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The New Coffee Room

  1. TNCR
  2. General Discussion
  3. Thinking about a new Mac...

Thinking about a new Mac...

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  • jon-nycJ jon-nyc

    Funny I decry the creeping screen sizes. I remember being disappointed when they phased out the 21" iMac and I had to buy a 24. Equally when they kept making phones bigger.

    Yeah its easier to read. But I have to carry my phone.

    I guess I could live with a 27" monitor. Just seems so extreme. I'm right here, sitting in front of it.

    George KG Offline
    George KG Offline
    George K
    wrote on last edited by
    #37

    @jon-nyc that monitor is pricey! The 27" runs even more, LOL.

    Perhaps I'll have to reconsider my analysis of "break-even."

    @mark what kind of monitor are you using? My needs are pretty simple, and my eyes are pretty shitty.

    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

    markM 1 Reply Last reply
    • jon-nycJ Offline
      jon-nycJ Offline
      jon-nyc
      wrote on last edited by
      #38

      I just bought a ViewSonic for the boy, I believe on Mark's or Xenon's suggestion.

      I got the 21" for him but their 27" is under $200 I believe.

      "You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from."
      -Cormac McCarthy

      1 Reply Last reply
      • AxtremusA Offline
        AxtremusA Offline
        Axtremus
        wrote on last edited by
        #39

        It takes only 3~4 years for Apple to drop support for PowerPC from the time it launched its first Intel Mac. If you plan on keep using your Macs for more than, say, 5 years and plan to keep updating its OS, you pretty much need to go with the Apple silicon now for any new Mac you get. Good luck.

        1 Reply Last reply
        • George KG Offline
          George KG Offline
          George K
          wrote on last edited by George K
          #40

          It looks like there's a significant difference between the 7-core GPU and the 8-core GPU in the MacBook Air.

          About $250 difference.

          For someone like me, whose needs are pretty basic, is it worth the premium in price?

          Screen Shot 2020-12-26 at 8.06.00 PM.png

          Note: The price difference doesn't account for the SSD storage difference.

          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

          Aqua LetiferA 1 Reply Last reply
          • George KG Offline
            George KG Offline
            George K
            wrote on last edited by
            #41

            Eh, never mind.

            The difference is only $50 when you add the same SSD/

            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

            1 Reply Last reply
            • George KG George K

              @jon-nyc that monitor is pricey! The 27" runs even more, LOL.

              Perhaps I'll have to reconsider my analysis of "break-even."

              @mark what kind of monitor are you using? My needs are pretty simple, and my eyes are pretty shitty.

              markM Offline
              markM Offline
              mark
              wrote on last edited by
              #42

              @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

              @jon-nyc that monitor is pricey! The 27" runs even more, LOL.

              Perhaps I'll have to reconsider my analysis of "break-even."

              @mark what kind of monitor are you using? My needs are pretty simple, and my eyes are pretty shitty.

              LG 38WK95C-W 38" (Actual size 37.5") WQHD+ 3840 x 1600 HDMI, DisplayPort, USB FreeSync (AMD Adaptive Sync) Built-in Speakers Curved 21:9 UltraWide WQHD+ IPS Curved LED Monitor

              https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16824025890?Item=9SIAC4ZA692767

              jon-nycJ 1 Reply Last reply
              • markM mark

                @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                @jon-nyc that monitor is pricey! The 27" runs even more, LOL.

                Perhaps I'll have to reconsider my analysis of "break-even."

                @mark what kind of monitor are you using? My needs are pretty simple, and my eyes are pretty shitty.

                LG 38WK95C-W 38" (Actual size 37.5") WQHD+ 3840 x 1600 HDMI, DisplayPort, USB FreeSync (AMD Adaptive Sync) Built-in Speakers Curved 21:9 UltraWide WQHD+ IPS Curved LED Monitor

                https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16824025890?Item=9SIAC4ZA692767

                jon-nycJ Offline
                jon-nycJ Offline
                jon-nyc
                wrote on last edited by
                #43

                @mark

                I've been in movie theaters with smaller screens. lol

                "You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from."
                -Cormac McCarthy

                markM 1 Reply Last reply
                • AxtremusA Offline
                  AxtremusA Offline
                  Axtremus
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #44

                  Apple M1 MacBook Pro vs. Dell XPS with 11th gen. Intel core i7:

                  Link to video

                  George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                  • AxtremusA Axtremus

                    Apple M1 MacBook Pro vs. Dell XPS with 11th gen. Intel core i7:

                    Link to video

                    George KG Offline
                    George KG Offline
                    George K
                    wrote on last edited by George K
                    #45

                    @axtremus thanks for linking that.

                    He has another video comparing the MacBook Air with the MacBook Pro (both M1). Very little difference other than screen brightness and better battery life in the Pro.

                    Link to video

                    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                    AxtremusA 1 Reply Last reply
                    • George KG George K

                      @axtremus thanks for linking that.

                      He has another video comparing the MacBook Air with the MacBook Pro (both M1). Very little difference other than screen brightness and better battery life in the Pro.

                      Link to video

                      AxtremusA Offline
                      AxtremusA Offline
                      Axtremus
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #46

                      @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                      He has another video comparing the MacBook Air with the MacBook Pro (both M1). Very little difference other than screen brightness and better battery life in the Pro.

                      Yeah, when comparing the Air and the Pro, the 'touch bar' and the added weight of the 'Pro' were deal breakers, so I went with the Air. And yes, after equalizing the options to the bigger SSD and 16GB RAM, I paid the $50 extra for the 8th GPU core.

                      George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                      • AxtremusA Axtremus

                        @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                        He has another video comparing the MacBook Air with the MacBook Pro (both M1). Very little difference other than screen brightness and better battery life in the Pro.

                        Yeah, when comparing the Air and the Pro, the 'touch bar' and the added weight of the 'Pro' were deal breakers, so I went with the Air. And yes, after equalizing the options to the bigger SSD and 16GB RAM, I paid the $50 extra for the 8th GPU core.

                        George KG Offline
                        George KG Offline
                        George K
                        wrote on last edited by George K
                        #47

                        @axtremus do you have yours hooked up in a fashion similar to what @jon-nyc did?

                        External monitor, stand, etc.

                        Or do you just use it as a notebook?

                        Looking at the prices of monitors, a 27" monitor with the same specifications as the iMac is quite pricey.

                        "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                        The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                        AxtremusA KlausK 2 Replies Last reply
                        • AxtremusA Offline
                          AxtremusA Offline
                          Axtremus
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #48

                          @George-K, my MacBook Air is for portability.
                          I have other Macs (mini and Pro) that are “hooked up”.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • George KG George K

                            @axtremus do you have yours hooked up in a fashion similar to what @jon-nyc did?

                            External monitor, stand, etc.

                            Or do you just use it as a notebook?

                            Looking at the prices of monitors, a 27" monitor with the same specifications as the iMac is quite pricey.

                            AxtremusA Offline
                            AxtremusA Offline
                            Axtremus
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #49

                            @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                            Looking at the prices of monitors, a 27" monitor with the same specifications as the iMac is quite pricey.

                            Indeed. But their are no good alternatives. Once spoiled by the Retina display, it’s hard to use anything else. If I really have to have the Apple CPU and a large display, and I want to balance cost, quality, and time to gratification, then I’d most likely just wait another year for an M1 iMac. :man-shrugging:

                            Without having to read any rumor sites, I think it’s quite safe to count on Apple to release iMacs and 4-port MacBook Pros with its own silicon in 2021. (Less sure about the iMac Pro and the Mac Pro. Apple might wait for another generational jump with even better multi-core/multi-CPU support before putting its own silicon into the Pro desktops/workstations.)

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • George KG George K

                              @axtremus do you have yours hooked up in a fashion similar to what @jon-nyc did?

                              External monitor, stand, etc.

                              Or do you just use it as a notebook?

                              Looking at the prices of monitors, a 27" monitor with the same specifications as the iMac is quite pricey.

                              KlausK Offline
                              KlausK Offline
                              Klaus
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #50

                              @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                              Looking at the prices of monitors, a 27" monitor with the same specifications as the iMac is quite pricey.

                              Which specifications are you looking for, specifically?

                              Monitors with 4K resolution aren't expensive. 5K is a bit more unusual, but I don't think the difference between 4K and 5K is significant.

                              George KG markM 2 Replies Last reply
                              • KlausK Klaus

                                @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                                Looking at the prices of monitors, a 27" monitor with the same specifications as the iMac is quite pricey.

                                Which specifications are you looking for, specifically?

                                Monitors with 4K resolution aren't expensive. 5K is a bit more unusual, but I don't think the difference between 4K and 5K is significant.

                                George KG Offline
                                George KG Offline
                                George K
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #51

                                @klaus not looking for so much as looking at.

                                The iMac display is

                                *27-inch (diagonal)
                                *5120‑by‑2880 resolution with support for one billion colors
                                *500 nits brightness
                                *Wide color (P3)
                                *True Tone technology
                                *Configurable with nano-texture glass

                                The cheapest comparable LG is $950.

                                Screen Shot 2020-12-28 at 9.16.55 AM.png

                                "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • KlausK Klaus

                                  @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                                  Looking at the prices of monitors, a 27" monitor with the same specifications as the iMac is quite pricey.

                                  Which specifications are you looking for, specifically?

                                  Monitors with 4K resolution aren't expensive. 5K is a bit more unusual, but I don't think the difference between 4K and 5K is significant.

                                  markM Offline
                                  markM Offline
                                  mark
                                  wrote on last edited by mark
                                  #52

                                  @klaus said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                                  @george-k said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                                  Looking at the prices of monitors, a 27" monitor with the same specifications as the iMac is quite pricey.

                                  Which specifications are you looking for, specifically?

                                  Monitors with 4K resolution aren't expensive. 5K is a bit more unusual, but I don't think the difference between 4K and 5K is significant.

                                  5k has its place:

                                  from: https://www.techradar.com/best/best-5k-and-8k-monitors

                                  So, if you're a video editor working on a 4K project, having a 5K (or even 8K) monitor, means you can view the footage in full resolution, without having the entire screen taken up. You're able to have tools on screen as well, which can help you multitask and edit on the fly - and could prove to dramatically speed up your workflow.

                                  That's particularly true when you have limited real estate or don't have the ability to connect multiple monitors to your workstation.

                                  When looking for 5K monitors (that's 5120 × 2880 pixels), you'll be met with a choice of regular 16:9 aspect ratio, or ultrawide monitors with 21:9 (or above) aspect ratios. Ultrawide monitors are a great choice if you want a multi-monitor experience, but with just a single screen.

                                  Meanwhile, monitors with a regular aspect ratio are generally better for design work as high-DPI modes in Windows and macOS allow for working in scaled resolutions, which lets users zoom in to manipulate images in incredible detail while rendering pin-sharp text and UI elements.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • markM Offline
                                    markM Offline
                                    mark
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #53

                                    I have never seen a 5k monitor.

                                    If you are watching a movie in 4k, does it not fill the screen?

                                    George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                                    • markM mark

                                      I have never seen a 5k monitor.

                                      If you are watching a movie in 4k, does it not fill the screen?

                                      George KG Offline
                                      George KG Offline
                                      George K
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #54

                                      @mark said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                                      I have never seen a 5k monitor.

                                      https://www.amazon.com/s?k=computer+monitor&i=computers&rh=n%3A1292115011%2Cp_n_size_browse-bin%3A3547807011%2Cp_n_feature_fifteen_browse-bin%3A17751802011&dc&qid=1609172204&rnid=17751799011&ref=sr_nr_p_n_feature_fifteen_browse-bin_3

                                      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                      markM 1 Reply Last reply
                                      • George KG George K

                                        @mark said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

                                        I have never seen a 5k monitor.

                                        https://www.amazon.com/s?k=computer+monitor&i=computers&rh=n%3A1292115011%2Cp_n_size_browse-bin%3A3547807011%2Cp_n_feature_fifteen_browse-bin%3A17751802011&dc&qid=1609172204&rnid=17751799011&ref=sr_nr_p_n_feature_fifteen_browse-bin_3

                                        markM Offline
                                        markM Offline
                                        mark
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #55

                                        @george-k Too expensive. Wait a year. lol

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        • KlausK Offline
                                          KlausK Offline
                                          Klaus
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #56

                                          I must say that I'm not a huge fan of my iMac's 5K display.

                                          The difference to 2K resolution, for instance, is barely noticeable, and it makes everything slower.

                                          George KG 1 Reply Last reply
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