New Shop Macs-Need Advice

[Slappy]

We've hit the critical threshold for needing new hardware, due to the state of Software requirements, and I've got to present prices to the Higher Ups, like this week.

Since Apple has (for now) scrapped the 27" iMacs and all that's new are 24" models, I'm leaning towards Minis with decent 3rd party monitors. Kinda spoiled by the 27's 4k screens, even though ours are 5 years old now.

In the Mini camp, I guess I'd go Intel, 3.2GHz i7 & 16GB RAM. I dislike that the GPU offerings are basically no choice. The 10GB Ethernet is interesting, we have fiber connection being installed now but realistically, probably overkill. Roughly $1699 from Apple as spec'd.

Oddly enough, Costco locally had some 27" iMacs the other week: 3.1GHz i5, 8GB RAM and only 256GB storage. $1749 if they're still available. Little underpowered for my liking.

Darkhorse might be the Mac Studio, as Costco sells the base configuration for $1849.
M1 Max chip 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory.

[Joe]

I pick none of the above until I see what Apple announces June 6 at their Worldwide Developers Conference. Some think they might announce a 27" iMac with the M1 chip. I'm skeptical though as that would draw people away from their Mac Studio hardware. If they don't release an M1 27" iMac I would just go with the 24" M1 iMac for prepress work. Plenty of horsepower with just a slightly smaller screen than the 27".

But the M1 Mac would depend...are you using software that isn't available for the M1? Might be a deal killer. Does Pitstop have software for the M1 iMac? I don't know.

I personally would avoid buying anymore Intel based Apple products if at all possible. Dead end sooner than you might think.

[Joe]

If you go with an Intel 27" iMac do yourself a favor and don't buy one with an i5 cpu. Minimum I would go is an i7. Would prefer an i9. 32 gb RAM minimum. 512 gb SSD minimum.

[Skryber]

A year and a half ago I got a 27" iMac with an i7. I had no options. M1 hadn't come out yet. And i9s weren't available. Every time I ordered one, it got canceled. I kept making purchases until one stuck. I'm very happy with it. Upgraded to 72GB memory and added a second monitor. Only thing I didn't want was a hybrid HD but I do have one at work and it works fine. For home I have 2 externals I use for backup and art storage. No issues with Adobe apps.

It's this one...

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-27-imac-with-retina-5k-display-latest-model-intel-core-i7-3-8ghz-8gb-memory-512gb-ssd-silver/6200723.p?skuId=6200723

[bornrd]

Shame this whole industry HAS to get mac.


Looking at a PC for my private endeavours right now, and for 3.5k you can get the best i9, 64 gig 3200 mhz ram, gih-tier geforce 3080 with 16gb of vram, water cooling....


OR you could get a quadro, or a radeon, or a ryzen, like, whatever you want.

But since the M1 is out at least the things are at decent speed

[Tracy]

I have 27" i7 & a 27" i5

huge difference

[RMPrepress]

Over the past year or so i replaced 4 x 2012 Mac Pro's with the 2018 Mac Mini.
All bought used on ebay or from OWC for anywhere from $850.00 to $1,100.
All 4 of them are the fully loaded version i7 6-Core, 3.2GHZ w/turbo boost up to 4.6GHZ, and 64GB RAM.
They are more than capable for daily prepress work.
We use 27" NEC and BenQ monitors.

We also have 2 x 2012 Mac Pro's running Big Sur via OpenCore...no issues just a little extra work getting it installed.
Save a lot of money and keep the beloved 2012 MP going!!

[DigiCorn]

For my cybersecurity class, the M1 was not recommended because under extreme duress it overheats and shuts down when taxing the CPU. I had an M1 PowerBook Pro, but I was told unless I had an additional cooling unit to not use it. I ended up getting a refurbished Dell Latitude i5 for class. I would go with the Mac Studio M1 - it doesn't have the issues the PowerBook Pro has.

[bornrd]

I have 27" i7 & a 27" i5

huge difference

Over the past year or so i replaced 4 x 2012 Mac Pro's with the 2018 Mac Mini.
All bought used on ebay or from OWC for anywhere from $850.00 to $1,100.
All 4 of them are the fully loaded version i7 6-Core, 3.2GHZ w/turbo boost up to 4.6GHZ, and 64GB RAM.
They are more than capable for daily prepress work.
We use 27" NEC and BenQ monitors.

We also have 2 x 2012 Mac Pro's running Big Sur via OpenCore...no issues just a little extra work getting it installed.
Save a lot of money and keep the beloved 2012 MP going!!

for prepress, of course it is enough. we run all the rips on a dedicated xmf server.

But I'm also a designer – complex illustrations, big dtp layouts, large images, all of that takes significantly more time while I'm waiting for the beachball.

Not to even mention 3D.
It does go a little faster/takes a little less time on the newer i7s tho.


Still nowhere near the "bang for the buck" as with pcs.

For my cybersecurity class, the M1 was not recommended because under extreme duress it overheats and shuts down when taxing the CPU. I had an M1 PowerBook Pro, but I was told unless I had an additional cooling unit to not use it. I ended up getting a refurbished Dell Latitude i5 for class. I would go with the Mac Studio M1 - it doesn't have the issues the PowerBook Pro has.

That has got to be the most interesting Cybersecurity class ever!

[bornrd]

We use 27" NEC and BenQ monitors.

About that... could you tell me some more about which models they are, how much sRGB(or more) they cover, and their refresh rate?


Would be greatly appreciated

[Joe]

Shame this whole industry HAS to get mac.


Looking at a PC for my private endeavours right now, and for 3.5k you can get the best i9, 64 gig 3200 mhz ram, gih-tier geforce 3080 with 16gb of vram, water cooling....


OR you could get a quadro, or a radeon, or a ryzen, like, whatever you want.

But since the M1 is out at least the things are at decent speed

You will still need a monitor, keyboard and mouse in addition to that price. For that kind of money you can get a:

Mac Studio ($1999):

Apple M1 Max with 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
32GB unified memory
512GB SSD storage
Front: Two USB-C ports, one SDXC card slot
Back: Four Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, one 10Gb Ethernet port, one 3.5 mm headphone jack

and a Studio Display ($1599)

TOTAL: $3598.00

[madbugger]

You will still need a monitor, keyboard and mouse in addition to that price. For that kind of money you can get a:

Mac Studio ($1999):

Apple M1 Max with 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
32GB unified memory
512GB SSD storage
Front: Two USB-C ports, one SDXC card slot
Back: Four Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, one 10Gb Ethernet port, one 3.5 mm headphone jack

and a Studio Display ($1599)

TOTAL: $3598.00

Bit of left field thinking, is this possible?

We have old 3 x 27" late 2012 3.4 Ghz Intel i7 32GB ram machines. Is it possible to hook a Mac Studio to them and just use the old Mac as a monitor?

I'm guessing not but worth asking the question.

Edit: Should have done a google search first.  Yes you can but it is suggested as a short term solution and not something you would do as a permanent setup.

Link to the article I read if you wish to see the process and the reasons not too.

https://www.lifewire.com/use-imac-as-monitor-with-target-display-mode-2260906

[Joe]

You have to use target display mode to do it. And it has to be another mac to do it. And it can't be a 2014 model or newer.

[DigiCorn]

Or you could get one of these:

https://www.pugetsystems.com/submerged.php

But then you'd have to evolve a fish that breathes mineral oil to put in there.

[bornrd]

Shame this whole industry HAS to get mac.


Looking at a PC for my private endeavours right now, and for 3.5k you can get the best i9, 64 gig 3200 mhz ram, gih-tier geforce 3080 with 16gb of vram, water cooling....


OR you could get a quadro, or a radeon, or a ryzen, like, whatever you want.

But since the M1 is out at least the things are at decent speed

You will still need a monitor, keyboard and mouse in addition to that price. For that kind of money you can get a:

Mac Studio ($1999):

Apple M1 Max with 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
32GB unified memory
512GB SSD storage
Front: Two USB-C ports, one SDXC card slot
Back: Four Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, one 10Gb Ethernet port, one 3.5 mm headphone jack

and a Studio Display ($1599)

TOTAL: $3598.00

Well, that actually seems kinda fair.

Should be fine for most Graphic Design work