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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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  • George KG George K

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

    If I ever do buy another Mac, it will be a MacMini. Loaded with memory and SSD and you have a very compact and capable machine.

    If you're going to hook it up to a reasonable monitor (27" or larger) there's no advantage to compactness, is there? And, you have more cables.

    AxtremusA Offline
    AxtremusA Offline
    Axtremus
    wrote on last edited by
    #24

    @George-K said in Thinking about a new Mac...:

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

    MacMini.

    And, you have more cables.

    Hmm ... wonder when Apple will make the MacMini take power input via USB-C too. The power cable is the only "extra cable" required by the MacMini today over a MacBook Air. The MacMini also gives you most of the legacy ports you want.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • George KG Offline
      George KG Offline
      George K
      wrote on last edited by
      #25

      Looking at prices for various options here.

      I'm looking at 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

      If I go with the Mini or the Air, I'll have to spring for a monitor and a webcam (I'd keep my keyboard and mouse):

      The price for the iMac is for this year's Intel version with an i5 processor, I assume that when Apple releases a new iMac this year, as is rumored, it'll be priced pretty similarly. Looks like the MacBook Air gives the same features as the iMac for a better price, even after all the add-ons.

      Screen Shot 2020-12-26 at 7.40.49 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.

      jon-nycJ 1 Reply Last reply
      • KlausK Offline
        KlausK Offline
        Klaus
        wrote on last edited by
        #26

        I may buy a new iMac when it is released with a new ARM chip (not the current one; I want more than 16GB of RAM).

        George KG 1 Reply Last reply
        • CopperC Offline
          CopperC Offline
          Copper
          wrote on last edited by
          #27

          Why a Dock with the mini?

          George KG 1 Reply Last reply
          • KlausK Klaus

            I may buy a new iMac when it is released with a new ARM chip (not the current one; I want more than 16GB of RAM).

            George KG Offline
            George KG Offline
            George K
            wrote on last edited by
            #28

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

            I may buy a new iMac when it is released with a new ARM chip (not the current one; I want more than 16GB of RAM).

            I've seen videos of performance with only 8 gigs of RAM on a MacBook Air. For the stuff that I do, 8 is probably adequate, and 16 is overkill, considering the videos I've watched. But...

            Link to video

            The other thing is that rumors say that the new iteration of iMac will be a 24" model. I really, really don't want a smaller screen than I have now. That's a big deal for me with my aging eyes.

            "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.

            KlausK 1 Reply Last reply
            • CopperC Copper

              Why a Dock with the mini?

              George KG Offline
              George KG Offline
              George K
              wrote on last edited by
              #29

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

              Why a Dock with the mini?

              Hooking up external devices: I have a 4 bay enclosure which stores my Time Machine data, media (books, music), and another backup drive.

              "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

                Looking at prices for various options here.

                I'm looking at 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

                If I go with the Mini or the Air, I'll have to spring for a monitor and a webcam (I'd keep my keyboard and mouse):

                The price for the iMac is for this year's Intel version with an i5 processor, I assume that when Apple releases a new iMac this year, as is rumored, it'll be priced pretty similarly. Looks like the MacBook Air gives the same features as the iMac for a better price, even after all the add-ons.

                Screen Shot 2020-12-26 at 7.40.49 AM.png

                jon-nycJ Offline
                jon-nycJ Offline
                jon-nyc
                wrote on last edited by
                #30

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

                I'm looking at 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

                That's what I have.

                I just bought a webcam this week, delivered xmas eve. It's sitting in the box still by my desk.

                Up to now I've been using my iPad for zoom calls.

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

                George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                • jon-nycJ jon-nyc

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

                  I'm looking at 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

                  That's what I have.

                  I just bought a webcam this week, delivered xmas eve. It's sitting in the box still by my desk.

                  Up to now I've been using my iPad for zoom calls.

                  George KG Offline
                  George KG Offline
                  George K
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #31

                  @jon-nyc how big is that monitor you have?

                  "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.

                  jon-nycJ 1 Reply Last reply
                  • George KG George K

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

                    I may buy a new iMac when it is released with a new ARM chip (not the current one; I want more than 16GB of RAM).

                    I've seen videos of performance with only 8 gigs of RAM on a MacBook Air. For the stuff that I do, 8 is probably adequate, and 16 is overkill, considering the videos I've watched. But...

                    Link to video

                    The other thing is that rumors say that the new iteration of iMac will be a 24" model. I really, really don't want a smaller screen than I have now. That's a big deal for me with my aging eyes.

                    KlausK Offline
                    KlausK Offline
                    Klaus
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #32

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

                    The other thing is that rumors say that the new iteration of iMac will be a 24" model. I really, really don't want a smaller screen than I have now.

                    True, I also want a 27". If they don't sell a 27" iMac anymore, I'll maybe go for a Mac Mini with external display.

                    George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                    • KlausK Klaus

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

                      The other thing is that rumors say that the new iteration of iMac will be a 24" model. I really, really don't want a smaller screen than I have now.

                      True, I also want a 27". If they don't sell a 27" iMac anymore, I'll maybe go for a Mac Mini with external display.

                      George KG Offline
                      George KG Offline
                      George K
                      wrote on last edited by George K
                      #33

                      @klaus I have to wonder what the thinking is behind the rumored 24" version. Monitors are getting bigger and bigger.

                      Why would they do that?

                      ETA: I assume that all I would have to do is hook it up with an HDMI cable, right?

                      "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
                      • CopperC Offline
                        CopperC Offline
                        Copper
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #34

                        https://ulxstore.com/collections/leather-desk-mats/products/black-leather-desk-mat?variant=49844519507

                        You forgot the vegan leather desk mat.

                        vegan leather

                        That is a new one on me

                        ![alt text](e8b221d3-3acb-4d37-a6c9-d2d03e050d3e-image.png image url)

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • George KG George K

                          @jon-nyc how big is that monitor you have?

                          jon-nycJ Offline
                          jon-nycJ Offline
                          jon-nyc
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #35

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

                          @jon-nyc how big is that monitor you have?

                          24".

                          https://www.apple.com/shop/product/HMUA2VC/A/lg-ultrafine-4k-display

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

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • jon-nycJ Offline
                            jon-nycJ Offline
                            jon-nyc
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #36

                            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.

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

                            George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                            • 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
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