ProMotion Display iMac: News and Expected Price, Release Date, Specs; and More Rumors

A potential 27-inch iMac with ProMotion display

iMac 27-inch 2020 version
iMac 27-inch (2020).

Apple

After releasing the 24-inch 4.5K Retina display iMac in 2021, we expect Apple to reveal a similarly designed 27-inch Mini-LED iMac with ProMotion display in 2023.

ProMotion is Apple's marketing term for a high refresh rate monitor. As of publication, that means up to 120Hz.

When Will the ProMotion Display iMac Be Released?

Trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts an iMac Pro this year:

Lifewire's Release Date Estimate

With little to base our estimate on, we'll go with Kuo's estimate of sometime this year.

ProMotion Display iMac Price Rumors

This iMac will be an update to the 27-inch Retina 5K display iMac, which had a base price of $1,799. The other two models have more storage, and the priciest of the bunch, at launch, was $2,299.

One rumor, according to Apple analyst @dylandkt on X (formerly Twitter), is the starting price for the ProMotion display iMac will be at or just over $2,000. But it would also make sense, given the Mini-LED component, for the starting price to be much higher, such as $3,000 as estimated by ZONEofTECH's Daniel.

Pre-Order Information

You'll be able to pre-order the iMac Pro (we're not sure about the name yet) on Apple's website. Pre-ordering will start sometime after the unveiling event.

ProMotion Display iMac Features

The major news here is the iMac will have ProMotion tech. First introduced in the iPad Pro in 2017, and then in later products like the 2021 iPad Pro and 2021 MacBook Pro, here's how Apple describes it:

...a new technology that delivers refresh rates of up to 120Hz for fluid scrolling, greater responsiveness and smoother motion content.

And this is what we hear from Young, that the 2023 iMac will have a variable refresh rate of 24Hz–120Hz and mini-LED backlighting. If you're not familiar, a dynamic refresh rate means that the display refresh rate can seamlessly change on the fly, allowing for better power management and smoother display motion.

ProMotion Display iMac Specs & Hardware

We've heard that this iMac could have the option between M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. If so, it makes more sense we won't see the computer until 2023.

It could feature slim, black bezels. 3D artist Ian Zelbo shows off several concepts for how this iMac could look.

iMac 27-inch render
iMac 27-inch render.

Renders By Ian

Color options will probably vary depending on how Apple presents the iMac. If it's simply an upgraded version of the 24-inch iMac, we'll see similar colors. However, if it's called the iMac Pro, we'll probably see "Pro-level" colors, like gray and silver.

We could also see Face ID, according to Mark Gurman, who suggests that this authentication tech will arrive in the second-gen iMac:

Face ID had originally been planned to arrive in this year’s (2021's) iMac redesign, but it’s now unlikely to be included in the first iteration of the new design. 

Little else is known just yet about specs, so below are expected specs based on the current 27-inch and 24-inch iMacs:

27-inch iMac Specs (Rumored)
Display: 27-inch (diagonal) mini-LED backlit / ProMotion technology / 24Hz–120Hz variable refresh rate
Memory: 16 GB / 32 GB / 128 GB
Storage: 512 GB / 1–8 TB
Video/Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD camera / Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
Audio: Stereo speakers / Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming / 3.5 mm headphone jack / Support for "Hey Siri"
Connections: 3.5 mm headphone jack / SDXC card slot / three Thunderbolt 4 / 1 HDMI 2.0 / 10 GB Ethernet
Input: Magic Keyboard / Magic Mouse
Wi-Fi: 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking / IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible

The Latest News About the ProMotion Display iMac

You can get more updated computer-related news from Lifewire. Below are rumors and other stories about this iMac.

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