Brian Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Quote What Mac Desktop do you recommend for editing photos in 2024? My 2019 iMac sounds like it's ready to catch on fire with the fans running really hard, after I updated PS CC & the MacOS. Help! I recently updated to PS CC 2024. My computer runs so slow and lags now while in Photoshop. I have a 2017 iMac, and want to stay with Macintosh, what do you recommend? I'm in the market for a new Macintosh, what do you recommend? How would you configure it? Brian, for the Love of __________! Just tell me what Mac Desktop to buy!!! January - April 2024 Edition I've been getting more requests recently for the update to the Buying a Mac in 2023 article, with good reason. As more-and-more folks update their computers to the latest version of Photoshop CC, which is currently Version 25.4, and the new macOS Sonoma, Version 14.3...their older Intel Based iMacs are really starting to show their age. As I have mentioned in this article, you can no longer blindly upgrade your macOS and Photoshop CC without taking a hard look at your current hardware specifications FIRST! If you do, there is a very good possibility that your 5+ year old Mac will not perform well after upgrading; downgrading to "fix" things? That's easier said than done, especially when it comes to the macOS. Apple has removed the ability to downgrade without Nuking your HD and starting all over from scratch. So let's not go there. So, what to buy? Well, there is good news and bad news. Well, maybe not "Bad" news as one would think. Honestly, the Buying a Mac in 2023 article still applies, with a few minor changes that I've discovered. So that I would consider "Good" news. The Bad news? Apple is planning on updating a few models on their Desktop Line to the M3 chips, but I'm not sure when that will happen. Various news sources tend to state that Apple will announce the Mac Studio refreshes along with the very-expensive Mac Pro line sometime this Spring. (Well, Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.) So call it "Early 2024." Now for more bad news... If anyone was holding their breath waiting for a 27" iMac, you are going to turn-blue-and-die before that happens. Apple has ABANDONED the 27" iMac. Period! Yes, read that again if you need to. There will NOT be an update to the 27" iMac and any speculation of a larger model/screen, like a 32" iMac is just that...rumors and speculation. You have to remember, Steve Jobs is no longer alive...and Jony Ive, the Main Designer who came up with the design of iMac line, along with other products, no longer directly works for Apple. So the two driving forces that would drive something like an all-in-one 27" iMac are no longer a part of the equation. We are now back to having a separate Display and a Computer of some sort, just as it was in the early 1990's when Steve Jobs was no longer part of Apple. Not a huge deal, except when you start to price things out. Which leads me to my next statement... Apple still wants you to "Go Big or Go Home." In fact, just as in years prior, you are penalized for trying to go with a lower-cost option. Whether it's charging you more for the same exact upgrade in a lower-cost Apple product as opposed to going with the more expensive option to begin with, or not giving you the "Full Macintosh Experience" if you went with a 3rd Party Display. (Scaling and Text just not looking right.) That's right, Apple wants you to stay within their Ecosystem Borders now more than ever. If you do decided to opt for a 3rd party Display to save some money, your results will vary and you won't have that "Apple Experience" as you are used to. This is done intentionally. The reason is Apple decided to change the way the Video Signal comes out of the HDMI Port with the M1 line of Macs. Fast forward a few years and the M2 and M3 models also have this issue. So for the hecklers who will go out of their way to tell me that I'm wrong, and their 2017 Mac Mini (or whatever) "...works just fine," and blah-blah-blah and I will completely agree with them. That was with the Intel-based CPU Macintosh Computers, not the current Apple Silicon which started with the M1 System-on-a-Chip models. What was true in the past no longer applies to ANY current models. Now, can you use a 3rd Party Display? Absolutely! Will it look like garbage? Absolutely!! (But in Italics.) Yes, Apple does this on purpose. Remember: "Go Big or Go Home." Now, before crying out in frustration, Apple has ALWAYS been this way. The Apple Macintosh has always been expensive! In fact, the original Macintosh Computer, which was released in 1984, retailed for $2499.99. That was for a 128K computer. Not Megabytes, Kilobytes...and that didn't include a Internal HD, those came later. It ran off of 3.5" floppy disks! Adjusted for inflation, $2500 in 1984 is a little over $7,525.66 in December 2023. So call it $7499.99 after Marketing gets a-hold of things, if it were sold today. Keep this in mind as we configure a new Macintosh; you get A LOT more for your money in 2024 than you did in 1984, and it costs less. Yes, even though your budget should be around $4600 for a new Mac. Speaking of which, onto the part that everyone is wanting... ...oh, be sure to read all the way to the end. I give my final thoughts on what you should buy out of the two configurations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Quote So which Macintosh do you purchase? What is a Desktop Mac that is "Good for Photo Editing?" The answer might surprise you in 2024! The first thing you need to realize, is that with the "M-Line" of Mac Computers, is everything is built into one SINGLE "System-on-a-Chip." What does that mean? The CPU, RAM, Hard Drive Controller AND Video GPU are all built into one single chip. There is no upgrading things after the fact!! No longer can you purchase a Macintosh Computer (or Laptop) and in a few years upgrade the HD or increase the RAM, that just isn't an option anymore. If you need to upgrade something...ANYTHING...in a few years, you are purchasing a whole new computer. Think of the current Macintosh Desktops & Laptops as glorified iPads; this is why I configure the things that I do...and I do have a proverbial "Method to my Madness." Yes, they often come at a higher price-point, but you will ultimately get a longer lifespan out of your model that you choose. Basically, you can go with two more more cheaper options every 3-4 years or so, or use one of my robust configurations and have it last 7-8 years. I have A LOT of members here in Ask Damien coming to me looking for advice to replace their 2013 Macs that I helped them build...that's 11 years! So I've had a pretty good track record over the past 35 years doing this (i.e. recommending things.) Are my configurations overkill? Yep. Do they tend to be on the higher-side in terms of price? Yep! But with most things, you get what you pay for. So with that out of the way, let's go shopping. Please keep in mind, all prices are in US Dollars, are as of February 2nd, 2024, and are subject to change. The good news is Apple tends to keep the same prices, so the costs should be around the same amount in the future. You will need to convert prices and apply local taxes for your part of the world. As I've mentioned above, with everything integrated into a single M2/M3 Chip in 2024, we need to choose the correct chip from the start. No Take-backsies, No, the "Apple Genius Bar will just fix it later..." they can't. That thinking no longer exists. If you screw up your configuration at the beginning, you are cancelling the order or exchanging things; with any applicable restocking fees. So pay attention and double-check things BEFORE you click Buy. To get the "Best Bang for your Buck," skip trying to buy a Mac off-the-shelf or some online retail store. We are going to need to customize one through Apple's Website. This process is fairly painless, as Apple makes things quite easy for them to take your money. That said, again...you do need to pay attention before clicking "Buy" as sometimes things like AppleCare aren't properly added. There are two current computers that I can recommend that are "Good for Photo Editing." Both have similar specifications, and believe it or not, are almost the same price!! One is the Mac Mini, with a lot of upgrades, and one is the Mac Studio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Quote Option A: Mac Mini Configuration First, head to Apple.com From there, click Mac at the top, and select Mac mini Click the Blue "Buy" Button at the top right corner. Start with the most expensive Mac Mini, which is the one on the right. Remember, if you opt to go with a lower priced Mac, not only are your choices limited, the upgrades cost more for the exact same item! So in the long run, if you want to "save" money, you need to "spend" more. (Yep, that's Apple.) In the US, this is $1299 model or the one in the right-most column in your part of the world: Click the Select Button in the Far-Right Column and let's change a few things. Keep in mind, as I've stated above...when it comes to Apple's products in 2024, THERE IS NO UPGRADING ANYTHING AFTER THE FACT AS EVERYTHING IS BUILT INTO THE M2 CHIP!!! Not only the CPU, but the RAM, HD Controller Chip, Video Card/GPU, etc. are all built into the M2 Processor Chip. Think of the current Mac products as a "Sealed Unit" or "Glorified iPads." If you want to "upgrade" anything down the line, you are buying a new computer. Period. Here are the things we will change/upgrade: Upgrade the Processor to the "Apple M2 Pro with 12‑core CPU, 19-core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine" Upgrade the RAM to 32GB Upgrade the HD to at least 1TB SSD Storage. If there are ANY plans to upgrade your Internet to a 10GB Plan, then update the Ethernet to 10 Gigabit Ethernet for $100 more. This will require other things than just a computer upgrade, like a new Switch/Router, New DOCSIS 4.0 Modem, Cat 6 wiring, etc. 10Gig Internet really won't take hold until at least 2025 and even then it won't be available in most Markets. Chances are, you will leave this at the default, which is Gigabit Ethernet. I'm just letting you know so you can make an informed decision. For now, we will leave the Ethernet configuration alone. For Nerds like me who want this sort of thing, it's a no-brainer. But for the average person, 300Mbps Down is more than fine for today's Internet. Some parts of the world cap out at 50Mbps down, like Damien's Internet speed! So for now, the configuration looks like this: The Price for this Configuration in the US is $2199, before AppleCare and Tax. We will click Continue... Add the Apple Studio Display with Standard Glass Select the standard "Tilt-adjustable stand." If you need your screen to be height adjustable, I'd rather you purchase a VESA Mount Adapter / VESA Arm and go that route than fork out the $400 for the over-priced Apple Stand. That said, if you just want the ability to adjust the height and not deal with a VESA Monitor Arm, then choose the $400 option; this will bring the cost of the Studio Display to $1999. For now, I'm sticking with the $1599 option. Apple will then ask you if you'd like to Add AppleCare+, click the blue Add on the right. The following screen will appear: Two choices. A flat three year or an annual subscription until cancelled. This is totally your decision. My gut reaction is to purchase the $149 / Three Year Option for the Studio Display. Most displays will die within the first three years. But if something happens in say...year 5, you are forking out the money for another Studio Display. Or you can opt to pay $49 annually for the Studio Display. Personally, since I keep my computers for long periods, I'd most likely choose the three year option for the Display for $149 and the annual option of $34.99 for the computer. Speaking of which, the following screen will appear: I would select the $34.99/yr AppleCare+ for the Mac Mini. Or you can pay the flat $99 for Three Years of Coverage. This is your call. For now, I'm choosing the $34.99/yr option. Remember, Apple is the ONLY one who repairs their stuff, well there are others, but Apple doesn't sell new parts to 3rd Party Vendors. Choose your AppleCare+ Option and click "Add to Bag." Now, if your Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse are working fine, you can save a little money here, about $258 for the White Key Version and about $298 for the Black Key Version. If you want to go the "Full Monty" and get everything new, add the Keyboard and Mouse. If adding to bag, make sure you choose the color that you want, there are TWO options now. For me, I like the White Keyboard and Mouse so that's what I'm adding: Now it's time to review your bag. Here is what it should look like: Followed by the Studio Display and Keyboard / Mouse Options: The Sub-Total should be $4205.00 if you added everything that I recommended, along with the AppleCare+ Information. Then you have to add your local Tax. Shipping should be free. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND shipping your new Mac to a local Apple Store if possible. No sense sending $4500+ worth of computer items to be stolen by Porch Pirates. I'd also have a store employee walk you to your car for added security. When it's all-said-and-done, my final cost in my part of the World comes out to be $4457.30. Depending on your local Taxes & Fees, yours might be a little different. So let's round up to $4500-ish. This figure is down $104.94 from $4562.24. So we have saved about $100 in 2024 as opposed to $2023. With Inflation and the ongoing Chip-Shortage, plus with everything else, things just cost more and it sucks. Now I will say this, THIS MAC MINI CONFIGURATION IS A BEAST!! This computer should last you a good 7-8 years. Of course, there is talk of a M3 chip at the end of this year, mostly in 2024...you will never win the "Catch-Up" game. The good part is, with the External Apple Display, all you need to worry about in the future is just replacing the Mac Mini; in the long run, you will save money. Unfortunately, you spend a chunk now to have options down the line. For those wondering how many displays can be used with this Mac M2 Pro Chip, here is the info from Apple: Before you ask, YES!! IT IS WORTH GETTING THE APPLE STUDIO DISPLAY!! Apple changed the way the video signal comes out of the computer and to get the "Full Macintosh Experience" that people are used to, you need to fork out the extra cash and get the Apple Display. (As much as it pains me to type this. That Apple Display is way over-priced for what it is.) There are options, such as a LG Display, but that will cost you $1299...only a $300 savings. From the reviews that I've gotten from people that I personally know that went this route, their opinion is either "It's okay..." or "Eh, I should have went with the Apple Display." "It's not like the Apple Display that I'm used to. It's okay, I guess." In fact, here is a quote that I saw earlier today in FB Ask Damien, Quote "I streamlined and got a MacBook, then tried other external monitors, and was not at all happy with the scaling visuals, especially with a 27" 4K display. I ended up gagging on my budget, and bought a Mac Studio monitor as well, which is amazing, but $$$." -- Karen LeJeune Karen's personal experience is not unique; I've heard the same thing from various members over these last few years. If I'm spending this kind of money, I'm not spending / wasting $1300 for just "Okay." I want to buy things once and be done with it. Buy it Right - Buy it Once!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Quote Option B: Mac Studio Configuration Remember how I stated above, that there were TWO Computers that I considered that were "Good for Photo Editing?" Here is another configuration that is the same exact price, but comes with a few bonuses! Let's have some fun... First, head to Apple.com From there, click Mac at the top, and select Mac Studio Click the Blue "Buy" Button at the top right corner. Select the cheaper Mac Studio on the LEFT. That's right...the one on the LEFT. (Collective Gasp from the Audience.) Click the Blue Select Button under the $1999 Option. The only change you are going to make is to increase the Hard Drive Capacity to 1TB SSD storage. Here is what the current configuration should look like: The Price for this Configuration in the US is $2199, before AppleCare and Tax. We will click Continue... Add the Apple Studio Display with Standard Glass Select the standard "Tilt-adjustable stand." If you need your screen to be height adjustable, I'd rather you purchase a VESA Mount Adapter / VESA Arm and go that route than fork out the $400 for the over-priced Apple Stand. That said, if you just want the ability to adjust the height and not deal with a VESA Monitor Arm, then choose the $400 option; this will bring the cost of the Studio Display to $1999. For now, I'm sticking with the $1599 option. Apple will then ask you if you'd like to Add AppleCare+, click the blue Add on the right. The following screen will appear: Two choices. A flat three year or an annual subscription until cancelled. This is totally your decision. My gut reaction is to purchase the $149 / Three Year Option for the Studio Display. Most displays will die within the first three years. But if something happens in say...year 5, you are forking out the money for another Studio Display. Or you can opt to pay $49 annually for the Studio Display. Personally, since I keep my computers for long periods, I'd most likely choose the three year option for the Display for $149 and the annual option of $59.99 for the computer. Speaking of which, the following screen will appear: I would select the $59.99/yr AppleCare+ for the Mac Studio. Or you can pay the flat $99 for Three Years of Coverage. This is your call. For now, I'm choosing the $59.99/yr option. Remember, Apple is the ONLY one who repairs their stuff, well there are others, but Apple doesn't sell new parts to 3rd Party Vendors. Choose your AppleCare+ Option and click "Add to Bag." Now, if your current Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse are working fine, you can save a little money here. Apple's Website doesn't offer the White Key Bluetooth Version of the Keyboard and Mouse. I know you can purchase both of these items separately and the White Key Version is about $20 Less over the Black Key Version. So do not feel oblicated to purchase a new Keyboard & Mouse. In fact, not only are they sold by themselves at the Apple Store, but I have seen them at places such as Target! For this example, we will add both a Keyboard and Mouse. Now it's time to review your bag. Here is what it should look like. Notice the $59.99/yr AppleCare+ that is attached to the Studio. If you see "Add AppleCare+" on this screen, you didn't properly add it (or likely the Apple Website screwed up,) so be sure to REVIEW EVERYTHING before clicking "Buy." Followed by the Studio Display and Keyboard / Mouse Options: The Sub-Total should be $4245.00 if you added everything that I recommended, along with the AppleCare+ Information. Then you have to add your local Tax. Shipping should be free. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND shipping your new Mac to a local Apple Store if possible. No sense sending $4500+ worth of computer items to be stolen by Porch Pirates. I'd also have a store employee walk you to your car for added security. For those wondering how many displays can be used with this Mac M2 Pro Chip, here is the info from Apple: As you can see, with support for up to FIVE external displays, the Mac Studio is a better fit over a Mac Mini. When it's all-said-and-done, my final cost in my part of the World comes out to be $4499.70. Depending on your local Taxes & Fees, yours might be a little different. So let's round up to $4500-ish. The cost difference between a Tricked Out Mac Mini and a Standard Mac Studio is $42.40. If I went with the White Keyboard & Mouse instead of the Black Keyboard/Mouse Version, that's an additional $20 in savings making the cost difference between a Mac Studio and Mac Mini $22.40! This will be discussed in the next section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Notice how I keep saying over-and-over that Apple wants you to "Go Big or Go Home?" Or "You are penalized for attempting to save money." Here is a good example! We could have gone with Option A, which is a Tricked-Out Mac Mini, or spent a little bit more...about $43 more and went with a Low End Mac Studio. So what do you get for that extra $43? The slightly better M2 Max Chip, which has more CPU Cores (12 vs 10) and more GPU Cores (30 vs 16.) The Neural Cores are the same, both have 16 Core Neural Engines each. What is so important about the Neural Engines? AI Technology uses Neural Engines, so as we progress with AI over the years, this part of the CPU Chip will become more important. Support for up to FIVE external displays. 10Gb Ethernet vs 1Gb Ethernet Two additional USB-C Ports & one SDXC Slot (Located on the front.) Better cooling fan and airflow. Heat is the enemy of electronics. The cooler the electronics, in this case the M2 Max Chip, the better it performs. The downside to a Mac Studio over a Mac Mini? The Studio is physically larger in terms of height. So you might have to fiddle with its placement on your desk. That's it. For another $43, you are getting a WAY better computer. Plus, the M2 Max Chip with more GPU Cores will handle Photoshop CC 2024 with two Apple Studio Displays better. The downside? is you are purchasing two $1600 displays, which add to the cost. Quote Final Verdict: I recommend "Option B: The Mac Studio Configuration" in 2024. Bottom Line: If I had to choose between a Mac Mini and a Mac Studio for Photo editing, hands down I would pick the Mac Studio in 2024. Of course, this is me talking and I take things to "Eleven." If anyone has seen the 1984 Film, "This is Spinal Tap," knows the scene where the character Nigel Tufnel describes how his amplifiers go to "11." From Wikipedia: Quote The phrase was coined in a scene from the 1984 mockumentary/rockumentary This Is Spinal Tap by the character Nigel Tufnel, played by Christopher Guest. In this scene, Nigel gives the rockumentary's director, Marty DiBergi, played by Rob Reiner, a tour of his stage equipment. While Nigel is showing Marty his Marshall guitar amplifiers, he points out a selection whose control knobs all have a highest setting of eleven, unlike standard amplifiers whose volume settings are typically numbered from 0 to 10. Believing that this numbering increases the highest volume of the amp, he explains, "It's one louder, isn't it?" When Marty asks why not simply make the 10 setting louder, Nigel hesitates before responding: "These go to eleven." So how would Brian configure his Mac Studio and how would he make things "Go to Eleven?" Check out the next section... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Honestly? I'd just tweak a few more things with my above Mac Studio Configuration: Upgrade the M2 Max Chip: Apple M2 Max with 12‑core CPU, 38‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine Upgrade the RAM to 96GB of RAM I'd still choose 1TB of internal SSD Storage, and use a large External Thunderbolt 3 Hard Drive to store my images long term. Everything else, remains the same. The initial cost of the Mac Studio before AppleCare+ and Tax is $3199, which is $1000 more than the "Option B" configuration. Since I edit Photos only and never touch video, purchasing the high-end Mac Studio would be a waste of money. ANY of these configurations are a BEAST when it comes to Photoshop CC. Why 96GB? Because I have a Nikon D850 and tend to do large Panoramas at full resolution, so my files can get pretty large, (i.e. 4GB .psd files.) I also have run Virtual Computers with my Macs (Different Operating Systems that work off of "Slices" of my HD in different Windows,) so having extra RAM to be running 2-3 "Different" Computers on my iMac comes in handy, as I can give each of them 16GB of RAM to work with and still have enough for my macOS. Make sense? For you, 96GB is 99.999% overkill. For folks like me, it's typical. Hell, I could even fathom going up to 128GB at some point. But that's just me. Hands down, I would also be purchasing the Apple Studio Display along with $149 for 3 years AppleCare+ option for the Display and the $59.99/year AppleCare+ Subscription option for the Mac Studio. That's it. It's up to you if you want to fork out the extra $1000 for your situation to have the computer I'd purchase. Quote One more thing!!! If some of you are planning on using a old Power Strip / Surge Protector or a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) from your old computer, please don't. Surge Protectors wear out over time, and become glorified "Extension Cords" protecting you from nothing. With UPS units, it's all a balancing act between the Volt Amp / VA Rating and Power / Current Draw which is usually referred to in Watts. The issue is that if there is too much power draw from your devices on a under-powered UPS unit, it will weaken the batteries and kill their lifespan dramatically. So even if you have a "new" UPS that's only a few years old, that fancy new Mac Studio setup that we just configured will overpower that UPS and give you a whole 1-2 seconds of runtime if the power goes wonky. So do yourself a favor and purchase a APC UPS 1500VA with Sine Wave Monitoring Technology to use with that new fancy Mac Studio that you just bought. While the UPS on your old computer works just fine, it may not have enough "umph" to keep up with your new fancy Mac Studio, so let's not take any chances. Keep in mind, that this UPS has a side that does "Battery + Surge" and a side that is "Surge Protector" only. You want your Mac Studio and Studio Display, along with any external Hard Drives plugged into the Battery + Surge side. The "Surge Only" outlets are for things you can afford to lose power on, such as external speakers and lamps / fans, plus things like a Laser Printer that draw A LOT of power. You never want to put a Laser Printer, even a small one, on a UPS Battery. Here is a photo of that UPS to demonstrate what I'm talking about: If your external devices use power bricks and won't fit properly next to each other in the UPS, feel free to pickup a Pack of Short Power Extension Cords to help things out. You plug the extension cords into the UPS, then the power Bricks into the other end of the extension cord. Where would I plug things in? After you connect the battery, (there are obvious instructions/yellow labels,) I would put the Mac Studio in the Top Right "Battery + Surge" plug and the Studio Display in the Top Outlet on the left side. Basically, you want the Mac Studio Computer and Studio Display located in the very top ports on both the left & right side. Then I'd use the Short Extension Cords and hook up my External Drives in the remaining Battery + Surge Outlets on the left. Then I hook my speakers, lamp and Laser Printer in the "Surge Only" outlets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Like what you read here? Did I help you make a decision or make things easier? How about buying Brian a Beer as a Thank You? Buy Brian a Beer!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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