iMac Pro comeback might sport M3 chips but don't expect it any time soon

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By Oliver Haslam
last updated

Imac Pro Rear Render
Imac Pro Rear Render (Image credit: @Apple_Tomorrow)

What you need to know

  • Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that Apple's iMac Pro could be about to make a comeback.
  • The new machine is expected to use some version of the new M3 chip that will be announced next year.
  • The use of M3 chips means a launch is not expected until this time next year.

Apple's rumored iMac Pro replacement could get an all-new M3 chip or two, according to a new report. But while that should ensure that the new machine is nice and fast, it will also mean that it isn't set to go on sale until the middle of next year.

The original iMac Pro was discontinued in March of 2021 and we've been waiting for a replacement ever since. The new Mac Studio and Studio Display go some way to filling the fold, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman — writing via the Power On newsletter — says that Apple now intends to launch a new iMac that will be aimed at "pro" users. That machine is set to use "a variation of the M3 chip, likely an M3 Pro and M3 Max," however, and that would mean that it is unlikely to be announced until the middle of next year at the earliest.

Apple is also likely to refresh the current 24-inch M1 iMac, although that now seems likely to skip the M2 and go straight to the M3 next year. The current machine was released in May of 2021, meaning it is now more than a year old.

Apple does still have plenty of new Macs in the works, of course. M2 Pro and M2 Max versions of the MacBook Pro are expected to be announced this year, while a new Apple M2 Mac Pro is also set to finally get its time in the sun, although what chips that will actually use is unclear. We may see an all-new addition to the lineup, possibly called M2 Extreme, sitting above the M2 Ultra,

Imac 2021 Blue
iMac (2021)


Bottom line: If you have the money to spring for the higher-end model, the iMac (2021) will likely surprise you. It's got enough power to accomplish all the basic tasks you could ask of a family computer and some leftover if you want to do a little more. Wrap that all up in a beautiful colored package and the iMac is one hell of a machine.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.