by Jason Snell
Do we need a bigger iMac?
Following up on Dan’s Macworld column, Stephen Hackett weighs the pros and cons of making a new, larger iMac alongside the 24-inch model introduced with the M1 iMac:
I, for one, would like to see a larger iMac make it out into the world, complete with a Pro-level SoC, like the Mac mini has received. The RAM and storage caps on the base-level SoCs feel too limited for a larger iMac. Yes, it would add yet another SKU to an already-crowded desktop line, but for twenty years, iMac users have been able to choose a larger, more powerful machine if it fits their needs and preferences, and the M1 model just can’t live up to that legacy.
I’m not entirely convinced a larger iMac is necessary, but I am completely convinced that at least one iMac needs to run a chip more powerful than the base-model M series. The Mac mini finally got an M2 Pro chip this year—it’s time for the iMac to offer such a chip in a high-end configuration. If that’s on the existing 24-inch frame, so be it. If it’s on a larger model, that’s just fine too. I used a 27-inch iMac as my main Mac for years and while I’m pretty happy with a Mac Studio and an external display, I get the appeal of a big, powerful all-in-one.