Keep the 27” iMac or upgrade to Mac Studio + Studio Display?

[fpenta]

Hey guys!
I honestly expected a new iMac today to upgrade my 2019 27” i9 8-core, 64GB, 1TB, Vega 48.

It’s still a great machine and I could still benefit from selling it at a great price now that the 27” iMacs have been discontinued.
BUT… is it worth to upgrade to the Studio + display?

Is the screen the same as the 5k iMac?
I can’t see so many reasons to upgrade (as it was for the old vs new MacBook Pros) except for the marginal(?) improved performance (M1 Max) and the flexibility to use the display with other macs (I also have a MacBook Pro 16” and MacBook Air)


What are you going to do?

 

[dimme]

As far as resale goes now is the right time. Otherwise there will always be a even faster machine next year.

 

[djb21au]

Similar question at the other end of the performance scale. My late 2014 iMac 27" will need replacing before too long. The most demand on put on my machine is for photography – no video. Would an M1 Mac Mini with 64GB RAM plus external monitor (Apple or other) do the job? The cost of the Studio is a bit more than I want to spend.

 

[wilberforce]

Similar question at the other end of the performance scale. My late 2014 iMac 27" will need replacing before too long. The most demand on put on my machine is for photography – no video. Would an M1 Mac Mini with 64GB RAM plus external monitor (Apple or other) do the job? The cost of the Studio is a bit more than I want to spend.

I went from a 2014 27" iMac to a 2020 27" iMac and can highly recommend it for photography.
There is a short window of opportunity to get a i7 2020 iMac on the Apple refurb store for half the price of a Studio plus display, that will do everything you need for photography.
btw there is no such thing as an M1 Mini with 64GB RAM, at least not currently

 

[fathergll]

The biggest issue keeping it long term is that it's intel and I have doubts on Apple OS support long term. Even if your the type to keep your computers long term that could be a monkey wrench.

Flipside your probably going to take a big hit on resale for it. Anyone buying a iMac like that is knowledgeable enough to know the downsides of buying an Intel Mac in 2022.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Similar question at the other end of the performance scale. My late 2014 iMac 27" will need replacing before too long. The most demand on put on my machine is for photography – no video. Would an M1 Mac Mini with 64GB RAM plus external monitor (Apple or other) do the job? The cost of the Studio is a bit more than I want to spend.

M1 Mac Mini is limited to 16GB RAM. For more RAM, you have to go with an MBP or the new Mac Studio.

 

[zorinlynx]

Yours is new enough that I would hold off another couple of years. To compare, I'm still using a 2015 27" iMac and it's serving me well. I'm in a bit of a more dire situation than you; my iMac probably won't get MacOS 13, so my hand will be forced sooner than later.

There may still be a 27" iMac coming at some point; I plan to wait at least another year before buying anything, even having less of a cushion than you.

 

[Abazigal]

Hey guys!
I honestly expected a new iMac today to upgrade my 2019 27” i9 8-core, 64GB, 1TB, Vega 48.

It’s still a great machine and I could still benefit from selling it at a great price now that the 27” iMacs have been discontinued.
BUT… is it worth to upgrade to the Studio + display?

Is the screen the same as the 5k iMac?
I can’t see so many reasons to upgrade (as it was for the old vs new MacBook Pros) except for the marginal(?) improved performance (M1 Max) and the flexibility to use the display with other macs (I also have a MacBook Pro 16” and MacBook Air)


What are you going to do?

The Mac studio is likely overkill for what you need (assuming you are getting by fine with the current 5k iMac). I would suggest holding on to it for another 2-3 years to see if Apple does come up with something that can act as a direct replacement for it, or if Intel Macs start getting the short end of the stick, software update wise.

 

[cczhu]

if you need intel chip for any reason, I'd swap it for apple silicon sooner than later. Apple's support for Intel is diminishing, so is its ecosystem.

 

[fpenta]

The Mac studio is likely overkill for what you need (assuming you are getting by fine with the current 5k iMac). I would suggest holding on to it for another 2-3 years to see if Apple does come up with something that can act as a direct replacement for it, or if Intel Macs start getting the short end of the stick, software update wise.

I'm actually a pro user. I use all adobe software for photography and 4k/8k Timelapses. I feel like the iMac is still a great value now that the studio display is out. I'll put it on sale and see how much people is willing to pay for it and then decide.

if you need intel chip for any reason, I'd swap it for apple silicon sooner than later. Apple's support for Intel is diminishing, so is its ecosystem.

I don't actually. This is the reason I got rid of my 2018 MacBook Pro 15" as soon as I could for the 16" MBP M1 Pro. (I actually hated that 15"). But now with the iMac situation is a little bit more complicated.

 

[oakrrl]

I have a 2018 i7 27" iMac which is getting too slow for my photography needs, so I'd been hoping for a new iMac with M1 Max. Not to be. I'm looking at either getting the Studio with M1 Max, 32 gb memory, 1 TB SD or a 14" MacBook Pro configured similarly. Frankly the 14" M1 Pro chip is adequate, since I don't do much video, but once you bump it up to 32 gb ram and 1 tb ssd the M1 Max bundle is about the same price. I think you'll want the 32 gb ram as RAW files are only going to get bigger.....if the Studio were upgradeable I'd get it to future-proof, but since it's not, might as well spend a bit more & have an equally powerful laptop. Whether laptop or Studio, I'll use my old iMac as a display (via Luna Display and Thunderbolt). Or if I get some $$, maybe get an LG monitor. The new Studio Display is too pricey for me...

 

[fpenta]

I have a 2018 i7 27" iMac which is getting too slow for my photography needs, so I'd been hoping for a new iMac with M1 Max. Not to be. I'm looking at either getting the Studio with M1 Max, 32 gb memory, 1 TB SD or a 14" MacBook Pro configured similarly. Frankly the 14" M1 Pro chip is adequate, since I don't do much video, but once you bump it up to 32 gb ram and 1 tb ssd the M1 Max bundle is about the same price. I think you'll want the 32 gb ram as RAW files are only going to get bigger.....if the Studio were upgradeable I'd get it to future-proof, but since it's not, might as well spend a bit more & have an equally powerful laptop. Whether laptop or Studio, I'll use my old iMac as a display (via Luna Display and Thunderbolt). Or if I get some $$, maybe get an LG monitor. The new Studio Display is too pricey for me...

I recently bought a 16" MBP with M1 Pro and 32GB RAM. Didn't want the Max since I wanted to maximize battery life and I also wanted to upgrade my iMac workstation anyway.
But now the situation got more complicated. I may be just sell the iMac and get the Apple Studio Display (even if I feel you don't get a lot more with the Studio Display coming from an iMac) and use it with the 16" but I actually don't like the idea to have a laptop as a workstation attached to a display. I always preferred a fixed desktop solution.

 

[ADGrant]

I recently bought a 16" MBP with M1 Pro and 32GB RAM. Didn't want the Max since I wanted to maximize battery life and I also wanted to upgrade my iMac workstation anyway.
But now the situation got more complicated. I may be just sell the iMac and get the Apple Studio Display (even if I feel you don't get a lot more with the Studio Display coming from an iMac) and use it with the 16" but I actually don't like the idea to have a laptop as a workstation attached to a display. I always preferred a fixed desktop solution.

The Studio display has its own webcam and speakers. If you also buy a keyboard and trackpad you can use the MBP in clamshell mode. It will feel just like using a 27" iMac.

 

[fpenta]

The Studio display has its own webcam and speakers. If you also buy a keyboard and trackpad you can use the MBP in clamshell mode. It will feel just like using a 27" iMac.

Problem is that I have many peripherals like backup storage and studio monitor setup with audio interface that every time I connect and disconnect the MPB I should eject or turn on and turn off etc..Hate this. And the display is not powering the 16" MBP enough since it can only output 96w, so every time I would need to connect both the megsafe and thunderbolt. Not a great solution IMO

 

[ADGrant]

Problem is that I have many peripherals like backup storage and studio monitor setup with audio interface that every time I connect and disconnect the MPB I should eject or turn on and turn off etc..Hate this. And the display is not powering the 16" MBP enough since it can only output 96w, so every time I would need to connect both the megsafe and thunderbolt. Not a great solution IMO

I don't like using external storage with laptops. For the Studio Monitor setup it would just be one cable. For external trackpads and keyboards you can just use bluetooth.

If you really want a separate desktop computer, just buy the Studio with the Monitor. It won't feel any different to an iMac.

 

[fpenta]

So..today I have seen the mac studio + studio display for the first time at the store..

The Studio display looks much smaller than the iMac and it is also lower so the optional height accessory is a must.
Near the pro xdr, the studio display looked like a joke.
I don’t think it is worth the 2k price point if you already own an iMac.

The max studio is so ugly compared to the mac pro or the iMac. Nothing to say about the performance, but I would rather buy a second MacBook Pro than that ugly box.

Will keep my current 2019 iMac and see what happens in the future..

 

[ADGrant]

So..today I have seen the mac studio + studio display for the first time at the store..

The Studio display looks much smaller than the iMac and it is also lower so the optional height accessory is a must.
Near the pro xdr, the studio display looked like a joke.
I don’t think it is worth the 2k price point if you already own an iMac.

The max studio is so ugly compared to the mac pro or the iMac. Nothing to say about the performance, but I would rather buy a second MacBook Pro than that ugly box.

Will keep my current 2019 iMac and see what happens in the future..

The problem with the 5k screen on the iMac is you can't use it as a monitor for another computer. The monitor costs $1600, not $2k. I think it looks great, what I find unacceptable is a non-detachable power cord.

 

[fpenta]

The problem with the 5k screen on the iMac is you can't use it as a monitor for another computer. The monitor costs $1600, not $2k. I think it looks great, what I find unacceptable is a non-detachable power cord.

In Europe costs €1800 (almost $2000). The height adjustable stand is another 460€ which I think is required.
So total €2259 (almost $2500). ?

 

[ADGrant]

In Europe costs €1800 (almost $2000). The height adjustable stand is another 460€ which I think is required.
So total €2259 (almost $2500). ?

The iMac does not have a height adjustable stand. How much lower is the Studio Screen? It does not look lower to me and is high enough to fit the Studio underneath.

All that said, I would not be replacing a higher end 27" Intel iMac right not unless I had a really compelling reason (maybe if I spent all my time in FinalCut).

 

[fpenta]

If you watch this video you can see that the display is a little bit lower than the iMac with was already quite low.

 

[theluggage]

If you watch this video you can see that the display is a little bit lower than the iMac with was already quite low.

If you watch this video, you waste 5 minutes of your life because the genius making the video didn't even bother to hide the (bright) desktop icons on the iMac covering half the image (which are obviously going to throw off your perception). That kinda erodes any faith I might have had that he spent time checking that the brightness, colour profile etc. settings were comparable on both screens.

Comparing sound and image quality objectively is not easy - a small difference in volume or brightness can make a world of difference - and approximately 0 of the YouTube reviews show any signs of trying to establish some baseline.


As for the screen height - that's far too low for me, the iMac is already on the low side. However, for those who want height adjustment at a slightly lower price than the $400 Apple stand, in a form that can be easily fitted after purchase, and yet retains Apple's unique design aesthetics, can I recommend the following fine product (available in 3 heights):

Apple's Photo Book of Apple Products Now Available for Up to $300

Apple's new "Designed by Apple in California" photo book, chronicling 20 years of Apple design with 450 photos of its products and the...

www.macrumors.com

 

[ADGrant]

If you watch this video you can see that the display is a little bit lower than the iMac with was already quite low.

Thanks for the link, I was hoping someone would make a video like this. I don't find the 27" iMac to be quite low though, I like the height it is at but I would be quite happy if it was slightly lower.

 

[ignatius345]

Similar question at the other end of the performance scale. My late 2014 iMac 27" will need replacing before too long. The most demand on put on my machine is for photography – no video. Would an M1 Mac Mini with 64GB RAM plus external monitor (Apple or other) do the job? The cost of the Studio is a bit more than I want to spend.

I had that same 2014 iMac (had 32GB of RAM installed in it) and can say unequiocally that an M1 Mac will feel much, much faster. For photography, I don't believe you need 64GB of RAM at all. I'm doing a lot of graphic design work on an M1 iMac with 16GB of RAM and it's quite snappy. I suppose more RAM is always better, but that 64GB of RAM is bound to cost quite a bit.

And unless you're editing video or doing something else that demands tons of resources, that Mac Studio seems like massive overkill.

 

[ignatius345]

Problem is that I have many peripherals like backup storage and studio monitor setup with audio interface that every time I connect and disconnect the MPB I should eject or turn on and turn off etc..Hate this.

I used a docked laptop as a desktop for a few years and that always irritated me too. I way prefer a proper desktop, and they're generally cheaper for the same specs as well.

 

[jinnyman]

I plan to keep my iMac 2020 until it dies out. This is going to be my last intel mac.