I was primed and all set to buy a new iMac Tuesday. My late 2014 27″ iMac choked and died — right up until it cooled off — enhancing some 4k drone online video. Moreover I have no question that within just a calendar year or two it will no extended assist the hottest variations of macOS.
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What I expected
The iMac has normally been centered on the guts of client Macs. So basing the new 24″ iMac on the M1 MacBook Air and Mac Mini was expected.
And, commonly, the iMac has supplied an excellent exhibit for $200-three hundred over the price of the low close MacBook, making it a seriously good value. Cost a 27″ 5k exhibit and you can see what I imply.
So I was hoping for an M1 iMac with a 27″-32″ inch exhibit and the guts of a Mac Mini for the $1799 price of modern base of the line Intel iMac. But Apple’s Tuesday announcement had absolutely nothing close.
What Apple sent
The new iMac is a 24″ exhibit in a skinny scenario with the guts of a $699 Mac Mini. That will work out to $600 for a pleasant 24″ exhibit. Or, if you want most of the I/O of the typical Mac Mini – two Thunderbolt 3/USB four ports, two USB 3.one ports – $800.
That’s an high-priced exhibit.
Also: Mac Mini (Late 2020) critique: Apple’s most economical M1 Mac presents fantastic value for cash
What you could get rather
The base of the line Mac Mini retails for $699, but you can typically do improved.
An LG 27″ 4k monitor may possibly be had on the internet for $389, or a effectively-reviewed Samsung 32″ 4k monitor for $339. You could have two 32″ shows and a Mac Mini for a number of pounds more than a solitary 24″ iMac.
The Just take
When examining Apple announcements, it is really normally what they do not say which is most essential. “Ignore the price, glimpse at the pretty shades! Ooh, shiny!”
No question the new iMacs will quickly be sporting $a hundred savings, especially the overpriced 512GB and much larger storage variations. But that only lessens the suffering.
The good information that I see is that it is now clear that Apple will introduce a new iMac centered on a thirty-32″ exhibit and the similar chip that will go into the 16″ MacBook Professional. That’s a machine I’m very likely to obtain.
Opinions welcome. How considerably are you prepared to shell out for the convenience of the new iMac over a Mac Mini + exhibit?