Apple plans new iMac configurations targeting pro users for later this year

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 61
    Soli said:
    Apple may brand this mechine "iMac Pro," which might ship in two metal finishes, and include a wireless TouchBar keyboard. I wonder what silicon Apple settles with, all things considered?
    Nothing about an iMac would force the inclusion or exclusion of a wireless keyboard with or without a Touch Bar, Touch ID, and Apple Pay that the iMac itself would need to be labeled Pro.
    No shit. Said features where not mentioned on AI article because I'm purely speculating; said features captured lots of attention on the new MacBook Pro w/ Touch Bar; Touch Bar was featured on stage as a pro feature, completing pro-level operations. Clearly, a new paradigm for keyboard function keys doesn't scream pro like a pair of AMD FirePro D700 units, but it cost Apple big R&D bucks; tacts on a hefty premium on upper-end models that feature it; won't trickle down to consumer computers immediately; and thus will be highlighted by Apple's marketing department as a pro feature until it can be produced cheaply. Thanks Grumpy McGrumpface.
  • Reply 42 of 61
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Soli said:
    Apple may brand this mechine "iMac Pro," which might ship in two metal finishes, and include a wireless TouchBar keyboard. I wonder what silicon Apple settles with, all things considered?
    Nothing about an iMac would force the inclusion or exclusion of a wireless keyboard with or without a Touch Bar, Touch ID, and Apple Pay that the iMac itself would need to be labeled Pro.
    No shit. Said features where not mentioned on AI article because I'm purely speculating; said features captured lots of attention on the new MacBook Pro w/ Touch Bar; Touch Bar was featured on stage as a pro feature, completing pro-level operations. Clearly, a new paradigm for keyboard function keys doesn't scream pro like a pair of AMD FirePro D700 units, but it cost Apple big R&D bucks; tacts on a hefty premium on upper-end models that feature it; won't trickle down to consumer computers immediately; and thus will be highlighted by Apple's marketing department as a pro feature until it can be produced cheaply. Thanks Grumpy McGrumpface.
    And yet you suggested otherwise.
  • Reply 43 of 61
    Soli said:
    Soli said:
    Apple may brand this mechine "iMac Pro," which might ship in two metal finishes, and include a wireless TouchBar keyboard. I wonder what silicon Apple settles with, all things considered?
    Nothing about an iMac would force the inclusion or exclusion of a wireless keyboard with or without a Touch Bar, Touch ID, and Apple Pay that the iMac itself would need to be labeled Pro.
    No shit. Said features where not mentioned on AI article because I'm purely speculating; said features captured lots of attention on the new MacBook Pro w/ Touch Bar; Touch Bar was featured on stage as a pro feature, completing pro-level operations. Clearly, a new paradigm for keyboard function keys doesn't scream pro like a pair of AMD FirePro D700 units, but it cost Apple big R&D bucks; tacts on a hefty premium on upper-end models that feature it; won't trickle down to consumer computers immediately; and thus will be highlighted by Apple's marketing department as a pro feature until it can be produced cheaply. Thanks Grumpy McGrumpface.
    And yet you suggested otherwise.
    Nope. Discussion I brought to the table referred to the inclusion of Touch Bar, etc. was meant to illuminate the possible final shipping configuration. As in, the iMac Pro comes with these flashy, cool, features—drawing parallels to new MacBook Pro machines, and thus cohesive marketing. Surely said features are not necessary, nor arguably pro, but branding is everything and Touch Bar, as of today, is touted as pro for reasons I mentioned previously. Thus why I speculated their inclusion. F*#k, you're challenging to deal with.
    edited April 2017
  • Reply 44 of 61
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Soli said:
    Soli said:
    Apple may brand this mechine "iMac Pro," which might ship in two metal finishes, and include a wireless TouchBar keyboard. I wonder what silicon Apple settles with, all things considered?
    Nothing about an iMac would force the inclusion or exclusion of a wireless keyboard with or without a Touch Bar, Touch ID, and Apple Pay that the iMac itself would need to be labeled Pro.
    No shit. Said features where not mentioned on AI article because I'm purely speculating; said features captured lots of attention on the new MacBook Pro w/ Touch Bar; Touch Bar was featured on stage as a pro feature, completing pro-level operations. Clearly, a new paradigm for keyboard function keys doesn't scream pro like a pair of AMD FirePro D700 units, but it cost Apple big R&D bucks; tacts on a hefty premium on upper-end models that feature it; won't trickle down to consumer computers immediately; and thus will be highlighted by Apple's marketing department as a pro feature until it can be produced cheaply. Thanks Grumpy McGrumpface.
    And yet you suggested otherwise.
    Nope. Discussion I brought to the table referred to the inclusion of Touch Bar, etc. was meant to illuminate the possible final shipping configuration. As in, the iMac Pro comes with these flashy, cool, features—drawing parallels to new MacBook Pro machines, and thus cohesive marketing. Surely said features are not necessary, nor arguably pro, but branding is everything and Touch Bar, as of today, is touted as pro for reasons I mentioned previously. Thus why I speculated their inclusion. F*#k, you're challenging to deal with.
    So you think the best marketing decision is to make an iMac branded as an "iMac Pro" that comes bundled with the Touch Bar wireless keyboard that can't be had in any other configuration. Can't buy it separately for a 2016 iMac. Can't buy it for the Mac mini. Can't buy it for the Mac Pro, because, as you state, it's "meant to illuminate the possible final shipping configuration."

    Do you not see how that's a completely failure for marketing?

    If you now say, "Well of course you can buy it as a separate peripheral, then what the hell makes the iMac get branded as "iMac Pro." What happens when other Mac notebooks not branded as "Pro" get the Touch Bar?

    You really have to think this stuff through instead of writing the first thought that comes to mind.

    The only way that there's a "Pro" moniker attached is to the keyboard itself, since that'll likely be considerably higher priced than their Magic Keyboard, and it's really an amazing level of technology since it'll be running it's own display and version of OS X.
    edited April 2017
  • Reply 45 of 61
    doozydozendoozydozen Posts: 539member
    @Soli ;
    ...you and I are having a real difficult time understanding one another.
    edited April 2017
  • Reply 46 of 61
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    30 years with Mac now 5 months with Windows--virtually no difference 
    I use both platforms regularly. To think there is no difference is probably because your needs are very modest. While I agree that once inside an application interface there is little difference be it Word or Photoshop, the big difference is the foundational functions of the OS itself. Windows Explorer is totally inferior to macOS Desktop, in my opinion. If you have to work with a lot of files, the Mac is so much better, it is in another league compared to Windows. We use ISO certification in our computing environment. Try searching for an ISO file name on the Mac and you will get your result in less than a second. Try it on Windows and it will search and search for a very long time and more than half the time it won't ever find it. And if you are in publishing as I am, the management of fonts/typefaces in Mac is lightyears ahead of Windows. Just trying to accurately drop a cursor into a line of text will show how much better the Mac is. In Windows you might end up one side or the other of the intended edit point or maybe even on the line above or below.
    edited April 2017 watto_cobra
  • Reply 47 of 61
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    jkichline said:
    Once it's lost it's depreciable lifespan, you usually want to sell it anyway and purchase new to continue to depreciate business assets.  Apple's products maintain their resale value making them a great choice for actual professionals.
    In order to depreciate a piece of business equipment, you have to purchase it.  If Apple computers last many years beyond the allowed depreciation, it just means you don't have to spend any money to replace it. There may be tax implications, but I'd rather maintain a useful piece of equipment as long as practical rather than buy a new one just to continue depreciation.

    On your second point, I'd like to point out that the moniker "Pro" is just a dog whistle buzz word without real distinction because anyone who makes money with a computer is technically a professional of some sort. Now, a creative "Pro" is usually someone who does need some computing power for photos/video/3D modeling/compiling etc.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 48 of 61
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    netrox said:
    Biggest mistake I see with photographers - they buy Mac Pro thinking it's a better buy when in fact, 5K iMac is often faster with Photoshop and LR in many tasks and it comes with gorgeous display at a lower price. Mac Pro makes sense for video editing since software allocates each frame of video to each core but photography? No.
    True. Another interesting detail is that the higher priced Mac Pros are actually slower than the entry level Mac Pro for most tasks other than video applications that can take advantage of the additional cores during rendering. The lower end Mac Pros are clocked faster so routine desktop functions such as file management and launching applications are all faster than the high end machine.
    Soliwatto_cobra
  • Reply 49 of 61
    Exactly how is a glued shut, skinny iMac with soldered in memory and on board Vampire Video GPUs going to serve a Pro Market or have any shelf life?

    The very all in one concept of the iMac or a laptop serves the constant churn that may be profitable for Apple, but not what more than a few want or need.
    Most professionals - at least those in the creative fields - do not need monster machines. The majority of these professionals are not cranking out high-end video or 3-D animations, but literature, packaging, websites, photoshop tweaks, and the like. This applies to service bureaus, agencies, corporate in-house, and freelance. For those of who do need the big iron, we definitely want the expandability, the speed, the graphics power and the high-speed storage, but at best I doubt that we represent more than 10% of the market of people who use Macs professionally.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 50 of 61
    With the exception of the senseless reduction in ports, Apple's pro laptop line already has a good direction. Beefing up the iMac with pro options definitely addresses the majority of pro situations, but the top of the line machines clearly need to be extremely expandable and to accommodate multiple monitors. And no matter what Apple may do, until they are able to run PC-compatible graphics cards at full speed, they will always be behind the curve in the high-performance market. The top-end pro Mac market is not big enough to rate proprietary cards that can compete with the 1080 Ti and the Titan X. Revising the Mac to handle such cards natively may require a special BIOs chip and some serious changes in firmware, but it can be done.
  • Reply 51 of 61
    C'mon Apple, C'mon, make it happen!  Rockin' my iMac from 2011, which I guess must have been designed in 2010.  Moore's Law might not be a law anymore, but the available electronic parts have got to be TONS better now 7 years later.  Hey let's just say I want the ports on the back to match what's going to be happening for the NEXT 7 years?  I guess I don't have to read the rumor sites for a couple months, tho, so ... I'll catch all you guys later & read about it in the newspaper.  Cheers & it's been a great few months of anticipation.  Of not much as it turns out.
  • Reply 52 of 61
    metrixmetrix Posts: 256member
    bill42 said:
    Did Apple just say that they will upgrade the current form factor of the existing iMacs? This design is over 7 years old isn't it? While my 2012 iMac is still a fine pro machine for photoshop, like anybody else I'm always looking ahead to new design advances and hardware innovations. That Microsoft Surface Pro sure leapfrogged the current iMacs so I think Apple really needs to innovate some kick-ass new design into a brand new iMac, fast! No I don't need to touch my screen. You touch my screen I break your fingers!!
    I admit I have no idea what I'd like to see, but that is not my job. Apple has always created things that I didn't know I needed until they showed it to me. Blow me away Apple!
    Correct me if I'm wrong but Surface Pro is limited to older two core CPU with only 16 Gig of Ram and only half the performance of a iMac
    edited April 2017
  • Reply 53 of 61
    It is easy and sensible for Apple to make a "pro" iMac.  Here's a wish list:

    1) Leave more room in the back!    If you elect to still taper to edges, have a much Deeper space in back.  This is consistent with (2):
    2) Leverage Apple's extensive experience with cooling design from prior Mac Pros and build a compact but quiet multi-fan cooling design.  The goal is never, Ever, having thermally-constrained performance if you run the iMac all night long while rendering video or using the GPU at full capacity.
    3) Door in back.  Make it hidden, or totally smooth requiring a magnet to open - whatever, but have the back accessible particularly if you still glue the edges.
    4) Put a SD card slot on the front!  Video cameras like the Sony FS-5 and Panasonic GH-5 and DVX200, and the Blackmagic Video Assist can save video to SD cards.  
    5) HDMI in.  Some cameras output higher quality signals (e.g. 10-bit 4:2:2 from the DVX200) through HDMI than they can store internally; internal is often highly compressed.
    6) Pros need ports!  Plenty of USB-C, one USB-A for legacy, thunderbolt (at least two, one for monitors w/o dual TB).  Perhaps a second SD card slot for copying. Gigabit ethernet.
    7) Consider pros wanting multiple displays.  Design external displays that will match the iMac display lower height with minimal bezel so screens "almost" run edge to edge.  This would appeal to gamers, as well.
    8) Options for 32 or more GB of memory, and make it easy to replace/upgrade.
    9) Options for large (>4 or 8 GB) VRAM.
    10) Don't shortchange audio.  Separate mic in, headphone out w/optical 5.1 as is true now.  HDMI out for 7.1 output to a receiver.
    11) Switched A/C out for companion monitor(s).
    12) Adjustable display height.
    13) Remote control.

    I could use All of this, today.  I have a 5K iMac, and it is great, but it requires USB3 adapters, thunderbolt docks, external receiver and power, etc.
  • Reply 54 of 61
    metrix said:
    bill42 said:
    [...] That Microsoft Surface Pro sure leapfrogged the current iMacs so I think Apple really needs to innovate some kick-ass new design into a brand new iMac, fast! No I don't need to touch my screen. You touch my screen I break your fingers!!
    Correct me if I'm wrong but Surface Pro is limited to older two core CPU with only 16 Gig of Ram and only half the performance of a iMac
    Probably they meant the Surface Studio -- Skylake (same as current 5K iMac) quad core with up to 32 GB RAM, and hybrid drives only (no option for all SSD). 4.5K display. Also limited to three configurations, no flexibility there as far as I can see. To get the 32 GB RAM, you have to buy the $4,199 configuration, and the RAM is soldered in. Makes Apple's approach look flexible. Especially since I'm typing this on a 5K iMac that I put 32 GB RAM in myself, in about five minutes, paying a fraction of what Apple would have charged me for it. [Sourced from Ramjet, been using them since the 1990s and never had a problem.]

    So the current 5K iMac (let alone the coming iMac Pro) already has: [1] a better display resolution -- 5K versus 4.5K; [2] more RAM, for less money -- max 64 GB versus max 32 GB; [3] better options for storage -- max 3 TB hybrid versus max 2 TB hybrid, plus ability to go all SSD in the iMac, which is not an option for the Surface Studio; [4] the Surface Studio doesn't use a true two-in-one "hybrid" drive -- instead it has separate SSD and 2.5-inch HDDs, so in theory you can open it up and upgrade either part; HOWEVER, the current iMac 5K supports the faster NVMe SSDs, while Microsoft, inexplicably, chose to stay with SATA for its SSD.
  • Reply 55 of 61
    It is easy and sensible for Apple to make a "pro" iMac.  Here's a wish list:

    1) Leave more room in the back!    If you elect to still taper to edges, have a much Deeper space in back.  This is consistent with (2):
    2) Leverage Apple's extensive experience with cooling design from prior Mac Pros and build a compact but quiet multi-fan cooling design.  The goal is never, Ever, having thermally-constrained performance if you run the iMac all night long while rendering video or using the GPU at full capacity.
    3) Door in back.  Make it hidden, or totally smooth requiring a magnet to open - whatever, but have the back accessible particularly if you still glue the edges.
    4) Put a SD card slot on the front!  Video cameras like the Sony FS-5 and Panasonic GH-5 and DVX200, and the Blackmagic Video Assist can save video to SD cards.  
    5) HDMI in.  Some cameras output higher quality signals (e.g. 10-bit 4:2:2 from the DVX200) through HDMI than they can store internally; internal is often highly compressed.
    6) Pros need ports!  Plenty of USB-C, one USB-A for legacy, thunderbolt (at least two, one for monitors w/o dual TB).  Perhaps a second SD card slot for copying. Gigabit ethernet.
    7) Consider pros wanting multiple displays.  Design external displays that will match the iMac display lower height with minimal bezel so screens "almost" run edge to edge.  This would appeal to gamers, as well.
    8) Options for 32 or more GB of memory, and make it easy to replace/upgrade.
    9) Options for large (>4 or 8 GB) VRAM.
    10) Don't shortchange audio.  Separate mic in, headphone out w/optical 5.1 as is true now.  HDMI out for 7.1 output to a receiver.
    11) Switched A/C out for companion monitor(s).
    12) Adjustable display height.
    13) Remote control.

    I could use All of this, today.  I have a 5K iMac, and it is great, but it requires USB3 adapters, thunderbolt docks, external receiver and power, etc.
    Nice wish list, and I'm sure you know this, but the chances of it being festooned with assorted ports and slots are near zero. Ethernet is the only one with any degree of likelihood. Probably six TB3/USB-C ports, replacing the six TB2/USB-A ports on the current machine. 

    However, I think it likely you'll see a "Pro" dock from Apple that matches the iMac and includes most of what you're asking for. I don't really see them leaving such a critical piece of equipment up to third parties. Those short little three-in-one "Multiport Adapters" Apple sells for the MacBook Pro are not appropriate for a desktop iMac.

    Maybe the SDXC slot stays, but probably not if it is included with the dock. Still, since you see the usefulness of having two, it would be nice to see it remain on the back of the iMac and then have a second one in the dock. Keep dreaming about moving it to the front!

    Schiller (I think) suggested that the Late 2017 iMac would not be a new form factor, so probably just the existing RAM access. But the inside will be completely reworked. Coffee Lake, unfortunately, doesn't look like it will arrive in time, so most likely Kaby Lake with "Pro" improvements in memory, GPU, and storage capacities.

    Long term, I'd look for a new "iMac Pro" form factor with Cannon Lake. Easy (and yet somehow secure) access to the storage would be at or near the top of my wish list for that. An access panel where you can upgrade the main storage and also add a second SSD.

    Unfortunately, I don't think having the entire back come off is possible, even with a new design -- access to the current iMac is basically through the front, through the opening for the display. You cut the tape (it's not "glue") around the edge of the display and it comes out, revealing the computer behind it -- it's attached to the back. [I've never actually opened one, but I read about how to do it when I was thinking of upgrading my storage.] It's hard to imagine them changing that basic approach.
    edited April 2017
  • Reply 56 of 61
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    It is easy and sensible for Apple to make a "pro" iMac.  Here's a wish list:

    1) Leave more room in the back!    If you elect to still taper to edges, have a much Deeper space in back.  This is consistent with (2):
    2) Leverage Apple's extensive experience with cooling design from prior Mac Pros and build a compact but quiet multi-fan cooling design.  The goal is never, Ever, having thermally-constrained performance if you run the iMac all night long while rendering video or using the GPU at full capacity.
    3) Door in back.  Make it hidden, or totally smooth requiring a magnet to open - whatever, but have the back accessible particularly if you still glue the edges.
    4) Put a SD card slot on the front!  Video cameras like the Sony FS-5 and Panasonic GH-5 and DVX200, and the Blackmagic Video Assist can save video to SD cards.  
    5) HDMI in.  Some cameras output higher quality signals (e.g. 10-bit 4:2:2 from the DVX200) through HDMI than they can store internally; internal is often highly compressed.
    6) Pros need ports!  Plenty of USB-C, one USB-A for legacy, thunderbolt (at least two, one for monitors w/o dual TB).  Perhaps a second SD card slot for copying. Gigabit ethernet.
    7) Consider pros wanting multiple displays.  Design external displays that will match the iMac display lower height with minimal bezel so screens "almost" run edge to edge.  This would appeal to gamers, as well.
    8) Options for 32 or more GB of memory, and make it easy to replace/upgrade.
    9) Options for large (>4 or 8 GB) VRAM.
    10) Don't shortchange audio.  Separate mic in, headphone out w/optical 5.1 as is true now.  HDMI out for 7.1 output to a receiver.
    11) Switched A/C out for companion monitor(s).
    12) Adjustable display height.
    13) Remote control.

    I could use All of this, today.  I have a 5K iMac, and it is great, but it requires USB3 adapters, thunderbolt docks, external receiver and power, etc.
    Nice wish list, and I'm sure you know this, but the chances of it being festooned with assorted ports and slots are near zero. Ethernet is the only one with any degree of likelihood. Probably six TB3/USB-C ports, replacing the six TB2/USB-A ports on the current machine. 

    However, I think it likely you'll see a "Pro" dock from Apple that matches the iMac and includes most of what you're asking for. I don't really see them leaving such a critical piece of equipment up to third parties. Those short little three-in-one "Multiport Adapters" Apple sells for the MacBook Pro are not appropriate for a desktop iMac.

    Maybe the SDXC slot stays, but probably not if it is included with the dock. Still, since you see the usefulness of having two, it would be nice to see it remain on the back of the iMac and then have a second one in the dock. Keep dreaming about moving it to the front!

    Schiller (I think) suggested that the Late 2017 iMac would not be a new form factor, so probably just the existing RAM access. But the inside will be completely reworked. Coffee Lake, unfortunately, doesn't look like it will arrive in time, so most likely Kaby Lake with "Pro" improvements in memory, GPU, and storage capacities.

    Long term, I'd look for a new "iMac Pro" form factor with Cannon Lake. Easy (and yet somehow secure) access to the storage would be at or near the top of my wish list for that. An access panel where you can upgrade the main storage and also add a second SSD.

    Unfortunately, I don't think having the entire back come off is possible, even with a new design -- access to the current iMac is basically through the front, through the opening for the display. You cut the tape (it's not "glue") around the edge of the display and it comes out, revealing the computer behind it -- it's attached to the back. [I've never actually opened one, but I read about how to do it when I was thinking of upgrading my storage.] It's hard to imagine them changing that basic approach.
    Apple if they are thinking all things modular then making a new design where the whole back comes off would be a good thing.
    They could make different screen size panels in an aluminium frame all with the same large sized socket for the technology module. With say a magnet internal connector so they only needs to be two screws to secure the two parts. Thinking socket would be large enough to contain the intenals of the current 21inch iMac 

    Then they could make new 3 tech modules
    - small 1/2 inch curved- AppleDisplay allows remote connected MacPro or Works as AppleTV in the home.
    - Tiny 1/2inch rounded rectangle - iMac more like the current but tighter.
    - Large 1inch maybe curved - iMac Pro more room for desktop parts and heat loads

    Would Love to also see them make the stands a consistent Vesa mounted part or at least sell tech modules with a standless option and Veas mount. 
  • Reply 57 of 61
    tribalogicaltribalogical Posts: 1,182member
    Does anyone think there will at least be a speed bump to the iMac in the interim? I need to replace my aging 27" iMac, and wonder if it makes any sense to wait? I'm not waiting until late in the year for the "pro" model... just wondering if it seems at all likely there will be an interim update?

    Current model, I'd be upgrading to the 4Ghz i7, the 4Gb GPU option, and more RAM... that's already pretty powerful stuff. Sadly I've seen no rumors at all regarding a speed bump. 

    I can wait until WWDC... and maybe a week after (they have a tendency to quietly do bumps right after I notice).

    Thoughts and suggestions are welcome!
  • Reply 58 of 61
    thttht Posts: 5,421member
    Does anyone think there will at least be a speed bump to the iMac in the interim? I need to replace my aging 27" iMac, and wonder if it makes any sense to wait? I'm not waiting until late in the year for the "pro" model... just wondering if it seems at all likely there will be an interim update?

    Current model, I'd be upgrading to the 4Ghz i7, the 4Gb GPU option, and more RAM... that's already pretty powerful stuff. Sadly I've seen no rumors at all regarding a speed bump. 

    I can wait until WWDC... and maybe a week after (they have a tendency to quietly do bumps right after I notice).

    Thoughts and suggestions are welcome!

    How old is your iMac?

    There's really nothing driving me to update my 2013 iMac 27" (iMac14,2), and I'm not even thinking about changing until 2020 or later. If I do anything, it would be a hard drive update, and there are some cheap 8 TB versions that should fit, just need an official way to do it, or maybe will have to wait when Apple Care runs out.

    This quarter should be a good time frame for Apple to do component upgrades on the iMac. Kaby Lake Core i5-7500, i5-7600, and i7-7700K would be direct drop-in updates and they were just released last quarter. AMD Polaris GPUs should be available or they can go with Nvidia equivalents or better. They really need to make Fusion drives default, and have 6 TB HDD, 2 TB SSD options.

    So I would wait as long as you can, or wait on rumors just right after WWDC.

    The current iMac industrial design is about 4.5 years old. There's a chance that Apple will change the industrial design either this Fall or next year as they seem to maintain the ID every 4 to 5 years or so.
    tribalogical
  • Reply 59 of 61
    No harm in waiting a few more weeks. Nobody is going to predict they won't do a bump when there are Kaby Lake updates available that fit the current 5K iMac configurations perfectly.

    It's possible there have been no rumors because the official word from on high of "pro" iMac configurations to come later this year took the wind out of the sails of the usual "analysts" who would have been predicting a refresh for the iMacs.

    Also note that you can put 64 GB memory into the current 5K iMac -- just BTO at 8 GB, save the $600 you would have spent for 32 GB from Apple and instead use it toward the $1000 you'll need for the 64 GB.

    EDIT: Another complicating factor is the possibility/probability that the new "pro" iMac configurations will feature USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 and a Touch Bar keyboard. I don't know how that fits into this logic and timing. I don't really see them sitting on it (the Touch bar keyboard) for long once it is ready -- so it's possible the new "pro" iMac configurations will be Kaby Lake with new GPUs and a Touch Bar keyboard, coming this Fall. That would argue against a refresh now.
    edited May 2017 tribalogical
  • Reply 60 of 61
    tribalogicaltribalogical Posts: 1,182member
    tht said:
    Does anyone think there will at least be a speed bump to the iMac in the interim?
    I can wait until WWDC... and maybe a week after (they have a tendency to quietly do bumps right after I notice).

    Thoughts and suggestions are welcome!

    How old is your iMac?
    7.5 years...!  Bought in late 2009, so the late 2009 model.

    I 'future-proofed' it as best I could. Upgraded to the i7 'nehalem' @ 2.8ghz, and doubled the RAM (8GB was all I think they offered then). Also got the best GPU available at the time. A whopping 512MB of VRAM...

    So yes, my upgrade is really overdue. I was ready to go late last year, but decided to wait a bit more, see if they'd bump it once the Kaby Lake chips came out... And now we're 5 days away from WWDC, so I'll hang tough another week or two. I'd love to have the newer CPU and possibly a slightly bumped gfx card as well... 

    Truth is the current 5K model with i7, 16GB RAM and 4GB VRAM would keep me happy for at least three maybe four years... so a speed bump now would add a decent amount 'shelf life'...
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