Has anyone actually transitioned from their 27' inch (2020) to the M1 24' ?

[TinaBelcher]

I'm very curious.

I bought the last Intel iMac 27' inch.
I actually like the design of the new iMacs minus only one option screen size.
I also have 32 GB RAM, and uncertain how an M1 with 16 GB RAM would hold up against it.

But I wanna hold out at least until the iMac gets an update, regardless if they physically stay the same. iMac tends to have some sort of hardware update every year or two, so I'm hoping to see something this summer or fall. But anyway, back to my question. Anyone who has upgraded or "downgraded" as others would say, and how has your experience been performance vise but also having a smaller screen? Does it feel much smaller in the long run and has it ruined your posture?

 

[zedsdead]

The new iMac’s are great, but they are not the same as the 27” iMac’s. I recommend a studio display and one of the other Mac’s (mini, Studio or MacBook Pro) to get the ram and performance. I know it is more costly, but it is worth it.

I hate that apple doesn’t have a Mx and MxPro chip in a 27” consumer iMac…several family members don’t know what to buy right now, and are waiting to see if Apple ever releases it.

 

[TinaBelcher]

The new iMac’s are great, but they are not the same as the 27” iMac’s. I recommend a studio display and one of the other Mac’s (mini, Studio or MacBook Pro) to get the ram and performance. I know it is more costly, but it is worth it.

I hate that apple doesn’t have a Mx and MxPro chip in a 27” consumer iMac…several family members don’t know what to buy right now, and are waiting to see if Apple ever releases it.

I have a 2018 mbp, I don’t like the idea of having a monitor connected to a separate computer / machine.
I tried that last year when I got an ultra wide LG, and quickly returned it. I just love the concept of the iMac, having all in one. It feels like a more clean experience. also, Apple shouldn’t be allowed to sell the studio display what that defected camera. They still haven’t been able to fix it with software.

 

[mcnallym]

Never personally liked AIO but appreciate that others do.

for a person with a 2020 27” iMac then the 24” is not for you.

if your system when running is over 16gb then going to page on a fully kitted out 24” iMac

iMacs have typically been a yearly thing but the ASi iMac not had anything since launch date.

3 years since last 27” iMac launche.

sadly people still expecting a 27” iMac to come out are in the same class as people expecting Apple to add discrete GPU support back in after that interview with apple engineer saying that not a direction apple pursuing.

as a person with a dell 3008 monitor still then can assure you a good monitor will last several machines.

buy a good monitor and then your mini/studio level desktop of choice.

if buy a vesa monitor and a good vesa arm then can buy kits that allow to mount them on the back behind the monitor. So all you see is screen in air for a clean look.

when Mini/Studio no fast enough can swap out for faster and your monitor still good,

 

[Yebubbleman]

I'm very curious.

I bought the last Intel iMac 27' inch.
I actually like the design of the new iMacs minus only one option screen size.
I also have 32 GB RAM, and uncertain how an M1 with 16 GB RAM would hold up against it.

But I wanna hold out at least until the iMac gets an update, regardless if they physically stay the same. iMac tends to have some sort of hardware update every year or two, so I'm hoping to see something this summer or fall. But anyway, back to my question. Anyone who has upgraded or "downgraded" as others would say, and how has your experience been performance vise but also having a smaller screen? Does it feel much smaller in the long run and has it ruined your posture?

If you got the 27-inch iMac for its screen size and not for its performance (relative to the 21.5-inch iMac), then honestly you're probably better served by a Mac mini and a 27-inch display, whether it be the Apple Studio Display, LG UltraFine 5K, or something else.

Otherwise, a base model Mac Studio (let alone a refurbished version of the base model 2022 model with M1 Max) when paired with the Apple Studio Display will cost you around what the cost of an 2020 27-inch iMac with the 10th Generation Intel Core i7, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD would've cost you from Apple prior to March 2022.

The new iMac’s are great, but they are not the same as the 27” iMac’s. I recommend a studio display and one of the other Mac’s (mini, Studio or MacBook Pro) to get the ram and performance. I know it is more costly, but it is worth it.

It's actually similarly priced. The only way in which it's more costly, is that with a 27-inch iMac, you could've bought the minimum RAM and then purchased an aftermarket upgrade kit for way cheaper than Apple's cost to upgrade. But if you're comparing what Apple would've charged to configure that much RAM in a 27-inch iMac, the cost comes out to around the same.

I hate that apple doesn’t have a Mx and MxPro chip in a 27” consumer iMac…several family members don’t know what to buy right now, and are waiting to see if Apple ever releases it.

 

[Longplays]

25th year release anniversary of the 1st iMac is 2 months away.

Odds are high that an 2023 iMac M2 5nm will be released within 4 months.

I have a 2012 iMac 27" 22nm and would not want a smaller screen. I want same or larger.

As you have a 2020 iMac 27" 14nm I'd keep using it until 2028 when the final macOS Security Update is released or when a larger iMac replacement finally appears.

Replacing every 3 years is a very 1990s concept. Unless your use case drastically changes I'd wait for your iMac to become "vintage" then buy a 2028 Mac.

By 2028 Mac M6 1.4nm (A14) would be out.

 

[ovbacon]

If you have a 2020 iMac 5K just keep using it.... It must still do pretty great. I had to replace my 2015 iMac 5K and was definitely not going to a 24". I love the 27" screen size and looked at going to 32" but that was just to large.

If your iMac does what it needs to do keep it and when you need to upgrade to a mini or studio and get either a 5K screen or any other good screen.

I love having a M2 mini with a good screen.

 

[russell_314]

25th year release anniversary of the 1st iMac is 2 months away.

I didn’t know this! I wonder if Apple will release something to commemorate that. I would love to see a larger iMac but find it hard that they have one somewhere hidden ready for sale with all the production rumors leaking out and nothing has been said about this. Maybe just an upgraded 24”.

If I needed a 27 inch iMac, I would buy a Mac mini with the Studio Display. If someone is really OCD about cables, they could have the Mac mini concealed and the single cable going to the monitor would be the only one visible. Then maybe another cable going to a TB hub on the desk to plug SD cards or whatever. That may not even be needed if you don’t use a DSLR camera.

 

[Longplays]

I didn’t know this! I wonder if Apple will release something to commemorate that. I would love to see a larger iMac but find it hard that they have one somewhere hidden ready for sale with all the production rumors leaking out and nothing has been said about this. Maybe just an upgraded 24”.

MR had an article about the 25th year announcement anniversary a month before WWDC 2023.

Thinking that Apple would do something for it I expect a iMac M2 to be out by then.

Seeming no WWDC 2023 iMac announcement then Tuesday, August 15, 2023 is likely when one may show up.

It is the last Mac without a M2 refresh.

An allure of a AIO is they're cheaper than seperates.

2019 21.5" Intel & 2021 24" M1 are both $1299 at release.

It is hoped that a 2023 27" M2 will go for $1799 & M2 Pro will go for $2499.

From now to November there are no iPad, AirPods or Watches that need a refresh.

 

[russell_314]

MR had an article about the 25th year announcement anniversary a month before WWDC 2023.

Thinking that Apple would do something for it I expect a iMac M2 to be out by then.

Seeming no WWDC 2023 iMac announcement then Tuesday, August 15, 2023 is likely when one may show up.

It is the last Mac without a M2 refresh.

An allure of a AIO is they're cheaper than seperates.

2019 21.5" Intel & 2021 24" M1 are both $1299 at release.

It is hoped that a 2023 27" M2 will go for $1799 & M2 Pro will go for $2499.

From now to November there are no iPad, AirPods or Watches that need a refresh.

Maybe there will be something come out. I really liked my 24” iMac! If I didn’t get a good sale price, I would’ve kept it.

I don’t think you can compare the 21.5 inch iMac to any kind of external separate solution. If I remember right it had a 1080P screen Maybe a base $599 Mac mini plus a $200 monitor? That would be $799.

Even with the 24 inch iMac while the screen is significantly better that’s another issue. I’m not aware of anyone that makes a similar screen, so comparing it with a Mac mini attached to a 4K monitor wouldn’t be a fair comparison. You would be compromising on screen quality with a 4K monitor.

I think if you wanted to compare prices you would have to compare the price of a 27“ iMac versus a similarly configured Mac mini with a 27” Studio Display. I suspect the price is similar.

As much as I like the iMac, it has one huge negative. That beautiful screen is going to outlast the rest of the computer by a long time. At least historically that’s been the case where people buying 27” iMacs. The display is still outstanding but the computer hardware is outdated. Maybe that’s why Apple has moved away from the AIO format when it comes to the 27”. I couldn’t imagine it would be very hard to incorporate a Mac mini mainboard into the Studio Display.

 

[Longplays]

As much as I like the iMac, it has one huge negative. That beautiful screen is going to outlast the rest of the computer by a long time. At least historically that’s been the case where people buying 27” iMacs. The display is still outstanding but the computer hardware is outdated. Maybe that’s why Apple has moved away from the AIO format when it comes to the 27”. I couldn’t imagine it would be very hard to incorporate a Mac mini mainboard into the Studio Display.

For those who replace their Macs every 4-6 years that's valid point.

 

[TinaBelcher]

As much as I like the iMac, it has one huge negative. That beautiful screen is going to outlast the rest of the computer by a long time. At least historically that’s been the case where people buying 27” iMacs. The display is still outstanding but the computer hardware is outdated. Maybe that’s why Apple has moved away from the AIO format when it comes to the 27”. I couldn’t imagine it would be very hard to incorporate a Mac mini mainboard into the Studio Display.

You got a point there. However, the Studio display has a very flawed camera that Apple hasn't managed to fix with software updates, therefore this version's lifespand may be short. The really need to fix that, and it probably require a hardware update. For a monitor like that, which I think should work for at least 10 years, everything needs to work perfect. If not, it's gonna end up being replaced just like the machine (Mac) itself.

I would say, if I got the studio display and bought a Mac mini or something, it would also be good to connect my iPad with it (hopefully iPadOS18 will let us use it with the screen turned off)

 

[russell_314]

You got a point there. However, the Studio display has a very flawed camera that Apple hasn't managed to fix with software updates, therefore this version's lifespand may be short. The really need to fix that, and it probably require a hardware update. For a monitor like that, which I think should work for at least 10 years, everything needs to work perfect. If not, it's gonna end up being replaced just like the machine (Mac) itself.

I would say, if I got the studio display and bought a Mac mini or something, it would also be good to connect my iPad with it (hopefully iPadOS18 will let us use it with the screen turned off)

I know there’s some issues with the camera, but I was under the impression it was fixed with a software update. Either way it would not bother me because from what I seen the camera quality was sufficient for a zoom call and that’s all I would use it for. I could see if you needed a better quality camera though.

 

[HDFan]

Apple shouldn’t be allowed to sell the studio display what that defected camera. They still haven’t been able to fix it with software.

the Studio display has a very flawed camera that Apple hasn't managed to fix with software updates,

What problems are you experiencing? There were problems but there was also a fix. Recently had a Zoom call where I switched between a Studio Camera and my iPhone 14 Pro Max Camera and neither of us saw any major differences.

 

[Fishrrman]

Maybe I missed it, but I read through the replies and no poster replied affirmatively that he/she bought a 24" iMac to replace a 27".

I don't think you're going to find many folks who have done that. I reckon most all of them went to either the Mini or the Studio and got a 27" (or larger) display instead.
I could be wrong.

 

[TinaBelcher]

What problems are you experiencing? There were problems but there was also a fix. Recently had a Zoom call where I switched between a Studio Camera and my iPhone 14 Pro Max Camera and neither of us saw any major differences.

I've just saw many youtubers claiming that the "update" hasn't fixed the camera much to this day and that even the 24' inch imac has a better camera. That's what their videos show

 

[SRQrws]

I can speak from direct experience on this. I used the 27" iMac for several years, but went with the new 24" when it first came out. It is a slick machine; nicely packaged. Compared to the 27", I was amazed at how light weight the 24" is. The problem I had with the 24" was the screen size. I work mostly in finance, so a typical scenario for me is to have a portal open in a browser with a spreadsheet open next to it. Although both fit, sort of, the experience with the 27" display is much better. I ended up going with a Mini and a Studio Display for a while. I now have a Mac Studio with a Studio Display and it's a great setup for me. The Studio Display camera is fine after the update. I use it with Zoom on a regular basis. And the Studio Display works perfectly with the Mac. No issues at all. Bottom line for me is the screen size. If you want to go with the 24" iMac, be sure you're good with the display size.

 

[TinaBelcher]

I can speak from direct experience on this. I used the 27" iMac for several years, but went with the new 24" when it first came out. It is a slick machine; nicely packaged. Compared to the 27", I was amazed at how light weight the 24" is. The problem I had with the 24" was the screen size. I work mostly in finance, so a typical scenario for me is to have a portal open in a browser with a spreadsheet open next to it. Although both fit, sort of, the experience with the 27" display is much better. I ended up going with a Mini and a Studio Display for a while. I now have a Mac Studio with a Studio Display and it's a great setup for me. The Studio Display camera is fine after the update. I use it with Zoom on a regular basis. And the Studio Display works perfectly with the Mac. No issues at all. Bottom line for me is the screen size. If you want to go with the 24" iMac, be sure you're good with the display size.

Hey!!

I'm following your lead, slightly
I've found a great deal on a Studio Display. I'm getting it this week.
So now I'm wondering what my Mac replacement should be. Air, Mini, or Studio?
I typically have 30+ tabs open daily, as I'm a browser junkie. I also once in a while play emulated games, like Dolphin ect. I lightly edit some pics I take in nature. But I don't have a business, I don't do music, I don't do videos, I don't do graphics.

 

[SRQrws]

I can't offer any advice regarding the gaming part, but for everything else, the Mac Mini Pro M2 is a good value. It can easily handle everything else you listed.

 

[TinaBelcher]

I can't offer any advice regarding the gaming part, but for everything else, the Mac Mini Pro M2 is a good value. It can easily handle everything else you listed.

That could be a good option. I'm just trying to figure out price wise what will be better, as I'm gonna spec it up. I defiantly need around 20-32 gb ram and at least 500GB storage. I've just set up my studio display and it's gorgeous!! I was worried about my posture, but it sits just as perfect as my 27 inch iMac. My desktop feels cleaner now with the display. Best purchase ever!!

 

[ignatius345]

I moved from my aging 2014 iMac 5K to the M1 iMac pretty soon after it came out. I was (and still am) really blown away by the performance bump and everything else about the machine. I've rarely actually heard the fans spin up, and it takes a lot of stress before it actually slows down at all, even with "just" the M1 and 16GB of RAM. I initially thought the ultra-thin design was a bit silly but it's grown on me and I appreciate the way it looks and how easy it is to move around.

As for the screen space, well, to me it's like going from a king sized bed to a queen -- big enough but you can't really spread out the way you'd like.

In day to day personal stuff (web, email, writing, etc) I don't notice as much, but these days 9-5 I'm using it for graphic design work and things like Illustrator or InDesign will eat through a LOT of space very quickly with all the control palettes that are sometimes necessary. At times I've resorted to using my MacBook as a kind of second monitor by using Universal Control.

The idea of putting a full on second monitor on my small desk doesn't really appeal, so if a 27" iMac doesn't materialize in the next year or so I could see myself moving to a Mini + Studio Display setup. Not my first choice, but I could really use to extra space these days.

 

[Martyimac]

You got a point there. However, the Studio display has a very flawed camera that Apple hasn't managed to fix with software updates, therefore this version's lifespand may be short.

Respectfully disagree, I have received numerous compliments on my Studio display camera. Comments can all be lumped together as, "excellent, very sharp, etc etc." I would suggest you file a claim or ask for your money back and return your ASD if yours is truly that bad. Luckily, mine is excellent.

 

[ignatius345]

As much as I like the iMac, it has one huge negative. That beautiful screen is going to outlast the rest of the computer by a long time. At least historically that’s been the case where people buying 27” iMacs. The display is still outstanding but the computer hardware is outdated.

The small design firm I work for has like six 27" iMacs sitting around. Everyone is using either recent MacBooks or M1 Minis connected to some fairly middling monitors. The iMacs would be incredible displays, but there's no way to use them that way.

Someone recently recommended those Luna display extender things -- anyone have any experience with that?

 

[Martyimac]

I went with an M1 iMac to experiment with the new M chips and the imac was my machine of choice. While I now have a Studio and ASD and appreciate the larger ASD, I find the iMac 24" to be perfectly acceptable when I use it. If I were struggling financially, the 24" iMac M machines are quite acceptable, to me.

 

[retta283]

I am somewhat considering getting one if they release an M2 or M3 Pro model, kind of like what they've done with the Mini. Offer a bit more performance, but not make it a high-end product. I would love for a new 27" or higher iMac to release as that's what I have become accustomed to with my current 2012 iMac at home and 2020 iMac at work.

That being said I am currently using an M1 Mac mini as well at work, and I would like to upgrade this to something better within the next year at most. I have this mini hooked up to some 24" Dells that are 16:10 aspect, so they are larger screens but low-res by comparison. macOS is looking rough on these screens so I'd almost rather get an AIO option around the same size and just deal with it for the crisp screen of the iMac.

There is certainly something to be said about having monitor(s) plugged into a headless Mac, and the longevity of external displays crushes an iMac's lifespan. I have working LCD monitors from 2001 that are still in use in applications where small screens are essential. That's from the same time as the iMac G3. However for the use case that my Macs are occupying now, I don't mind paying a bit extra for the screen every half decade or so. It's crisp, keeps me better up to date with current screen technology, and I don't have to deal with any more plugs. I have enough crap plugged in that I really do value the single outlet that the iMac needs.