The product just doesn't make any sense. The iMac comes from a completely different time. A time where the look and feel of the iMac was a breathe of fresh air to computing, and was one of the few computers average people would actually want to look at in their homes. Those days are long gone, and a giant metal all-in-one Mac is huge burdern to bear. Moving it around is impossible. Getting service or support for it is impossible. Selling it (shipping it) down the road is impossible. It's wildly impractical. And the display itself will outlast the computer inside, turning it into a giant paperweight that can't be repurposed. I still have iMacs sitting in boxes in the garage because I don't know what to do with them. Can't reuse them for anything, and can't bear to just throw them away.
Displays on the other hand can be reused for a long, long time. I can't even count how many times I have packed an old display away in a closet only to drag it out again for some purpose at a later time.
The Mac mini/Mac Studio/Mac Pro approach to Apple desktops is how it should stay, and Apple should devote its efforts to making better displays, at varying sizes and resolutions.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying what Apple should or shouldn’t do because there is a market for all-in-ones and the iMac is the cream of the crop. The iMac is a great family computer to be shared in a common area. But for technology fans like us the iMac is not so optimal. In fact, if you really love the all-in-one approach Apple has two full lines of amazing all-in-one computers that are substantially lighter, more portable, and still deliver great stuff in the performance department - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
In my opinion, the real challenge for performance oriented Mac buyers today is choosing between the Mac Studio and the MacBook Pro. Either one can serve as the core of a high performance component based computing solution. The lack of discrete graphics support and limited upgradability of all current Apple Silicon based Macs makes for a lot of overlapping capabilities across across all platforms, even though each platform still has its unique and specialized performance and/or capacity attributes to address edge cases.
The lack of differentiation, or stated another way, the broad overlap, between different Mac platforms has never been at the level it is today. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because buyers may be able to fine tune their expectations to fit into lower cost options, like a Mac mini instead of a Mac Studio or a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you blur your expectations a little more, the iPad Pro may even be in play.
So where does a jumbo iMac fit into this landscape? It does provide a “comfortable” upgrade path for customers who are still in love with their 27” iMacs but not attracted to the 24” iMac. I do trust that if Apple actually delivers on the jumbo iMac speculation, they will have arrived at an answer that makes sense for both their business and their customers.
Laptops are great when you have to be mobile. But personally, I hate having the trackpad underneath my palms. Much prefer to use a big screen and full keyboard. And sometimes use a different pointing device.
When I get to the point I can't flog my 5K any further, probably get a stuffed Mini or a basic Studio (same price). I already have one 32" 4K screen...
The iMac is a great computing appliance for work and for home if you have limited desk space and if it fully satisfies all of your needs in its out-of-the-box configuration. If the iMac configurations shown in Apple's advertising closely resemble your workspace you're going to love it. Otherwise, the limitations of the iMac will come back to haunt you at some point, most notably when its computing guts are no longer up to snuff but you cannot live without its gorgeous screen. I suppose you could turn it into a very large picture frame.
You need a second monitor for your iMac setup? No problem, as long as you don't mind the asymmetry that comes along with it because nobody makes a monitor that resembles the iMac's screen with its Jay Leno chin. Sure, a lot of folks don't care about aesthetic purity or symmetry, but suddenly your configuration isn't quite looking like the ones in Apple's ads. Not quite so "all in one" anymore.
Need more I/O? No problem, as long as you don't mind all those cables sticking out of the back of your Mac screen. Yeah, you can buy a big dock with a bunch of ports and potentially start hiding the nest of wires under your desk or behind the screen or curtain. People with notebook and laptop computers have been docking their boxes to compensate for too little I/O and to buy more and bigger screens and storage forever. But those are mobile devices that ostensibly have a second life away from the desk. The iMac's not going anywhere, especially if it takes on the dimensions we're seeing in this article.
All in all, my experience with iMacs has resulted in me realizing that what appears as one of Apple's simplest desktop solutions, at least based on what their ads show, turns out to be one of their least flexible, least adaptable, and most convoluted solutions once you deviate from how the thing comes out of the box. The simplest solution in my opinion is pretty straightforward: if you need a computing and I/O box, buy a computing and I/O box, if you need a great screen, buy a great screen, if you need a totally flexible screen mount that doesn't eat up desk space, get a VESA mounting arm and monitor(s) that are VESA compatible. Ditto for keyboards, mouse, trackpads, etc.
Buy exactly what you need, Yes, it costs more but what you're paying for is having exactly what you need, far fewer compromises, and far greater flexibility and adaptability. It comes down to deciding whether you want a component based computing solution versus a computing appliance. Plenty of folks, my wife included, are served very well with the appliance model (M1 iMac 24"). I will never buy another iMac for my use because of the limitations, and frankly, bringing my 27" iMac in to the Apple Store for service (twice) was a royal pain in the butt. I can't imagine having to tote a 32" or larger iMac around unless they make the thing out of titanium or some other lightweight alloy. I'd have to go back to owning a minivan, even without having any kids or dogs. The insanity of it all!
Finally, I do understand why people, myself included, fell in love with the 27" iMac, especially when Apple put a 5K screen on it and sold it for not much more than the cost of the screen alone. Was Apple taking a loss on these or cannibalizing some Mac Pro sales as a result? Probably a few, but probably only for the lower-spec Pros. The big question is whether Apple would repeat this feat of generosity again with a new and bigger iMac now that they have some very compelling component based solutions built around the Mac Pro, Mac Studio, Mac mini, Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, and of course the wide availability of third party 4K/5K displays? I suppose they could, but why would they?
Um… perhaps you haven’t heard, but ALL Macs these days only exist in an “as advertised” out-of-the-box configuration. That’s all you get for better or worse. The Mac Studio is limited to its out of the box configuration. So is the studio display. So it’s not a drawback.
If anything, it’s more of a case for why the iMac makes more sense than ever in the apple silicon era.
A Mac Studio will always be a far better performing Mac out of the box versus an iMac, even if Apple happened to release an iMac Pro. And you're not rebuying a display every time you buy a replacement Mac. If you're a regular consumer then maybe the iMac is better but it's still cheaper to get a Mac mini in the end.
Ridiculous. An iMac with m3 ultra would perform equivalent to a tower with m3 ultra. And when you buy a new Mac, you don’t want to be stuck with some old monitor. Most people buying the studio bought a new monitor to go with it. The great thing about iMac is when it’s time to buy new, you get new and improved across the board. You may even get a better display than otherwise due to the non-thunderbolt limited display options from an internally connected screen.
One of the reasons to get an iMac is to outperform the mini. Same reason to get a studio. The big iMac is the Mac Studio minus the mess.
It’s just better all the way around.
Apple isn't updating the displays when they update the iMac. I don't know where you're getting this. Prime example is the iMac Pro. It had the same 5k panel through its entire lifespan. The 5K iMac had the same exact panel in it its entire lifespan. What else in an iMac is improved other than the SoC? Your arguments make absolutely no sense what so ever....not even close. Also, what makes you think Mac Studio won't get the M3 down the road?
The product just doesn't make any sense. The iMac comes from a completely different time. A time where the look and feel of the iMac was a breathe of fresh air to computing, and was one of the few computers average people would actually want to look at in their homes. Those days are long gone, and a giant metal all-in-one Mac is huge burdern to bear. Moving it around is impossible. Getting service or support for it is impossible. Selling it (shipping it) down the road is impossible. It's wildly impractical. And the display itself will outlast the computer inside, turning it into a giant paperweight that can't be repurposed. I still have iMacs sitting in boxes in the garage because I don't know what to do with them. Can't reuse them for anything, and can't bear to just throw them away.
Displays on the other hand can be reused for a long, long time. I can't even count how many times I have packed an old display away in a closet only to drag it out again for some purpose at a later time.
The Mac mini/Mac Studio/Mac Pro approach to Apple desktops is how it should stay, and Apple should devote its efforts to making better displays, at varying sizes and resolutions.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying what Apple should or shouldn’t do because there is a market for all-in-ones and the iMac is the cream of the crop. The iMac is a great family computer to be shared in a common area. But for technology fans like us the iMac is not so optimal. In fact, if you really love the all-in-one approach Apple has two full lines of amazing all-in-one computers that are substantially lighter, more portable, and still deliver great stuff in the performance department - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
In my opinion, the real challenge for performance oriented Mac buyers today is choosing between the Mac Studio and the MacBook Pro. Either one can serve as the core of a high performance component based computing solution. The lack of discrete graphics support and limited upgradability of all current Apple Silicon based Macs makes for a lot of overlapping capabilities across across all platforms, even though each platform still has its unique and specialized performance and/or capacity attributes to address edge cases.
The lack of differentiation, or stated another way, the broad overlap, between different Mac platforms has never been at the level it is today. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because buyers may be able to fine tune their expectations to fit into lower cost options, like a Mac mini instead of a Mac Studio or a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you blur your expectations a little more, the iPad Pro may even be in play.
So where does a jumbo iMac fit into this landscape? It does provide a “comfortable” upgrade path for customers who are still in love with their 27” iMacs but not attracted to the 24” iMac. I do trust that if Apple actually delivers on the jumbo iMac speculation, they will have arrived at an answer that makes sense for both their business and their customers.
Laptops are great when you have to be mobile. But personally, I hate having the trackpad underneath my palms. Much prefer to use a big screen and full keyboard. And sometimes use a different pointing device.
When I get to the point I can't flog my 5K any further, probably get a stuffed Mini or a basic Studio (same price). I already have one 32" 4K screen...
I’ve been on a right merry-go-round with looking for the replacement for the creaking old mid-2010 27” i7 that I keep banging on about here. The default was to wait for the ‘27” AS iMac’, but as I can no longer update MS Office or Apple iWorks apps and there are no longer security updates coming down the pipeline, I really have to do something.The last straw was Mozilla ceasing Firefox updates to older systems (I’m on High Sierra of course). It’s basically used as a TV now.
After trawling through the various MacBook options (I have become increasingly annoyed with the iPad and its boobytrap geatures), I have converged on the stuffed M2 Pro Mini or a not-quite-low-end Studio - and a monitor. This was also recommended after an hour’s online chat with an Apple sales person.
The monitor’s going to be the catch as I haven’t found anything that looks right yet. Maybe using an HDMI to Mini DisplayPort cable to the (QHD) iMac running in Target Display Mode (that was one of the models that still supported the TDM function and the quality is still acceptable), as it would be far cheaper than a Studio Display - or an off-brand 4K or 5K monitor which I haven’t found yet.
But what I have done is give up on Apple coming out with a 27”+ iMac within the time-frame that I need it (i.e., next week-ish). I’ll shut up about this now.
The product just doesn't make any sense. The iMac comes from a completely different time. A time where the look and feel of the iMac was a breathe of fresh air to computing, and was one of the few computers average people would actually want to look at in their homes. Those days are long gone, and a giant metal all-in-one Mac is huge burdern to bear. Moving it around is impossible. Getting service or support for it is impossible. Selling it (shipping it) down the road is impossible. It's wildly impractical. And the display itself will outlast the computer inside, turning it into a giant paperweight that can't be repurposed. I still have iMacs sitting in boxes in the garage because I don't know what to do with them. Can't reuse them for anything, and can't bear to just throw them away.
Displays on the other hand can be reused for a long, long time. I can't even count how many times I have packed an old display away in a closet only to drag it out again for some purpose at a later time.
The Mac mini/Mac Studio/Mac Pro approach to Apple desktops is how it should stay, and Apple should devote its efforts to making better displays, at varying sizes and resolutions.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying what Apple should or shouldn’t do because there is a market for all-in-ones and the iMac is the cream of the crop. The iMac is a great family computer to be shared in a common area. But for technology fans like us the iMac is not so optimal. In fact, if you really love the all-in-one approach Apple has two full lines of amazing all-in-one computers that are substantially lighter, more portable, and still deliver great stuff in the performance department - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
In my opinion, the real challenge for performance oriented Mac buyers today is choosing between the Mac Studio and the MacBook Pro. Either one can serve as the core of a high performance component based computing solution. The lack of discrete graphics support and limited upgradability of all current Apple Silicon based Macs makes for a lot of overlapping capabilities across across all platforms, even though each platform still has its unique and specialized performance and/or capacity attributes to address edge cases.
The lack of differentiation, or stated another way, the broad overlap, between different Mac platforms has never been at the level it is today. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because buyers may be able to fine tune their expectations to fit into lower cost options, like a Mac mini instead of a Mac Studio or a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you blur your expectations a little more, the iPad Pro may even be in play.
So where does a jumbo iMac fit into this landscape? It does provide a “comfortable” upgrade path for customers who are still in love with their 27” iMacs but not attracted to the 24” iMac. I do trust that if Apple actually delivers on the jumbo iMac speculation, they will have arrived at an answer that makes sense for both their business and their customers.
Laptops are great when you have to be mobile. But personally, I hate having the trackpad underneath my palms. Much prefer to use a big screen and full keyboard. And sometimes use a different pointing device.
When I get to the point I can't flog my 5K any further, probably get a stuffed Mini or a basic Studio (same price). I already have one 32" 4K screen...
I’ve been on a right merry-go-round with looking for the replacement for the creaking old mid-2010 27” i7 that I keep banging on about here. The default was to wait for the ‘27” AS iMac’, but as I can no longer update MS Office or Apple iWorks apps and there are no longer security updates coming down the pipeline, I really have to do something.The last straw was Mozilla ceasing Firefox updates to older systems (I’m on High Sierra of course). It’s basically used as a TV now.
After trawling through the various MacBook options (I have become increasingly annoyed with the iPad and its boobytrap geatures), I have converged on the stuffed M2 Pro Mini or a not-quite-low-end Studio - and a monitor. This was also recommended after an hour’s online chat with an Apple sales person.
The monitor’s going to be the catch as I haven’t found anything that looks right yet. Maybe using an HDMI to Mini DisplayPort cable to the (QHD) iMac running in Target Display Mode (that was one of the models that still supported the TDM function and the quality is still acceptable), as it would be far cheaper than a Studio Display - or an off-brand 4K or 5K monitor which I haven’t found yet.
But what I have done is give up on Apple coming out with a 27”+ iMac within the time-frame that I need it (i.e., next week-ish). I’ll shut up about this now.
Wow you beat me and my 2014 5k iMac! Just to throw a spanner in your works, Open Core Patcher works a treat and will let you update and enjoy the super secure slowness of the latest OS (later OSes).
The product just doesn't make any sense. The iMac comes from a completely different time. A time where the look and feel of the iMac was a breathe of fresh air to computing, and was one of the few computers average people would actually want to look at in their homes. Those days are long gone, and a giant metal all-in-one Mac is huge burdern to bear. Moving it around is impossible. Getting service or support for it is impossible. Selling it (shipping it) down the road is impossible. It's wildly impractical. And the display itself will outlast the computer inside, turning it into a giant paperweight that can't be repurposed. I still have iMacs sitting in boxes in the garage because I don't know what to do with them. Can't reuse them for anything, and can't bear to just throw them away.
Displays on the other hand can be reused for a long, long time. I can't even count how many times I have packed an old display away in a closet only to drag it out again for some purpose at a later time.
The Mac mini/Mac Studio/Mac Pro approach to Apple desktops is how it should stay, and Apple should devote its efforts to making better displays, at varying sizes and resolutions.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying what Apple should or shouldn’t do because there is a market for all-in-ones and the iMac is the cream of the crop. The iMac is a great family computer to be shared in a common area. But for technology fans like us the iMac is not so optimal. In fact, if you really love the all-in-one approach Apple has two full lines of amazing all-in-one computers that are substantially lighter, more portable, and still deliver great stuff in the performance department - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
In my opinion, the real challenge for performance oriented Mac buyers today is choosing between the Mac Studio and the MacBook Pro. Either one can serve as the core of a high performance component based computing solution. The lack of discrete graphics support and limited upgradability of all current Apple Silicon based Macs makes for a lot of overlapping capabilities across across all platforms, even though each platform still has its unique and specialized performance and/or capacity attributes to address edge cases.
The lack of differentiation, or stated another way, the broad overlap, between different Mac platforms has never been at the level it is today. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because buyers may be able to fine tune their expectations to fit into lower cost options, like a Mac mini instead of a Mac Studio or a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you blur your expectations a little more, the iPad Pro may even be in play.
So where does a jumbo iMac fit into this landscape? It does provide a “comfortable” upgrade path for customers who are still in love with their 27” iMacs but not attracted to the 24” iMac. I do trust that if Apple actually delivers on the jumbo iMac speculation, they will have arrived at an answer that makes sense for both their business and their customers.
Laptops are great when you have to be mobile. But personally, I hate having the trackpad underneath my palms. Much prefer to use a big screen and full keyboard. And sometimes use a different pointing device.
When I get to the point I can't flog my 5K any further, probably get a stuffed Mini or a basic Studio (same price). I already have one 32" 4K screen...
I’ve been on a right merry-go-round with looking for the replacement for the creaking old mid-2010 27” i7 that I keep banging on about here. The default was to wait for the ‘27” AS iMac’, but as I can no longer update MS Office or Apple iWorks apps and there are no longer security updates coming down the pipeline, I really have to do something.The last straw was Mozilla ceasing Firefox updates to older systems (I’m on High Sierra of course). It’s basically used as a TV now.
After trawling through the various MacBook options (I have become increasingly annoyed with the iPad and its boobytrap geatures), I have converged on the stuffed M2 Pro Mini or a not-quite-low-end Studio - and a monitor. This was also recommended after an hour’s online chat with an Apple sales person.
The monitor’s going to be the catch as I haven’t found anything that looks right yet. Maybe using an HDMI to Mini DisplayPort cable to the (QHD) iMac running in Target Display Mode (that was one of the models that still supported the TDM function and the quality is still acceptable), as it would be far cheaper than a Studio Display - or an off-brand 4K or 5K monitor which I haven’t found yet.
But what I have done is give up on Apple coming out with a 27”+ iMac within the time-frame that I need it (i.e., next week-ish). I’ll shut up about this now.
Wow you beat me and my 2014 5k iMac! Just to throw a spanner in your works, Open Core Patcher works a treat and will let you update and enjoy the super secure slowness of the latest OS (later OSes).
Indeed! I had ruled that out because it seemed to require a Metal-supporting GPU card to be installed - unless I’ve got the patcher flavour wrong - and I’m a bit wary about getting one via the various Amazon links since I’m in Aust. Although even with the egregious shipping costs and even if it didn’t work, it would still be a tiny fraction of the coast of a new setup. Back to the top of the loop…
The product just doesn't make any sense. The iMac comes from a completely different time. A time where the look and feel of the iMac was a breathe of fresh air to computing, and was one of the few computers average people would actually want to look at in their homes. Those days are long gone, and a giant metal all-in-one Mac is huge burdern to bear. Moving it around is impossible. Getting service or support for it is impossible. Selling it (shipping it) down the road is impossible. It's wildly impractical. And the display itself will outlast the computer inside, turning it into a giant paperweight that can't be repurposed. I still have iMacs sitting in boxes in the garage because I don't know what to do with them. Can't reuse them for anything, and can't bear to just throw them away.
Displays on the other hand can be reused for a long, long time. I can't even count how many times I have packed an old display away in a closet only to drag it out again for some purpose at a later time.
The Mac mini/Mac Studio/Mac Pro approach to Apple desktops is how it should stay, and Apple should devote its efforts to making better displays, at varying sizes and resolutions.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying what Apple should or shouldn’t do because there is a market for all-in-ones and the iMac is the cream of the crop. The iMac is a great family computer to be shared in a common area. But for technology fans like us the iMac is not so optimal. In fact, if you really love the all-in-one approach Apple has two full lines of amazing all-in-one computers that are substantially lighter, more portable, and still deliver great stuff in the performance department - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
In my opinion, the real challenge for performance oriented Mac buyers today is choosing between the Mac Studio and the MacBook Pro. Either one can serve as the core of a high performance component based computing solution. The lack of discrete graphics support and limited upgradability of all current Apple Silicon based Macs makes for a lot of overlapping capabilities across across all platforms, even though each platform still has its unique and specialized performance and/or capacity attributes to address edge cases.
The lack of differentiation, or stated another way, the broad overlap, between different Mac platforms has never been at the level it is today. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because buyers may be able to fine tune their expectations to fit into lower cost options, like a Mac mini instead of a Mac Studio or a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you blur your expectations a little more, the iPad Pro may even be in play.
So where does a jumbo iMac fit into this landscape? It does provide a “comfortable” upgrade path for customers who are still in love with their 27” iMacs but not attracted to the 24” iMac. I do trust that if Apple actually delivers on the jumbo iMac speculation, they will have arrived at an answer that makes sense for both their business and their customers.
Laptops are great when you have to be mobile. But personally, I hate having the trackpad underneath my palms. Much prefer to use a big screen and full keyboard. And sometimes use a different pointing device.
When I get to the point I can't flog my 5K any further, probably get a stuffed Mini or a basic Studio (same price). I already have one 32" 4K screen...
I’ve been on a right merry-go-round with looking for the replacement for the creaking old mid-2010 27” i7 that I keep banging on about here. The default was to wait for the ‘27” AS iMac’, but as I can no longer update MS Office or Apple iWorks apps and there are no longer security updates coming down the pipeline, I really have to do something.The last straw was Mozilla ceasing Firefox updates to older systems (I’m on High Sierra of course). It’s basically used as a TV now.
After trawling through the various MacBook options (I have become increasingly annoyed with the iPad and its boobytrap geatures), I have converged on the stuffed M2 Pro Mini or a not-quite-low-end Studio - and a monitor. This was also recommended after an hour’s online chat with an Apple sales person.
The monitor’s going to be the catch as I haven’t found anything that looks right yet. Maybe using an HDMI to Mini DisplayPort cable to the (QHD) iMac running in Target Display Mode (that was one of the models that still supported the TDM function and the quality is still acceptable), as it would be far cheaper than a Studio Display - or an off-brand 4K or 5K monitor which I haven’t found yet.
But what I have done is give up on Apple coming out with a 27”+ iMac within the time-frame that I need it (i.e., next week-ish). I’ll shut up about this now.
Wow you beat me and my 2014 5k iMac! Just to throw a spanner in your works, Open Core Patcher works a treat and will let you update and enjoy the super secure slowness of the latest OS (later OSes).
Indeed! I had ruled that out because it seemed to require a Metal-supporting GPU card to be installed - unless I’ve got the patcher flavour wrong - and I’m a bit wary about getting one via the various Amazon links since I’m in Aust. Although even with the egregious shipping costs and even if it didn’t work, it would still be a tiny fraction of the coast of a new setup. Back to the top of the loop…
"awkward" — Maybe you can hit a sweet spot between your official max OS 10.13.6 and Ventura that doesn't need Metal, but does still have more updates? Enjoy looping the loop! Or is the top of the loop actually the bottom in Aust. 🤣
The product just doesn't make any sense. The iMac comes from a completely different time. A time where the look and feel of the iMac was a breathe of fresh air to computing, and was one of the few computers average people would actually want to look at in their homes. Those days are long gone, and a giant metal all-in-one Mac is huge burdern to bear. Moving it around is impossible. Getting service or support for it is impossible. Selling it (shipping it) down the road is impossible. It's wildly impractical. And the display itself will outlast the computer inside, turning it into a giant paperweight that can't be repurposed. I still have iMacs sitting in boxes in the garage because I don't know what to do with them. Can't reuse them for anything, and can't bear to just throw them away.
Displays on the other hand can be reused for a long, long time. I can't even count how many times I have packed an old display away in a closet only to drag it out again for some purpose at a later time.
The Mac mini/Mac Studio/Mac Pro approach to Apple desktops is how it should stay, and Apple should devote its efforts to making better displays, at varying sizes and resolutions.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying what Apple should or shouldn’t do because there is a market for all-in-ones and the iMac is the cream of the crop. The iMac is a great family computer to be shared in a common area. But for technology fans like us the iMac is not so optimal. In fact, if you really love the all-in-one approach Apple has two full lines of amazing all-in-one computers that are substantially lighter, more portable, and still deliver great stuff in the performance department - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
In my opinion, the real challenge for performance oriented Mac buyers today is choosing between the Mac Studio and the MacBook Pro. Either one can serve as the core of a high performance component based computing solution. The lack of discrete graphics support and limited upgradability of all current Apple Silicon based Macs makes for a lot of overlapping capabilities across across all platforms, even though each platform still has its unique and specialized performance and/or capacity attributes to address edge cases.
The lack of differentiation, or stated another way, the broad overlap, between different Mac platforms has never been at the level it is today. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because buyers may be able to fine tune their expectations to fit into lower cost options, like a Mac mini instead of a Mac Studio or a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you blur your expectations a little more, the iPad Pro may even be in play.
So where does a jumbo iMac fit into this landscape? It does provide a “comfortable” upgrade path for customers who are still in love with their 27” iMacs but not attracted to the 24” iMac. I do trust that if Apple actually delivers on the jumbo iMac speculation, they will have arrived at an answer that makes sense for both their business and their customers.
Laptops are great when you have to be mobile. But personally, I hate having the trackpad underneath my palms. Much prefer to use a big screen and full keyboard. And sometimes use a different pointing device.
When I get to the point I can't flog my 5K any further, probably get a stuffed Mini or a basic Studio (same price). I already have one 32" 4K screen...
I’ve been on a right merry-go-round with looking for the replacement for the creaking old mid-2010 27” i7 that I keep banging on about here. The default was to wait for the ‘27” AS iMac’, but as I can no longer update MS Office or Apple iWorks apps and there are no longer security updates coming down the pipeline, I really have to do something.The last straw was Mozilla ceasing Firefox updates to older systems (I’m on High Sierra of course). It’s basically used as a TV now.
After trawling through the various MacBook options (I have become increasingly annoyed with the iPad and its boobytrap geatures), I have converged on the stuffed M2 Pro Mini or a not-quite-low-end Studio - and a monitor. This was also recommended after an hour’s online chat with an Apple sales person.
The monitor’s going to be the catch as I haven’t found anything that looks right yet. Maybe using an HDMI to Mini DisplayPort cable to the (QHD) iMac running in Target Display Mode (that was one of the models that still supported the TDM function and the quality is still acceptable), as it would be far cheaper than a Studio Display - or an off-brand 4K or 5K monitor which I haven’t found yet.
But what I have done is give up on Apple coming out with a 27”+ iMac within the time-frame that I need it (i.e., next week-ish). I’ll shut up about this now.
Wow you beat me and my 2014 5k iMac! Just to throw a spanner in your works, Open Core Patcher works a treat and will let you update and enjoy the super secure slowness of the latest OS (later OSes).
Indeed! I had ruled that out because it seemed to require a Metal-supporting GPU card to be installed - unless I’ve got the patcher flavour wrong - and I’m a bit wary about getting one via the various Amazon links since I’m in Aust. Although even with the egregious shipping costs and even if it didn’t work, it would still be a tiny fraction of the coast of a new setup. Back to the top of the loop…
"awkward" — Maybe you can hit a sweet spot between your official max OS 10.13.6 and Ventura that doesn't need Metal, but does still have more updates? Enjoy looping the loop! Or is the top of the loop actually the bottom in Aust. ߤ㦬t;/div>
I had a closer read of the relevant sections on the OCLP site - it looks as though Monterey will run all right on the iMac11,3 as it still runs in non-Metal mode (Ventura drops non-Metal support if I read it correctly). And in any case, the installer will let me know if the chosen OS is incompatible with the iMac. Many thanks for prompting a closer look - time to fire up Time Machine again!
The product just doesn't make any sense. The iMac comes from a completely different time. A time where the look and feel of the iMac was a breathe of fresh air to computing, and was one of the few computers average people would actually want to look at in their homes. Those days are long gone, and a giant metal all-in-one Mac is huge burdern to bear. Moving it around is impossible. Getting service or support for it is impossible. Selling it (shipping it) down the road is impossible. It's wildly impractical. And the display itself will outlast the computer inside, turning it into a giant paperweight that can't be repurposed. I still have iMacs sitting in boxes in the garage because I don't know what to do with them. Can't reuse them for anything, and can't bear to just throw them away.
Displays on the other hand can be reused for a long, long time. I can't even count how many times I have packed an old display away in a closet only to drag it out again for some purpose at a later time.
The Mac mini/Mac Studio/Mac Pro approach to Apple desktops is how it should stay, and Apple should devote its efforts to making better displays, at varying sizes and resolutions.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying what Apple should or shouldn’t do because there is a market for all-in-ones and the iMac is the cream of the crop. The iMac is a great family computer to be shared in a common area. But for technology fans like us the iMac is not so optimal. In fact, if you really love the all-in-one approach Apple has two full lines of amazing all-in-one computers that are substantially lighter, more portable, and still deliver great stuff in the performance department - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
In my opinion, the real challenge for performance oriented Mac buyers today is choosing between the Mac Studio and the MacBook Pro. Either one can serve as the core of a high performance component based computing solution. The lack of discrete graphics support and limited upgradability of all current Apple Silicon based Macs makes for a lot of overlapping capabilities across across all platforms, even though each platform still has its unique and specialized performance and/or capacity attributes to address edge cases.
The lack of differentiation, or stated another way, the broad overlap, between different Mac platforms has never been at the level it is today. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because buyers may be able to fine tune their expectations to fit into lower cost options, like a Mac mini instead of a Mac Studio or a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you blur your expectations a little more, the iPad Pro may even be in play.
So where does a jumbo iMac fit into this landscape? It does provide a “comfortable” upgrade path for customers who are still in love with their 27” iMacs but not attracted to the 24” iMac. I do trust that if Apple actually delivers on the jumbo iMac speculation, they will have arrived at an answer that makes sense for both their business and their customers.
All you're saying is the prospect of an all-in-one still sounds attractive to an uninformed consumer. The person who isn't thinking about that they're going to do with this machine years down the line. That's not a very impressive statement.
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And sometimes use a different pointing device.
When I get to the point I can't flog my 5K any further, probably get a stuffed Mini or a basic Studio (same price). I already have one 32" 4K screen...
After trawling through the various MacBook options (I have become increasingly annoyed with the iPad and its boobytrap geatures), I have converged on the stuffed M2 Pro Mini or a not-quite-low-end Studio - and a monitor. This was also recommended after an hour’s online chat with an Apple sales person.
The monitor’s going to be the catch as I haven’t found anything that looks right yet. Maybe using an HDMI to Mini DisplayPort cable to the (QHD) iMac running in Target Display Mode (that was one of the models that still supported the TDM function and the quality is still acceptable), as it would be far cheaper than a Studio Display - or an off-brand 4K or 5K monitor which I haven’t found yet.
But what I have done is give up on Apple coming out with a 27”+ iMac within the time-frame that I need it (i.e., next week-ish). I’ll shut up about this now.