Great, buy the 24" iMac then!
How is that going to work? The Mac Studio has too many cpu and gpu cores for your intended purposes, but they are all of the same M1 generation with no added longevity.
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New Mac - iMac or Mac Studio
- Thread starter ShockTroop
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The Studio is a fantastic choice for the "longevity" decision, even paired with a 4k display that is good enough for daily use.
The 5k display tends to be the choice for the outspoken crowd here.
But they are your dollars, I just happened to put the majority of my money into the CPU choice (Mac Studio) rather than the display.
Especially since the reason I am always upgrading is the CPU, and not the display.
The 5k display tends to be the choice for the outspoken crowd here.
But they are your dollars, I just happened to put the majority of my money into the CPU choice (Mac Studio) rather than the display.
Especially since the reason I am always upgrading is the CPU, and not the display.
Funny - that's exactly why I put money in to the display! My prior displays lasted since 20115. I'm sure I've had six machines or more since then. My hope is the ASDs will last me 7-8 years. If they do, great purchase IMO. FWIW - I have a feeling the Studio is going to last me a good long while too. The M1 stuff is really good.
Except that the size is a non-starter for me.
Mind you, I guess you could get a second monitor for it to make up for the smaller size, but then it would likely be a non-Apple display again.
I'd been thinking of buying another 4k side-monitor, and your post motivated me to look into the Mateview because its 3:2 aspect ratio seems like it would be great for productivity work. But I found, as you said, that it's unavailable in the US. I was wondering why until I recalled the US banned their stuff in 2019 because of concerns Huawei, with its close ties to the MSS, could be inserting surveillance devices into its products.
Maybe their branding should be: Mateview: While you watch it, it watches you™. 😆
I don't blame you. I had one and found the monitor too small as well. It's just so annoying that Apple doesn't make a 27" iMac and when they finally do it will be essentially the same price as a Studio/ASD!
Heheh. FWIW, the ones they sell in Canada don't have WiFi and don't have the extra connected features. It's just a monitor... which is fine by me, since the non-WiFi ones are cheaper.
I wonder if the reason they don't the WiFi ones in Canada is because Canada also banned Huawei communication infrastructure stuff, or if it's just because of cost.
Your point about the scaling on 4k displays is exactly on the mark.
I'll back this up with experience. The following was a respectable Iiyama 4k display set up I had originally with my M1 mini. Apologies for the horrible school photo backdrop wallpaper. The fonts were blurry and indistinct and not very good at all. It was actually fatiguing to use on a daily basis.
Eventually I managed to dispose of the horrible apartment and obtain a studio display at the same time (blessed was this sequence of events). The difference is absolutely astonishing despite the unchanged screen size. The thing is literally mana from heaven compared to the awful 4k displays:
Apologies for the crap Prosecco. It's all I had left to get smashed on on Christmas day.
Merry Christmas all! 🥳
There was a lot of speculation that the ASD actually was intended to be an iMac at some point in the development cycle. It has literally everything needed, including an A-series processor and storage. Obviously Apple didn't take it that way, but they've certainly demonstrated that it is/was possible.
I'd rather have a separate display to the computer for environmental and longevity issues.
I watched the university near to me turfing about 100 27" iMacs into a skip because they were "EOL". All were working but the computer was obsolete. The display was fine! That is less likely to happen with the studio display than it is with a computer and combined display unit.
It's complete BS that Apple won't allow the later 27" iMacs to be used in target mode as an external display. At least not easily enough for mere mortals like me.
Yes that is a travesty.
It is possible but requires replacing all of the iMac guts with suitable inverter and control board. This is not beyond mere mortals (like myself too) just requires a bit of reading. I would do it if I had one but I was too stone broke to own one in the past.
I'm guessing just cost, since you can still buy Huawei phones in Canada.
I suspect the monitor is fine, but these surveillance experts can be incredibly clever. I don't have the expertise to assess whether this is workable, but monitors do send signals back to the computer over TB, so it seems possible that it could send malicious instructions.
I agree wholeheartedly.
I believe that Target Display Mode was eliminated with the first Retina iMacs (introduced in mid-2014), and the reason was that the DP 1.2 connection protocol available at the time required two cables to drive 5k@60Hz (and maybe even the small iMac's 4096 x 2304). [Apple implemented 5k@60Hz internally using a custom 8-lane DP 1.2 interface.]
Between then and mid-2015 other manufacturers introduced stand-alone 5k@60 Hz monitors (the Dell UP2715K, HP Z27q, and Philips Brilliance 275P4VYKEB), but these all required dual DP 1.2 connections, which Apple didn't want to mess with for the iMac.
Of course, once Apple devices became able to drive 5k@60 Hz with a single cable (e.g., the 2016 MacBook Pros), there was no longer an excuse not to enable the 5k iMacs to offer Target Display Mode. But Apple didn't want to redesign them to do that. However, that leaves no excuse for not allowing Target Display Mode in the iMac Pro (2017) or the current iMacs.
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I have a 2010 2.5K iMac that can still be used in Target Display Mode, and I did use it for a couple of years that way, but I wasn't completely sold on the idea. I thought the quirks like having to boot up OS X just to be able to use it that way and having to use its own keyboard just to adjust brightness kinda clunky.
So instead I replaced the HD with an SSD and have repurposed it as the kids' Chrome browser computer.
So instead I replaced the HD with an SSD and have repurposed it as the kids' Chrome browser computer.
Ah, I didn't realize you had to jump through those hoops. It sounds like what's needed is a pure monitor mode that doesn't require booting up the OS.
What would be slick is a singular device that could be both a low-spec iMac and/or a high-end "dumb display" at the same time. With the hardware already present in the ASD, this presumably wouldn't be that difficult.
Think of how many problems this solves:
* iMacs get great displays at a good price point (the computing portion is basically "free" when you buy the "monitor")
* An iMac with a second "display" connected will finally have both displays be identical in appearance
* An iMac can be "upgraded" in processing power by purchasing and connecting a new Mac Mini or Studio
* A device with that kind of multi-purpose extended lifespan is an e-waste marketing dream.
Think of how many problems this solves:
* iMacs get great displays at a good price point (the computing portion is basically "free" when you buy the "monitor")
* An iMac with a second "display" connected will finally have both displays be identical in appearance
* An iMac can be "upgraded" in processing power by purchasing and connecting a new Mac Mini or Studio
* A device with that kind of multi-purpose extended lifespan is an e-waste marketing dream.
My take on this is that despite the Studio + Studio Display sounding good in theory, it actually doesn't make any sense at all if you look at it as a value proposition.
Speaking of the U.S. pricing, the base setup will ring you up for 2k + 1.6k = 3.6k, but to make use of that extra graphics power and RAM you'd need be doing niche workflows. From your message it sounds like you don't.
Even if you do, a M1 Max 16" MacBook Pro is 3.1k and often comes at huge discounts on Amazon and the like, plus you'll get an amazing all-in one with elite performance, with the downside of having a smaller (but an XDR, 120fps screen).
An M1 Pro version would be even less expensive.
For regular home or office use, and if you are ready to trade mobility for the screen size, an iMac is a killer machine. It is the package deal that is very suitable to general use. Don't be fooled by the basic M1, it's still a beast and will be fully adequate for years to come. Remember, its single thread performance is identical even to the 4k USD M1 Ultra.
If I were to pull the trigger today, I would go for the MacBook due to the massive deals available right now.
If I had 6-8 months to make the decision, I'd wait for the M2 iMac (there also rumours of the 27" version making a re-appearance).
Speaking of the U.S. pricing, the base setup will ring you up for 2k + 1.6k = 3.6k, but to make use of that extra graphics power and RAM you'd need be doing niche workflows. From your message it sounds like you don't.
Even if you do, a M1 Max 16" MacBook Pro is 3.1k and often comes at huge discounts on Amazon and the like, plus you'll get an amazing all-in one with elite performance, with the downside of having a smaller (but an XDR, 120fps screen).
An M1 Pro version would be even less expensive.
For regular home or office use, and if you are ready to trade mobility for the screen size, an iMac is a killer machine. It is the package deal that is very suitable to general use. Don't be fooled by the basic M1, it's still a beast and will be fully adequate for years to come. Remember, its single thread performance is identical even to the 4k USD M1 Ultra.
If I were to pull the trigger today, I would go for the MacBook due to the massive deals available right now.
If I had 6-8 months to make the decision, I'd wait for the M2 iMac (there also rumours of the 27" version making a re-appearance).
2015 and beyond iMac's can't be used on target display mode. Any iMac other that could be used as an external display with any mac if they are not M1 or M2 ( I have try this with Studio Max and did not worked, could be related with TB4/3 or with TB 3 to TB 2 controller, I m not sure ) . I have used my 2013 iMac several years as a target display with my 2019 iMac with no issues. Best part of this set up is you can use both devices at same time, just command 2 or option 2 at target display keyboard and it becomes a second display for you, switch it again and you have got 2 separate Mac's. Very useful.
I have this same dilemma, currently using the 2017 5k iMac, and I really have no idea what I would replace it with when the time comes. That was the reason why I chose to pay to have it serviced last year (due to a faulty logic board), because the then newly-released M1 iMac felt like a poor upgrade (smaller display, weaker specs).
If push really came to shove, I think I might just get an entry level M1 Mac mini + cheap monitor to serve as an interim replacement to tide me over while I wait for Apple to replace something that better suits my needs.
I’d go for the studio , the iMac all in one ; when the screen goes and they do , you end up binning the whole thing . I’ve done it myself several times unfortunately.
Studio or even mini much more versatile
Studio or even mini much more versatile
If you’re accustomed to a 27in. display then coming down o a 24 might be an adjustment you might not like.
That said I, too, think the iMac 24 is a great machine. Like the M1 MacBook Air the M1 iMac is a decently powerful device for all manner tasks including some pro level work. They’re simply excellent all round machines.
I also agree the Mac Studio is not a fair comparison in terms of capability—there is no contest. The M1 Mini is a more appropriate comparison. But I also agree it will be hard to find a decent display to equal the iMac’s without going to a Studio Display.
That said I, too, think the iMac 24 is a great machine. Like the M1 MacBook Air the M1 iMac is a decently powerful device for all manner tasks including some pro level work. They’re simply excellent all round machines.
I also agree the Mac Studio is not a fair comparison in terms of capability—there is no contest. The M1 Mini is a more appropriate comparison. But I also agree it will be hard to find a decent display to equal the iMac’s without going to a Studio Display.
I agree. The Studio is pricey and unless you need it for some specific use case, why buy it?
IMO the OP is best served by the iMac for reasons I've said. However a mini plus ASD would be a nice upgrade.
My issue (mine) with the Mini is that it can only support one 5K display. Doesn't work for me. I don't do graphics work but I want multiple (three in my case) 5K displays. The MBP w/ M1 Pro chip can't do that either. Possibly the best option for me would have been MBP w/ M1Max. I opted for the Studio base and MBP14 base because I believe (yes believe don't know) that the Studio set up will last me 7-8 years. I've had way more success with my desktops longevity than my laptops. Ex: we are still using (and loving) our 2015 iMac. Whereas our 2019 MBA (x2) are both in need of upgrade soon - they just suck compared to what you can get today.