If you’ve been waiting on a new 27-inch to upgrade your desktop setup, maybe consider the new 24-inch iMac or a Mac Studio instead. Despite reports to the contrary, Apple this morning said it won’t be releasing a larger screen all-in-one desktop.
The company is positioning the 24-inch M3 iMac as a compromise between the 2019 Intel iMac’s 21.5- and 27-inch displays. The M3 model’s 4.5K resolution, meanwhile, quite literally splits the difference between the old 4K and 5K models. It shares both of those characteristics with the M1 iMac released in 2020 — in fact, the new model is quite similar to its predecessor in most ways beyond the chip upgrade.
Apple’s denial could close the door on an M3-series iMac Pro. There is, after all, some daylight between its current desktop offerings. Presently, the new iMac only ships with the standard M3 chip, while the Mac Studio comes in M2 Max and M2 Ultra varieties. Presumably the next model will sport the M3 Max and M3 Ultra, leaving room for a potential M3 Pro iMac Pro (though I would be curious to see how the all-in-one handles the Max).
Some were expecting a larger, more power model to arrive alongside the 24-inch at last week’s Scary Fast event, but the product failed to materialize. It appears that trend will continue.
The new M3 model goes on sale tomorrow, November 7. You can read our full reviews of the M3 iMac and M2 Ultra Mac Studio to get a better idea of how they stack up. There’s also a new review of the M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro, if you’re looking for a laptop that can do double duty. We also have a more detailed breakdown of the M3 chips over here.