Replace it upgrade RAM

[CaroleB]

Hi Brian, I’ve noticed a drastic slow down in my MAC performance especially after the last couple of updates to Lightroom and photoshop. My lightroom catalog is on an external ssd and this is my current system.   Is it worth adding additional Ram or should I start shopping for a new MAC?

[Brian]

I need better specs. This screen shot doesn't really help me. Head to the Apple Menu, select "About This Mac" and post a screenshot, minus your Serial Number. (Command+Shift+4...draw a box and let go. The screenshot will be created on your desktop. Here is mine:

While your are there in "About This Mac," click the Memory Tab and show me how things are configured. Again, here is my iMac:

Increasing the RAM will help things, but the biggest thing is how full are your Hard Drives? Both Internal & External. (About this Mac...Storage Tab.) Never-ever-ever go ABOVE 80% FULL ON ANY Macintosh HD, Internal or External. Why? Because the MacOS doesn't distinguish between the two. If you go above 75%-80%, your Mac takes a HUGE performance hit. If ANY HD is above 95% Full, especially the Internal Macintosh HD, you are in serious danger of your Operating System & Data being corrupted.

Do you have a lot of files and folders on your Mac Desktop? The more files & folders you have on your Mac Desktop, the slower the damn thing runs. Why? Because the MacOS treats them like "Open Windows" (for lack of a better term,) even though they are just sitting there. Finally, I'm really interested in what Graphics Card you have installed. The current products from Adobe (Lightroom & Photoshop) REQUIRE A POWERFUL GPU (GRAPHICS CARD PROCESSOR) WITH ITS OWN DEDICATED VIDEO MEMORY. 8GB AT A MINIMUM. So to answer your question...yes, adding RAM will help things, but there is a lot more to it and you might be in the market for a new Mac sooner than you have expected.

So let's see more specs.
 

[CaroleB]

[Brian]

Yes, bumping up the RAM to 64GB, or even going to 96GB would help. The reason that I'm even recommending 96GB, is the RAM Manufacturers at the EOL (End of Life) with Mac Memory since the current M1/M2/M3/M4 Macs don't have RAM slots any longer; it's built into one chip. So for $132.99, you can upgrade your iMac from 32GB to 96GB with this Crucial RAM Upgrade Kit. As time goes on, it will be harder-and-harder to find RAM upgrades for your 2020 iMac. So buy it while you can.

I would simply remove the existing RAM, install the new Crucial Sticks in those slots, then install the Apple RAM in the two empty slots. There are several YouTube Videos that demonstrate the process, it's pretty straightforward. Here is one such video: How To Upgrade RAM on a 27" iMac.

Now for the bad news. You need a new Mac. While there is some life left in it, you are in the same boat as I'm in; The AMD Radeon Pro 5700 8GB Video Card. While it was and is a decent Video Card in its time, the current versions of Photoshop & Lightroom require more horsepower from the video GPU. Plus, to top things off, you are driving TWO Displays which add to your issues. The current versions of Adobe's products really depend on the GPU for certain things, like ACR, to function and the other fancy models / AI Crap for a performance boost. Each and every time you upgrade Photoshop to the latest version, your speed problem gets worse. Eventually, Photoshop / Lightroom will become unbearable to run on your fancy 2020 iMac.

To soften the blow to your wallet, I'd upgrade the RAM and see how that works for you. You will see an improvement in speed, especially if you have a high megapixel camera such as a Nikon D850 / Z8 (or equivalent,) but have realistic expectations, as a new Mac is in your immediate future.

Now more bad news.

Apple has abandoned the 27" iMac. There will not be a replacement, and there will not be a 32" version. The replacement is the Apple Studio Display and a Mac Studio. Apple is planning on refreshing the Mac Studio with a M4 chip, but that's not expected to be available until June of 2025, give-or-take a month. The cost for these items will be around the $4500 mark, after any local taxes and AppleCare. So start saving now.

Why do you need the Studio Display? For one, you don't have the built-in Apple Display as you had with a 27" iMac. So in order to get that "Apple Experience" you are used to, you are forced in buying the stupidly over-priced Apple Studio Display for $1600. I will bet you are thinking, "Why not just use your current 2nd Display? It seems to look just fine wit my current iMac." Yes, it does...but Apple did something sneaky with the M-Line of Macs, starting with the M1...THEY CHANGED THE VIDEO SIGNAL COMING OUT OF THE HDMI PORT!!! Even fancy & expensive Eizo Displays look like crap on the new Macs!!! Yes, Apple did this intentionally. The ONLY Display that looks good on a Mac, is the Apple Studio Display!! Now, you are welcome to try your existing display...if you do, please report back. Most of our members who have tried, all ended up buying a Studio Display in the end.

Now you can buy the new Mac Mini, and the M4 Pro is powerful enough to drive two displays with ease, and it's a lot faster / more powerful than your 2020 iMac. In reality, if you can hold off until they release the M4 Mac Studio in 2025, I would do that. If your current Mac is causing you so much grief and you have sessions to deliver, you might have to upgrade to a M4 Pro Mac Mini. If you had to ask me, I would wait for the Mac Studio, but here is the configuration if I had to buy a Mac RIGHT-NOW if I had no choice:

 

Quote

The M4 Pro Mac Mini Configuration (Late 2024 / Early 2025)

 

• Start by selecting "Mac" and choose the M4 Pro. We are after the GPU Cores, and you want the 16-Core GPU to start, but we will be upgrading:
  
  
   
• Select the "Apple M4 Pro chip with 14‑core CPU, 20‑core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine" for $200 more.
  
  
• Increase the RAM to 64GB of unified memory. Sure, you could get by with 48GB, but since there is no upgrading after-the-fact, might as well go the "Full Monty" and get 64GB.
  
  
   
• Increase the Hard Drive to 1TB. It's up to you if you want a larger internal drive, but 1TB is still "fine" heading into 2025. Chances are, you are going to have a large 20TB External Thunderbolt 3/4 Drive anyway.
  
  
   
• Ethernet. If you are planning on upgrading your Internet to your home that is above 1Gbps to something like 2.5Gbps or faster, then you will need the 10 Gigabit Ethernet Port. If you are in an area that doesn't have those internet speeds, the default Gigabit Ethernet is also fine. This option is totally up to you. For Techno-weenies like me, spending this much money on a stupid Mac Mini, might as well spend the extra $100. I plan on upgrading to 2.5Gbps (hell, I will probably get 10Gbps,) so the higher end Ethernet Port is what I'm after. For the other 99.999999% of the folks here, 1Gbps is perfectly fine. So for this example, we will leave it at the default.
  
  

By now, the specs should look like this:

The cost should be $2399.00 before Shipping and Tax.

• Click Continue.
• Choose the Apple Studio Display with the Standard Glass.
  
  
   
• I'd choose the standard Tilt-adjustable Stand. If you want to be able to adjust the height up and down, then you will have to upgrade. But in reality, the standard Tilt-adjustable stand is similar to how your 27" iMac is now.
  
  
   
• Add Apple Care for the Studio Display:
  
  
   
• A choice will appear. Either choose 3 years coverage or pay annually $49.99 / year until cancelled. Which one? Either. 3 years is more than enough, but paying $50 a year also works and is a easier pill to swallow over time, especially if you plan on keeping the Apple Studio Display for at least 7 years. Or you can pay the flat $149 and be done with it. Honestly? If your equipment hasn't died within 3 years, there is a good chance, (minus external forces, like a power surge or flood,) that it will last 7 years without issue. But this is your decision. For now, I will leave this example at the $49.99 subscription. 
  
  
  
   
• Click "Add to Bag."
   
• Choose Apple Care. I'd pick three years of coverage for the Mac Mini. It's a Mac Mini and is easily replaceable.
• Choose the Keyboard Color you'd like, along with a new USB-C Charging Port Mouse.
  
  
   
• Click Add to Bag for all three.
  
  
   
• Click "Review Bag" and it should look like this if everything is done correctly. Pay attention and make sure Apple Care is attached to both the Studio Display and Mac Mini.
  
  
  
  
   
• If you purchase the Apple Care with your Mac Mini, AND add the Keyboard & Mouse, Apple Care on the Mini should cover those two items. If not, it's just a Keyboard & Mouse.
  
  
   

The subtotal should be $4355 and the Shipping should be free. Then add the applicable taxes and you should be around $4600-ish for the whole thing.

Oh! one more thing!!

I HIGHLY-HIGHLY-HIGHLY RECOMMEND BUYING THIS APC SINE WAVE 1500VA UPS TO PLUG EVERYTHING INTO.

Not only does that UPS provide power in the event of a power outage, the "Sine Wave" portion actively monitors the current, which makes it better for sensitve electronic equipment. If you are going to spend $4600-ish on a computer, do not use an el-cheapo power strip. Plug the Mac & Studio Display, plus external Hard Drives into the "Battery+Surge" Side, and things like Laser Printers and Speakers into the "Surge Only" Side.

 

Some external Hard Drive Power Bricks might be a bit large, in which case simply use these Cable Matters 2-Pack 16 AWG Heavy Duty 13A Short Power Extension Cord 1 ft to give you some room.