Which iMac?!

[Comfy Old Boots]

Time for a new computer! My 2014 13 inch macbook pro is still ticking along but it is too slow to run photoshop and Lightroom. I've decided that I would like to replace it with a 24 inch iMac. I'm particularly attracted to the screen for developing photos.

I am posting because I am not sure what one to buy. Nor am I sure how much ram I need. The reviews are saying that the M1 chip is lightning fast and works well on 8 GB of ram where the intel chipped ones would need more ram to do the same job. So do I need 16GB for lightroom and Photoshop on the M1 / M2/M3 imacs?

Money comes into things and there is an apple reseller I'm considering using : HERE I am considering buying one of THESE

Now another question I have is between the base model M1 and the slightly better specced M1. The base has just two thunderbolts ports. The slightly better one also has 2 x USB 3.1 ports (handy). Now to be honest the USB 3.1 ports are not a deal breaker but I did see online that the ones without the old fashioned USB ports has only ONE COOLING FAN on the M1 chip in stead of two. It's been reported that the base model can be very noisey?

I'm also looking at the apple refurb store and the apple store. The money is there to buy a new M3 but then I'm still stuck with the issue of the one fan?

Any thoughts lads?

 

[EPG_19]

what program will you use to 'process' your photos?

Which camera will they be from?

Are you likely to batch process many?

 

[DrFarkoff]

for a lot less money ! You could get a decent I7 processor with a schitload of Memory on Win 10 Pro ??

(Not liking win 11 So far Much prefer Win 10 Pro I always chose Pro versions if I can so that there is not as much Bloatware!)

Photoshop works well on the platform Not so sure about Light room

Edit "AI Features" |Can you feel Sarah Connors frowning at you from where you are??

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

what program will you use to 'process' your photos?

Which camera will they be from?

Are you likely to batch process many?

Lightroom. Hoping to start using photoshop and the AI features in both.

Fuji xh1 - Raw - not going to be doing a lot of batch processing but will occasionally. So not big 100 mb files

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

for that sort of money you could get a decent I7 processor with a schitload of Memory on Win 10 Pro ??

(Not liking win 11 So far Much prefer Win 10 Pro I always chose Pro versions if I can so that there is not as much Bloatware!)

Ah the old windows v Mac debate. Nothing against windows users but I like Mac. The screens are perfect for what I want. Plus it looks pretty

Plus the Mac M1 chip blows the intel chips away

 

[EPG_19]

Lightroom. Hoping to start using photoshop and the AI features in both.

If you are not batch processing, or using loads of layers in photoshop.

Then the base m1 and 8gb will be fine. Its only if you have a zillion apps open and using huge files will it be an issue.

So basically any of them.

 

[EVskiy]

for that sort of money you could get a decent I7 processor with a schitload of Memory on Win 10 Pro ??

(Not liking win 11 So far Much prefer Win 10 Pro I always chose Pro versions if I can so that there is not as much Bloatware!)

Hmmm, So save money, but get a lesser or inadequate OS, downgrade to a OS of last decade, plus loose previously experienced, superb iCloud based integration and communication between all apple devices, linked tot he account. No thanks.

I used to be a windows user, and swore that Mac was for geeks, then I've had enough of Windows, with every new OS iteration, you had to fork out a decent wedge, to pay for it, where apple were giving it away for nothing and have done so ever since.
In 2009 I did purchase my first ever MacBook Pro, and haven't looked back since. I am currently on my second one, It is due a replacement by the end of the month.
I doubt I'd have had managed with just two Windows based laptops in last fifteen years.

I know what I'd be getting next.
Life is hard enough as it is. Having got an iPad, Iphone, Apple Watch, Apple TV and MacBook Pro, It all works seamlessly. Why try to complicate things with random software?

 

[Oldrat]

The latest Mac book air uses an M3 chip.

So I suspect that a new iMac with an uprated chip won’t be far behind.

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

If you are not batch processing, or using loads of layers in photoshop.

Then the base m1 and 8gb will be fine. Its only if you have a zillion apps open and using huge files will it be an issue.

So basically any of them.

That's good news indeed. You heard anything regarding the two different specs and fan noise?

 

[cookie]

My iMac's getting old and I'm thinking a replacement can't be far off, but where's the 27"??

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

My iMac's getting old and I'm thinking a replacement can't be far off, but where's the 27"??

There does not seem to be one?

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

Apple (IE)

Apple Store Search Results

www.apple.com

This seems better value than the refurb store i linked here:

Apple (IE)

Apple Store Search Results

www.apple.com

So the refurb store is charging about 50 more for the extra usb ports.

I guess I'll keep digging if there is any truth the one with the extra legacy usb ports only has one fan.

 

[Berin]

You could also consider a Mac Mini and separate monitor. A couple more cables but you can then upgrade the monitor if you want to, plus add more RAM if needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

You could also consider a Mac Mini and separate monitor. A couple more cables but you can then upgrade the monitor if you want to, plus add more RAM if needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have investigated that. What a belter of a computer at a great price. Problem is I don't have a monitor that is good enough for photo editing and when you add that into the price it's not much different to an iMac.

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

https://www.makeuseof.com/reasons-to-avoid-base-m1-imac/

Think the refurbed.ie is a better value model.

 

[er-minio]

Do not get an Intel Mac any under circumstances. Just go for Apple Silicon, they are incredibly faster, buying Intel-based Macs today doesn't make any financial sense.

Apple Silicon used shared memory between GPU/CPU so, yes, they do require less RAM as the same information is shared by separate operators.

I still tend to keep as much memory as I can afford Hold habits are hard to stop.

The other conundrum is the internal storage memory. It is not upgradable in all (almost) Macs so far, and you will have to keep some stuff (like your iPhone backups) on the internal storage for safety reasons (OS will not allow otherwise), so I would budget for 1Tb internal storage. 512 it's the bare minimum. Apart from that, you can keep your photos on external drives.

ports are not a deal breaker but I did see online that the ones without the old fashioned USB ports has only ONE COOLING FAN on the M1 chip

Buy a good (powered) dongle for the ports.
Regarding the cooling fan... I doubt it would be a problem. They run extremely cool and I really doubt that you'd stress the computer by doing photo retouching.

I'm currently using a Mac Studio as my main desktop machine, and it replaces a Mac mini i7 (latest model). While the Mac mini would reach fairly high temperatures while working, I still didn't manage to stress the Studio enough to get even remotely warm, and this was while doing 3D renders on repeat.

I also have an M1 MacBook Pro and had the fan spinning up on it just three or four times over the last couple of years.

I wouldn't worry. It would throttle when it gets hot, but wouldn't be a massive issue IMHO.

On the other hand: looking at the lineup though, the middle model is (usually) the way to go. It would also have more GPU cores, that would be handy for the type of work you do.

 

[EPG_19]

That's good news indeed. You heard anything regarding the two different specs and fan noise?

No I haven't, but I did work with a fanless base M1 MacBook Air and it was fine for the tasks you state. My M3 MBP (overkill for what I need) has never had the fan spin up that I could hear.

As for storage. iCloud backup and an external drive will be fine (a 2tb USB SSD is going to be way cheaper than apple charge). I use this one Crucial 2tb X8. Its fast enough to work from even with video files.

I wouldn't let apple Rodger me for 1tb of internal storage.

 

[Berin]

I have investigated that. What a belter of a computer at a great price. Problem is I don't have a monitor that is good enough for photo editing and when you add that into the price it's not much different to an iMac.

The price isn’t wildly different, but you may get better specs. There are some decent refurb monitors available from places like CEX.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cookie]

I am thinking about a mac mini and a monitor. I already have one M1 mac mini for home theatre duties and it's a pretty capable machine. Then I saw the price of a 27" apple monitor. Crazy even by apple standards

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

I am thinking about a mac mini and a monitor. I already have one M1 mac mini for home theatre duties and it's a pretty capable machine. Then I saw the price of a 27" apple monitor. Crazy even by apple standards

pure daft!