iMac 2021 leak just revealed radical new design

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The iMac will reportedly get a bold new look in 2021

iMac 2021
The iMac 2021 could look a lot like Apple's Pro Display XDR (Image credit: Apple)

The iconic design of the all-in-one iMac 2021 could be about to change for the first time in eight years, Bloomberg reports, with sources claiming it will be the most striking visual update to any Apple product this year. 

However, there will apparently still be a certain familiarity to the new iMac, sources told the site. That’s because the new design —  which will apparently feature a flat back, reduced borders and the removal of the metal chin —  will bear a resemblance to the $5,000 Apple Pro Display XDR, pictured above. 

Apple will apparently be releasing two versions of the new hardware, codenamed J456 and J457, and these will replace the 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs. The report didn’t specify whether the dimensions of the new models will directly mirror the older versions. 

Of course, these external design changes hide an even more dramatic change on the inside. After the successful launch of MacBook Air M1, MacBook Pro M1 and Mac mini m1, the new iMac is also set to abandon Intel for Apple’s own ARM-based chips. 

While that may alarm some power users, it really shouldn’t: the Apple M1 processor has exceeded our expectations, providing an experience that is far faster than we expected. As we found in our Apple Mac mini review: “For most uses the Apple M1 chip can take on Core i3 and Core i5 processors and win.”

It’s not just the all-in-one iMac that will be getting a refresh in 2021, Bloomberg’s sources say. The Mac Pro desktop machine is also reportedly getting refreshed, with two versions of the computer set to emerge this year. The first will look the same as the current model, released in 2019, and the company is apparently considering sticking with Intel chips for it, making it appear like a standard iterative refresh.

The second model, however, will both feature an Apple Silicon chip and get a fresh new look. Strikingly, it will be less than half the size of the current Mac Pro, and Bloomberg says that it could “could invoke nostalgia for the Power Mac G4 Cube” which was sold between 2000 and 2001. Here’s a picture to refresh your memory:

2000's Power Max G4 Cube

(Image credit: Wikipedia)

Finally, Bloomberg’s sources say that Apple is working on a lower priced external monitor to accompany the Pro Display XDR, aimed squarely at consumers. The screen won’t be as bright or offer the same contrast ratio, but should go for significantly less than the $5,000 Apple wants for its current pricey model. 

Alan Martin
Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. He also handles all the Wordle coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game for the last several years in an effort to keep his streak forever intact.