Should I sell my vintaged Late 2013 27in iMac while I can and get a M1 MBP 13in?

[typegeek]

Background & Context: I am a graphic designer that mainly does Web Design & Ad Hoc Graphics (Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop/Sketch, lots of multitasking).

I bought my iMac (Late 2013 27in with 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3, 3.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M 1 GB) brand new and it has been my freelance workstation and I've never really done anything to make it metaphorically sweat. I have a 2018 15in MacBook Pro from my full time job, that I hook into a two monitor set-up run by a cal digit + (dock & 1 of the monitors owned by me, hey there covid home life).

Should I sell this iMac now, and use what I can from that to get either the:

MacBook Pro 13in M1, with 16gbs Ram and 1tb of storage (which I like the idea of the size and price point)

or do I need

MacBook Pro 16in Intel, with 32gbs of ram and the base dedicated video card


I don't think I need crazy power, but I also don't want to cheat myself on ram / dedicated video cards.

I could run with my iMac till software stops updating/allowing me to use them but I also like the idea of making a little bit of money off this computer to use towards a new one.


TL;DR I have a Late 2013 27in iMac with 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3, 3.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M 1 GB just vintaged and can't decide to sell and get some money towards an M1 MBP or wait till the software dies.

 

[velocityg4]

I'd just wait until the higher end models come out. At this point the loss in value is usually a gradual slope. So, you probably won't lose much value while waiting.

It's not like the new one will hold it's value anyways. It'll lose a lot more value in the first year. If you decide you need something faster, with a bigger screen.

I wouldn't even look at a new Intel model now. Unless you have to get a new computer now and it must be x86 or need some other feature the ARM model is lacking. If you think the iMac losing maybe $100 over the next year is bad. That'll be nothing compared to the 16" MBP when it's replaced.

 

[brianmowrey]

I could run with my iMac till software stops updating/allowing me to use them but I also like the idea of making a little bit of money off this computer to use towards a new one.

Even if the market price for your iMac suddenly drops to zero next year, it's already down to 3-figure range. It's not like you're sitting on bitcoin. Your concern over the iMac seems like motivated reasoning to construct an imaginary discount for the M1. As a one-time business expense, the difference between what you would get now and in another year is trivial. Whereas the amount of real-life testing to draw from in order to make a better-informed, and thus more empowered purchase decision for your use in that same amount of time, will be bigly large. Buying now is a wager based on unknowns. I've mentioned in other threads that the 16GB upgrade might be throwing money into the wind for most users, based on how seamless swap is in the M1.