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Flip Flopping between macOS and Windows
- Thread starter LiE_
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I have five at the moment. Windows 3x4k 27, 2014 iMac 27 and M1 Mac mini with 25 inch QHD. The mini is used for my iTunes library, downloading the audio from YouTube and other videos, and as a NAS using an external SSD. I could theoretically move those functions to the iMac. I was using the mini for trading but I moved that over to the Windows desktop this week along with 2 of the 4k monitors.
I was helping a fellow trader who wanted to upgrade from a 2011 iMac. He bought a Studio and couldn't even install the program that ran fine on his 2011 iMac. He contacted Apple and the software vendor and Apple agreed to send him a replacement Mac Studio but it would take a few days to get a replacement to him. So he contacted me and asked me what he should do because I have a workaround to get it to work on a Mac Studio.
He didn't want to use the workaround though. So I recommend that he buy a 2020 iMac 27 with an i7-10700k. He got the replacement Mac Studio and benchmarked the program and the performance was the same as the 2011 iMac. The performance on the i7-10700K is roughly twice that of the 2011 iMac. He said that he's going to try my workaround on the Mac Studio - I have to send him an email asking him what he wound up doing. I'm pretty sure that he's keeping the 2020 iMac 27 and returning the Mac Studio.
He also complained about the price of the Studio Display as the 2020 iMac was $2,300 while the Mac Studio + Studio Display is $3,600.
He contacted the software vendor and they were non-commital about a native port to Apple Silicon. I imagine that there are others that have this problem as well.
There is one program that I run that runs far better on Windows than on Apple Silicon. It doesn't run all that well on macOS Intel because it only runs via WINE but there's a bigger performance hit because it also has to go through Rosetta 2. So I run it on Windows now. My Apple Silicon systems do run a lot faster with native Apple Silicon programs but there's no indication that this vendor will port to even macOS outside of running on WINE.
And I could upgrade my build to Alder Lake to get the snappiness of Apple Silicon. I suspect that I am going to wait for Meteor Lake for a build if I decide to upgrade as they will have a process shrink that will hopefully be less power hungry than Alder Lake and Raptor Lake.
I could go the route of a Mac Studio and Studio Display to replace my 2014 iMac and run everything on macOS but I don't have a need to do this.
🤣
Gotta say, I’m all over the place, too, again. However, this is just stupid on my part, now.
I’m at the point of not even flip-flopping, but of avalanching and rolling down a mountain-side. Need to put a stop to this for once and for all.
Why flip-flop, I use both.
I use both as well but I flip-flop as to which is the dominant system to use.
The main issue for me is that you can't get an M1 with support for three monitors. You have to go with the Mac Studio for that and that's very overpowered in terms of CPU and GPU for me. What I would love is a mini with support for 3 monitors.
I guess Windows is my dominant and always has been, it's what I use for "work". My Macs (Studio Max and Intel Mac Mini) are a change of pace thing to keep me interested.
fwiw, multiple monitors are definitely not one of my things, that's not why I have the studio or my Windows Workstation PC. (as configured, it could handle 11 monitors, and it was cheaper than the Mac Studio)
My neck has never been great so moving it is more of a pain, literally, than not. I've gotten real good with key combos for switching apps and windows. I also switch between my machines with a KVM.
I have two windows desktops and 3 iMac 27s, an M1 mini and a bunch of monitors. I usually have five monitors on my desk and I use Synergy to move back and forth between Windows and macOS. I prefer macOS but my Windows desktop is efficient as it can handle five monitors, has 128 GB of RAM and runs cool. Intel CPUs actually don't use a ton of power if you run the cores at low frequencies. My Windows CPU uses about 5 Watts at idle and 17 running my daily workload. The power usage goes up exponentially when you ramp the frequency though. So the way to run Intel CPUs cool is to get something with a lot of cores to spread the workload out to keep frequencies low with all cores. Apple Silicon really shines with heavier workloads.
For me it's about space and cash. But, as soon as I settle on the one, then I feel like I can't let go of the other.Why flip-flop, I use both.
Life used to be so much simpler before we got our C64 back in the day!!
Space and cash are a problem for me too, but I just don't want to settle on one.
The C64 was my second computer, so I already had the problem.
All of my problems would go away if Amiga was still a viable third option! 😝Space and cash are a problem for me too, but I just don't want to settle on one.
The C64 was my second computer, so I already had the problem.
Still have our original Amiga 1200! Had sold our original C64 and A500 back in the day. Have an A4000/060 but it’s a little flakey. Have another A1200, towerised with a Blizzard 060. Unfortunately, don’t get to use them enough nowadays.
Probably worst mistake of my computing life? Being gifted a specced up A1000 some 20 years ago, then literally throwing it all out about 2 years later. Not my proudest moment…
I do wish either Amiga OS4 or MorphOS was a viable alternative, I would’ve just gone with one of those 😍
What I tell my clients is this:
First you figure out what software you need to fulfill your workflow, then you figure out what operating system runs that software best, then you buy the computer that runs that operating system best.
I'm totally agnostic what platform my clients run; if it fulfills your needs, it's best.
I am back and forth also. Have a nice Lenovo Legion 7 i9 desktop with 2 27" monitors. It's pretty loaded. Enjoyed for a year, then slid it aside for a Mac studio and studio monitor. Very nice, but wish I hadn't spent the money. Way overkill. I also bought a MacBook Pro 16 M1. I do have some issues with crackling audio and a finicky wireless. But otherwise it's really nice. And now I have a new XPS15 coming (large discount on last years model).
Wife told me not to bother selling anything so when I flip flop again, I won't have to buy anything. Oddly enough, that makes sense to me.
Wife told me not to bother selling anything so when I flip flop again, I won't have to buy anything. Oddly enough, that makes sense to me.
That’s very sound advice. I’ve been doing *almost* the same. I’ve had a history the past 2 years of selling just enough on either platform to now render any foray either way a tad too costly (at least for this time).
Example:
In my recent flip (or flop) I was confronted with going either way. If I decided I wanted to go PC again I would have to re-purchase a 3060/70 GPU, beef up RAM to 32GB, Pixel phone (again) and an X1 Carbon (again) or Chromebook laptop (again…).
This would have to be weighed against the need to purchase an iPhone (again), an Apple watch (again) as well as factor in an uncertain upgrade path (MacBook? Other Mac desktop?).
Ultimately, I have decided to stay with Mac, but the crux of the matter is that I always sold just enough of either platform to make it a costly endeavour to remain in either ’ecosystem’. All I’ve ended up doing is making either Apple richer, or Microsoft, EVGA, Lenovo, Google etc richer! 😭
A user at work, just received a MBP M1, and I am trying out their 2019 MBP 16". The thing is like new! The user kept it in very, very good condition.
Now to really put an effort into switching from Windows to Mac, including using Microsoft Excel on macOS. Interesting times ahead
Now to really put an effort into switching from Windows to Mac, including using Microsoft Excel on macOS. Interesting times ahead
Nice parts. I was a bit surprised at how low the CPU and GPU prices are now.
argh, 589 Watt estimated? A 24” iMac has a 150 Watt power supply. And thats including screen, camera and speakers.
This the lowest I've seen a good 3080. It's almost founders price!
Watts are irrelevant in my PC. It's cooled, quiet and powerful, that's all that matters.
My amp can output 80watts per channel to my speakers
Exactly. As much as I've tried I can't get on with console gaming it just not the same. Been PC gaming since I was 14 (I'm 37 on Friday
) I must have a 4K monitor for day to day use and that means for gaming I needed a hefty GPU.