YouTuber Luke Miani set the interwebs is on fire on the eve of Apple’s spring “Peek Performance” event with the news that he had an exclusive leak.
Based on what Miani showed off, it not only appears to confirm that Apple plans to announce the Mac Studio, a successor to the Mac Mini, tomorrow during the event but will also have an optional 27-inch Studio display monitor that is rumored to top out at 7K. Here’s the rundown.
No Longer Mini
The Mac Studio is designed to fit somewhere in between the Mac Pro and the iMac Pro as a mid-level solution.
Similar in design to the Mac Mini, with its classic square polycarbonate case and rounded corners, the Mac Studio looks thicker, like multiple Minis stacked on top of each other. There are also vents around the perimeter of the bottom for air cooling.
Credit: Luke Miani
It almost harkens back to the failed Mac Cube that came out in the 90s, which seemed out of place then, but fits right in now.
As for what the Mac Studio has under the hood, it is anyone’s guess. Insiders like Miani claim to have information that Apple has developed two different models, one with the M1 Max Apple Silicon processor, and one with the next-generation M2.
Either one or both of these Mac desktops could make the cut.
A New Display to Match
Alongside the Mac Studio, Miani featured a 27” Studio Display, which is designed to be a lower-cost alternative to the $6,000 Pro XDR display. The giveaway is the design doesn’t have vents in the back, leading Miani to conclude that the display isn’t as broadcast-accurate as the Pro XDR. It may also not have a miniLED display to keep the cost down. But it will have a stand, so users won’t have to pay another grand to keep it up.
Credit: Luke Miani
Miani also guessed the price to be about $1,000 for the Studio display, but he doesn't mention a price for the Apple Mac Studio.
Considering that the Mac Mini tops out at around $1,100 and the Mac Pro tower starts at $6K, that hints at a mid-range price point of around $3,000.
There were rumors swirling around that a new Apple display could top out at a 7K resolution, but we’ll have to see what the Peek Performance event brings with it tomorrow.
One More Thing
A few other tidbits of info Miani leaked are that Apple will also showcase a new dark Green iPhone 13 and a purple iPad mini.
If you recall at last year’s Spring Forward event, Apple surprised everyone with a purple iPhone 12, and the new colors for the iPhone and iPad aren’t a surprise, like last year. But green seems a bit too on the nose with St. Patrick’s Day a week away.
One last thing that Miani points out is that according to Ming-Chi Kuo, there won’t be any laptops announced tomorrow, keeping the Studio as the star of the show. That certainly points to a “peek,” but it also hints that new laptops would be saved for later in the year.
Moreover, Kuo says refreshing the iMac Pro and the Mac Pro tower won’t happen until next year as the final chapter of Apple’s silicon transition.
Only time will tell, but thankfully, we have only a night’s sleep before we know.
Source: Luke Miani
