With the discharge of the M3 MacBook Air a couple of month in the past, Apple’s laptop computer lineup turned up-to-date, with every MacBook sporting some model of the M3 chip, the most recent in Apple silicon. So, now it must be time for the opposite shoe to drop: the updates to the desktop Mac lineup.
However of the 4 fashions in Apple’s desktop Mac lineup, just one has an M3 chip, the iMac. That replace got here 5 months in the past after a two-year wait, and we don’t even know if the remainder of the strains are going to get an replace earlier than the M4 arrives. So, what’s happening with Apple’s desktop Macs? Solely Apple is aware of for positive. However we will take a look at the state of the desktop Mac lineup based mostly on every mannequin and attempt to come to some understanding as to what Apple is pondering.
Mac mini
The shortage of a M3 replace to the Mac mini is confounding when you think about its previous launch historical past. When Apple launched the M1, the Mac mini shared the highlight with the primary Apple silicon machines. Then when the M2 Professional arrived, Apple added a higher-end mannequin with an M2 Professional chip as a lower-cost efficiency machine. Each instances the Mac mini was on the forefront of the launch of a brand new chip.
It appears becoming for Apple to replace the Mac mini (left) and Mac Studio in 2024, however it’s not a certainty.
It appears becoming for Apple to replace the Mac mini (left) and Mac Studio in 2024, however it’s not a certainty.
Roman Loyola/IDG
It appears becoming for Apple to replace the Mac mini (left) and Mac Studio in 2024, however it’s not a certainty.
Roman Loyola/IDG
Roman Loyola/IDG
Nonetheless, issues have modified this yr. Apple launched the M3 and M3 Professional chips on the Scary Quick Mac occasion in October, so it could make sense that the M3 and M3 Professional Mac mini would observe. That hasn’t occurred and there aren’t any rumors to point a brand new mannequin is coming quickly. Apple’s replace historical past earlier than Apple silicon with the Mac mini is sporadic at greatest, however there’s no excuse anymore to maintain the Mac mini on an older chip except Apple plans to skip a technology or two.
iMac
In case you missed it, Apple up to date the iMac with an M3 chip (in addition to with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3) final fall. It’s a pleasant improve from the M1 it changed, however since Apple launched its present design in 2021, it’s now within the incremental replace section the place new iMacs will give attention to efficiency and never a lot else. Apple didn’t even introduce a brand new coloration because it did with the M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Professional.
That’s to not downplay the significance of every iMac replace going ahead, however incremental chip updates are considerably predictable. Additionally, it seems to be like Apple’s cadence with the iMac is to replace it each different chip technology, which suggests we’re not getting one other iMac till the M5 chip–seemingly in 2026 or 2027.
Apple may spark the iMac lineup by releasing a bigger professional mannequin, however it doesn’t appear to be that’s coming both. Apple mentioned particularly {that a} 27-inch iMac shouldn’t be in its plans (at the same time as rumors of a 32-inch iMac Professional have been floated) however except Apple is being coy, the 24-inch mannequin is the one we’re caught with for some time.
Lots of Mac customers are hoping an iMac Professional revival is within the works.
Lots of Mac customers are hoping an iMac Professional revival is within the works.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Lots of Mac customers are hoping an iMac Professional revival is within the works.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Mac Studio
Apple surprisingly unveiled the Mac Studio alongside the Studio DIsplay at an occasion in March 2022. It represented a speedy desktop machine that was extra highly effective than a Mac mini however much less expandable than the Mac Professional with a particularly small footprint.
The Mac Studio obtained M2 Max and M2 Extremely chips lower than a yr in the past, so an replace doesn’t but really feel overdue though high-end MacBook Professional fashions have already got an M3 Max. Conceivably, Apple may replace this Mac at WWDC in June with a brand new chip, since we don’t anticipate Apple to revamp it for some time, if ever. But it surely additionally seems like a technology may cross us by with out an replace.
Contemplating how Apple has dealt with Mac Professional upgrades prior to now, it received’t be shocking if the corporate doesn’t replace it in a significant manner for a protracted whereas.
Contemplating how Apple has dealt with Mac Professional upgrades prior to now, it received’t be shocking if the corporate doesn’t replace it in a significant manner for a protracted whereas.
Foundry
Contemplating how Apple has dealt with Mac Professional upgrades prior to now, it received’t be shocking if the corporate doesn’t replace it in a significant manner for a protracted whereas.
Foundry
Foundry
Mac Professional
Apple launched the primary Mac Professional again in 2006 as an ultra-high-end machine and right now it’s much less related than ever. For one, the Mac Studio is 1000’s of {dollars} cheaper and simply as quick. For an additional, the largest promoting factors—upgradeable graphics and reminiscence—went away when the M2 Extremely mannequin was introduced final June. The one factor that separates the Mac Professional from the Mac Studio is the design, just a few further ports, and upgradeable storage.
So the query stays: Does anybody actually care if Apple upgrades the Mac Professional or not? The Mac Professional has all the time catered to a specific area of interest, so it doesn’t generate a lot of gross sales. It’s additionally a gaggle of customers who don’t improve their Macs as regularly as Mac mini or iMacs customers do.
Just like the Mac Studio, Apple may simply skip the M3 Extremely and watch for the M4 in 2025. it’s waited years between updates earlier than—a full six years handed between the cylinder (2013) and the lattice tower (2019).
Is there any hope for the desktop?
If Apple releases new desktop Macs in any respect in 2024, the Mac mini and Mac Studio are the more than likely candidates, however even these minor updates don’t really feel like a positive factor. We all know Apple will replace the MacBook Air and Professional with a brand new chip each technology, and a brand new iPhone and Apple Watch arrive yearly, however desktop Macs are far much less sure.
With Apple silicon, desktop Macs must be on the identical cadence as Apple’s laptops, however it’s clear that desktop Macs have taken a backseat. Granted, Apple in all probability doesn’t must replace them as regularly as MacBooks, however an extended cadence ought to no less than convey some extra innovation. We waited two-plus years for the smallest of iMac updates and the long-awaited Mac Professional with Apple silicon took away options in comparison with the Intel mannequin it changed.
Apple didn’t even change the design of the Mac mini or Mac Professional once they obtained their Apple silicon upgrades. There had been rumors of a smaller Mac Professional and a thinner mini with new colours, however as a substitute, we’ve got the identical previous circumstances Apple has bought for years. Even the iMac, which did get a big design overhaul with Apple silicon, is extra spinoff than new and lacks the wild creativity it as soon as had. And we’re prepared to guess it received’t be a lot totally different a decade from now if it exists in any respect.
The iMac is sweet, however the brand new design may have been a lot extra.
The iMac is sweet, however the brand new design may have been a lot extra.
Foundry
The iMac is sweet, however the brand new design may have been a lot extra.
Foundry
Foundry
Then there’s the worth confusion. A Mac mini maxed out to match the Mac Studio’s storage and RAM finally ends up costing the identical value though the Studio has a greater processor. The Mac Professional with the identical M2 Extremely chip, reminiscence, and storage because the Mac Studio prices $3,000 extra for a few further USB-C ports and a bigger case. And the Mac Professional doesn’t provide any higher-end processor choices than you get within the Mac Studio regardless of persistent rumors of an “Excessive” chip.
Whereas the M3 MacBooks provide a transparent mixture of options and choices, Apple appears to promote a wide range of desktop Macs as a result of it has to, not as a result of it’s fastidiously thought-about what customers want. Apple doesn’t promote a MacBook Air with an M3 Professional chip, but the Mac mini has a high-priced M2 Professional possibility. The Mac Studio is nice, however both it or the Mac Professional is pointless. And Apple refuses to offer iMac consumers what they actually need—a bigger display screen.
Desktop Macs take a backseat to the MacBook lineup as a result of laptop computer gross sales dominate the market and other people usually don’t improve desktop Macs as regularly. It seems that Apple has decided that the seat is now farther again than earlier than. It’s worthwhile to look no additional than the Imaginative and prescient Professional with Mac Digital Show—quickly sufficient your whole Mac will likely be housed in a headset with a 100-foot digital monitor and also you received’t want a $1,599 Studio Show plugged into your $1,999 Mac Studio. That’s superior, however the identical innovation must be coming to Apple’s desktop Macs.
For Apple followers who wish to see the corporate’s merchandise have the most recent the best know-how, it’s disappointing. Apple’s present desktop lineup gives nice designs and options, even when it’s principally comprised of M2 chips which are comparatively dated, however once you see that, for instance, the M2 Max gives the identical CPU efficiency as an M3 Professional, it makes prospects hesitant to make a shopping for determination and inevitably pushes them towards MacBooks, the place the worth and selection is way larger.
Apple nonetheless makes desktop Macs, however the ready sport for updates is longer and extra unsure than ever. And with little or no on the horizon, it’s only a matter of time earlier than they’re gone endlessly.
