Thinking about a new Mac...
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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.
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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?
Note: The price difference doesn't account for the SSD storage difference.
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@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
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@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
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Apple M1 MacBook Pro vs. Dell XPS with 11th gen. Intel core i7:
Link to video -
Apple M1 MacBook Pro vs. Dell XPS with 11th gen. Intel core i7:
Link to video -
@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@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.
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@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.
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@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.)
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@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.
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@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.
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@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.
@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.
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I have never seen a 5k monitor.
If you are watching a movie in 4k, does it not fill the screen?
@mark said in Thinking about a new Mac...:
I have never seen a 5k monitor.
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@mark said in Thinking about a new Mac...:
I have never seen a 5k monitor.
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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.
@klaus said in Thinking about a new Mac...:
The difference to 2K resolution, for instance, is barely noticeable, and it makes everything slower.
That's what I'm thinking. A 4K display would be more than adequate for my needs. I don't edit video, do intense photo editing. I'm not a gamer. How much of a difference, in everyday use, would I really notice?
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Add me to the list.
I have a Surface. Lots of great features, but the problem is how damn crapped up they get over time.
I've installed hardly anything on mine, and still, it gets laggy as hell in weird moments.
Also, I miss the shit out of AppleScript.