First off, I’ve always been an early upgrader as I like the latest tech but maybe it’s an age thing (39) because as much as I want a new set up it feels wasteful to abandon my 2014 5k iMac while it’s in perfect working order and sadly still adequate lol.. sure It has the odd little slow down but it’s rare.. anyone else in my boat?
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How to justify an upgrade
- Thread starter JamesMay82
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I am, in a way. There is absolutely zero need to buy a new Mac. I was thinking of buying an M1 system but was holding off for an update to the Mini. While not technically an update to the Mini this is essentially what I was waiting for. I plan to buy one but I am trying to decide which one to buy: Max or Ultimate. I don't need a Max and certainly not an Ultimate. But I can easily afford the Ultimate but, like you, the practical side of me says to buy neither.
That said sometimes treating yourself, within means, is not a bad thing. If it helps you're replacing an almost 7 year old system with a new one that should easily last you another 7 years. Rationalize it, justify it however you want if that's what it takes to treat yourself.
That said sometimes treating yourself, within means, is not a bad thing. If it helps you're replacing an almost 7 year old system with a new one that should easily last you another 7 years. Rationalize it, justify it however you want if that's what it takes to treat yourself.
At this point of time a better choice for a personal machine is the MacBook Pro if you want all the power of M1 Pro/Max, and you can hook it up to an external monitor and you get two monitors instantly, not to mention that the one on the MacBook Pro is an HDR mini-LED 120Hz screen.
An iMac always gives the dilemma of throwing away a perfectly fine display with older computer internals when you consider upgrading. So Apple now found a great solution - to separate the computer out of the monitor and charge double for the combo, which will make you more likely to upgrade in the future too.
An iMac always gives the dilemma of throwing away a perfectly fine display with older computer internals when you consider upgrading. So Apple now found a great solution - to separate the computer out of the monitor and charge double for the combo, which will make you more likely to upgrade in the future too.
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Completely agree... I don't NEED an upgrade but given the crap of the last few years (and what's happening now), this is the one area where I indulge myself. Some people (if they have the cash) buy a new car before they NEED to, some rent an expensive AirBNB, some indulge on clothes or a TV... I think a lot of it is how you define what you can "treat" yourself to and when.
I am in exact same boat, I have the iMac 5K Retina from 2014 with upgraded 24GB of RAM. It works perfectly for the most part other than loud fan noise during YouTube videos or any other intense activity. The way I've justified it is that I have been wanting to move to an ultrawide monitor and upgarde my entire work/battle station and so 27" is not large enough for me. I picked up the Dell AW3821 and was hoping for an M1 Pro Mini but for a few bucks more I ended up with an M1 Max Studio. It's totally overkill for basic productivity work but I figured I'll have it for years
Thats just G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome). Truth is you could drop $3600 on a new Studio with 27" display and the shiny factor may wear off pretty fast especially since you already have a 27" 5k display. Your current iMac will be covered with Big Sur until late next year. Best bet is to wait unless you need something. Besides if you wait we could end up seeing a new iMac Pro announcement then your G.A.S. will really kick up again.
I'm on my mid 2011 iMac that has been a beast. I upgraded the ram and added SSD drive and it's been perfect. But now it's time to upgrade since I can't get past High Sierra. The Mac Studio is overkill but I expect it to last as long as my 2011, so I'm pulling the trigger.
I noticed the Veterans discount of $620 off, so I convinced myself to buy the ultra. Don’t need it, but I wanted it. 🤪
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I have the same iMac. It doesn’t seem right to send it to recycle. I‘ve thought about selling it or sending it to recycle, but I might end up keeping it just for one or two Windows programs which I might not be able to get running well on ARM under Parallels.
2014 is more than 7 years ago, so I don’t think that makes you an early upgrader. It’s a pretty good run for a Mac, and most Windows PCs don’t last anywhere near that long.
(When you say you’re 39 — is that supposed to mean old or young?)
2014 is more than 7 years ago, so I don’t think that makes you an early upgrader. It’s a pretty good run for a Mac, and most Windows PCs don’t last anywhere near that long.
(When you say you’re 39 — is that supposed to mean old or young?)
Technology hardware is my hobby/interest.
I don't play golf, own a fishing boat, or have other expensive hobbies. If I spend a few grand a year on the 'latest and greatest' computer hardware, it's OK. My old stuff goes on to good homes.
I don't play golf, own a fishing boat, or have other expensive hobbies. If I spend a few grand a year on the 'latest and greatest' computer hardware, it's OK. My old stuff goes on to good homes.
yep! same boat here. I have a great 2019 2 TB SSD iMac that meets my needs but I'd like something with a 4 TB internal SSD to hold my ever enlarging library of photos rather than fool with an external drive so ... why not just treat myself to some new toys?
I'm going to put the Mac Studio w/ Studio Display right next to my 2019 27" iMac when I get it. Then I'll see if Universal Control between the two will be of any workflow value and also try using my iMac as AirPlay receiver from Apple devices and even Mac to Mac. I may even try Luna Display if needed. I also plan to just leave the iMac booted into Windows and use it as my Windows machine more often.
If I ever find having the Studio Display next to iMac to be unnecessary then I'll probably just move the iMac to a different room for occasional use.
If I ever find having the Studio Display next to iMac to be unnecessary then I'll probably just move the iMac to a different room for occasional use.
Since I've been using my 2010 Mac Pro as my main workhorse Mac for 12 years I don't need to justify upgrading. LOL
The Mac Studio is the Mac I have been waiting for, so my "upgrade" decision was whether to go with the M1 Max or M1 Ultra. The M1 Max is undoubtedly enough for what I do these days, but I started to regret buying a 6-core Mac Pro instead of a 12-core after 4-5 years last time when my design tasks changed and my CPU needs increased.
So this time I pulled the trigger on an Ultra, and I'm certain I will not have any regrets about that "upgrade" when I look back 4-5 years from now. If my performance needs increase I should be able to comfortably continue to use it longer. Or if by then I decide to sell it because I need/want some new incompatible functionality I won't much care what I spent on it now. I've never regretted spending too much on a computer (going all the way back to my Apple II days), only too little.
The Mac Studio is the Mac I have been waiting for, so my "upgrade" decision was whether to go with the M1 Max or M1 Ultra. The M1 Max is undoubtedly enough for what I do these days, but I started to regret buying a 6-core Mac Pro instead of a 12-core after 4-5 years last time when my design tasks changed and my CPU needs increased.
So this time I pulled the trigger on an Ultra, and I'm certain I will not have any regrets about that "upgrade" when I look back 4-5 years from now. If my performance needs increase I should be able to comfortably continue to use it longer. Or if by then I decide to sell it because I need/want some new incompatible functionality I won't much care what I spent on it now. I've never regretted spending too much on a computer (going all the way back to my Apple II days), only too little.