While we were confident in advance that we wouldn't see a larger iMac this week, many people are still eagerly awaiting at least a new 27-inch iMac. Many are hoping for a 30-inch, 32-inch, or even larger one.
But while I still think it's in the works, the launch of the M4 Mac mini takes away a lot of the time pressure for a few reasons…
The Timeless Appeal of the iMac
I'm a laptop guy through and through. I love the flexibility of having a big screen in my home office, combined with the ability to take my Mac with me when I travel. My MacBook Pros have literally been around the world with me, allowing me to work overseas for months at a time.
But I still completely understand the appeal of the iMac. If you don't need portability, then an all-in-one that offers the power you need, a good screen, and looks great to boot is a very attractive proposition.
Even some people who need portability still love the iMac. You sometimes see them used on location shoots, and I've often seen them used as demo machines at trade shows and conferences. While it's not a small thing to lug around, sometimes you can't beat the convenience of being able to quickly set up a larger screen.
But the M4 Mac mini will work for many
The M4 Mac mini plus monitor is certainly not a direct replacement for an iMac. But it does provide a good enough temporary solution for a few reasons.
First off, the Mac mini has never been a big machine, so carrying it around with a big monitor has never been a big deal, but the new model is literally half the size. Apple hasn’t quite shrunk it down to the intended size of an Apple TV, but it’s pretty close.
It’s compact enough that attaching it to the back of a monitor is eminently feasible (even if the power button placement isn’t ideal), while still delivering much of the convenience of an AIO.
With a starting price of $599 for a perfectly usable machine, it leaves a good chunk of change in your budget for the monitor of your choice. As my colleague Filipo Esposito put it:
We’re talking about a computer almost the size of an Apple TV that’s capable of playing 8K video and running console-level games with ray tracing.
And if you're more of an iMac Pro person, the M4 Pro Mac mini has you covered:
- 14-core processor with 20-core GPU
- Up to 64GB of RAM
- Up to 8TB of SSD storage
- Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120GB/s data transfer speeds
- Up to 273GB/s memory bandwidth
Indeed, I'd argue it's the better choice for most
Like I said, I'm all for the “give me one box” mentality. But I'd argue that it made a lot more sense back in the days when a desktop computer barely fit on a desk.
The great thing about separating your Mac and display is that you can customize the machine exactly the way you want it.
Maybe you're a photographer who can edit photos just fine on a basic machine, but want a color-calibrated monitor. You can save money on the Mac and invest more in the monitor.
Conversely, if you're a coder, you might want to make the most of your computing power, but be perfectly happy with a simpler monitor.
Top comment from OK
“I'd say it made a lot more sense back in the day when a desktop computer barely fit on a desk. The great thing about separating the Mac and display is that you can customize the machine to be exactly what you want.”
Ben, those two sentences sum up my feelings exactly. I'd say now more than ever we should be asking ourselves, will there be a need for an iMac (and maybe even a Mac Pro, depending on the Studio updates) anytime soon?
And then it's better to focus on the slightly more affordable display duo.
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Or, if you're a videographer who needs both power and a pro display, you can get both, but with more flexibility around the latter.
What are your plans?
If you've been waiting for a larger-screen iMac, will you continue to wait? Or will you now consider the M4 Mac mini and the option of bringing your own monitor?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Image: 9to5Mac collage of Apple images and Alexander Gray on Unsplash
