M1-based Apple Silicon, possibly 12-core M1X, set to power upcoming colorful 24-inch and 31.5-inch iMac devices

There have been some developments in regard to the Apple iMac lately: Some SKUs were discontinued and new devices were spotted in macOS code. So unsurprisingly there are plenty of rumors flying around about what Apple may have in store for a redesigned iMac, and according to LeaksApplePro the redesign plans involve a 12-core M1-based processor. An Apple Silicon iMac is expected to be revealed this year, but it could be unveiled much sooner than expected, and in up to a considerable 31.5-inch form.

The leaker starts the rumor tweet with production details, with the redesigned iMac apparently almost ready for the world: “ready in 1 or 2 months”. The already revealed model numbers are then linked to screen sizes, with the J456 model being the 24-inch variant and the J457 model supposedly being the 31.5-inch iMac. There’s also mention of a “redesigned cooling system”, which will allow an M1 or M1X iMac to utilize its potent Apple Silicon to its fullest potential, and there is also a note about narrower bezels. Even the alleged 2021 iMac color choices are detailed: silver, space gray, green, sky blue, and rose gold.

But for most, the important information concerns the M1 processor, or in this case, the M1-based chip. The Apple M1 currently found in devices like the 2020 Mac mini is an 8-core SoC; however, according to the tech tipster the redesigned iMac is going to pack a 12-core part that also has 16 GPU cores (the M1 has eight GPU cores although the 2020 MacBook Air base model has a 7-core variant). The specs match with what is rumored for the potential M1X, with eight out of the 12 CPU cores being high-performance Firestorm units operating at up to 3.2 GHz. So this “M1-based processor” for the 2021 iMacs will obviously offer the same maximum clock as the regular M1 Apple Silicon but with more CPU and GPU cores for greater workload performance.

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