My computer choice just got a lot easier
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No larger iMac in the works:
With the introduction of the new Mac Studio and Studio Display, Apple quietly discontinued the 27-inch iMac – which was still sold with an Intel processor. While the company told the press that the 27-inch iMac is gone for good, rumors were suggesting that Apple has a new “iMac Pro” in the works, but this may no longer be the case.
Sources told 9to5Mac that Apple currently has no plans to release a larger-screen iMac in the near future. The information comes from the same sources that revealed to us the plans for Mac Studio and Studio Display in advance.
As we previously reported, Apple has been working on the next wave of Macs with the new M2 chip, which includes a new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. However, when it comes to the iMac, the company currently has no plans to release new high-end versions of its all-in-one desktop for now.
This not only applies to a larger screen model, but also versions with Pro, Max, or Ultra chips. Based on information seen by 9to5Mac, Apple is working on a new 24-inch iMac expected to be introduced sometime in 2023, but similar to the MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro, it is unlikely to feature Apple’s high-end processors.
I was hoping that a 27" (or larger) iMac was going to be introduced in the next few months, but those hopes are, apparently, unrealistic.
Although the 24" iMac is certainly nice, it's now a year old, and a new version, as the article says, is probably not until next year.
So....
I'm down to two choices:
- When released, the new Mac Mini. That's due for an update this year, and I can get a nice 27" or 32" screen for it.
- I don't need a lot of horsepower, so a MacBook Air would probably be good enough, but I'd still need to invest in a monitor, dock, and hub for it, since I use a desktop 90% of the time. This would probably cost about $300 more (you're paying for portability). I believe this is the setup that @jon-nyc has.
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@jon-nyc said in My computer choice just got a lot easier:
I travel enough that the laptop is really needed. But when I’m at home, it might as well be a desktop
I don't travel nearly as much as you do, perhaps twice a year.
When we travel, we take Mrs. George's old MacBook Air, and I access my iCloud account from it if I need to. I plan to update that this year as well.
Otherwise, my iPad is good enough for what I need.
My only concern is connectivity to other devices. I have a 4 bay thunderbolt enclosure that houses my external data (my ripped CDs, videos, Time Machine, etc) that I'd need to connect.
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The Mac Studio seems to be a really powerful machine, but it's probably more than I need, especially when you consider the base model is about $2000. It would have all the I/O I want, but probably too much power.
However, attaching it to a mid-range monitor might actually be an affordable alternative.
Not the newly-announced Apple 27" monitor which is $1500 (stand included, by the way).
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Hmmm...
Just looking at a Mac Studio with added monitor (not Apple) it's about $800 more than a comparably equipped Mac Mini and about $600 more than a comparably equipped MacBook Air.
With the Studio, I wouldn't need a hub, or anything else. Just a monitor, keyboard and appropriate cables.
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@George-K said in My computer choice just got a lot easier:
Seems I can use my current iMac as an external display...
“Target Display Mode”?
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592 -
@Axtremus said in My computer choice just got a lot easier:
“Target Display Mode”?
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592Yeah.