Apple May Be Working on a Much More Powerful iMac. Here’s Everything We Know
Supply-chain sources say that the company is testing an iMac powered by its unreleased M5 Max chip.
Apple is reportedly testing a new iMac powered by its unreleased M5 Max chip, according to a MacRumors report citing supply-chain sources. The company is said to be internally testing configurations, which suggests the product is still in development and not yet final. As with many Apple projects, internal testing does not guarantee a public release, but the details point to a potentially significant shift in the iMac’s role within Apple’s lineup.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
What’s different about an M5 Max iMac
The current iMac ships with Apple’s M3 chip, positioning it as a consumer and prosumer all-in-one desktop. Users who need higher sustained performance are typically directed to the Mac Studio or Mac Pro. The M5 Max, however, is a class of processor Apple usually reserves for high-end MacBook Pro models and desktop systems like the Mac Studio. If Apple brings this chip to the iMac, it would collapse the long-standing distinction between consumer all-in-ones and professional desktops.
Why this matters for buyers
For developers, designers, and video professionals, an M5 Max iMac would offer workstation-level performance in a single device. That means fewer cables, no separate desktop box, and no need to manage external GPUs or multiple displays. For everyday buyers, it signals a shift in Apple’s thinking: power may no longer require a complex setup, and “pro” performance could come in a simpler, more approachable form.
A quiet return to the iMac Pro idea
Apple discontinued the iMac Pro in 2021, but an iMac powered by an M5 Max would revive the same idea in practice, if not in name. It would also mark the first time since the Intel era that Apple places its highest-tier silicon inside an iMac, suggesting a renewed interest in the pro all-in-one desktop category.
The bigger competition picture
Apple still leads in performance-per-watt with its custom silicon, but competition is intensifying. Qualcomm is pushing Snapdragon X chips into Windows desktops, while AMD and Intel are emphasising AI performance and integrated graphics improvements. An M5 Max iMac would reinforce Apple’s strategy of using silicon to redefine product categories, not just refresh existing ones.
When it could launch
MacRumors reports that a 2025 timeline is being discussed internally, though nothing has been confirmed. Apple could still delay or cancel the configuration before launch. For now, the rumoured M5 Max iMac remains a product to watch — one that could reshape expectations around how powerful an all-in-one computer can be.
Kelechi Edeh
