Apple took advantage of the “Peek Performance” keynote to bury discreetly the 27-inch iMac, a model well appreciated by professionals and individuals in need of power. Back in the days of Intel processors, this computer offered one of the best bangs for those who wanted a Mac that had it under the hood without blowing their budget. The alternatives were all more expensive: you had to either invest in a well-equipped Mac mini and buy the rest of the accessories (keyboard, mouse, screen, speakers), or turn to a well-boosted MacBook Pro. The prices could then greatly exceed those of the iMac as long as there were large storage or RAM needs.
The 27-inch iMac was also a superb 5K panel (5,120 x 2,880), inaugurated in 2014 and very practical for displaying a large work surface while limiting the size. This big silent bike had the advantage of being sold with all the necessary accessories (keyboards/mouse), of integrating loudspeaker and webcam, but also of allowing free access to the RAM. Thanks to Boot Camp, it was possible to install Windows and use it as a more than adequate PC to play a little or to use software not available on macOS.
Apple Silicon: where did the 27-inch iMac go?
On the desktop side, the disappearance of the 27-inch iMac leaves a hole in Apple’s catalog. Either we stay under €2,000 with an M1 chip (iMac 24″, Mac mini), or we go directly above €4,000 for a Mac Studio with an external 5K screen. in between, and there are many who dream of a 27-inch “Pro” iMac to find an all-in-one bike with enough power.
We imagine that Apple has a replacement in the pipeline. Some rumors evoke an iMac Pro with a miniLED panel, others a simple XL version of the 24-inch iMac with a little more trunk. For the exit, the sounds of bells different : in the summer according to Ross Young, next year for Ming-Chi Kuo. In the meantime, Apple doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to release this new model and has even confirmed that the 27-inch iMac has reached “its end of life” at Ars Technica. In terms of good value for money, going back seems difficult: the Studio Display is displayed at €1,749, or €250 less than the entry-level 27-inch iMac freshly removed from the catalog.
And you, do you think that Apple should offer an Apple Silicon iMac 27?