Is it time to upgrade from iMac (late 2014)

[jspr89]

I am still using my 27" iMac (late 2014) 3.5Ghz i5 with 32Gb memory and 500Gb SSD - this machine has been on virtually non-stop 24/7 since purchase (early 2015) and I'm wondering if now's the time to start looking for a replacement.

The current machine is running Big Sur which is the latest OS without trying OCLP. The machine is running absolutely fine, haven't noticed any particular slowdowns over the years and is sufficient for my use (web browsing, email, some video transcoding using Handbrake etc). Very rarely get any shutdowns or errors although I have ditched Safari for Ventura as Safari hasn't been updated for a while and was regularly crashing with webkit errors. Obviously the OS is not updated/supported by Apple any longer but I don't tend to visit those 'dodgy' websites where I am more likely to pick up viruses!

With this machine now being over 10 years old I am now thinking about the next mac - I am wary of leaving the decision until this one just stops working - knowing it is easier to move to a new mac whist the old one is still working. I have considered the new 24" iMacs but think my old eyes will struggle going down from 27" to 24". So will probably look at M4 mac mini with separate 27" 4k monitor. So I suppose my question is - do you think this is a wise strategy to look for a new mac now or should I wait and see how long this one lasts ? Is anyone else still using a late 2014 iMac and happy with it ? I must admit this machine has been the best computer I have ever owned hence my reluctance to change but think I need to be realistic as to its lifecycle.

 

[Fishrrman]

It was a wise decision to [back then] buy an iMac with an SSD inside.
That's what has kept it running well for 10 years.

But after 10 years, yes, it IS time to start considering a replacement.

This time around, I'd be looking at either a Mini or possibly the m4xx Mac Studio (it should be released around WWDC in June).

A 27" 4k display would work (I use one).
Be aware that it's possible that we will see one or more 32" 5k displays later in the year.
Also a revised Apple Studio Display, but no rumors yet on release date, features, or pricing.

I'd suggest "a period of exploration" that would last two or three months at least.
Start "readin' up" on the Mini, display options, etc.
Look before you leap.
You want to choose wisely AGAIN for the next 8-10 years...!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Fishrrman gave you great advice to which I'll add just one thing: backup the 2014 ASAP if it is not already backed up. If you happen to have 2 drives laying around, back it up TWICE. That way if it just spontaneously conks, you have access to all of your files on the backup drives.

If you have none, HDDs will be fine for this and are towards dirt cheap for big storage. In fact, if you have to buy backup drives, I would encourage you to try to anticipate how much total storage you'll want inside and outside of the new Mac, multiply that storage by at least 3 and buy that size drive(s) or greater (the bigger, the better).

Then, after you have made the transition to the new Mac, you can put these 2 drives into service as ongoing backup drives using Apple's Time Machine or third party options like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper. Have one of those attached to the new Mac and the other stored safely offsite (I use a bank safe deposit box). Regularly rotate the two so the offsite backup is always pretty fresh (I'm on a monthly schedule myself). This simple approach will protect against very real scenarios like fire-flood-theft.

Hopefully, you already have something like this in play with your iMac. But if not, it is URGENT that you get at least 1+ backup of it ASAP.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I've never had a 5K display. Feedback from those who have and then tried a 4K monitor might be important…but if you proceed with a Mini or a Mac Studio and a 4K monitor I suppose you can decide for yourself if the extra expense is necessary and you want to return the 4K.

OCLP is definitely an option but you'll need to do the research on whether or not the limitations will affect you.

 

[ignatius345]

I have considered the new 24" iMacs but think my old eyes will struggle going down from 27" to 24".

Important to note: UI will be the same size as what you're used to on a 24" 4.5K iMac. You'd be giving up screen real estate, but you could think of it as a "cropped" version of what you're seeing now. Same brightness, same sharpness.

If you want a preview of what it would look like, I'm attaching a full-screen screenshot of mine. Download and display it in Preview full screen and hit ⌘0 to make it 100% and that's exactly it.

 

[jspr89]

Thanks for the advice - yes I have full backups and have been keeping an eye on these forums regarding suitable display options. There seem to be quite a few new monitors being released at the moment so I will monitor (!) how these are reviewed over the coming months.

 

[russell_314]

The only replacement would be a Mac mini and an Apple studio display. If you got anything else, you would notice a downgrade in how the display looked. Obviously getting the smaller iMac would be a smaller display so not advisable.


I’d say wait if what you have is working because there is a possibility that Apple will release a larger iMac.

 

[jouster]

[…]The machine is running absolutely fine, haven't noticed any particular slowdowns over the years and is sufficient for my use (web browsing, email, some video transcoding using Handbrake etc). […]

Seems like you’ve answered your own question. So long as your current system is sufficient, you’d be buying a new one for the sake of buying a new one.

Get whatever’s available when your machine is insufficient.

 

[wilberforce]

The main problem with the 2014 27" iMac (which I had) - provided it does not have a Fusion drive - is severe image retention especially around the edges of the screen. (Not the same as burn-in.) It is usually very apparent if you invoke Launchpad - you can see an obvious ghost of the menu bar, for example.
If you have not noticed this or do not care then that is fine. Because I used it for photo and graphics work, image retention was very distracting and hence unacceptable.
I went from a 2014 27" to a 2020 27" to a 2024 24" iMac. All have the same visibility. Text and detail are the same size and clarity on all of them. The later iMacs have slightly truer colors and higher peak brightness.

 

[jspr89]

I was not aware of any image retention until I tried your suggestion of going to launchpad - and yes I see what you mean !! However as I didn't notice it in everyday use it's not a problem for me.

 

[Barnclos]

I am in a similar position: I have a late 2015 iMac with original 500 GB SSD, everything is working fine, but I realise it won’t last for ever.

Monterey is the last official OS for my machine so when updates stopped I was very close to getting a Mac Studio. What stopped me was the monitor options. I have to admit to being very picky, but here are my thoughts:
1. Apple Studio Display should be the way to go, but it is essentially the same screen technology as my iMac. It bugged me to pay for something that wasn’t a significant improvement (webcams, speakers etc. aren’t of much interest to me).
2. 4k monitors go one step further and are a downgrade.
3. Samsung 5k monitor looked good in theory but reviews aren’t great.
4. The recent announcement of a 6k 32” monitor from LG is tempting, but still only an announcement. (Dell 6k 32” could have been a contender if it didn’t have hideous ‘chin’+webcam along the top).
5. Rumours about an updated Apple Studio Display have started again recently, but my guess is that it won’t be available for at least 18 months, probably longer.

So, instead of getting a new Mac, I used OCLP to update OS to Sonoma. Everything is (still) working fine and there should be updates for another 18 months (30 if I update to Sequoia somewhere down the line).

At the minute, my ideal replacement would be: Mac Studio with M4 Max, plus LG 6k monitor. This probably won’t be available for at least 6 months, but OCLP allows me to wait.

 

[throAU]

It was a wise decision to [back then] buy an iMac with an SSD inside.
That's what has kept it running well for 10 years.

But after 10 years, yes, it IS time to start considering a replacement.

This. if for no other reason than continued software support.

10 years is an amazing run. You chose wisely. But now you no longer have software support, no one can in good faith tell you to keep running macOS without security updates on the internet.

OCLP? Sure, if it's a machine you don't do things like personal finance, banking, etc. on, don't save passwords on in your password manager, etc. OCLP is not as safe as proper support, but its better than running older OS, and the level of "sketchiness" increases with how far you are from official support.

The risk of identity theft, etc. and having a life altering event after getting hacked these days is just not worth it. Is the risk of this high? No, but it's certainly higher than on a patched, supported machine, and the consequences are potentially catastrophic. You only need to have your identity stolen/bank accounts raided once.

If you can afford it - buy a machine with software support.

2c.

 

[pshufd]

I've never had a 5K display. Feedback from those who have and then tried a 4K monitor might be important…but if you proceed with a Mini or a Mac Studio and a 4K monitor I suppose you can decide for yourself if the extra expense is necessary and you want to return the 4K.

OCLP is definitely an option but you'll need to do the research on whether or not the limitations will affect you.

I have an iMac Pro next to my M1 Studio with three 4k displays. I far prefer to use the iMac Pro display. The three 4k displays are used more for reference.

 

[pshufd]

I was not aware of any image retention until I tried your suggestion of going to launchpad - and yes I see what you mean !! However as I didn't notice it in everyday use it's not a problem for me.

I had this on my 2014 but my windows were mostly static so it didn't bother me.

The issue that I did have with the 2014 were the thermals. The i7 runs kind of hot. The 2015 was a big improvement in thermals over the 2014. The 2014 was very usable.