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iMac 2011 vs. 2022...

Daud said:
I am considering the last 2020 Imac 27 with 32GB memory as transition. It has the 5k display and costs less than the Apple Studio Display..
iMac 27" 5K 6-Core 3.1GHz i5 with 32GB Memory , 256GB SSD
What do you think, staying too much behind ?
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That's what I did - I bought a refurb 16/256 model with 10GbE a week or two after the Mac studio was announced. (16 gig was dumb since I knew I was going to add more, but they had no 8 gig models with 10GbE which I wanted for futureproofing. A day or so after I ordered, they did have an 8/512/10GbE configuration... oops)

I think it's been great. A bit dated-looking with the giant bezels. If you've been happily using your 2011 (no GPU problems?), you'll find it a nice improvement. The 6-core i5 is most than excellent for most things. Will you get 10 years out of it? Probably not - I think macOS 16 or so will drop the last Intel machines, then you're probably looking at 2-3 years before a lot of software isn't available on Intel anymore, maybe less.
 
This evening I came across another website that won't accept my version of Safari tied to High Sierra on my 2011. I couldn't see Volkswagen Canada. I can still see it Safari on my with my iPad Air 5.

C'mon Apple, hurry up with that M3 iMac.
 
OP wrote:
"Apple, hurry up with that M3 iMac."

If you're waiting for the m3, I predict you'll be waiting until mid-2024 at the earliest...
 
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Fishrrman said:
OP wrote:
"Apple, hurry up with that M3 iMac."

If you're waiting for the m3, I predict you'll be waiting until mid-2024 at the earliest...
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If they don’t release an M2 iMac in March then I don’t have high hopes for this year anymore. What a weird move to leave iMac behind and to increase its price at the same time. Still a good deal even now.
 
Warped9 said:
This evening I came across another website that won't accept my version of Safari tied to High Sierra on my 2011. I couldn't see Volkswagen Canada. I can still see it Safari on my with my iPad Air 5.
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I also use a 2011 iMac 27 i7 and High Sierra. I rarely use Safari and 99.99% of my websurfing is done with the Brave browser. Not a single website has given me problems. Automatic ad blocking is a nice feature too.

Updating past High Sierra pretty much requires a graphics card update. I have one waiting for motivation to do it. Then I will go to Mojave. ;)
 
Warped9 said:


Posted above is my current computer. I can comfortably say it's running very well with no issues whatsoever.

I use it for most everything, but the most involved thing I do with it is 3D modeling using SketchUp. At some point I might move on to another 3D program because eventually I would like to do animation of my 3D models.

Of course, I'm stuck at High Sierra which at some point might cause me issues. So I'm looking to get a new iMac to replace my current 2011. I'm eager, but not desperate to get a new computer.

So my question, if anyone can answer, is how would my current setup (i7 2600S, 32GB RAM and 500GB SSD) stack up against a current M1 iMac with 16GB RAM and 512GB-1TB SSD? Is it worth upgrading now or wait for the M3 iMac in 2023 that might offer 32GB RAM?

Maybe someone has experienced something similar or is in a similar situation as myself?

All insights welcome.
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I forecast a iMac M2 to be out between now and June. If you willing to wait I'd wait.
 
sam_dean said:
I forecast a iMac M2 to be out between now and June. If you willing to wait I'd wait.
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If they offer M2 with 24 GB RAM option then I’ll be tempted. But given there is talk Apple could skip M2 and go straight to M3 (with possible 24 and 32GB options) for the iMac’s next upgrade then I’ll wait. That would be a truly significant upgrade and should last me for several years.

The inability to access the occasional websites with my current setup is minor and insignificant. I can easily get around that with my iPad Air 5 or just use a different browser on my iMac if I wanted to bother.. So I can hang on for awhile longer. I can wait another year, but I suspect we’ll see something before then.
 
Although I'm more focused on the next iMac upgrade to M2 or M3 I have been looking at and starting to consider the Mac Studio particularly if it, too, gets an upgrade in the not too distant future. It certainly looks like a machine that could serve me for a good many years. Of course, I'm talking about the Max rather than the Ultra version.

Of course, this means I would also have to get a monitor. And crazily I've been thinking about the Apple Studio. Yeah, it's pricey, but then it is more than just a monitor. It appears to be solidly built, sturdy and includes a 6-speaker audio setup. LG makes a display at slightly less money, but it doesn't impress for build and quality as the Studio does. I could even consider an Apple refurbished item to save some coin.

Something to think about given I've got time.

Then again Apple could shake things up and introduce a new 27in. iMac...
 
Warped9 said:
Although I'm more focused on the next iMac upgrade to M2 or M3 I have been looking at and starting to consider the Mac Studio particularly if it, too, gets an upgrade in the not too distant future. It certainly looks like a machine that could serve me for a good many years. Of course, I'm talking about the Max rather than the Ultra version.

Of course, this means I would also have to get a monitor. And crazily I've been thinking about the Apple Studio. Yeah, it's pricey, but then it is more than just a monitor. It appears to be solidly built, sturdy and includes a 6-speaker audio setup. LG makes a display at slightly less money, but it doesn't impress for build and quality as the Studio does. I could even consider an Apple refurbished item to save some coin.

Something to think about given I've got time.

Then again Apple could shake things up and introduce a new 27in. iMac...
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WWDC 2023 in June... Mac Studio M2 Ultra...
 
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Interesting. Here I am currently using my mid 2011 for 3D modelling and I'm not finding the 21.5 screen small. I'm sitting here imagining working on a new iMac 24. I would have about 20 percent more display--thats a significant upgrade over what I have now.

No wonder I find it odd when I hear people saying 24 is too small.
 
Warped9 said:
Interesting. Here I am currently using my mid 2011 for 3D modelling and I'm not finding the 21.5 screen small. I'm sitting here imagining working on a new iMac 24. I would have about 20 percent more display--thats a significant upgrade over what I have now.

No wonder I find it odd when I hear people saying 24 is too small.
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To me it's too small for home use.
At work I have to use a 15.6" laptop screen because it's a company issued item.
At home my screen is 48". I love it at 1.2m distance. Still have to use my 1.0 diop reading glass for text, but overall, it's awesome.
 
I‘m waiting the iMac 24 upgrade, but if they launch a bigger iMac with Max and Pro M chips in them it’s going to be…very interesting.
 
Warped9 said:
Although I'm more focused on the next iMac upgrade to M2 or M3 I have been looking at and starting to consider the Mac Studio particularly if it, too, gets an upgrade in the not too distant future. It certainly looks like a machine that could serve me for a good many years. Of course, I'm talking about the Max rather than the Ultra version.

Of course, this means I would also have to get a monitor. And crazily I've been thinking about the Apple Studio. Yeah, it's pricey, but then it is more than just a monitor. It appears to be solidly built, sturdy and includes a 6-speaker audio setup. LG makes a display at slightly less money, but it doesn't impress for build and quality as the Studio does. I could even consider an Apple refurbished item to save some coin.

Something to think about given I've got time.

Then again Apple could shake things up and introduce a new 27in. iMac...
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Im in the same boat although with a 2014 machine. I’m going to shake things up I think and go for a laptop and then get 27 inch Apple monitor. Mainly cos I like the idea of being to carry it round the house as opposed to be tied to iMac etc
 
Ironically, to my left is my 2011 iMac and I'm using my 2020 iMac ..the 2011 is an i5 with 16gb of RAM and this 2020 is an i5 with 128gb of RAM. Both have SSDs...

I use both religiously and for basic needs, (I only run some VMs on my 2020 for the RAM) both perform (to the naked eye) very well to this day.

I even have an i9 2018 MacBook Pro with 32gb of RAM and I see it lasting quite a few more years.. these all are long haul machines.
 
Fishrrman said:
OP wrote:
"I have finally discovered a minor limitation of being stuck at High Sierra: Safari won't load certain websites. For example it won't load staples.ca. As such I may eventually come across other sites it won't load."

You don't have to limit yourself to Safari.
There are plenty of other "alternative browsers" available you can use when necessary.
Some that come to mind:
- Firefox
- Brave
- Dissenter
- iCab
- Waterfox

I WOULD NOT use google Chrome. Some of the browsers above use the same "chrome engine" but WITHOUT the google privacy intrusions...
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@Warped9 here are some browser people suggest using for Early Intel Machines - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/web-browsers-for-early-intel-macs.2280783/ maybe some of these will help you out?
 
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What do these images have to do with a possible new iMac?





These are a few examples of models I created and rendered on my current 2011 21.5 iMac. Most of this went well enough, but even with my current configuration when a model gets complex enough the program starts to slow down in response. Rendering a more complex model can also take several protracted minutes.

So while I‘m not really unhappy with my computer’s current performance these past years I would appreciate an improvement.
 
@Warped9 Please see my post here on another "2011" thread. Machine runs flawlessly on Monterey. Sorry for the lousy photo.


IMG_0347.jpeg
 
sdfox7 said:
@Warped9 Please see my post here on another "2011" thread. Machine runs flawlessly on Monterey. Sorry for the lousy photo.


View attachment 2154144
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Okay colour me dense, but how do you run/install OpenCore? Or am I missing something?



…Okay, never mind. I found a Youtube video that explained the whole thing. I gotta think about this. One of the appeals of an upgrade was moving to a larger display, just as my 21.5 iMac was an upgrade from my 17in. G4 eMac, which was an upgrade over my G3 iMac.
 
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Warped9 said:
Okay colour me dense, but how do you run/install OpenCore? Or am I missing something?



…Okay, never mind. I found a Youtube video that explained the whole thing. I gotta think about this. One of the appeals of an upgrade was moving to a larger display, just as my 21.5 iMac was an upgrade from my 17in. G4 eMac, which was an upgrade over my G3 iMac.
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In five words, it bypasses the hardware check. There is nothing that prevents newer versions of MacOS from running on the hardware, it's just that Apple wants to support a set amount of systems. To them, Intel is dead technology.

Apple has moved to soldering everything in their systems. It seems to go against the spirit of Steve Jobs who enjoyed tinkering with electronics. New startups like Framework are building systems that are pro 'right-to-repair' and upgradable and repairable.

Wow...how big are you going? For me personally, 27" takes up too much valuable desk space.
 
sdfox7 said:
Wow...how big are you going? For me personally, 27" takes up too much valuable desk space.
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The appeal of a new 24in. iMac is that in actual size it’s about the width as my 21.5 and maybe 1/4 in. taller. That makes it an ideal upgrade. Takes up the same space (thinner actually) yet gives me more performance and a bigger 4.5k display.

If, IF, I went with a Mac Studio the performance upgrade would be more significant, but then I have to get a display. The Studio Display is pricey (even with my staff discount) so if not that then I’d have to find an acceptable third party display. A 27in could fit on my desk, but a 24 would be more ideal. The Mac Studio route would also cost me more than a spec’d iMac. Mind you a Studio Display is not a run-of-the-mill monitor.

I’ve been looking up reviews of an M1 Mac with 16GB RAM and 512 SSD (in an M1 Mac Mini which is essentially like the iMac but without display included) and they’ve been rather positive running the software I like to use. So an M1 iMac with 16 RAM and 512-1TB SSD would work fine. But waiting a bit longer I might get to see what the nxt iMac upgrade will offer. And I really do like the AIO configuration.
 
If I were to pull the trigger on a current iMac or even Mac Studio I'd be tempted to go for an Apple refurbished unit, especially for the iMac. There are spec'd out machines available for a decent savings over new.
 
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