While there have been recent updates on the launch of the M1X-powered Mac mini, MacBook Pro 14, and the MacBook Pro 16, the M1X iMac Pro is nowhere to be seen. Those hoping for a larger, more powerful iMac may be in for a longer wait than we first thought.
Tipster @dylandkt, who has a decent record for accuracy in the past, remarked on Twitter that the new machines sporting the M1X chip are expected in “late October or early November.” While he mentioned the release of the M1X MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16, the iMac Pro was conspicuously left off the list.
https://twitter.com/dylandkt/status/1405545069059338243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1405545069059338243%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notebookcheck.net%2FM1X-Mac-mini-to-join-the-M1X-MacBook-Pro-14-and-MacBook-Pro-16-in-fourth-quarter-release-but-iMac-Pro-with-Apple-Silicon-might-take-longer.546821.0.html
As you may remember, the most recent Intel-based iMac Pro was discontinued earlier this year. Meanwhile, the current 27-inch iMac still runs on an x86 system and was one of the few Mac products to get updated to new Intel processors after the Apple Silicon announcement at WWDC 2020. It remains one of the most important Macs in the lineup to remain on Intel.
We do know, however, that a larger Apple Silicon iMac is in the works. Some sources also claim that the larger iMac will be a “higher-end Mac” and essentially an extension of the M1 Apple Silicon. Other leakers suggest that the new iMac Pro leveraging the M1X will sport up to 32 GPU cores. But @dylandkt claims that it will contain more Thunderbolt channels, more CPU cores, more GPU cores, and greater power draw, and that the M1X chip will be featured in the Mac mini, the MacBook Pro 14 and 16, and a larger iMac.
According to a Bloomberg report from May, Apple halted work on a larger iMac to focus on shipping the 24-inch iMac. Details from that same report indicate that the larger iMac could have up to a 30- or 32-inch screen, which would make it the largest iMac ever made. That report indicated a launch as early as later this year, but the time frame for these different products is still up in the air.
Consider Apple’s approach to the release schedule of the first wave of M1 products. The first of them, the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, were released in fall 2020. This was followed by the release of the 24-inch iMac in spring 2021. If the first lineup of the M1X products release in fall 2021, then it only makes sense for the product that follows it, the larger iMac (or iMac Pro), to be launched in 2022.
This would keep it well within Apple’s initial time frame. Last year, Apple claimed that the transition to Apple Silicon would be a two-year transition, which would certainly leave space for higher-end Mac products such as the iMac Pro to come out in 2022.
The 24-inch iMac was a well-received machine but it left many people wondering when Apple will launch a product that is more powerful and has a larger screen. Considering the larger screen and more powerful chip inside, using that same ultrathin design may not be possible. Whether the larger iMac will even adopt the “Pro” name is still up in the air.
Still think the iMac Pro could be squeezed in later this year? Let’s consider the potential dates and what we know Apple has to launch.
The company typically holds most of the Mac launches for the fall or winter. Following the typical iPhone launch in September or October, Apple tends to hold an October or November event for updates to the Mac or iPad lines. Last year, the November event saw the release of the M1 MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini.
This year’s event will likely feature the MacBook Pro 14-inch taking the spotlight, leaving little room for a completely redesigned iMac Pro to launch.
Either way, a Space Gray 30-inch iMac with black bezels and an M1X inside is what many are clamoring for — but it doesn’t appear to be coming anytime soon.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.