Need a new imac

[kojak]

I currently have a 2013 27" imac and have been using it for Adobe CC Lightroom and Photoshop. The imac has not had any updates for a few years. Works ok for web pages but uploading photos from camera to Lightroom Classic, its way too slow. Been managing just up until today but its just taken a turn for the worse. Took 40 mins to upload 17 photos and then stopped. I need a new imac. Not interested in a windows machine. Which imac would you suggest. Was looking at a Mac mini but maybe a mac studio but the 'basic' one.

[Dave Hedgehog]

how long before these are replaced with M4 units? Not long I suspect

[kevinon]

I'd never want to lead a fellow Mac user to a particular model, given the complexity of choosing, and the impact of buyers remorse for getting it 'wrong'

However, very happy to suggest these guys for their breath of coverage in their 'buyers guide' series.
So far they have helped guide me

https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/imac/

[GetCarter]

I too moved from an iMac using Adobe CC Lightroom and Photoshop as the main progs, and nearly bought a Studio and 27" monitor.

I ended up buying a 16" MacBook Pro and 27" monitor - works just as well (and as fast) as a studio, but I can take it away and use as a laptop.

Horses for courses and all that, but might be worth a look. Prices were similar (ish).

Monster fast after an early 2015 27" iMac!

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 25th June 16:03

[Dave Hedgehog]

kevinon said:

However, very happy to suggest these guys for their breath of coverage in their 'buyers guide' series.
So far they have helped guide me

https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/imac/

I find thier when to buy warnings very useful

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#mac

[kojak]

Dave Hedgehog said:

how long before these are replaced with M4 units? Not long I suspect

Dont know. They are only M2 chips at the moment. Noticed the 24" Mac uses M3 chips

[kojak]

kevinon said:

I'd never want to lead a fellow Mac user to a particular model, given the complexity of choosing, and the impact of buyers remorse for getting it 'wrong'

However, very happy to suggest these guys for their breath of coverage in their 'buyers guide' series.
So far they have helped guide me

https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/imac/

Thank you. Helpful

[kojak]

GetCarter said:

I too moved from an iMac using Adobe CC Lightroom and Photoshop as the main progs, and nearly bought a Studio and 27" monitor.

I ended up buying a 16" MacBook Pro and 27" monitor - works just as well (and as fast) as a studio, but I can take it away and use as a laptop.

Horses for courses and all that, but might be worth a look. Prices were similar (ish).

Monster fast after an early 2015 27" iMac!

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 25th June 16:03

Cheers. Prefer a desktop if im honest even though I cant travel with it.

[kojak]

Dave Hedgehog said:

I find thier when to buy warnings very useful

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#mac

Thanks Dave

[Boleros]

Have you tried reinstalling the os as a temp solution until you get a new one? I was all ready to throw my 2017 iMac out the bloody window the other week until I reinstalled the os and it’s been right as rain ever since.

[Freakuk]

Boleros said:

Have you tried reinstalling the os as a temp solution until you get a new one? I was all ready to throw my 2017 iMac out the bloody window the other week until I reinstalled the os and it’s been right as rain ever since.

I was about to suggest the same thing. I've done it a few times over the years and the speed increase is noticeable. It may give you some time to wait for the next processor.

On a similar note, I've been using my MBP last of the intel processors and it runs pretty hot and the fans kicking in occasionally. I have just upgraded to a new Air but maxed the ram and CPU (M3) and the difference is night and day and it's cool and quiet. You could do the same and get a dock, keyboard/mouse and a monitor and have the flexibility also?

[kojak]

Boleros said:

Have you tried reinstalling the os as a temp solution until you get a new one? I was all ready to throw my 2017 iMac out the bloody window the other week until I reinstalled the os and it’s been right as rain ever since.

Cheers. Think I do need a new one as its been slow for ages. No updates for OS (Catalina) or LR/PS.

[Boleros]

kojak said:

Boleros said:

Have you tried reinstalling the os as a temp solution until you get a new one? I was all ready to throw my 2017 iMac out the bloody window the other week until I reinstalled the os and it’s been right as rain ever since.

Cheers. Think I do need a new one as its been slow for ages. No updates for OS (Catalina) or LR/PS.

You can do in it situ with the current os, you don't have to download or upgrade anything. Or at least you can on mine, worth seeing if you have the ability to do so as it really sped mine up.

[kojak]

Boleros said:

You can do in it situ with the current os, you don't have to download or upgrade anything. Or at least you can on mine, worth seeing if you have the ability to do so as it really sped mine up.

Ok. cheers. Will look into it.

[wyson]

Na, I’ll go against the grain here and just say you should get a new mac ASAP and not faff around on a 11 year old machine. Any Apple Silicon Mac will knock the socks off your current one. Unless you have a specific reason for waiting, I’d just get any Mx iMac, they are all more than powerful enough for most users.

Not sure what your budget is, but you won’t go wrong with an Apple Studio display and Mac Mini or Mac Studio. If you don’t mind a smaller screen a iMac 24inch is also great value.

Also, did you consider your internet connection or router might have flaked out?

Edited by wyson on Tuesday 25th June 20:44

[SteveKTMer]

wyson said:

Na, I’ll go against the grain here and just say you should get a new mac ASAP and not faff around on a 11 year old machine. Any Apple Silicon Mac will knock the socks off your current one. Unless you have a specific reason for waiting, I’d just get any Mx iMac, they are all more than powerful enough for most users.

This.

Even the M1 will pee all over a 2013 Intel powered Mac, it's like night and day. Get as much memory as the budget allows. Refurbished are better value if you don't need the very latest: https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/refurbished

My Mac Mini M1 with 1TB SSD and 16GB memory is as fast day to day as an M2 Mackbook air and my Mackbook Pro M1 pro. I use it to edit videos and photos and it's more than fast enough for an ungifted amateur like me.

[C4ME]

kojak said:

I currently have a 2013 27" imac and have been using it for Adobe CC Lightroom and Photoshop. The imac has not had any updates for a few years. Works ok for web pages but uploading photos from camera to Lightroom Classic, its way too slow. Been managing just up until today but its just taken a turn for the worse. Took 40 mins to upload 17 photos and then stopped. I need a new imac. Not interested in a windows machine. Which imac would you suggest. Was looking at a Mac mini but maybe a mac studio but the 'basic' one.

I have a 2012 imac and use the same software. It is a hard disk machine instead of SSD so never going to be super quick generally. I upped the RAM to 8GB and use an external SSD for both the location to store photos and the Lightroom catalog. I also ensure the internal hard drive is only used for software and operating system stuff plus ensure it is not nearly full as that can kill performance too. It should be possible to get adequate performance with what you have. I am achieving performance way above what you are describing. Not felt the need to replace it yet but I have invested time in optimising it to the best it can be (other than internal SSD).

I could replace the internal hard disk with an SSD as an option but the OS is now as far as it can go on that hardware so it is probably now time limited as a machine anyway. When it physically dies it will get replaced.

However, all that said, buying a new machine is going to be an order of magnitude faster and easier to achieve, Cost is the only downside.

Edited by C4ME on Wednesday 26th June 10:37

[miniman]

kojak said:

I currently have a 2013 27" imac and have been using it for Adobe CC Lightroom and Photoshop. The imac has not had any updates for a few years. Works ok for web pages but uploading photos from camera to Lightroom Classic, its way too slow. Been managing just up until today but its just taken a turn for the worse. Took 40 mins to upload 17 photos and then stopped. I need a new imac. Not interested in a windows machine. Which imac would you suggest. Was looking at a Mac mini but maybe a mac studio but the 'basic' one.

Does it have an SSD?

[Phunk]

Basic version of this is all you need:

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-mac/imac

I have an early M1 MacBook and it can easily edit 4K video and photos. It’s night and day compared to my previous every box ticked i9 MacBook.

[kojak]

miniman said:

Does it have an SSD?

No idea. It came with a 1TB hard disc. I also use external discs for photo storage and use with Lightroom etc.