Which Mac for Photo?

[JPOnstwedder]

Hi

 

I'm looking to buy a new Mac and am wondering if there will be a major performance difference between an iMac and the Mac Pro. I am leaning towards the latter so I can get a monitor that calibrates better for printing (both at home and through a lab) but as the Pro with monitor is a lot more expensive I wonder if it is worth it!

 

Thanks for any tips.

 

Jan-Peter

[Callum]

Hi JPOnstwedder,

 

Both of the types of Mac should be fine as long as the hardware in them meets our minimum system requirements :)

 

Thanks

C

[anon1]

I´d say:

If you don´t know that you need a Mac pro - you probably don´t need one :)

 

I´d go for an iMac and buy a fine lens which will improve your photos more than a mac pro does.....

[william7]

Also you can always buy a monitor later and use it with your iMac if you need one that is specially calibrated.

[JPOnstwedder]

MBd - great advice :-)

 

I was asking because on Photography Life the reviewer commented that Adobe apps don't run much faster on a Mac Pro because they are not written to take advantage of the machine's specific design; and it sounds like the same is true for Photo. Cool, saves me the extra money!

[anon1]

I think Affinity really does take advantage wherever it can....additionally an iMac is already a top of the line computer (really!) and if any performance issues occur there are other ways to work around them. For example merging some layers and continue working on top of them (you can still keep all adjustments below - and just deactivate the merged layer - and merge through all layers at any later date -> so it´s still non destructive).

[MacGueurle]

Also, if you do decide on an iMac (it really does make a lot of sense!), AND if you can afford it, get a built-to-order model with Flash storage (you gain a lot of speed that way). I always go for the top CPU and graphics card so it feels snappy for years to come.

 

Don't order extra RAM from the Apple store, install it yourself, you'll save a bundle that way. I always buy my RAM from OWC and highly recommend it.

[anon1]

But don´t go for the new 4k 21inch cause it´s RAM is tinned into place like in the newer mac minis...

[MacGueurle]

But don´t go for the new 4k 21inch cause it´s RAM is tinned into place like in the newer mac minis...

 

 

Yep, if you want to upgrade the RAM yourself, you can't do it in the 21 inch iMac, only the 27 inch model. 

[anon1]

But don´t go for the new 4k 21inch cause it´s RAM is tinned into place like in the newer mac minis...

the new 21 inch iMacs have user replaceable RAM

 

maybe my favorite news from WWDC (and the 27 inch ones as well, except the Pro model lol)

 

Buy a quad core if you want performance (iMac or 15 inch MBp)

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/32907-affinity-photo-performance-comparison-data-sheet/?p=159980

 

cheers

[R C-R]

the new 21 inch iMacs have user replaceable RAM

Are you sure about that? When I go to the 'buy' page for any of the new 21" iMacs & click on the "How much memory is right for you?" link, the last paragraph of the info popup says this (emphasis added):

Note that the 21.5-inch iMac comes with 8GB of memory built into the computer. If you think you may need more memory in the future, it may be preferable to upgrade at the time of purchase. Memory can only be upgraded by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider if you choose to update at a later date.

 

It would be great if the new 21" models had a door on the back like the (non-pro) 27" ones do, but from what I quoted I am guessing that while they have slots for memory modules instead of soldered in RAM, getting to them would require prying off the screen & replacing the adhesive gasket to reassemble the unit -- not impossible for users to do but a more delicate & risky job than many would want to try, & one that requires obtaining a suitable replacement gasket.

[anon1]

Are you sure about that? When I go to the 'buy' page for any of the new 21" iMacs & click on the "How much memory is right for you?" link, the last paragraph of the info popup says this (emphasis added):

It would be great if the new 21" models had a door on the back like the (non-pro) 27" ones do, but from what I quoted I am guessing that while they have slots for memory modules instead of soldered in RAM, getting to them would require prying off the screen & replacing the adhesive gasket to reassemble the unit -- not impossible for users to do but a more delicate & risky job than many would want to try, & one that requires obtaining a suitable replacement gasket.

sorry for the bad information you are definitely correct  :mellow: still better than soldered to the board  :rolleyes:

[R C-R]

sorry for the bad information you are definitely correct  :mellow: still better than soldered to the board  :rolleyes:

I wish I was wrong :( but it is better than soldered in memory  :).

 

It is too bad Apple started using adhesive gaskets for the screen -- I thought the previous method using magnets was an elegant solution. I do (mostly) understand why they changed: the adhesive method is much more rigid & air tight, which helps (slightly) with cooling management design & more so with the built-in audio. The audio output of my current iMac is amazingly good compared to the older models & even to mid-priced external computer speakers.

 

Still, it is weird that apparently the 27" pro model won't have user replaceable/upgradable memory. I guess there is no room in the case for a door because so much more space will be devoted to the cooling system, but for such a pricey model I think they could have used a slightly different, thicker case to allow for that.