Apple announced a Mac-focused Scary Fast press event for October 30th, which on Monday effectively validated the rumor that new Macs are on the way last weekend.
Unusually for Apple events, the prepared press conference will stream at 8:00 PM EST. Although Apple is portraying it as a Halloween-themed announcement, that is only a ploy for marketing purposes. Next week’s announcement of the M3 iMac, M3 13-inch MacBook Pro, and M3 Pro/Max 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models is highly expected.
Even with the less expensive versions, Apple seems to be concentrating on improved performance for this M3 release cycle.Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reaffirmed that the new processor would be the primary feature of the M3 iMac. Recall that Apple hasn’t updated its flagship all-in-one desktop in a number of years. However, the M3 chip may be all that the iMac need.
In response to Apple’s announcement, Mark Gurman shared a link to one of his March-dated, iMac-focused reports on Twitter.
He commented on Twitter/X, according to his previous reportage, that Apple has been planning an M3 iMac for some time and that the machine went into production months ago. The interior design of the stand has been adjusted, but there have been no other significant changes save the chip. I would anticipate color to stay consistent.
Given that the M3 chip is produced using the same 3nm TSMC process as the iPhone 15 Pros and A17 Pro, I would anticipate Apple to make a major announcement about it. A comparable chip is not offered for Windows-based systems. Put another way, the entry-level M3 Macs may develop become powerful gaming systems, even the lowest-end iMac, which may keep its $1,299 price tag similar to the M1 model.
Of course, that’s just conjecture on my part. But let’s not forget that the A17 Pro presently outperforms Apple’s M2 CPUs, which power the most expensive MacBook Pros, in benchmark tests. Because of this, the A17 Pro can play console games that are only available on the iPhone 15 Pros and that cost the same as their console counterparts.
The A17 Pro’s drawback is that it fits those console games into a small, confined space. The necessary cooling for the processor cannot be provided by the iPhone 15 Pros. After that, the A17 Pro overheats and its performance is reduced.
However, Macs using the M3 version won’t experience the same issue. The M3 will be much better cooled by them. Now that the thermal issue has been resolved, the M3 ought to be able to match or surpass the performance of the A17 Pro. The 2023 iMac’s base M3 chip should be quicker, in my opinion.
Additionally, the iMac runs off of no battery, in contrast to the M3 MacBook Air, which is only expected to be released next year. As a result, Apple has much greater discretion over performance.
You shouldn’t think of the iMac as a gaming computer. I’m simply bringing up the A17 Pro’s gaming capabilities and my hopes for the entry-level M3 chips to show off the potentially enormous performance boosts—particularly in graphics—that the upcoming Macs may have to offer.
Professionals who don’t absolutely need the Pro, Max, and Ultra versions of Apple’s proprietary CPUs may find the iMac to be an excellent, reasonably priced desktop.
The M3 chip is sufficient for the 2023 iMac for those reasons alone. Yes, Apple is able to provide alternative color selections and make minor design tweaks. Additionally, it can enhance the speakers and display. Even though it’s the sole significant improvement over the 2021 model, the M3 chip is the main incentive to purchase the iMac this year.