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[Sam165]

Hi Brian.  I have 2 questions.  1.  I will need a new iMac soon (within the month) and wondering if you have any update to your recommendations from early 2025.  2.  Yesterday, I had to get a new iPhone   Now my email on my desktop won't download new messages.  It says I need to put in password in Internet Accounts.  I try to do this and all I get is the spinning rods.  I can access this gmail from gmail, just not on my Mac email.  Does this make sense??  Has my new phone interacted and caused an issue?  Help!  I am operating Big Sur, 11.7.10.  I shut my computer off each night.  Last run Clean My Mac 3 weeks ago.  Thank you so much for your help.

[Brian]

On 11/6/2025 at 11:11 AM, Sam165 said:

 I will need a new iMac soon (within the month) and wondering if you have any update to your recommendations from early 2025.

This is a real tough question at this point.  While the M5 Macs have been released for the 14" MacBook Pro, the Desktops are rumored to be updates in April - May of 2026. Which is typical for Apple's product cycles. The tough part from my POV, is that the current M4 products and my recommendations from earlier this year are still viable, and with M5 Macs coming next year, I want to stress that the next generation is upon us. If you can hold out until then it might be worth waiting. Unfortunately, it always seems to happen at this time of year that people just can't wait any longer and NEED SOMETHING NOW!!

When I configure my computer configurations, I'm building for the Photoshop and programs for years down the line. Yes, they tend to be more expensive, but I have had users get 8-10+ years out of models that I picked for them. Some folks are still running on Macs from around 2013!! That said, those folks are less these days, for obvious reasons. The good news is, Apple's pricing remains consistent from each newer model year, it's just an overall performance boost. 

So what to do? It really depends on your budget as there are two paths you can go as far as the Desktops are concerned: 

1. Buy a Mac Studio, especially "Brian's This Goes to 11" Configuration." 
2. Buy a Mac Mini. Save a little cash, but not as much as one would think. 

In either configuration, you are purchasing the 27" Apple Studio Display for $1600. Plus a new Calibrator if yours has a few years on it. 

The bottom line is this: Practically ALL computers today are fine for the current version of Adobe Photoshop. The issue is...how long does that computer last for the Photoshop versions a few years from now? Personally, I like 7-8 year cycles for my stuff, but if you go with a lower-end model, or last year's technology...you might be in the market sooner, rather than later. That said, if you and I had this same discussion say...4-6 months ago, I'd tell you to buy a Mac M4 Studio without second thought. For the average day-to-day stuff, there isn't THAT much difference between a M4 and a M5. The difference is, ALL OF THE AI CRAP...that will run better on a M5 in the future vs a M4. Adobe keeps adding AI Crap, so it might become an issue in about 5-6 years from now IF you went with the M4 Macs. Of course, that's if you ever use the Fancy Tools and other AI Crap. For some, 5-6 years is still decent.  

You will never-ever-ever win the "Catch Up Game." There will always be something bigger, better, faster, more. To paraphrase Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time technology that is given us we purchase..."

Scroll down to the "Mac Studio - This Goes to 11 Version" section. That's what I would buy. 

On 11/6/2025 at 11:11 AM, Sam165 said:

I had to get a new iPhone | I am operating Big Sur, 11.7.10 | Has my new phone interacted and caused an issue?

There's your problem. 

If you let your macOS get too far out of date and you buy a new fancy iPhone, with the latest iOS...you are gonna have problems. I have had the exact same issues with my 2017 iMac and when I update my iPhone 13 Pro to the latest iOS. Specifically, it's not the iPhone per se, but your iCloud Account getting in the way. 

How old is your Mac? I'm currently running and stuck on macOS Ventura with my 2017 Intel iMac. The next OS above this one needs a 2019 iMac. The only real way to fix this is to upgrade your macOS to the latest version that you can. 

Or just buy a new Mac if you want a long term solution.  

 

[Brian]

Here is an interesting read that agrees with my thinking: 

M4 vs. M5 Chip Buyer's Guide: How Much Better Really Is M5?

Give it a read. I still think the M4 Mac Studio still has some life left in it. Maybe not a full 8-10+ years, but you should get at least 5-7 years out of the thing.