This suggests that if Apple releases a bigger iMac, it will most likely have the M3 Pro chip. If the release is delayed until 2025, it may feature the M4 Pro chip.
What specifications can we anticipate for the iMac Pro featuring the M3 Pro? According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter from May 2023, a version of the chip being tested boasts a 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 36GB of memory, with six high-performance cores and six efficiency cores. Gurman speculates that this is probably the entry-level model for the upcoming M3 Pro expected to launch next year.
He subsequently provided the specifications for the M3 Pro, which include either 12 or 14 CPU cores (6 or 8 for performance, 6 for efficiency) and 18 or 20 GPU cores.
The M2 Pro comes with a 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, and 16GB of RAM. These upgraded specifications are comparable to the jump from the M1 Pro to the M2 Pro. Learn more about the features expected in the M3.
Is the iMac limited to just the M3 Pro or will it also have the M3 Max? It is uncertain, but it is anticipated that Apple will distinguish the Mac Studio and Mac Pro from the iMac Pro by only offering the M3 Pro for that model, similar to the Mac mini.
The iMac Pro with a 27-inch display: Memory
The M2 Pro has a maximum RAM capacity of 32GB, while the M2 Max can hold up to 96GB of Unified Memory. This falls short of the 128GB RAM capacity of the 27-inch iMac, which may be disappointing for some users.
According to Gurman, Apple may modify the unified memory setups as the MacBook Pros seen in testing have memory options of 36GB and 48GB. Currently, Apple provides 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 96GB options for the M2 Pro and M2 Max models.
Unfortunately, a constraint of Apple’s RAM is that it cannot be upgraded by the user. In contrast, the 27-inch iMac allowed for user access to the RAM slots. However, with the introduction of Apple silicon RAM, also known as Unified Memory, it is now integrated into the SoC and therefore not upgradable by the user.
Apple offers a maximum of 192GB of unified memory in their M2 Ultra Mac Studio and Mac Pro models.
The iMac Pro with a 27-inch display: Storage options.
Dylan’s tweet from October 2021 also hinted at the inclusion of 512GB storage as the default for the new iMac (Pro).
This would be an upgrade from the previous 256GB capacity of the lowest model 27-inch iMac before it was discontinued. It would align with the storage options of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which offers 512GB and 1TB options for its base models (with the option to customize up to 8TB).
The 27-inch iMac Pro has various ports and options for expansion.
The 24-inch iMac is equipped with two USB 3 ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a headphone jack. There were speculations that the iMac would also have an HDMI port and an SDXC card slot, following the release of the MacBook Pro. However, the slim design of the iMac posed a potential problem. Apple addressed this by placing the headphone jack on the side of the 24-inch model. To maintain its slim profile, Apple could potentially position the SD slot in a similar manner.
The highly anticipated arrival of Thunderbolt 5 may be in store for the latest Pro iMac. This updated version boasts a doubled bandwidth of 80 Gbps, providing improved performance.
Apple has chosen to position the ethernet port in the power adapter brick for all models of the iMac, except for the 24-inch entry-level version. It is possible that the same power adapter will also be utilized for the larger iMac.
The iMac Pro will most likely come with a standard ethernet-equipped power adapter.
Apple
Additional characteristics of the 27-inch iMac Pro include:
The 24-inch iMac now features an upgraded FaceTime camera that utilizes the M1’s ISP to enhance image quality. It is anticipated that the larger iMac Pro will also have this improved FaceTime camera feature.
We hope that the camera will also have the ability to use Face ID. References to True Depth were found in macOS Big Sur, suggesting that Apple had considered this feature. However, no Mac currently supports Face ID. If Face ID is not available, the new iMac will have Touch ID integrated into the keyboard, as seen with the 24-inch iMac and Touch ID keyboards. Question: When can we expect Face ID to be available on Mac?
: $4,999
The cost of the 27-inch iMac Pro is $4,999.
The cost of the 24-inch iMac is expected to be in line with the price of the 27-inch iMac, which began at $1,799. This is because Apple maintained a similar pricing strategy to the 21.5-inch iMac when introducing the 24-inch model. It is also a possibility that the price may be slightly higher, potentially starting at $2,000 or more, which aligns with Apple’s trend of increasing prices for their top-of-the-line products like the MacBook Pro.
The cost is expected to be higher in countries outside of the U.S., as Apple has been adjusting prices to match the current exchange rates.
