Need a new Mac...help

[pspdfppdfxhd]

I just bought a new 24" iMac with the M3 chip, 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD about two weeks ago. The screen is a bit smaller but really isn't an issue. I could still do Prepress on it if I wanted to. I don't. The thing is FAST!

With Apple care and tax it was a bit over $2200 but I have a 10% military discount with Apple so it is 10% more than that at the regular price.

If you want the 27" display you will need to get a:

Mac Studio, starts @ $1999.00 with Apple M2 Max with 12‑core CPU, 30‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine and 32 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD and the 27" Studio Display, starts @ $1599.00 with standard glass and tilt stand so the base price is $3598.00 not including Apple Care and tax.

Edit: There are cheaper ones with fewer USB ports (2 instead of 4), lower end M3 CPU, less RAM (8 GB), smaller SSD either 256 mb or 512 mb and the lesser keyboard (I sprung the extra $30 for the keyboard with the number pad).

You think the max 24GB of RAM would be enough? Strange they don't offer room for expansion. I'm using 32GB on the 27 inch circa 2015 now. Sounds like I could more than likely get used to the 24 inch size.

If the M3 chip and the hard drive are so much faster maybe the iMac doesn't need as much?

[Joe]

I think this might be a dumb question but....

Is there any way to hook up an older Imac to use only as a monitor to the new one? We have another 5k one sitting around here that doesn't shut down on its own like the one I am using.

I'm sure somebody would have mentioned this already if it was possible.

For newer iMacs basically no. For older ones yes.

How to Use an iMac as an External Monitor

[Joe]

You think the max 24GB of RAM would be enough? Strange they don't offer room for expansion. I'm using 32GB on the 27 inch circa 2015 now. Sounds like I could more than likely get used to the 24 inch size.

If the M3 chip and the hard drive are so much faster maybe the iMac doesn't need as much?

Using the new M series CPU the new Macs RAM is unified memory. Apple claims you don't need as much unified memory as you did on the old traditional RAM. That argument has had much debate. Unified memory is built into the CPU so whatever you buy is all you can ever have without buying a new machine.

What is unified memory? Memory is RAM; the SSD is Storage. "Unified" is the term Apple uses to denote that the CPU, graphics processor, RAM, and storage are on a single chip. Very efficient. That also means that none on those can be changed after the computer leaves the production line.

Why Apple uses integrated memory in Apple Silicon — and why it's both good and bad

Just remember the new Macs with the M series chips can never be upgraded. Not the RAM...not the GPU....not the SSD storage.

[Joe]

And to be honest if I were still in Prepress and making decisions on what to buy I would have to consider using a PC. I'm not a fan of disposable Macs.

[madbugger]

And to be honest if I were still in Prepress and making decisions on what to buy I would have to consider using a PC. I'm not a fan of disposable Macs.

That is the current thinking of anti Mac management atm. The PC's they run on business side have a life expectancy of around 15 minutes, but on the upside they are cheap (compared to Mac).

They can't understand why we can't use them. So in the meantime, the best course of action is to do nothing. Our adobe stuff stopped upgrading at 2021 version (still paying full price for Adobe subscription though), Macs are late 2012 and running 10.14 Mojave, latest they can run is 10.15 Catalina and I just don't have the energy to update 3 of them and then troubleshoot all the associated issues that will arise, for the limited improvement that will come from it.

It is expected that a replacement PC will last the same amount of time as the Macs did without upgrading, we all know that is not the case, but that message is being received poorly.

Going PC will resolve some networking issues, but that is all I can see them doing. My opinion is it will be a backwards move, but I'm not paying the bills.

[Joe]

In reality for Prepress work on a Mac you probably need the Mac Studio, $2599 with 64 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD with the 27" Studio Display minimum $1599 so $4198 + you need to buy a keyboard and mouse. That is crazy compared to what we used to get the 27" iMacs for. My old place owners would faint at the thought of buying 10 of them.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Hmmmm, about $6500 Canadian. I don't think that will go over well here.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

I'll ask what the budget is.... then slot in the best available Mac for that price. Simple.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Decent alternative 3rd party monitor that could be calibrated "pretty good" for prepress work might help. So used to the Mac monitor being so good though.

[RMPrepress]

We have 5 Apple/Mac workstations here.
I have the Mac Studio M1 Max / 64GB RAM / 1TB.
Our other 4 are all the exact same 2018 i7 Mac Mini's / 64GB RAM / 500GB SSD.
All with 27 inch BenQ or older NEC monitors.
All running Ventura... because we always have to wait months for Kodak to modify Prinergy for the latest Apple macOS.

I would look into getting the M1 or M2 Ultra for hopefully a lot less than an M3.
Maybe from Amazon or eBay or OWC.
I also would not hesitate to buy used from the right reseller....like OWC.
I rarely buy new... all the Mac Mini's we have were bought used for 1/2 the price and none of them have had a problem.
This also makes the owners here very happy!!  Just a little more work for me hunting them down on eBay or OWC.

I have had the Mac Studio M1 Max for a year and half and it has been flawless...however at times i wish i had gotten the Ultra for that extra power when working on some of the larger jobs we get here.
Also if you work from a server, as we do there is really no need for anything more than 1TB of storage in fact 500GB is more than enough.

We will keep the Mac Mini's for another year or so as they will run macOS Sonoma and I think that will be it for them.
Then it will be Mac Studio's for everyone.

[Foozball]

In reality for Prepress work on a Mac ... $4198 + you need to buy a keyboard and mouse.

DAMN, I'm glad I got out of prepress when I did ... I was "that guy" who suggested everyone gets a Mac, after process improvements and vendor changes netted us a huge budget cut, but even I couldn't sell a $4k price tag!

[Tracy]

When your the only one in prepress you should be able to get a high end MAC
It helps to have speed.
I understand when there are multiple Macs needed having a budget.

[Joe]

I would look into getting the M1 or M2 Ultra for hopefully a lot less than an M3.

Right now the M3's are not available on the Mini's or the Mac Studio. When Apple just released the new 24" iMacs with the M3 the price did not go up. Still the same as the 24" M1 iMacs were in price. The biggest issue with the new iMacs is the max RAM is 24 GB and the Mini max RAM is 32 GB. Anyone that needs more than that will have to go with the Mac Studio (which starts at $1,999.00 with no monitor keyboard or mouse) or the Mac Pro (which starts at $6,999.00 with no monitor (YIKES)). Apple does have some Mac Studios on their refurbished page but the discount is not at a big discount.

DAMN, I'm glad I got out of prepress when I did ... I was "that guy" who suggested everyone gets a Mac, after process improvements and vendor changes netted us a huge budget cut, but even I couldn't sell a $4k price tag!

Same here.

[Joe]

When your the only one in prepress you should be able to get a high end MAC
It helps to have speed.
I understand when there are multiple Macs needed having a budget.

There are 14 people in prepress where I used to be. Imagine updating 14 Macs at these prices.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Wow, that's a big department. How did you all get along? I can barely get along with myself. The most we ever had was 2.