When to upgrade the 2020 iMac 5K?

[tothemoonsands]

As an owner of a 2020 iMac 5K, I have begun to think about the upgrade path toward Apple Silicon. Given that the 2017 iMacs won’t be supported with MacOS Sonoma, it’s clear that Apple will have an aggressive approach toward discontinuing intel support. I don’t blame them, but that leaves people like me in a tough choice: squeeze out as much life out of a relatively new intel machine OR look to maximize trade-in values while they last by upgrading preemptively.

My 2020 iMac is objectively loaded: the top-end 10-core i9, 5700XT graphics, 64 GB RAM, and a 2tb SSD.

Put simply, I likely won’t be able to spec out a new machine quite as much. The Studio Display is not much of an upgrade over the 5K iMac display, but it does offer some incremental improvements and has a very modern design.

In addition to the Studio Display, it appears I have two choices:
1) M2 Pro Mac Mini (32 GB Unified, 1 TB SSD)
2) M2 Max Mac Studio (64 GB Unified, 1 TB SSD)

I have done hours of research, both on Macrumors and YouTube, to no avail. It is not clear how to proceed. Further complicating matters is that M3 will likely move to 3nm and there will be more substantial power/performance gains as a result. However, intel iMac trade-in values will continue to plummet in the meantime.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[velocityg4]

Upgrade when your computer no longer does what you want or need it to do. Otherwise you'll be wasting money. Sure you can argue it'll be worth less in the future. That's true of any computer. That M2 Max will depreciate faster. The fastest depreciation being the moment the box is opened and it becomes used. Then whenever the next generation is released.

 

[rpmurray]

Given that the 2017 iMacs won’t be supported with MacOS Sonoma

I think OCLP will have us covered for that. My worry is when Apple totally drops Intel support for the OS after Sonoma. They may give us another year after but they're really pushing dropping Intel support so I'm not confident.

 

[Longplays]

When the iMac 27" M3/M5/M6 comes out.

2020 iMac is barely 3 years. Replacement cycles are typically 4-6 years.

 

[rpmurray]

That M2 Max will depreciate faster.

I'm skipping M1 and M2 and waiting for M3 (third times the charm). I'm really hoping that Apple will put a bigger display on the 24" iMac, and do away with that smaller screen.

 

[ignatius345]

As an owner of a 2020 iMac 5K, I have begun to think about the upgrade path toward Apple Silicon. Given that the 2017 iMacs won’t be supported with MacOS Sonoma, it’s clear that Apple will have an aggressive approach toward discontinuing intel support. I don’t blame them, but that leaves people like me in a tough choice: squeeze out as much life out of a relatively new intel machine OR look to maximize trade-in values while they last by upgrading preemptively.

My 2020 iMac is objectively loaded: the top-end 10-core i9, 5700XT graphics, 64 GB RAM, and a 2tb SSD.

Put simply, I likely won’t be able to spec out a new machine quite as much. The Studio Display is not much of an upgrade over the 5K iMac display, but it does offer some incremental improvements and has a very modern design.

In addition to the Studio Display, it appears I have two choices:
1) M2 Pro Mac Mini (32 GB Unified, 1 TB SSD)
2) M2 Max Mac Studio (64 GB Unified, 1 TB SSD)

I have done hours of research, both on Macrumors and YouTube, to no avail. It is not clear how to proceed. Further complicating matters is that M3 will likely move to 3nm and there will be more substantial power/performance gains as a result. However, intel iMac trade-in values will continue to plummet in the meantime.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I think it's pretty simple: upgrade when (and only when) your current Mac isn't doing what you need to do. Is that high-end iMac 5K not performing well? Is it hanging? If not, those nice Mini and Studio options you list will still be available at later -- but either cheaper or superceded by better versions. Or maybe, Cook willing, an actual 27" Apple Silicon iMac.

I also wouldn't hang my hat on trade-in values. They'll always go down, but so too will the value of any new Mac you buy.

The days of user-upgradeable Macs are fast fading unless you want to shell out for a Mac Pro (and even then, aftermarket RAM is not an option). So, I'd make peace with that unless you're willing to leave the Mac platform entirely.

 

[tothemoonsands]

I think it's pretty simple: upgrade when (and only when) your current Mac isn't doing what you need to do. Is that high-end iMac 5K not performing well? Is it hanging? If not, those nice Mini and Studio options you list will still be available at later -- but either cheaper or superceded by better versions. Or maybe, Cook willing, an actual 27" Apple Silicon iMac.

I also wouldn't hang my hat on trade-in values. They'll always go down, but so too will the value of any new Mac you buy.

The days of user-upgradeable Macs are fast fading unless you want to shell out for a Mac Pro (and even then, aftermarket RAM is not an option). So, I'd make peace with that unless you're willing to leave the Mac platform entirely.

Thank you (and to all other responses so far as well).

Great points. I have absolutely no issues doing what I need to. Relatively light use of Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, occasional use of Premiere Pro, and primarily some basic Wordpress management with Nova and Safari.

What appeals to me in the new machines more than anything is the TouchID, future OS support, faster boot/upgrade times (intel takes forever compared to the M1 mini I use as a server), and the other apple silicone-only features that apple will continue to roll out. Although that OCLP seems like a game changer in that regard.

Based on the answers so far, it seems clear to stick with my existing iMac. Certainly TouchID etc alone is NOT worth the $5k+ upgrade path.

Thanks again!

 

[ignatius345]

Certainly TouchID etc alone is NOT worth the $5k+ upgrade path.

You could pick up ~25 shares of AAPL

 

[velocityg4]

I'm skipping M1 and M2 and waiting for M3 (third times the charm). I'm really hoping that Apple will put a bigger display on the 24" iMac, and do away with that smaller screen.

It really comes down to the manufacturing scale. 5K would be really cheap now if the standard caught on. Basically, it would probably be about 75% more expensive than an equivalent 4K panel. So, hope that the upcoming Samsung ViewFinity S9 does well. If it does. Then more monitor makers will start ordering Samsung and LG 5K panels.

Eventually this'll lead to scaling up manufacturing and reducing cost. It'll be cheaper for Apple to go with a 27" 5K than a special made 24" 4.5K.

 

[ovbacon]

Thank you (and to all other responses so far as well).

Great points. I have absolutely no issues doing what I need to. Relatively light use of Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, occasional use of Premiere Pro, and primarily some basic Wordpress management with Nova and Safari.

What appeals to me in the new machines more than anything is the TouchID, future OS support, faster boot/upgrade times (intel takes forever compared to the M1 mini I use as a server), and the other apple silicone-only features that apple will continue to roll out. Although that OCLP seems like a game changer in that regard.

Based on the answers so far, it seems clear to stick with my existing iMac. Certainly TouchID etc alone is NOT worth the $5k+ upgrade path.

Thanks again!

I just recently upgraded a 2015 iMac to a mini M2 so I would think your iMac should be able to hold on for a while.... But I find it interesting how most iMac owners feel that at a minimum they need to go with a M2 pro or a Studio?!

I do a ton of Photo and design work with Illustrator, Photoshop and Lightroom, all open at the same time, and running multiple browsers, all with at least 10 tabs open, without any problems whatsoever. I did opt for a 16GB/512GB mini as it was clear that it runs faster than the base model but I run all my work from external drives.

I did not want to spend the money on an Apple display but was a little worried I would not like a 4K one so I did a lot of searching for my specific needs and ended up with a BenQ display that I could not be happier with.

Of course if money is not an issue I would get a top of the line studio with an apple display

 

[4087258]

Wait for the new iMac m3 in the coming months and see what it’s like.
Then make your decision on iMac m3 vs mac mini m3!

 

[tothemoonsands]

Wait for the new iMac m3 in the coming months and see what it’s like.
Then make your decision on iMac m3 vs mac mini m3!

Yes I think M3 will be a game changer if it’s finally 3nm. I’m hoping the Mini will suffice since I don’t need the front ports and I have an L-shaped desk which the Mini could fit under the corner overlap perfectly (for a hidden/discrete look).

While I love the all-in-one iMac, having a separate display is growing on me since those tend to last much longer than the computer. Even if there is an M3 27” iMac, probably inclined to stick with a display+computer (unless they go all-in and have FaceID etc).

 

[Nermal]

For what it's worth, I have the same machine and I have no intention of replacing it for a few more years yet. Even when Apple stops adding new features to the OS, there will still be security updates for a couple of years. I wonder whether third-party developers might stop compiling for Intel, but a number of the apps I use are open source so I could compile them myself in a pinch (or just use the last Intel version if it's good enough).

The main thing that annoys me is that OS bugs that have been present since the original 10.15 are still there, and at this point I suspect that they're going to remain unfixed for the "supported" life of the machine.

 

[4087258]

Yes I think M3 will be a game changer if it’s finally 3nm. I’m hoping the Mini will suffice since I don’t need the front ports and I have an L-shaped desk which the Mini could fit under the corner overlap perfectly (for a hidden/discrete look).

While I love the all-in-one iMac, having a separate display is growing on me since those tend to last much longer than the computer. Even if there is an M3 27” iMac, probably inclined to stick with a display+computer (unless they go all-in and have FaceID etc).

I think it will take ages for Apple to enlarge the silicon iMac.
Seems like, for you, the mac mini m3 + studio display is a great option!
However maybe the most important aspect is the studio display.

 

[mcpix]

I'm in a slightly different but similar position. I have a work iMac and a home iMac. Orignally, they were both 2015 5k iMacs. About a year ago, I replaced the home iMac with a 2020 iMac. It's now time to replace the work iMac. I could buy a refurbished 2020 iMac, however for some of the reasons listed, it feels like a step backward. I also have a 16" M1 MacBook Pro. I'm thinking maybe I should buy the Studio Display and connect it to the 16" MacBook Pro and use that for now. Once I have the Studio Display, I still have the option to later upgrade to a Mac mini or Mac Studio. The only thing holding me back is the nostalgic pull of the 27" iMac. I've been using these since my first 27" 2011 iMac and they've been great machines.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"My 2020 iMac is objectively loaded: the top-end 10-core i9, 5700XT graphics, 64 GB RAM, and a 2tb SSD."

If it's running well, why "upgrade"?
You've got a very well-equipped Mac there, "the epitome of the iMac".
I reckon it can serve you well another 2-3 years, AT LEAST.

If there's something it CAN'T do that you need done, or an app that won't run, then I could understand upgrading.
But not as it is now.

Take a cool drink and calm down the case of "upgrade-itis" that you're experiencing!

 

[Longplays]

OP wrote:
"My 2020 iMac is objectively loaded: the top-end 10-core i9, 5700XT graphics, 64 GB RAM, and a 2tb SSD."

If it's running well, why "upgrade"?
You've got a very well-equipped Mac there, "the epitome of the iMac".
I reckon it can serve you well another 2-3 years, AT LEAST.

If there's something it CAN'T do that you need done, or an app that won't run, then I could understand upgrading.
But not as it is now.

Take a cool drink and calm down the case of "upgrade-itis" that you're experiencing!

Should be good to 2028 assuming use case remains relatively unchanged .

 

[tothemoonsands]

OP wrote:
"My 2020 iMac is objectively loaded: the top-end 10-core i9, 5700XT graphics, 64 GB RAM, and a 2tb SSD."

If it's running well, why "upgrade"?
You've got a very well-equipped Mac there, "the epitome of the iMac".
I reckon it can serve you well another 2-3 years, AT LEAST.

If there's something it CAN'T do that you need done, or an app that won't run, then I could understand upgrading.
But not as it is now.

Take a cool drink and calm down the case of "upgrade-itis" that you're experiencing!

100%. Thanks for the dose of reality.

 

[pshufd]

I'd recommend keeping the 2020 and adding a Studio M3 + Studio next to it. It gives you plenty of time to transition your heaviest workloads over to the Studio while allowing you to run stuff on the iMac if some software doesn't run well on Apple Silicon. It will also give you a backup system.

 

[SalisburySam]

Interesting thread. I’ve been contemplating upgrading my 2017 iMac to a refurb’d 2020 iMac. But as others have said, there is nothing I cannot do with the 2017 on now Monterey. Given that I haven’t found a compelling reason to get Ventura, Sonoma is not even on the radar for me. But that’s just me.

 

[pshufd]

Interesting thread. I’ve been contemplating upgrading my 2017 iMac to a refurb’d 2020 iMac. But as others have said, there is nothing I cannot do with the 2017 on now Monterey. Given that I haven’t found a compelling reason to get Ventura, Sonoma is not even on the radar for me. But that’s just me.

I had 3 reasons to go to Ventura:

1) The Weather App. I was running Windows 10 in a virtual machine in the past. Windows 11 doesn't have a Weather app. Monterey doesn't have one but Ventura does.
2) The Clock app. It's just a stupid clock but I find it quite useful when I'm taking naps.
3) Improved Hypervisor support. This is more of a feature for Apple Silicon Macs.

I am running Ventura on my Apple Silicon Macs and Monterey on my newer Intel Macs.

I do not like the new Settings stuff.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Thank you (and to all other responses so far as well).

Great points. I have absolutely no issues doing what I need to. Relatively light use of Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, occasional use of Premiere Pro, and primarily some basic Wordpress management with Nova and Safari.

What appeals to me in the new machines more than anything is the TouchID, future OS support, faster boot/upgrade times (intel takes forever compared to the M1 mini I use as a server), and the other apple silicone-only features that apple will continue to roll out. Although that OCLP seems like a game changer in that regard.

Based on the answers so far, it seems clear to stick with my existing iMac. Certainly TouchID etc alone is NOT worth the $5k+ upgrade path.

Thanks again!

Reads like you are leaning on an HDD boot drive for the slow boot time. One of the great benefits of Intel Macs is the ability to evolve key hardware inside (or out). Consider replacing the (presumed) HDD with an SSD and/or shift your boot drive to an external SSD and it will boot up almost as fast as Silicon SSD (much faster than an HDD boot drive).

Bonuses:

• you can easily evolve the size of the internal boot drive if you perhaps feel you need more internal storage after 3 years... something the Silicon crowd can't do.
• competition among SSD suppliers will make your upgrade size options much cheaper than Apple's silicon options... much, MUCH cheaper if you choose to make a big leap in storage size.
• when you do replace it, that Mac could be repurposed as a full-time Windows machine, so you can have both native Silicon and native Windows. If you have any Windows exclusive needs/wants, that's a great benefit. AND
• when replaced, it will give you a way to reach back to apps that never "throw the one switch" in the compiler and thus need an Intel Mac to keep running after Apple ends Rosetta 2. I still have one, mostly-unused Mac Mini running Snow Leopard for an ability to reach back to a couple of PowerPC apps that never made that leap to Intel. There will certainly be some apps that never go Silicon.

 

[Longplays]

@tothemoonsands although the 2020 iMac 27" does not allow for SSD upgrades you can bump up RAM to 128GB (4 x 32GB SODIMMs)

That comes out as little over $2.22/GB. With a useful life of 5 more years.

 

[pshufd]

@tothemoonsands although the 2020 iMac 27" does not allow for SSD upgrades you can bump up RAM to 128GB (4 x 32GB SODIMMs)

That comes out as little over $2.22/GB. With a useful life of 5 more years.

That is seriously attractive, particularly if you have to run Windows x86 as it's easily done in a virtual machine.

I'd love to upgrade my 2015 iMac to 64 GB of RAM but OWC charges $900 for it. It uses that funky 1867 Mhz DDR3 which, in non-ECC, costs a fortune. I'm mildly curious if ECC DDR3 would work in it as it's really cheap. I've heard that you can use 1600 Mhz non-ECC though that would result in a performance hit.

 

[Longplays]

I'd love to upgrade my 2015 iMac to 64 GB of RAM but OWC charges $900 for it. It uses that funky 1867 Mhz DDR3 which, in non-ECC, costs a fortune. I'm mildly curious if ECC DDR3 would work in it as it's really cheap. I've heard that you can use 1600 Mhz non-ECC though that would result in a performance hit.

If I was serious about bumping it to 64GB I'd have price tracker on https://camelcamelcamel.com/ since 2015 for that SKU.

With 3 years more to go... I am unsure if it is worth the spend. May be better to buy something else at that $900 price point.