Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing

The 27-inch iMac ‘Pro’ with M1 Max could already be in production

By

After the launch of its redesigned 24-inch iMac, Apple has begun production on a larger 27-inch variant, according to MacRumors. The report also says that the new iMac will feature a mini-LED display.

The report is based on new shipments from Apple suppliers. Components are being sent off to manufacturers for final assembly, which means the 27-inch iMac is likely in production and could ship in the spring of 2022.

Apple iMac 24 inch
Riley Young / Digital Trends

The release pattern would follow the launch of the M1 24-inch iMac in April of 2021, which came around six months after the introduction of the M1 chip in the MacBook Air.

Recommended Videos

The design would likely follow the choices in the 24-inch iMac. However, the new 27-inch model is rumored to also have a mini-LED display and support ProMotion with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. That’s a massive upgrade that would put the new iMac in the Pro league of personal computers.

It isn’t just the display and the design getting an overhaul either. The reliable leaker @dylandkt says the new iMac will be a Pro model.

iMac (Pro)
Promotion and Mini Led
Base model 16gb Ram 512gb Storage
M1 Pro and Max
Dark bezels
HDMI, SD Card, Usb C
Similar design to iMac 24 and Pro Display XDR
Starting price at or over 2000 dollars
Ethernet on brick standard
Face ID was tested (Not confirmed)
1H 2022

— Dylan (@dylandkt) October 30, 2021

Just as the 24-inch iMac utilizes M1, the 27-inch iMac will likely run the M1 Pro and M1 Max, the same processors found in the new MacBook Pros. Dylan also claims the iMac will have HDMI, SD Card, and USB-C ports.

Apple will definitely continue doubling down on its own silicon. As of right now, the current 27-inch iMac, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro are the only computers available from Apple with Intel processors. That will likely change with the introduction of a new 27-inch model.

Pricing is hard to guess, at this point, though. The last iMac Pro started at $4,999. If this is truly a Pro replacement with an XDR/mini-LED display, that sounds about right. However, this 27-inch iMac Pro would also be the replacement of the Intel-powered 27-inch iMac, which starts at $1,799. With the price increases that came to the MacBook Pro, though, don’t be surprised to see a starting price of over $2,000 for this iMac Pro.

All of this news is consistent with other rumors about the 27-inch iMac Pro. The M1 Pro and M1 Pro Max are powerhouse processors, and they helped make the new MacBook Pros the best ones in years. A larger iMac with those processors and a mini-LED display would continue Apple’s hot streak of revolutionizing their product lineup.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Caleb Clark
Caleb Clark
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Caleb Clark is a full-time writer that primarily covers consumer tech and gaming. He also writes frequently on Medium about…
The biggest threat to the MacBook this year might come from Apple itself
The MacBook Air on a white table.

MacBooks have held a dominant position in the laptop world for the past few years. Though there have been meaningful rivals from the Windows side of the aisle, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro still feel like they hold an unshakeable lead at the moment.

But according to the latest reports, the most serious challenger to the MacBook's reign won't come from Windows -- it'll come from within Apple in the form of some very advanced new iPads.
What's a computer?

Read more
Why you should buy a MacBook Pro instead of a MacBook Air
The 14-inch MacBook Pro on a window sill.

There are plenty of reasons to buy a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you want a MacBook on a budget, you don't necessarily need the goodies that come with upgrading to the MacBook Pro.

That being said, I'm going to argue for spending a little more. In my experience, the MacBook Pro offers several distinct advantages that help justify a higher price, especially with the introduction of the more affordable MacBook Pro 14 with the base M3. If you can stretch your budget a bit, here's why I think you should buy a MacBook Pro instead of a MacBook Air.
Setting the stage: pricing

Read more
Why you should buy a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro
The MacBook Air on a table in front of a window.

The MacBook Air has officially caught up. Now with the M3 on board, the MacBook Air has gained the benefits of the new chip, which was previously available just on the MacBook Pro and iMac.

Choosing between the M3 15-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro is tough, and requires an in-depth look at differences in ports, displays, speakers, and more. It's a legitimately hard decision to make.

Read more