Apple released a slew of new products on Monday, including the new iPhone SE with 5G connectivity, an iPad Air with an M1 chip, the Mac Studio, and an updated Studio Display. Apple usually quietly discontinues products after events, and sure enough, it's time to say goodbye to the 27-inch iMac.

Apple released two iMac models with Intel processors in 2020, in both 24 and 27-inch sizes, shortly after the first Mac computers with Apple Silicon chips started appearing on store shelves. The smaller model remained available until last year, when it was replaced with a thinner (and more colorful) 24-inch iMac with an Apple M1 chip. The 27-inch model remained available from Apple until today — it's still in stock at other retailers like Best Buy, but that likely won't last for long.

There's no M1-powered iMac with a 27-inch screen (at least, not yet), so presumably, Apple sees the Mac Studio with the 27-inch Studio Display as its intended replacement. However, the entry-level Mac Studio and Studio Display is significantly more expensive together ($4,598) than the older 27-inch iMac ($2,298). Anyone on a budget will have to buy a cheaper external display, or substitute the Mac Studio for the M1 Mac Mini, which is only sold with a regular M1 chip.

Now that the 27-inch iMac is discontinued, there are only two Intel-powered Mac computers still being sold: the Mac Mini with a Core i5 CPU, and the "cheese grater" Mac Pro with Intel Xeon processors. Apple mentioned during Monday's event that a Mac Pro replacement was on the way, and the Intel-based Mac Mini likely won't stick around for much longer. Presumably, the Intel-powered Mini will remain available until Apple refreshes the current Mini with higher-power M1 chips. By that point, the company might even have the first M2 chips ready to use.

Source: The Verge