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Stay with old iMac or Studio Display

N

novetan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 3, 2010
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Currently am using a 2015 27" iMac, running on OS High Sierra, AMD Radeon R9 M395 (don’t know what the hell is that), 16 GB RAM. My works mainly involved working in RAW files in photoshop (currently using CS6), with Youtube/Spotify background music. Not much more than that.

Its high time I wanted for a change and looking at 27” Studio Display.
I intend to upgrade to CC as well. As am working mainly in RAW files, what RAM should I be considering?

The other option is stay put with my current iMac, just simply upgade my OS either to Sequoia 15 or Tahoe 26, and be contended with the current chip and RAM. That will save me quite a fair bit of money. However, I can afford to pay for the studio. I just wanted to know which is a better practical solution, putting money aside.

If picking the Studio is the choice, should I wait for M5, touted to be released ard Jun. Will it make any difference as my works are mainly editing photos in Photoshop. Its not even working professionally, just hobby and passion.

Tks for advise.
 
Last edited:
Hi, Novetan –

I'm a little confused about the complete picture.

You haven't mentioned the display size of your current iMac. In terms of resolution and display quality, there's no appreciable difference between a 2015 27-inch iMac's display and a Studio Display.

Since you're talking about choosing RAM and "M5," and since the Studio Display isn't compatible with iMacs from 2015, I suppose that means you're asking about upgrading from an iMac to another computer as well as buying a Studio Display? (Does "the Studio" in the third and fourth paragraphs mean "Mac Studio"?)
 
Starfia said:
Hi, Novetan –

I'm a little confused about the complete picture.

You haven't mentioned the display size of your current iMac. In terms of resolution and display quality, there's no appreciable difference between a 2015 27-inch iMac's display and a Studio Display.

Since you're talking about choosing RAM and "M5," and since the Studio Display isn't compatible with iMacs from 2015, I suppose that means you're asking about upgrading from an iMac to another computer as well as buying a Studio Display? (Does "the Studio" in the third and fourth paragraphs mean "Mac Studio"?)
Click to expand...
Sorry, for not making it clearer. Its a 27" iMac currently I'm using. I hv edited my query.

I'm comparing whether to stay put with my current iMac 27" (be contended with the current chip) against Studio Display with configurable Mini.

Tks
 
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underthere said:
One other option would be to upgrade to a 2017 27” iMac. I love mine! Should be able to run high sierra, too :)
Click to expand...
I hv stated I intend to upgrade to CC from my current CS6. High Sierra is really too old version and won't be compatible with alot of newer photoshop programs, Why shld i just change to 2017 iMac and running same OS? Make no sense. Did you not understand my query?
 
I had a late 2015 27" mac, that i converted to a DIY 5k Display. Very pleased with the result.
There is a growing group of people that also have gone down this path.

forums.macrumors.com

DIY 5k Monitor - success :-)

My "latest Macs" are a heavily upgraded 2009 Mac Pro (6c CPU, M.2 SSD, USB 3, RX580...) and more recently a 12c 2013 Mac Pro with an eGPU (Vega 56) - both machines with more than enough CPU power, GPU power and RAM for my needs, but I long aspired to upgrade to a nice 5k monitor to replace my...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
 
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Regulus67 said:
I had a late 2015 27" mac, that i converted to a DIY 5k Display. Very pleased with the result.
There is a growing group of people that also have gone down this path.

forums.macrumors.com

DIY 5k Monitor - success :-)

My "latest Macs" are a heavily upgraded 2009 Mac Pro (6c CPU, M.2 SSD, USB 3, RX580...) and more recently a 12c 2013 Mac Pro with an eGPU (Vega 56) - both machines with more than enough CPU power, GPU power and RAM for my needs, but I long aspired to upgrade to a nice 5k monitor to replace my...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
Click to expand...
Am not a DIY person with computer. Tks but no tks. This path not for me. Cheers
 
novetan said:
Sorry, for not making it clearer. Its a 27" iMac currently I'm using. I hv edited my query.

I'm comparing whether to stay put with my current iMac 27" (be contended with the current chip) against Studio Display with configurable Mini.

Tks
Click to expand...
you say this but also say you want the latest adobe apps and OS. even if you use OCLP to install the latest OS its going to be a old dog with an 11 year old system.

you say you can afford it - just buy a mini.
 
Starfia said:
In terms of resolution and display quality, there's no appreciable difference between a 2015 27-inch iMac's display and a Studio Display.
Click to expand...
I would beg to differ. I used a late 2015 27" iMac, but now I have an M1 Mini and Studio Display.
With the iMac mine had a screen burn-in issue. Not a problem at all on my Studio Display.
Also the Studio Display is brighter (600 nits), which is a quality I can appreciate.

There is the 27" Asus ProArt 5K for $718 right now compared to the $1499 tilt-only Studio Display on Amazon. It is most comparable though to the tilt and height version for $1,720 on Best Buy, because the Asus includes the height adjustment. And it does have true HDR support. The Studio Display will still play HDR content but it tone-maps it to fit in SDR range because it it not true HDR. However the Asus is 400 nits (500 HDR), and it is a cheaper build than the Apple display.
 
novetan said:
Because I loved Mac
Click to expand...
I love macs, but a monitor is not a mac. I mean if you care about seeing the apple logo on your chin of a monitor, that's fine, but I'm just pointing out that you can get the same if not better experience of using your Mac desktop with an LG/BenQ/or other monitor and save yourself some money.
 
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maflynn said:
and save yourself some money.
Click to expand...
I think he made it clear MONEY IS NOT OF CONCERN.

To OP, the jump from Intel to Mx is huge, it doesn't sound like you are in a hurry, I say wait for the M5 then and see what it got to offer, may have to budget for software updates.

I would love to have a Studio Display too (it matches an Apple CPU) but I am too cheap.
 
novetan said:
Currently am using a 2015 27" iMac, running on OS High Sierra, AMD Radeon R9 M395 (don’t know what the hell is that), 16 GB RAM. My works mainly involved working in RAW files in photoshop (currently using CS6), with Youtube/Spotify background music. Not much more than that.

Its high time I wanted for a change and looking at 27” Studio Display.
I intend to upgrade to CC as well. As am working mainly in RAW files, what RAM should I be considering?

The other option is stay put with my current iMac, just simply upgade my OS either to Sequoia 15 or Tahoe 26, and be contended with the current chip and RAM. That will save me quite a fair bit of money. However, I can afford to pay for the studio. I just wanted to know which is a better practical solution, putting money aside.

If picking the Studio is the choice, should I wait for M5, touted to be released ard Jun. Will it make any difference as my works are mainly editing photos in Photoshop. Its not even working professionally, just hobby and passion.

Tks for advise.
Click to expand...
Any Mac chip M1 and above will work for you from a current apps standpoint You are not expressing immediate frustration with your workflow and very dramatic things are happening with AI, apps and the OS right now, so I suggest that you wait until after WWDC in June and see what the complement of M5 Macs looks like after the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips have all been released. And post-WWDC we will have a slightly improved idea of where hardware demands are going.

Your ask of "what RAM should I be considering?" is essential. And, today's hardware competence is irrelevant, because you will be buying hardware only for future, today plus 5-7 years: ~2026-2033. The hardware competence is today and will be for the life of a new Mac constrained (for your apps) primarily by RAM. RAM demands have increased every year since the first Mac; CPUs OTOH are largely overpowered for the normal apps you describe.

Apple refurbs are a great value choice, as is buying a chip behind (e.g. buy M4 max after M5 max is released. The challenge is RAM. Finding refurbs with well above base RAM is usually difficult. And it really is all about the RAM. Choosing base level 16 GB for a future Mac is almost always bad decision making for anyone dealing with images, except for those folks liking 3-year life cycles, and it does not sound like you are one of them.

Apple's pricing of course makes it difficult. E.g. to build a Mac with enough RAM drives many of us to the far more competent but more costly Studio. Mac Minis are great value at the base levels, but by the time one adds enough RAM for 2030 PS and the AI tools PS will be using then the value price is gone.

Personally I consider mobility to be a huge value add and recommend that you include the Mac laptops in your analysis. The best MBPs are about as strong as the best Studios, but with less ports.

[I do not include any versions of the Ultra chips in this commentary because OP clearly does not need Ultra power.]
 
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Mrbobb said:
I think he made it clear MONEY IS NOT OF CONCERN.

To OP, the jump from Intel to Mx is huge, it doesn't sound like you are in a hurry, I say wait for the M5 then and see what it got to offer, may have to budget for software updates.

I would love to have a Studio Display too (it matches an Apple CPU) but I am too cheap.
Click to expand...
Why would anyone driving Adobe apps and to whom "MOiNEY IS NOT OF CONCERN" shouted in all caps even consider a Mac Mini over the far superior Studio?

That said I agree that OP should wait to see all the M4/M5 Minis and Studios, except no need to wait for any Ultra versions.
 
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as long as the system is stable and your workflow has no significant problems I would stand pat, the only reason I could see to change is from a cybersecurity point of view, assuming that is not an issue for you delaying a few more months (until a compelling technical or business reason arises) should not be an issue [ I've made the implicit assumption that your current system is sufficient for the tasks at hand and those expected to arise in the near future (always the harder to predict)]
 
novetan said:
Currently am using a 2015 27" iMac, running on OS High Sierra, AMD Radeon R9 M395 (don’t know what the hell is that), 16 GB RAM. My works mainly involved working in RAW files in photoshop (currently using CS6), with Youtube/Spotify background music. Not much more than that.

Its high time I wanted for a change and looking at 27” Studio Display.
I intend to upgrade to CC as well. As am working mainly in RAW files, what RAM should I be considering?

The other option is stay put with my current iMac, just simply upgade my OS either to Sequoia 15 or Tahoe 26, and be contended with the current chip and RAM. That will save me quite a fair bit of money. However, I can afford to pay for the studio. I just wanted to know which is a better practical solution, putting money aside.

If picking the Studio is the choice, should I wait for M5, touted to be released ard Jun. Will it make any difference as my works are mainly editing photos in Photoshop. Its not even working professionally, just hobby and passion.

Tks for advise.
Click to expand...
I moved from a 2017 27 iMac to a M1Max Mac Studio and Studio Display a little over 3 years ago, and I am using LRC/PS as a hobby too. I opted for 64GB RAM, not regretting that, PS is a RAM hog.
Back then, there were not many options for a 5k display, I think LG was the only one and didn't get the best of reviews from a build perspective, today is a different story but 1 thing for me back then (and today), it gotta be 5k or more.
I am very happy with my Studio Display, no regrets whatsoever, and I expect it'll last many more years.

My M1Max outperformed the i7 iMac by quite a bit, so whether or not you get a mini or a Studio, just get Pro and 32GB minimum, more RAM for PS is better.
 
novetan said:
I'm comparing whether to stay put with my current iMac 27" (be contended with the current chip) against Studio Display with configurable Mini.
Click to expand...

I see, thank you.

Currently, it sounds to me like it's just a question of how much you want to upgrade for the sake of upgrading.

If it helps to hear my experience: I upgraded from a 2017 27-inch iMac to an M1 Mac mini with a Studio Display in 2022 (a much smaller "leap" than you're considering). The main things I immediatley noticed were the Apple Silicon Mac's performance and features, and the aesthetics of the Studio Display's bezel. Even that felt so much like a substantial upgrade that I haven't felt any real need to consider an upgrade since. (And I do regular audio, graphics and video work.) Even the memory was a "downgrade": I went from 24GB with the 2017 iMac to 16GB with the M1 Mac mini. Activity Monitor has never reported significant memory pressure.

awshucks said:
I would beg to differ. I used a late 2015 27" iMac, but now I have an M1 Mini and Studio Display.
With the iMac mine had a screen burn-in issue. Not a problem at all on my Studio Display.
Also the Studio Display is brighter (600 nits), which is a quality I can appreciate.
Click to expand...

Yes, good specifics. I can't say I ever experienced a burn-in issue, and I only work in a dark studio and never use the display's maximum brightness. (I didn't mean to claim there were no differences.)
 
Tks to all for the heads up.

After reading some "rumoured" article, the M5 box is highly unlikely to be smaller. If its a smaller size, it may add a little incentive for me to wait. However with my kind of non heavy workload (just PS editing and backgrd music), I think the M4 will suit me. Initially thought of waiting what M5 can offer but why shld I even pay more for M5.

So I will settle for Studio Display and M4. And I can hv the latest OS, subscribed to CC (my current iMac 2025 High Sierra has already retarded me back for many yrs with just CS6), subscribed to the latest Nik Silver Efex, Topaz etc. I'm happy to break my bank a little.

Cheers
 
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novetan said:
Currently am using a 2015 27" iMac, running on OS High Sierra, AMD Radeon R9 M395 (don’t know what the hell is that), 16 GB RAM. My works mainly involved working in RAW files in photoshop (currently using CS6), with Youtube/Spotify background music. Not much more than that.

Its high time I wanted for a change and looking at 27” Studio Display.
I intend to upgrade to CC as well. As am working mainly in RAW files, what RAM should I be considering?

The other option is stay put with my current iMac, just simply upgade my OS either to Sequoia 15 or Tahoe 26, and be contended with the current chip and RAM. That will save me quite a fair bit of money. However, I can afford to pay for the studio. I just wanted to know which is a better practical solution, putting money aside.

If picking the Studio is the choice, should I wait for M5, touted to be released ard Jun. Will it make any difference as my works are mainly editing photos in Photoshop. Its not even working professionally, just hobby and passion.

Tks for advise.
Click to expand...
I'm not going to recommend my path, but I'll tell you what I did since I came from a similar place. I also have late-2015 27" iMac though it was running Monterey. I opened it up to try to do an SSD swap and killed the logic board. Some time later I found an iMac Pro that a local school was putting out to pasture for very cheap ($210) so I bought it a month ago. Since the iMac Pro supports Sequoia and has a better spec built in (32 GB RAM/2 GB SSD,TB 3), I feel it has a few years remaining on it compared the 2015/2017/2019 regular iMacs. Now it's my secondary Mac/server. That may not work for you but it's an affordable path if you can find one.
 
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I have no issues with the Studio Display on my Intel or M-series macs, but I recently bought an ASUS matte 5k display that I prefer the image on. The experience of using the all-in-one Studio Display is nice, but I could get 2.5x of the ASUS for the price...
 
novetan said:
Currently am using a 2015 27" iMac, running on OS High Sierra, AMD Radeon R9 M395 (don’t know what the hell is that), 16 GB RAM. My works mainly involved working in RAW files in photoshop (currently using CS6), with Youtube/Spotify background music. Not much more than that.

Its high time I wanted for a change and looking at 27” Studio Display.
I intend to upgrade to CC as well. As am working mainly in RAW files, what RAM should I be considering?

The other option is stay put with my current iMac, just simply upgade my OS either to Sequoia 15 or Tahoe 26, and be contended with the current chip and RAM. That will save me quite a fair bit of money. However, I can afford to pay for the studio. I just wanted to know which is a better practical solution, putting money aside.

If picking the Studio is the choice, should I wait for M5, touted to be released ard Jun. Will it make any difference as my works are mainly editing photos in Photoshop. Its not even working professionally, just hobby and passion.

Tks for advise.
Click to expand...
I had a late 2012 iMac which was still working fine.....and, of course love the large Display for spreadsheets. Unfortunately, after multiple software upgrades that weren't compatible, I finally reached the stage where some applications were getting glitchy or getting error messages from outside software . I have an LG Ultrafine in a different room with a Mac mini and just never found it to be as good as the Apple Mac monitor. Spent some time researching the possibility of purchasing a new Studio and using the old 2012 iMac as a dedicated monitor. Both Chat GPT and Grok said I could do that with a Luna dongle for around $100. Bought the stuff and downloaded the instructions from both AI's. Couldn't get it to work so hired someone to set it all up for me. Turns out it isn't possible after all (AI will replace humans???....not anytime soon :0)). Had to purchase a Studio Monitor for $1500 which is what I was trying to avoid. Put the old 2012 in the guest room so guests can access the internet. Still runs fine. Hoping the new Studio and Monitor will last as long as it did :0)). Good Luck.
 
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