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Apple’s rumored larger iMac could ship with more powerful M2X processor

Chuong Nguyen
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If Apple’s recently relaunched iMac desktop with the company’s M1 processor is still too small for your needs, you may soon be in luck. Apple is said to be working on a larger all-in-one desktop that will replace the current Intel-powered iMac in its lineup, and the model could get an even larger screen size, similar to the size boost from the 21.5-inch Intel-powered iMac to the current 245-inch M1-powered model.

“I absolutely still believe that a larger, redesigned ‌iMac‌ to replace the Intel 27-inch models is en route,” Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter, according to a Mac Rumors report. “Apple increasing the screen size of the smaller model from 21.5 inches to 24 inches seems to indicate that the 27-inch model could see a size increase as well.”

Apple's 24-inch iMac in front of a cityscape.
Digital Trends

If accurate, this could potentially bump the display size to around 30 inches for the larger desktop when measured diagonally. This would place the screen size for the new iMac squarely between the 27-inch model that it’s replacing and the larger 32-inch Pro Display XDR monitor. Whether this product revives the iMac Pro branding or not, this thing is looking to be great for professionals who need the extra size and performance.

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If you’ve been waiting for Apple to release a larger all-in-one desktop, the second bit of good news from Gurman’s newsletter is that the new model could come with an even more powerful Apple silicon for added performance. Rather than the same M1 processor that’s been used on current models of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and 24-inch iMac, the larger model could be released with either an M1X or M2X processor.

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“I don’t think, however, that Apple will launch the larger model with the same M1 chip that’s in the smaller model,” Gurman added. “It likely will be an M1X, the beefier version of the current ‌M1‌, or an M2X.”

The bump in processing power will likely help the larger iMac model not only replace the 27-inch Intel model, but also the now discontinued iMac Pro.

Apple is said to have been developing the larger iMac model with its custom processor for some time now, but the company paused work as part of its broader effort to launch the 24-inch redesigned desktop earlier this year. More recently, there’s been speculation that the M1x-powered desktop may not launch until 2022.

The larger iMac model would likely debut with similar changes that Apple brought to the 24-inch iMac, including a thinner design, powerful microphones, and loud speakers. It’s unclear if Apple intends on releasing the larger iMac in the same color options as the 24-inch model or if Apple will move to more muted colors like on the iMac Pro to cater to a more professional audience.

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Chuong Nguyen
Chuong Nguyen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Silicon Valley-based technology reporter and Giants baseball fan who splits his time between Northern California and Southern…
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