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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1451520
Plus” than anything else. The iMac Pro Such a powerful chip makes sense if Apple is actually trying to set the stage for a computer that will be worthy of the name “iMac Pro.” Apple has only ever released one model of iMac Pro, a powerful 2017 desktop iMac that was intended to tie pro users over while they waited for an even better Mac Pro. Still, that computer set a fairly high bar, with next-gen Intel Xeon processors — workhorse chips that Apple had only previously used in the 2013 Mac Pro — in configurations of up to 18 cores. It also had advanced cooling capacity, supported up to 128GB of high-performance ECC memory, and came in a cool Space Grey colour. Apple eventually discontinued the iMac Pro last year, leading to speculation whether there would ever be another. As a stop-gap pro machine, the iMac Pro had served its purpose, and demand became lacklustre once the full 2019 Mac Pro came along. On the other hand, though, Apple’s transition to its own silicon is allowing it to do things with its computers that we never could have imagined. An Intel iMac Pro probably wouldn’t have made much sense, but an M-series iMac Pro seems right up Apple’s alley. Next-Generation Apple Silicon? Reading between the lines, however, it’s entirely possible that this 12-core CPU may not refer to an M1-series chip at all. It’s entirely dependent on when Apple plans to release its iMac Pro. Apple is clearly already preparing its next generation of Apple Silicon, the M2 series, which will likely make a debut in a new and redesigned MacBook Air lineup this fall, if not sooner. These M2 chips may already pack in more cores than their predecessors, and by extension, an M2 Pro and M2 Max might get a bump to 12 CPU cores as their standard configuration. In this case, it could be the M2 Pro/Max that’s being referred to in conjunction with the new iMac Pro. There have been enough seemingly contradictory reports floating around to lead us to believe that Apple may have two larger iMacs in the works — an iMac that could arrive as soon as this spring, and then an iMac Pro destined for sometime either later this year or even into early 2023. If that turns out to be the case, it’s reasonable that the iMac Pro would come with an M2 Pro and M2 Max chip configuration, while the standard 27-inch-plus iMac would get some variation of the M1 series — likely M1 Pro and M1 Max configuration similar to those found in the MacBook Pro lineup. There are also rumours circulating of a 32-inch iMac and a 30-inch iMac, which could also represent the so-called iMac Pro and standard iMac, respectively, as well as work on a mini-LED display for at least one of the new iMac models. Although it seems likely that Apple could introduce a larger Apple-silicon-powered iMac as early as this spring, it’s an open question right now whether that will take us all the way to the iMac Pro, or whether it’s going to be offered simply as a larger companion to the 24-inch iMac that made its debut last year.