Apple's move not to release an iMac in 2016 left the fans waiting for what the new iMac 2017 be like in terms of specifications and features that are indicators of better pricing. The latest speculations suggest that the next line of Apple's desktop will sell even cheaper than rival Microsoft Surface Studio.

Tech enthusiasts can recall that the last iteration of the iMac series hit the market back in October 2015 and notably, there was no version introduced last year. On the other hand, Microsoft has raised the bar of competition in the desktop arena when it launched and debuted its all-in-one desktop, the Surface Studio in October 2016. The device is now seen as a tough challenger to beat by iMac 2017.

To get an edge in the market upon release, reports have it that Apple will price its next desktop cheaper than Surface Studio, which is currently sold at $2,299. To add, it will be powered by newest Kaby Lake chips and support a virtual reality multimedia feature.

However, a most recent update has again made the rounds online that the tech giant will ditch Intel's 7th gen Kaby Lake processors for the recently released AMD Ryzen 7, Architos reported. If this is to be believed, it appears that this will shake a longtime partnership between Intel and Apple.

The switch to AMD Ryzen 7 is reportedly backed with several good reasons. For one, this latest chip has broken a new record in benchmark tests. It showed an awesome performance per watt. It indicates 30% higher than Intel's Core i7 chip in power efficiency, hence it's a highly capable processor that will suit best for Apple's next iMac.

Another better reason for the switch is the lower price of AMD Ryzen 7 at $499 contrary to an expensive $,1089 price of Core i7. Given a lower input cost involved and guaranteed power efficiency plus faster performance, Apple will be making a strategic cost-effective decision that will result to low power usage and much more affordable iMac 2017.

Earlier, an accidental leak by Best Buy revealed a powerhouse iMac 2017 with 32 GB RAM, 2TB Fusion Drive with 27-inch 5K display. But the listed price showed a hefty $3,199.