Apple previews iMac Pro, the most powerful Mac ever built, coming in December

AppleInsider · June 5, 2017 6:04PM

In a rare pre-announcement intended to appease professional users, Apple offered a sneak preview of the new iMac Pro coming in December, boasting up to 18-core Xeon processors and up to 128GB of ECC memory.

Priced at $4,999, the iMac Pro will be the most powerful iMac ever built by Apple when it ships this December. It will feature next-generation Radeon Vega graphics, and comes in a space grey chassis.

With a 27-inch 5K display, the all-in-one machine offers what Apple characterized as workstation-class performance thanks to a completely rethought thermal architecture.

Configurations will include 8-, 10- and even 18-core Xeon processors, capable of delivering up to 22 teraflops. The hardware will boast four Thunderbolt 3 ports that can drive two 5K displays and two high-performance RAID arrays.

Apple says to build a comparable PC would cost about $7,000, but Apple plans to undercut its competitors with a $4,999 starting price. The iMac Pro will begin shipping in December.

waverboy · June 5, 2017 6:08PM

Wow, looks like they're getting serious about the pro market.

iamthegtiguy · June 5, 2017 6:10PM

Actually, to me, it looks like the opposite.

The *biggest* complaints from the pro market all revolve around the perceived lack of customizability and expandability of the current Mac Pro.

So what does Apple do? They make one that will undoubtedly be even more proprietary and harder to customize and/or expand.

Also, many professionals have dedicated, calibrated monitors that they use. Why do they need an integrated 27" monitor?

This, to me, is further evidence that Apple's current "pro" products are really just high-end enthusiast products that happen to work for some professionals.

But we'll see. It certainly looks like it will be a beautiful piece of hardware!

king editor the grate · June 5, 2017 6:17PM

This looks like the kind of rig I will repeatedly deck out in the Apple store, sigh, then close the browser tab.

nht · June 5, 2017 6:18PM

iamthegtiguy said:
Actually, to me, it looks like the opposite.

The *biggest* complaints from the pro market all revolve around the perceived lack of customizability and expandability of the current Mac Pro.

So what does Apple do? They make one that will undoubtedly be even more proprietary and harder to customize and/or expand.

Also, many professionals have dedicated, calibrated monitors that they use. Why do they need an integrated 27" monitor?

This, to me, is further evidence that Apple's current "pro" products are really just high-end enthusiast products that happen to work for some professionals.

But we'll see. It certainly looks like it will be a beautiful piece of hardware!

Not all pro's care about customizing their PCs. Some just want horsepower and it just works.

What they didn't want is not have an upgrade path other than a 2013 machine. If they refresh the iMac Pro every year that would work out very well for many pros.

edited June 2017

baconstang · June 5, 2017 6:20PM

iamthegtiguy said:

Actually, to me, it looks like the opposite.

The *biggest* complaints from the pro market all revolve around the perceived lack of customizability and expandability of the current Mac Pro.

So what does Apple do? They make one that will undoubtedly be even more proprietary and harder to customize and/or expand.

Also, many professionals have dedicated, calibrated monitors that they use. Why do they need an integrated 27" monitor?

This, to me, is further evidence that Apple's current "pro" products are really just high-end enthusiast products that happen to work for some professionals.

But we'll see. It certainly looks like it will be a beautiful piece of hardware!

Remember, this isn't a Mac Pro, it's an iMac, so don't complain about the display. Yeesh.
Wait until the new Mac Pros are announced.

tallest skil · June 5, 2017 6:21PM

The only thing I like about this is the keyboard. It’ll hide dirt really well (how do you clean these chiclet ones, anyway).

boltsfan17 · June 5, 2017 6:38PM

The iMac looks great in space gray.

flabber · June 5, 2017 6:47PM

I'm still a little underwhelmed and surprised that Apple keeps naming things "pro" when they're not upgradeable. People have been complaining about the Mac Pro being very much not a Pro device because of all the extra séparate devices one needs to buy to actually get something done. Literally nothing about the thing is upgradeable (SSD, RAM, CPU, GPU). Then they apparently respond to the critics years later (3+ already) by making an iMac "Pro", making the same mistake all over again. I mean, who's going to pay $4999, regardless of wether it's undercutting a similar-specced PC, if you can't upgrade it's so-called "pro hardware" 3 years down the road?

baconstang · June 5, 2017 6:50PM

@Nht "What they didn't want is not have an upgrade path other than a 2013 machine. If they refresh the iMac Pro every year that would work out very well for many pros."

Considering the drip-drip from Intel, meaningful updates may only be every 2 years. Still not bad considering it beats 4 years.

steven n. · June 5, 2017 6:59PM

iamthegtiguy said:

Actually, to me, it looks like the opposite.

The *biggest* complaints from the pro market all revolve around the perceived lack of customizability and expandability of the current Mac Pro.

So what does Apple do? They make one that will undoubtedly be even more proprietary and harder to customize and/or expand.

Also, many professionals have dedicated, calibrated monitors that they use. Why do they need an integrated 27" monitor?

This, to me, is further evidence that Apple's current "pro" products are really just high-end enthusiast products that happen to work for some professionals.

But we'll see. It certainly looks like it will be a beautiful piece of hardware!

I look at this just the opposite. These are computers for vast majority of pros while there will be a few thinking they need some level of 20 foot tower to add a billion cards in case they need to in the future (but then most don't).

steven n. · June 5, 2017 7:02PM

flabber said:

I'm still a little underwhelmed and surprised that Apple keeps naming things "pro" when they're not upgradeable. People have been complaining about the Mac Pro being very much not a Pro device because of all the extra séparate devices one needs to buy to actually get something done. Literally nothing about the thing is upgradeable (SSD, RAM, CPU, GPU). Then they apparently respond to the critics years later (3+ already) by making an iMac "Pro", making the same mistake all over again. I mean, who's going to pay $4999, regardless of wether it's undercutting a similar-specced PC, if you can't upgrade it's so-called "pro hardware" 3 years down the road?

I'm equally amazed people think "avid hobbyist" (AKA know as upgradable) means "pro".

nightwatch · June 5, 2017 7:05PM

Wow! I take back what I said last week. Apparently Tim Cook does still care about us.

High Sierra, this iMac Pro and the upcoming Mac Pro. NOW we're talking!

18 core Xeons and an optimized OS! Mac Power Users rejoice!!!

Now I really wonder what Tim has in store for the upcoming Mac Pro. Dual 18-core Xeons?

applezulu · June 5, 2017 7:22PM

flabber said:

I'm still a little underwhelmed and surprised that Apple keeps naming things "pro" when they're not upgradeable. People have been complaining about the Mac Pro being very much not a Pro device because of all the extra séparate devices one needs to buy to actually get something done. Literally nothing about the thing is upgradeable (SSD, RAM, CPU, GPU). Then they apparently respond to the critics years later (3+ already) by making an iMac "Pro", making the same mistake all over again. I mean, who's going to pay $4999, regardless of wether it's undercutting a similar-specced PC, if you can't upgrade it's so-called "pro hardware" 3 years down the road?

You seem to equate "Pro" with "upgradeable." I'm not sure everyone else does. Apple really hasn't ever been much in the business of making modular hardware, and the things that they're making now are a natural evolution from past hardware, where any possible upgrades and customization were still generally pretty limited compared to the competition. Besides, the rapid evolution of processor speed and memory or storage capacity isn't happening so much in the shrinking desktop market. That's happening with phones and tablets, and even that's showing some evidence of market maturity. An iMac Pro bought today is not likely to be in any great need for component upgrades in three years, as you suggest. I suspect a significant part of the professional user market for desktop devices instead wants to be able to buy hardware that's going to be good for a while, while the upgrades come through OS updates, rather than open-heart surgery. If you really need to be able to tinker under the hood and swap out bells and whistles as as soon as they're available, you were never going to be happy with Apple hardware, anyway.

sflocal · June 5, 2017 7:24PM

flabber said:

I'm still a little underwhelmed and surprised that Apple keeps naming things "pro" when they're not upgradeable.

"Pro" for many has nothing to do with it being upgradeable.

This is a solid machine for many that want that maximum performance with zero hassles. It will sell like crazy. Heck, while I love my 18-month-old 5K, quad-i7 with 64GB on it, I may still buy that new iMac because I can always use the extra horsepower and keep everything integrated.

Damn that's a sweet machine. It covers everything I longed for in my current iMac. Good for Apple. I look forward to the reviews of that high-end iMac when the time comes.

Tim Cook did reiterate his support for the Mac Pro, so it may very well cover whatever needs you apparently need.

flabber · June 5, 2017 7:28PM

@AppleZulu: Isn't that what they also said about the 'trashcan' Mac Pro?

There are plenty of pro's that use PCI-equipment for audio or video editing/creation for example. With the previous Pro desktops you could buy a PCI card and basically integrate a lot into your desktop, inclúding a new GPU, better/bigger HD's and SSD's, and more ram. With the current Mac Pro and the to be-released iMac Pro, that's just not possible.

@Steven N: I know avid hobbyists usually care less about upgradeability. But don't you think a pro usually tends to spend more on devices than these hobbyists? This iMac Pro (it ís a "Pro" segmented device/name) is 33% more expensive compared to a Mac Pro, is pretty much equally as not-upgradeable, and ment for hobbyists?

sflocal · June 5, 2017 7:28PM

tallest skil said:

The only thing I like about this is the keyboard. It’ll hide dirt really well (how do you clean these chiclet ones, anyway).

I take a big handi-wipe on it which cleans most of the keys, then a sharp Q-Tip for the sides. Take a few minutes, but it's pretty much spotless.

blastdoor · June 5, 2017 7:30PM

I'm impressed. I had assumed that the pro iMac would just be a 6 core Coffee Lake. This is truly pro-level specs in an AIO form factor.

welshdog · June 5, 2017 7:35PM

iamthegtiguy said:

Also, many professionals have dedicated, calibrated monitors that they use. Why do they need an integrated 27" monitor?

In the video/film world calibrated monitors are required. This iMac will let you do the Ui work on it's built-in screen and view the output on an attached calibrated monitor. That's how many systems are currently set up so I don't see this as a change. You don't really need the UI monitor to be calibrated, just the big full screen monitor that you and the clients view. SOP.

edited June 2017

strangedays · June 5, 2017 7:52PM

iamthegtiguy said:

Actually, to me, it looks like the opposite.

The *biggest* complaints from the pro market all revolve around the perceived lack of customizability and expandability of the current Mac Pro.

So what does Apple do? They make one that will undoubtedly be even more proprietary and harder to customize and/or expand.

Also, many professionals have dedicated, calibrated monitors that they use. Why do they need an integrated 27" monitor?

This, to me, is further evidence that Apple's current "pro" products are really just high-end enthusiast products that happen to work for some professionals.

But we'll see. It certainly looks like it will be a beautiful piece of hardware!

As a pro, I don't care about DIY upgrades, especially storage. I max it, forget about it, and proceed to earning my living. Years later I sell it or give it to family and get something more amazing.

edited June 2017

polymnia · June 5, 2017 7:55PM

With 10GbE on board, the lack of internal storage upgradability is mitigated, for me, at least. I don't want to keep all my work on my Mac indefinitely, but being able to quickly transfer 150GB over from a NAS will make it easier to restore backed-up or server-stored work.

Hell, I could probably work straight off 10GbE 99% of the time and stay productive.

I love the Black Mac.

Apple previews iMac Pro, the most powerful Mac ever built, coming in December

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