2017 iMac Pro Specs To Feature Server-Grade Processors, Release Date In Q3


Apple has confirmed the 2017 iMac Pro, but the company has yet to reveal the exact specifications that would make it ideal for professionals as if the original iMac is not. The iMac is very capable, yet the tech giant is promising an even more high-performance system. So what can we expect on the upcoming variant?

What Apple Has Confirmed So Far

Last month, Apple Insider reported that the Cupertino-based company confirmed its development of new iMacs that include a variant catering to professional consumers. Now, that’s not to say that the current lineup is not capable of heavy duty tasks. In fact, even Craig Federighi, Apple senior vice president of Software Engineering, acknowledged the capabilities of the current iMac.

“And now you look at today’s 5K iMac, top configs, it’s incredibly powerful, and a huge fraction of what would’ve traditionally – whether it’s audio editing, video editing, graphics, arts, and so forth – that would’ve previously absolutely required the Mac Pros of old, are being well addressed by iMac.”

Even so, Apple believes that it could take the iMac further, leading to the rumored iMac Pro version. This variant will have higher specifications, which will specifically target pro consumers.

2017 iMac Pro Specs We Can Expect

Although Apple has yet to reveal the exact configuration of the iMac Pro, leaks already give us an idea of how powerful it could be. According to data obtained by DigiTimes, the high-specced, all-in-one desktop will come with a server-grade Xeon E3-1285 v6 processor, which is yet to be released by Intel.

The chip will be paired with 16GB to 64GB ECC RAM and the iMac Pro will come with a 2TB NVMe SSD and a latest graphics card, which is unidentified for now. So far, this configuration is looking great. We expect no less from a Pro variant of a highly capable computer.

[Image by Apple]

The publication also learned that there are two variants in the works: a 21.5-inch and a 27-inch iMac. Both will likely feature the same specs and options.

2017 iMac Pro Release Date Confirmed For This Year

We don’t know exactly when the new lineup will be revealed, but we’ve learned from these two reports that the iMac Pro is certainly launching later this year. The reveal is reportedly being planned for the third quarter of 2017 so that it will be widely available once the holiday season comes around.

That puts the possible unveiling event to be anytime in July to September, contrary to a popular rumor that states it is coming out in October. This rumor mainly comes from the fact that the new MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar – and other products – were introduced that month last year.

Another rumor states that the iMac Pro could be unveiled during the Worldwide Developers Conference coming this June, though that’s highly unlikely. First of all, Apple is eyeing the second half of 2017 and second, rarely a hardware ever appears at the said event.

Other Exciting Features To Expect

While we know that the 2017 iMac Pro will indeed be a powerhouse we haven’t seen before in Apple history, we are still in the dark regarding its features. In a previous report by Inquisitr though, it is believed to be coming with an upgraded keyboard with adaptive input.

[Image by Stephen Lam/Getty Images]

What this means, we don’t really know. But the patent for such a keyboard implies that it will be highly similar to the Touch Bar feature of the MacBook Pro 2016.

But this contradicts what Apple’s Phil Schiller said in a report by Buzzfeed. According to him, pro consumers aren’t that much interested in talking about touch, which eliminates the possibility of a touchscreen monitor and maybe the Touch Bar.

The 2017 iMac Pro specs are looking spectacular, but Apple has yet to confirm these. Stay tuned for more updates, we’ll know more in the coming months.

[Featured Image by Sorapop Udomsri/Shutterstock]

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