The long-standing rumors about the “headless” MAC between the Mac Mini M1 and the Mac Pro may be gathering energy. 9to5mac sources said that Apple has been developing “MAC studio” desktop based on Mac Mini, but the power is much higher -- it can be regarded as an alternative to the high-specification Intel Mac Mini in the company’s lineup. It is reported that the basic version will use the M1 Max processor of MacBook Pro in late 2021, while the higher configuration will rely on new and more powerful chips.

Therefore, rumors about a more affordable Apple display are brewing. 9to5mac insiders also claimed that the company was developing an “Apple studio display” with a 7K resolution. This is not as ambitious as some 8K monitors, but it will make the 6K professional display XDR look a little outdated. A report in 2021 showed that the new display will use the A13 chip of iPhone 11 to unload some processing tasks, including artificial intelligence, but it is unclear whether this part or updated CPU still exists. The size is also unknown, although the higher resolution implies that the screen will be larger than the 32 inch of Pro display XDR.

It’s not clear when MAC studio or studio display will arrive. Apple will hold peek performance on March 8, but there is no guarantee that you will see these two devices so soon. For example, the company may wait until its annual Developer Conference (usually in early June).

Bigger questions may revolve around the exact role of MAC studio. Does it just represent an upgraded mac mini, or will it be positioned as a “mini Mac Pro” for creatives who don’t need full tower modularity? Another problem is permanent. Apple launched IMAC pro in 2017 as a stopgap measure before the arrival of the new Mac Pro, and cut down the all-in-one machine in March 2021. Mac studio may be a permanent fixture in the product line, but it can also be used as a temporary solution for professionals who want a fast desktop but can’t wait until Mac Pro with apple processor comes on the market.