Ok, also, this section highlighted below is some bullshit: Seriously Apple? You take away Gigabit Ethernet, only give two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, and no Touch ID on the keyboard? These are the sorts of compromises you'd expect on the el cheapo version built for K-12, not for a consumer desktop.
lol - that base model *is* the el cheapo version built for K-12, kiosks and other lightweight use. Not sure what the issue is for you. They always have a stripped down low end model and this is now that model. If it was the only one they announced you might have a point but since there are also other ones if you aren't looking for a basic, no frills model your complaint is nonsensical.
The chin holds the "computer" so the monitor part can be uber-thin.
Personally I'd rather have a slightly thicker monitor portion and no chin, but we have already seen one commenter in this thread that likes the chin since it keeps the iMac profile distinct.
I still think it sucks and is more style over substance but here we still are - Thin at all costs and branding more important than functionality.
Big chin, why? A little thicker and no chin is better IMO.
The logic board is behind the chin, and some of the speakers.
Function over form it seems!
External power supply with Ethernet (in the higher two models) is an interesting choice. Does that mean you can add ethernet to the base model later buy buying a different power supply?
They don’t need a chin in the iPads. Here they don’t need a battery even. Make it a little thicker and fit the components behind the screen. It’s a desktop. Thinness is the least important thing.
Surprising that the M1 Mac mini is configurable to 10Gb Ethernet but the new M1 iMac is limited to Gigabit Ethernet, no higher configuration options available.
It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model,
The specs say the base model has Ethernet as a configurable option. It's probably as simple as swapping the power supply!
That's a good point, I/we have no idea yet how many pins are in the power supply. Would be cool if it had USB C such that you could plug things in to the hidden power supply brick, would keep things tidy. Otherwise the case would need to be different for each config. I'd prefer a USB socket on the side too for things like memory sticks, and a SD card reader would be good too, dunno why they got rid of that. I use mine regularly.
It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model,
The specs say the base model has Ethernet as a configurable option. It's probably as simple as swapping the power supply!
That's a good point, I/we have no idea yet how many pins are in the power supply. Would be cool if it had USB C such that you could plug things in to the hidden power supply brick, would keep things tidy. Otherwise the case would need to be different for each config. I'd prefer a USB socket on the side too for things like memory sticks, and a SD card reader would be good too, dunno why they got rid of that. I use mine regularly.
Get a dock...
Or Apple could just include it in the machine? No detriment to people to don’t use it, not like there’s a lack of space. But it is a few more dollars in Apple’s pocket.
I agree that a hub shouldn't be necessary to add basic functionality to a $1000 machine, but if you were so inclined, I think the Satechi stand hub is a pretty good option for the iMac, and the size of the new ones should still work: https://satechi.net/products/aluminum-imac-stand
I had planned on buying one of these iMacs, but I have to say I'm massively underwhelmed. £1649 for the model with 512GB SSD and a paltry 8GB of Ram and last years entry level chip.
Real nasty taste in the mouth with the £200 jump from the base model which they deliberately neutered to try and force people into buying the middle model.
Well, that "last years entry level chip" is still the chip in all currently shipping M1 Macs. The new iMac is considered entry level too.
And if you compare the new iMac with a similarly equipped M1 MBP, you get the same specs (CPU/RAM/SSD) for the pretty much the same price. No battery with the iMac of course, but compared to the MBP, you do get a bigger screen, better camera, better sound, a mouse, and separate keyboard. Put in perspective, the pricing is at least consistent with the rest of the product line.
PS: Here on AI, I regularly see discounts on M1 Macs. Don't know if they apply to your region, but it looks like it is possible to save a decent amount on M1 Macs in the US, so I would anticipate the same discounts will apply to the new iMacs before too long.
It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model,
The specs say the base model has Ethernet as a configurable option. It's probably as simple as swapping the power supply!
That's a good point, I/we have no idea yet how many pins are in the power supply. Would be cool if it had USB C such that you could plug things in to the hidden power supply brick, would keep things tidy. Otherwise the case would need to be different for each config. I'd prefer a USB socket on the side too for things like memory sticks, and a SD card reader would be good too, dunno why they got rid of that. I use mine regularly.
Get a dock...
You mean a hub. An iMac cannot be docked.
I guess some people spell 'hub' differently...
Other people being wrong too doesn't mean you aren't wrong.
Ok, also, this section highlighted below is some bullshit: Seriously Apple? You take away Gigabit Ethernet, only give two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, and no Touch ID on the keyboard? These are the sorts of compromises you'd expect on the el cheapo version built for K-12, not for a consumer desktop.
lol - that base model *is* the el cheapo version built for K-12, kiosks and other lightweight use. Not sure what the issue is for you. They always have a stripped down low end model and this is now that model. If it was the only one they announced you might have a point but since there are also other ones if you aren't looking for a basic, no frills model your complaint is nonsensical.
Far from nonsensical. The issue is, the $1299 price point didn't used to be the crippled K-12 version. A version like that was in the $1000 range. When you got to 1300 bucks it didn't have goofy trade offs like only two USB ports and no ethernet jack. Hell, even the base Mac mini has a damn ethernet jack, 2 USB ports in addition to the 2 Thunderbolt ones, and even an HDMI. So it's perfectly reasonable to question the specs for the price on this new iMac.
Ok, also, this section highlighted below is some bullshit: Seriously Apple? You take away Gigabit Ethernet, only give two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, and no Touch ID on the keyboard? These are the sorts of compromises you'd expect on the el cheapo version built for K-12, not for a consumer desktop.
lol - that base model *is* the el cheapo version built for K-12, kiosks and other lightweight use. Not sure what the issue is for you. They always have a stripped down low end model and this is now that model. If it was the only one they announced you might have a point but since there are also other ones if you aren't looking for a basic, no frills model your complaint is nonsensical.
But it has fewer than half the ports of the model it replaced, and the price has jumped $200. So not exactly “entry level” in the sense of the wider computer market. The price of the entry level model is even more galling considering the M1 is much much cheaper than the Intel CPU in the iMac. But unfortunately we’re in the era of Cook’s profit first Apple, and customer satisfaction is secondary.
Put another way, the base Mac Mini is $699. Pair it with a nice $300 LG 4k display (24") and an Apple keyboard and Mouse and you're only at about $1150. Same M1 chip, same 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. But more ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and even the ability to swap out the screen as a bonus if you wanted to later. Add a webcam for $100 and you're still $50 under this crippled iMac's price point.
It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model,
The specs say the base model has Ethernet as a configurable option. It's probably as simple as swapping the power supply!
That's a good point, I/we have no idea yet how many pins are in the power supply. Would be cool if it had USB C such that you could plug things in to the hidden power supply brick, would keep things tidy. Otherwise the case would need to be different for each config. I'd prefer a USB socket on the side too for things like memory sticks, and a SD card reader would be good too, dunno why they got rid of that. I use mine regularly.
Get a dock...
You mean a hub. An iMac cannot be docked.
I guess some people spell 'hub' differently...
Other people being wrong too doesn't mean you aren't wrong.
Oh please, they're the same thing. "Hub" and "dock" just refer to how each is being used.
dock: something you plug your mobile computer into to connect to all your peripherals. hub: something plugged into your desktop computer to expand port count/options.
It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model,
The specs say the base model has Ethernet as a configurable option. It's probably as simple as swapping the power supply!
That's a good point, I/we have no idea yet how many pins are in the power supply. Would be cool if it had USB C such that you could plug things in to the hidden power supply brick, would keep things tidy. Otherwise the case would need to be different for each config. I'd prefer a USB socket on the side too for things like memory sticks, and a SD card reader would be good too, dunno why they got rid of that. I use mine regularly.
Get a dock...
You mean a hub. An iMac cannot be docked.
I use a Caldigit TS3+ "Dock" on my 2020 iMac. It can and certainly does dock.
Put another way, the base Mac Mini is $699. Pair it with a nice $300 LG 4k display (24") and an Apple keyboard and Mouse and you're only at about $1150. Same M1 chip, same 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. But more ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and even the ability to swap out the screen as a bonus if you wanted to later. Add a webcam for $100 and you're still $50 under this crippled iMac's price point.
You clearly aren't the customer for this, so please spend your money elsewhere.
It also has no Ethernet port at all on the base model,
The specs say the base model has Ethernet as a configurable option. It's probably as simple as swapping the power supply!
That's a good point, I/we have no idea yet how many pins are in the power supply. Would be cool if it had USB C such that you could plug things in to the hidden power supply brick, would keep things tidy. Otherwise the case would need to be different for each config. I'd prefer a USB socket on the side too for things like memory sticks, and a SD card reader would be good too, dunno why they got rid of that. I use mine regularly.
This is clearly a consumer machine, but if this is the harbinger of things to come for the larger iMac, I am pretty annoyed. I don't want distracting colors, a silver bezel instead of a black one is horrible for trying to do design work. And as I produce professional audio, I can't use bluetooth to connect amp/speakers because bluetooth compresses and colors audio, so to stick the audio out on the side with a cord dangling. Awful. Looks like I will have to go the mac mini route unfortunately. I can't wait months to replace my aging 2013 iMac workhorse only to find out they repeat these awful decisions in the larger iMac. I historically go pretty easy on Apple's design decisions and am not prone to "fanboi" histrionics, but this does not bode well for the larger iMac, and Thor only knows when that will be released. And Apple, what's your deal with not putting enough ports on anything?
I fail to understand the hate people have towards the iMac's "chin". It really comes across as petty and that chin I think is what differentiates the iMac instead of making it look like some large, generic monitor. Get over it people.
I actually glad there's some kind of chin there, especially with the new color options, it allows some of that color to come to the front of the unit as well. Good job Apple.
I do with the specs for the iMac were more beefy. I used an M1-based MacBook and while I was absolutely floored by the performance, I expected Apple would give the desktop Macs with ASi chips made for desktop-class machines. I just hope that whatever Apple has in store for the larger 27"+ iMac, it better include more RAM, and much higher spec ASi chips.
A chin serves no purpose. It should be removed.
It's where the computer actually resides.
They manage to have no chin on the iPad Pro, and the iMac is basically an iPad Pro. There’s nothing really in the chin except speakers on the intel iMacs, and from the pictures it looks similar on this one.
They show you what’s inside of it. The logic board is in the chin only. There are two fans. Six larger speakers. I/O perpendicular to the back plane. Did you even watch the presentation?
Comments
Personally I'd rather have a slightly thicker monitor portion and no chin, but we have already seen one commenter in this thread that likes the chin since it keeps the iMac profile distinct.
I still think it sucks and is more style over substance but here we still are - Thin at all costs and branding more important than functionality.
And if you compare the new iMac with a similarly equipped M1 MBP, you get the same specs (CPU/RAM/SSD) for the pretty much the same price. No battery with the iMac of course, but compared to the MBP, you do get a bigger screen, better camera, better sound, a mouse, and separate keyboard. Put in perspective, the pricing is at least consistent with the rest of the product line.
PS: Here on AI, I regularly see discounts on M1 Macs. Don't know if they apply to your region, but it looks like it is possible to save a decent amount on M1 Macs in the US, so I would anticipate the same discounts will apply to the new iMacs before too long.
Oh please, they're the same thing. "Hub" and "dock" just refer to how each is being used.
dock: something you plug your mobile computer into to connect to all your peripherals.
hub: something plugged into your desktop computer to expand port count/options.
But I'm not interested in an M1-based desktop. I want to see what they do with ASi in a Pro desktop.
You clearly aren't the customer for this, so please spend your money elsewhere.
They show you what’s inside of it. The logic board is in the chin only. There are two fans. Six larger speakers. I/O perpendicular to the back plane. Did you even watch the presentation?