Help to decide

[Aureociel]

Hey there, you already helped me and now I return to you in order to ask your opinion! So, I work with desig photo and pub and I’d like to buy a new pc for me. What you think about which model get the best choice? I think about Mac Studio … with benq designer monitor? Who could speak with me about it? 
thanks a lot my friends 

 

[v_kyr]

See also somehow related these threads ...

 

[thomaso]

In addition to v_kyr's links: Howard Hoakley is specialized for technical research, tests, issues and info about Mac & macOS … https://eclecticlight.co/m1-macs/

[Aureociel]

Dear friends.. I’m happy of your answer.. but for me is quit difficult to read every and in English… could you help me directly? What say this articles? What do you read already? What do you think? Thanks 

[MikeTO]

If you can justify the cost of the Mac Studio, it's an excellent choice for Affinity. If you'd like to spend less money, the M1 Mac mini is also a good choice but buy it with 16GB. You can't buy it with more than 16GB but lots of people use Affinity with just 16GB, including me.

[v_kyr]

On 4/11/2022 at 8:23 PM, Aureociel said:

...but for me is quit difficult to read every and in English...

Well then Google Translate is your friend here. Just select in Google Translate "English to your motherlanguage" and then paste one of the above shown URLs inside the left "English" side. Soon after you will get on the right side a link, which when you click it will show you the translated site text in your motherlanguage.

You can also copy selected english text into the English side of translate and it will tranlate to the language you've choosen on the right side. It also can read load the translated results for you.

[RichardMH]

I have the Benq SW240 monitor and love it.

https://www.benq.com/en-au/monitor/photographer/sw240.html

I use a gaming PC with lots of RAM and a decent graphics card.

[Aureociel]

14 hours ago, MikeTO said:

If you can justify the cost of the Mac Studio, it's an excellent choice for Affinity. If you'd like to spend less money, the M1 Mac mini is also a good choice but buy it with 16GB. You can't buy it with more than 16GB but lots of people use Affinity with just 16GB, including me.

this is my setup by now... but i think, I have to change it.. right?? what do you think? 

 

[Aureociel]

nobody helps me...? please....

[thomaso]

4 hours ago, Aureociel said:

my setup by now…
"1920 x 1080"

Is this the max. / standard resolution of these monitors? 1920 x 1080 would result in quite large pixel size, for both 27" and 31,5".
Also the monitors colour range & calibration capabilities might matter and be worth to get checked.

[Aureociel]

32 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Is this the max. / standard resolution of these monitors? 1920 x 1080 would result in quite large pixel size, for both 27" and 31,5".
Also the monitors colour range & calibration capabilities might matter and be worth to get checked.

It's the max yes... Also for the computer... what do you think I have to do? thanks ..

how can I calibrated it? 

[thomaso]

2 minutes ago, Aureociel said:

It's the max yes... Also for the computer.

Oh, sorry, I was misreading, thought the two Samsung would be your choice also for a new setup.

In my opinion it doesn't make much sense to ask for advice in such a general way. There are too many aspects which depend on individual habits and preferences. Starting with the complexity of your projects … up to your expectations. (what exactly makes you want to change the current setup? –> use these specific aspects to refine your decisions.) Also the community doesn't know about your current technical knowledge in related topics and terms. So it can be very useful to read several of already existing reports, inside and outside the Affinity forum. To avoid English you can use the Google option (as recommend above by v_kyr) – or install a plugin for your specific browser which does offers a translation via right-click and without the need to switch the URL.

If money matters: You could consider not to buy a brand new hardware like the "Studio" mac (which may reveal any possible weakness or issue in a couple of months only) but instead choose an older model which is reported to work reliable / not reported for an Apple Exchange Program (which happened here and there for certain models). Apple does support their older hardware for at least around 10 years with both macOS compatibility and hardware parts. You can purchase a used item even from Apple as "refurbished" model – though the "Studio" of cause will not appear there currently. https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished

[Aureociel]

7 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Oh, sorry, I was misreading, thought the two Samsung would be your choice also for a new setup.

In my opinion it doesn't make much sense to ask for advice in such a general way. There are too many aspects which depend on individual habits and preferences. Starting with the complexity of your projects … up to your expectations. (what exactly makes you want to change the current setup? –> use these specific aspects to refine your decisions.) Also the community doesn't know about your current technical knowledge in related topics and terms. So it can be very useful to read several of already existing reports, inside and outside the Affinity forum. To avoid English you can use the Google option (as recommend above by v_kyr) – or install a plugin for your specific browser which does offers a translation via right-click and without the need to switch the URL.

If money matters: You could consider not to buy a brand new hardware like the "Studio" mac (which may reveal any possible weakness or issue in a couple of months only) but instead choose an older model which is reported to work reliable / not reported for an Apple Exchange Program (which happened here and there for certain models). Apple does support their older hardware for at least around 10 years with both macOS compatibility and hardware parts. You can purchase a used item even from Apple as "refurbished" model – though the "Studio" of cause will not appear there currently. https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished

ok thanks - also right now with my Mini Mid 2012 I can't rich Sidecar or General Control so I can't use iPad to integrate the work with mac. Mac works (16 ram) but affinity crash down sometimes for example.. Mini with M1Max would be perfect, but don't exist... i don't know what can I do 

[thomaso]

7 minutes ago, Aureociel said:

Mini with M1Max would be perfect, but don't exist... i don't know what can I do 

If the device / housing type of the former "Mini" is a must have in your eyes then you don't have another choice then the "Studio"… and nothing to discuss.
If not, you alternatively could choose a macbook or macbook Pro (which offers a range of various models aside the current, if you would want to choose a used / refurbished device.) Or, if you prefer static (not mobile) also an iMac might be worth to get considered. – Those decisions are in fact up to you / your personal favours, there is no real general right or wrong.

[v_kyr]

6 hours ago, Aureociel said:

this is my setup by now... but i think, I have to change it.. right?? what do you think? 

Depends on how it performs for you yet, meaning if your older Mac Mini with 16 GB still runs everything just fine, then I probably would still wait a little bit before aquiring new M1 based hardware. - BTW, there are rumours that maybe during Apple's WWDC this year some new M2 based MacMini (maybe with more max addressable RAM) will encounter the scene.

[Aureociel]

2 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

Depends on how it performs for you yet, meaning if your older Mac Mini with 16 GB still runs everything just fine, the I probably would still wait a little bit before aquiring new M1 based hardware. - BTW, there are rumours that maybe during Apple's WWDC this year some new M2 based MacMini (maybe with more max adressable RAM) will encounter the scene.

very interesting... by now is good yet, so I can little wait for it. When could come M2? and in wich Device..? 

[thomaso]

10 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

there are rumours that maybe during Apple's WWDC this year some new M2 based MacMini

I have always hated the option where the wisest decision seems to be to wait. 🤓

[v_kyr]

5 minutes ago, Aureociel said:

When could come M2? and in wich Device..?

As I said it's rumours and nothing yet concrete, but you can read that yourself translated to Italian here ...

• Mac mini sconosciuto rilevato nel firmware

• The org news was this German one:  Unbekannter Mac mini in Firmware entdeckt

[Aureociel]

3 minutes ago, thomaso said:

I have always hated the option where the wisest decision seems to be to wait. 🤓

exactly...aahhah but you? what a PC you have? 

[v_kyr]

2 minutes ago, Aureociel said:

exactly...aahhah but you? what a PC you have? 

Hint, look into thomaso's signature (below/under his comments). 😀

[Aureociel]

6 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

As I said it's rumours and nothing yet concrete, but you can read that yourself translated to Italian here ...

• Mac mini sconosciuto rilevato nel firmware

• The org news was this German one:  Unbekannter Mac mini in Firmware entdeckt

i read it... but when it's time for M2 , you will tell me "wait! it's just arrived.." and so on..ahhhaah

 

[thomaso]

21 minutes ago, Aureociel said:

aahhah but you? what a PC you have? 

Currently a 2015 model. Two years ago I needed an upgrade from my previous 2011 model to be compatible with "Metal" (required by an app). At that time the current new macbooks had an issue with their keyboards since years. That made me prefer an older, used one, for about half price of a new. I did not regret but, of course, now I'll need another upgrade sooner – then with the disadvantage, that older apps will not run anymore with Apples new chips. So an upgrade can cause a chain of further consequences. It's helpful to research before what apps will be affected.

[Aureociel]

6 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Currently a 2015 model. Two years ago I needed an upgrade from my previous 2011 model to be compatible with "Metal" (required by an app). At that time the current new macbooks had an issue with their keyboards since years. That made me prefer an older, used one, for about half price of a new. I did not regret but, of course, now I'll need another upgrade sooner – then with the disadvantage, that older apps will not run anymore with Apples new chips. So an upgrade can cause a chain of further consequences. It's helpful to research before what apps will be affected.

why not a new macbook? or Mini M1? 

 

[v_kyr]

27 minutes ago, Aureociel said:

i read it... but when it's time for M2 , you will tell me "wait! it's just arrived.." and so on..ahhhaah

 

Well as I said, it all depends on your personal needs and timing decision. Further if you need it yet immediately in order to make your work and living (business etc.) out of it, or just personal and just for fun? - Those are the criteria to probably think about.

To give you an example, if I for my part would now and yet immediately need personal a MacOS based computer, I would probably opt for a Mac Studio or Macbook Pro with an M1 MAX with 64 GB and a 2 TB SSD. - Since I would need it at least equiped this way, but not for Affinity or the like, instead for all the DEV tools, frameworks, app servers, DBs and Docker containers and other services I've to run on a daily working/business base.

Though luckily and in reality I don't need myself to buy the needed computer equipment, since my company and the customers I do project work for, always provide me with the needed equipment for certain project jobs.

[Aureociel]

2 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

Well as I said, it all depends on your personal needs and timing decision. Further if you need it yet immediately in order to make your work and living (business etc.) out of it, or just personal and just for fun? - Those are the criteria to probably think about.

To give you an example, if I for my part would now and yet immediately need personal a MacOS based computer, I would probably opt for a Mac Studio or Macbook Pro with an M1 MAX with 64 GB and a 2 TB SSD. - Since I would need it at least equiped this way, but not for Affinity or the like, instead for all the DEV tools, frameworks DBs and Docker containers I've to run on a daily working/business base.

Though luckily and in reality I don't need myself to buy the needed computer equipment, since my company and the customers I do project work for, always provide me with the needed equipment for certain project jobs.

thanks V_Kyr! I work with Designer, Photos and final cut.. but I can wait to buy a new computer. Studio in USA cost 700 Euro less then in europa... someone that can send me ?? :)) I buy it, but someone send me to europa as a "gift"....