I did it... finally ordered the Mac Studio!

[lilface]

I'm currently writing this on a late 2012 27in iMac, that although still runs well, is totally starting to show it's age.

I've been in the land of back and forth trying to decide what to do/buy and it felt like I was really just waiting for the new 27in iMac announcement, but when it was clear Apple didn't have plans to release a new 27in model with the Apple chip I was EVEN MORE indecisive and honestly super bummed. I love the iMac and I felt sad thinking about replacing it with something different when in my mind I was so set on the same thing but newer.

Then I started to warm up to the idea of the studio... but the added display is where I wasn't sold. So much money for a monitor, but at the same time sooo many people I've read from that got a different (non-Apple) monitor ended up replacing for the studio display after all. Such a tough choice to make when it will cost you so much money.

But then fast forward to now... I just had an amazing performance review with a very nice bonus at work that made it way easier to take the plunge and I AM SO EXCITED to join the mac studio + studio display club!!!!

Still have to wait 8-10 weeks for delivery, but I'm so happy I did this for myself and I'm proud that I could do it because of my professional accomplishments.

 

[dizmonk]

I upgraded from a 2020 Imac and am very happy I did. I didn't get the studio display though. (Also happy about that). Congrats and enjoy. Should last you a long time.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Definitely a deserved upgrade if you were able to hold onto a 2012 for so long.

 

[aurora_sect]

Congrats! I did the same upgrade and am very happy even though I worked through some of the same disappointment as you--namely that I was hoping for an M1 Pro iMac for <$3k. But the Studio Max is a beast and paired with the Studio Display it feels very much like a worthy successor to my old 27" iMac. Plus ports on front and no chin!

 

[srl7741]

I went through the same thing only with a 2011 27" iMac. When Apple announced the Studio I was bummed and thought I was going to wait for yet another year to pass while still expecting a 2011 iMac to keep me satisfied. The more I thought about my needs the more the Studio made more sense.

I'm very happy I went with the M1 Max and Studio Display.

 

[Nautilus007]

I'm currently writing this on a late 2012 27in iMac, that although still runs well, is totally starting to show it's age.

I've been in the land of back and forth trying to decide what to do/buy and it felt like I was really just waiting for the new 27in iMac announcement, but when it was clear Apple didn't have plans to release a new 27in model with the Apple chip I was EVEN MORE indecisive and honestly super bummed. I love the iMac and I felt sad thinking about replacing it with something different when in my mind I was so set on the same thing but newer.

Then I started to warm up to the idea of the studio... but the added display is where I wasn't sold. So much money for a monitor, but at the same time sooo many people I've read from that got a different (non-Apple) monitor ended up replacing for the studio display after all. Such a tough choice to make when it will cost you so much money.

But then fast forward to now... I just had an amazing performance review with a very nice bonus at work that made it way easier to take the plunge and I AM SO EXCITED to join the mac studio + studio display club!!!!

Still have to wait 8-10 weeks for delivery, but I'm so happy I did this for myself and I'm proud that I could do it because of my professional accomplishments.

This is cool. Congratulations, you’ll love it.

 

[lilface]

This is cool. Congratulations, you’ll love it.

Thank you! Also nice profile pic. I’m included in the small population of people who game on a Mac. Been playing WoW since 2007!

 

[richmlow]

I'm currently writing this on a late 2012 27in iMac, that although still runs well, is totally starting to show it's age.

I've been in the land of back and forth trying to decide what to do/buy and it felt like I was really just waiting for the new 27in iMac announcement, but when it was clear Apple didn't have plans to release a new 27in model with the Apple chip I was EVEN MORE indecisive and honestly super bummed. I love the iMac and I felt sad thinking about replacing it with something different when in my mind I was so set on the same thing but newer.

Then I started to warm up to the idea of the studio... but the added display is where I wasn't sold. So much money for a monitor, but at the same time sooo many people I've read from that got a different (non-Apple) monitor ended up replacing for the studio display after all. Such a tough choice to make when it will cost you so much money.

But then fast forward to now... I just had an amazing performance review with a very nice bonus at work that made it way easier to take the plunge and I AM SO EXCITED to join the mac studio + studio display club!!!!

Still have to wait 8-10 weeks for delivery, but I'm so happy I did this for myself and I'm proud that I could do it because of my professional accomplishments.

Congratulations on your performance review and your new Mac Studio / Studio Display purchase! Your new computer platform will give you many years of robust service!


richmlow

 

[illitrate23]

I AM SO EXCITED to join the mac studio + studio display club!!!!

Welcome to the club!
On the plus side - by waiting until now to place the order, you've avoided the past 2 months of uncertain delays and anxiety/frustration Hopefully the 8-10 weeks estimate is worst case as it seems the supply chain is moving again now.

 

[DMG35]

Congrats! I did the same upgrade and am very happy even though I worked through some of the same disappointment as you--namely that I was hoping for an M1 Pro iMac for <$3k. But the Studio Max is a beast and paired with the Studio Display it feels very much like a worthy successor to my old 27" iMac. Plus ports on front and no chin!

There was no chance that was ever going to happen at that price range. The iMac Pro with intel when released was over $5K. Apple wasn't going to ever make a Pro model iMac in that $3K price range.

 

[theluggage]

There was no chance that was ever going to happen at that price range. The iMac Pro with intel when released was over $5K

But "iMac with M1 Pro" is not the equivalent of the iMac Pro.

The new "$5000 10 Core/32GB/1TB iMac Pro" would be something like $2400 for a M1 Max/10 CPU/ 32 GPU/32GB/1TB Mac Studio + $1600 for the Studio Display = $4000. Or, if you prefer, $4000 for a Studio Ultra + $1600 for a display is probably a worthy replacement for the $8000 18 core iMac Pro. (Some debate over the equivalence of graphics cards - but I think the discrete GPU ship has sailed, at least for anything below the Mac Pro).

So the Mac Studio + Studio Display combo is looking like pretty good value c.f. the old iMac Pro and top-end i9 iMacs.

...plus, you have the opportunity of choosing a different/cheaper/better display - the Apple 5k panel is wonderful but 'one size fits all'. I'm loving my (cheap) Mateview which admittedly doesn't quite match the Apple 5k on sheer quality/sharpness but the aspect ratio, stand, ability to connect other computers etc. are so much better - and I can add a second one and still spend less than a single Studio Display.

Apple wasn't going to ever make a Pro model iMac in that $3K price range.

Hmm. So how much is the price differential between a M1 Max and M1 Pro...?

14" MacBook Pro with M1 Pro 8/16 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage: $2000
14" MacBook Pro with M1 Max 10/24, 32GB RAM, 512GB Storage : $2900

Difference: $900

Now, Mac Studio with M1 Max 10/24, 32GB RAM, 512GB Storage: $2000
Subtract $900...
=> Hypothetical M1 Pro Studio/Mini 8/16 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage: $1100
(c.f. the remaining Intel i5 Mac Mini @ $1100 - it's spookily consistent!)

Add studio display:
=> Hypothetical M1 Pro iMac equivalent: $2700

However, I expect the "binned" 8/16 M1 Pro is soon going to be made almost obsolete by the base M2, especially for customers who don't need the extra GPU cores and I/O, so I just don't think that March would have been a good time to launch new M1 Pro machines. Also, Apple isn't horribly price sensitive so a lot of people are just going to spring for the M1 Max Studio (which also supports 1 more display than the M1 Pro and has pulled a 4th TB port from somewhere c.f. the MacBook Pro - which may be a M1 Max feature).

Most of my buyer's remorse with my new Studio is actually deferred buyers remorse from getting an iMac in 2017 - it's got a lovely display but I knew that having it welded to the computer was going to come back and bite me. If only I could re-use the display (practically - I know there are kludges like Luna Display) ...

 

[DMG35]

But "iMac with M1 Pro" is not the equivalent of the iMac Pro.

The new "$5000 10 Core/32GB/1TB iMac Pro" would be something like $2400 for a M1 Max/10 CPU/ 32 GPU/32GB/1TB Mac Studio + $1600 for the Studio Display = $4000. Or, if you prefer, $4000 for a Studio Ultra + $1600 for a display is probably a worthy replacement for the $8000 18 core iMac Pro. (Some debate over the equivalence of graphics cards - but I think the discrete GPU ship has sailed, at least for anything below the Mac Pro).

So the Mac Studio + Studio Display combo is looking like pretty good value c.f. the old iMac Pro and top-end i9 iMacs.

...plus, you have the opportunity of choosing a different/cheaper/better display - the Apple 5k panel is wonderful but 'one size fits all'. I'm loving my (cheap) Mateview which admittedly doesn't quite match the Apple 5k on sheer quality/sharpness but the aspect ratio, stand, ability to connect other computers etc. are so much better - and I can add a second one and still spend less than a single Studio Display.



Hmm. So how much is the price differential between a M1 Max and M1 Pro...?

14" MacBook Pro with M1 Pro 8/16 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage: $2000
14" MacBook Pro with M1 Max 10/24, 32GB RAM, 512GB Storage : $2900

Difference: $900

Now, Mac Studio with M1 Max 10/24, 32GB RAM, 512GB Storage: $2000
Subtract $900...
=> Hypothetical M1 Pro Studio/Mini 8/16 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage: $1100
(c.f. the remaining Intel i5 Mac Mini @ $1100 - it's spookily consistent!)

Add studio display:
=> Hypothetical M1 Pro iMac equivalent: $2700

However, I expect the "binned" 8/16 M1 Pro is soon going to be made almost obsolete by the base M2, especially for customers who don't need the extra GPU cores and I/O, so I just don't think that March would have been a good time to launch new M1 Pro machines. Also, Apple isn't horribly price sensitive so a lot of people are just going to spring for the M1 Max Studio (which also supports 1 more display than the M1 Pro and has pulled a 4th TB port from somewhere c.f. the MacBook Pro - which may be a M1 Max feature).

Most of my buyer's remorse with my new Studio is actually deferred buyers remorse from getting an iMac in 2017 - it's got a lovely display but I knew that having it welded to the computer was going to come back and bite me. If only I could re-use the display (practically - I know there are kludges like Luna Display) ...

I’m not sure what you were trying to say here but again, Apple wasn’t and isn’t going to release an iMac Pro that is less than $3000. It isn’t happening at that price point. Anyone looking for a model at that price would look at the 24” iMac.

 

[theluggage]

I’m not sure what you were trying to say here but again, Apple wasn’t and isn’t going to release an iMac Pro that is less than $3000. It isn’t happening at that price point. Anyone looking for a model at that price would look at the 24” iMac.

The point is:
- the person you were replying to was talking about an M1 Pro iMac - not an iMac Pro. The "new iMac Pro" is a Mac Studio Ultra + Studio Display combo.

- There's an M1 Pro-shaped hole in the Mac Mini/Studio line - at the price point that is currently occupied by the remaining Intel Mini. There are still (iffy) rumours of a M1 Pro Mini - as well as more plausible rumours of a M2 Mini which could offer M1 Pro-like performance.

- If that hole is ever filled you could pair it with a Studio Display for < $3000 to get an iMac equivalent.

 

[DMG35]

The point is:
- the person you were replying to was talking about an M1 Pro iMac - not an iMac Pro. The "new iMac Pro" is a Mac Studio Ultra + Studio Display combo.

- There's an M1 Pro-shaped hole in the Mac Mini/Studio line - at the price point that is currently occupied by the remaining Intel Mini. There are still (iffy) rumours of a M1 Pro Mini - as well as more plausible rumours of a M2 Mini which could offer M1 Pro-like performance.

- If that hole is ever filled you could pair it with a Studio Display for < $3000 to get an iMac equivalent.

Ah that makes sense, sorry for my misunderstanding on this.