iMac Archives - TidBITS

Adam Engst made his first visit to an Apple Store since before the start of the pandemic and came away with some changed opinions after getting a chance to lay his hands on some recent (and not-so-recent) products. Online ordering is great, but can’t provide the full picture.

Do you have a Mac mini that needs more storage and Thunderbolt 4 ports? The OWC miniStack STX is built just for you.

When Apple unveiled the new Mac Studio and Studio Display, it also quietly dropped the venerable 27-inch iMac from the product line. Those who have been waiting for an Apple silicon 27-inch iMac are disappointed, but as Adam Engst shows (with lots of charts), there are plenty of other good options in the Mac lineup.

Do you feel like Apple’s “pro” Macs aren’t designed for your particular profession? You’re not alone. TidBITS publisher Adam Engst has been using Macs for over three decades, and he has some ideas for how Apple could better support professionals who don’t work with audio, video, or photos all day.

With its new M1-based iMac, Apple made shopping for a consumer-level desktop Mac more interesting. The 24-inch iMac is thin, colorful, and powerful. But is it right for you? Julio Ojeda-Zapata weighs the pros and cons of the iMac, the Mac mini, the MacBook Air, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro, all of which use Apple’s new M1 processor.

Apple has introduced its next M1-based Mac—a 24-inch iMac in a colorful new industrial design that makes it perfect for use in the home. Its specs are likely similar to the M1-based Mac mini models, and the prices are entirely reasonable.

Prices for SSDs and Thunderbolt 3 enclosures have plummeted, so Glenn Fleishman finally bit the bullet to upgrade the storage for his lagging 2017 iMac. Doing so probably extended the useful lifespan of his iMac by years.

At long last, Apple has updated the workhorse of its desktop Mac line, the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display. The new iMac features faster Intel processors, a higher RAM ceiling, next-generation graphics chips, more storage, and Apple’s T2 security chip. Also welcome will be a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, an option for nano-texture glass, and better speakers and mics.

After nearly two years, Apple has beefed up the 21.5-inch and 27-inch Retina iMacs with faster processors, graphics chips, and memory. The company also added some high-end options to the iMac Pro.

Apple is having another special event at the end of October. Josh Centers ponders what Apple might unveil. New Macs? New iPads? An autonomous flying car? OK, maybe not that last one.