Hi everyone,
I'm not sure where this thread belongs, since it's a broad question. I created an account just to ask this question.
I bought my iMac brand new in 2011 and it has served me well. I want to replace it soon. It is old and it has slowed down considerably over the last couple years. 95% of what I use it for is hobby photography via Lightroom. It takes roughly 15 minutes to wake from sleep, open Lightroom and import a few dozen RAW files. Safari takes up to a minute to load. I see lots of rainbow pinwheels with other basic tasks.
I want a new Mac something, and am not interested in extending the life of my 2011.
Here are my requirements:
1) 1 TB local storage. Ability to have a duplicate backup either on a local HDD or via cloud services (iCloud, Adobe CC).
2) ability to run Lightroom efficiently
3) will last me at least 5 years
4) $1,800 or less
Here's what I've considered and my thoughts:
-new or refurb iMac. They haven't been updated in the last 1.5 years, which gives me pause. Apple's commitment to the "regular" iMac seems to be waning. Is a new iMac going to be announced in the spring? Who knows at this point. Do I really need a MacOS desktop for just Lightroom and general use?
-new Mac Mini. Upgrading to 1 TB of storage gets expensive, plus I'd have to buy a monitor.
-new iPad Pro. The portability vs the iMac is intriguing. Upgrading to 1 TB is expensive. iOS seems like it would handle my normal use, but should I consider ditching MacOS completely? Also concerned about total lack of external storage capability. Maybe this will change with iOS 13? Who knows.
The hardware landscape is very different today vs 2011. Any thoughts or guidance is appreciated.
Thanks!
Stephen
I'm not sure where this thread belongs, since it's a broad question. I created an account just to ask this question.
I bought my iMac brand new in 2011 and it has served me well. I want to replace it soon. It is old and it has slowed down considerably over the last couple years. 95% of what I use it for is hobby photography via Lightroom. It takes roughly 15 minutes to wake from sleep, open Lightroom and import a few dozen RAW files. Safari takes up to a minute to load. I see lots of rainbow pinwheels with other basic tasks.
I want a new Mac something, and am not interested in extending the life of my 2011.
Here are my requirements:
1) 1 TB local storage. Ability to have a duplicate backup either on a local HDD or via cloud services (iCloud, Adobe CC).
2) ability to run Lightroom efficiently
3) will last me at least 5 years
4) $1,800 or less
Here's what I've considered and my thoughts:
-new or refurb iMac. They haven't been updated in the last 1.5 years, which gives me pause. Apple's commitment to the "regular" iMac seems to be waning. Is a new iMac going to be announced in the spring? Who knows at this point. Do I really need a MacOS desktop for just Lightroom and general use?
-new Mac Mini. Upgrading to 1 TB of storage gets expensive, plus I'd have to buy a monitor.
-new iPad Pro. The portability vs the iMac is intriguing. Upgrading to 1 TB is expensive. iOS seems like it would handle my normal use, but should I consider ditching MacOS completely? Also concerned about total lack of external storage capability. Maybe this will change with iOS 13? Who knows.
The hardware landscape is very different today vs 2011. Any thoughts or guidance is appreciated.
Thanks!
Stephen