iMac M1 24"

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Chad Huff

Chad Huff

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Hey everyone! I've been watching the discussions on the various new Mac options for post processing. I need a desktop and most of the discussions I've seen are relative to the MacBook Pros. Who is running the M1 Desktop? I'm curious about the 24" monitor as I have a 27" right now. Do you miss the extra real estate? Also, how did you configure it?

I know a 27" is coming, but I kind of need one about a year ago so I really need to decide if I'm buying the new 24" M1 or a 2020 version of the Core i9 or something.

Thanks for the input.
 
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Chad Huff said:
Hey everyone! I've been watching the discussions on the various new Mac options for post processing. I need a desktop and most of the discussions I've seen are relative to the MacBook Pros. Who is running the M1 Desktop? I'm curious about the 24" monitor as I have a 27" right now. Do you miss the extra real estate? Also, how did you configure it?

I know a 27" is coming, but I kind of need one about a year ago so I really need to decide if I'm buying the new 24" M1 or a 2020 version of the Core i9 or something.

Thanks for the input.
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I can’t answer your questions other than to say don’t buy an intel. The new Apple chips perform so much better and I suspect will be supported by Mac much longer than the outgoing intel models.
 
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I can certainly understand that concern. I've used a Mac since the first Macintosh in 1984 and thats always been a bit of an issue. On the other hand 1st generations of new iterations of the Mac have also had their issues and I typically don't buy them (e.g. the first MacBook Pro had severe overheating issues and the fan sounded like a F15 taking off... I still have that laptop sitting in a closet btw, lol). The M1, of course, could be different but your point is well taken. Thanks.
 
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I can’t answer specifically to the 24” screen sizeon the iMac, but I would think it would be noticeably smaller going down from the 27”. Only you could decide if it is too small. Performance wise, I think you would be fine. I bought a M1 MacBook Air base model upgraded to 16GB RAM with the standard 256GB SSD and it works really well. 13” is a little small to be editing on, but I spend a lot of time away from home so needed something portable. I haven’t noticed any performance issues with it and it doesn’t have a fan. I was planning to buy the high Mac Mini when released as a desktop unit, but decided on getting the M1 with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD. I have a few 27” LG 4K monitors and have it connected to one of those. I don’t store files locally, using three portable SSDs to allow me to easily go from computer to computer and have all my files. If you plan to store locally, would recommend much more space. Regarding the 24” iMac, the one configuration I would avoid is the very base model and would go with the middle or above. The base version has a different fan setup causing it to run hotter and have a lot more fan noise per reviews I’ve seen. If you don’t get a chance to see them in person, the blue color was my favorite with green as second. Red has a pink chin, and wasn’t a fan of the yellow, orange, or silver.
 
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abc123brian said:
I can’t answer specifically to the 24” screen sizeon the iMac, but I would think it would be noticeably smaller going down from the 27”. Only you could decide if it is too small. Performance wise, I think you would be fine. I bought a M1 MacBook Air base model upgraded to 16GB RAM with the standard 256GB SSD and it works really well. 13” is a little small to be editing on, but I spend a lot of time away from home so needed something portable. I haven’t noticed any performance issues with it and it doesn’t have a fan. I was planning to buy the high Mac Mini when released as a desktop unit, but decided on getting the M1 with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD. I have a few 27” LG 4K monitors and have it connected to one of those. I don’t store files locally, using three portable SSDs to allow me to easily go from computer to computer and have all my files. If you plan to store locally, would recommend much more space. Regarding the 24” iMac, the one configuration I would avoid is the very base model and would go with the middle or above. The base version has a different fan setup causing it to run hotter and have a lot more fan noise per reviews I’ve seen. If you don’t get a chance to see them in person, the blue color was my favorite with green as second. Red has a pink chin, and wasn’t a fan of the yellow, orange, or silver.
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You're doing what I will probably do with the MacBook Air, but I will likely what for the next generation. I'm ok for now my laptop, and I use my iPad for a lot of my daily work. Does your Air run the external monitor fine? And, agreed on the base model ANYTHING Mac. Those are pretty much designed to have a 2 year shel life. I've always gone for the mid range or above. The M1 doesn't have a lot of options in that regard though. I didn't know about the thermal throttling on the base config though. Thats good to know.

I looked at the Mac mini as well. I've always loved the design and still have an older one I use as a backup of backups for stuff I really dont want to loose.
 
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I've got the M1 24 inch; didn't notice the sizing down from the external monitor I'd been using with my Macbook Pro laptop. That said, I'm pretty sure the 27 inch (which I didn't wait for :) ) is now available....
 
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ssheipel said:
I've got the M1 24 inch; didn't notice the sizing down from the external monitor I'd been using with my Macbook Pro laptop. That said, I'm pretty sure the 27 inch (which I didn't wait for :) ) is now available....
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The 27" M1 iMac isn't available yet, and I really can't wait any longer. The fastest processor in the 27" listed on Apple's website is the 3.6GHz 10-core 10th-generation Intel Core i9... Which is an option I'd consider (though I'd probably buy a 2020 or 2019 from OWC and make it a stop gap)... You may be thinking of the 16" MacBook Pro M1 that was recently released.

Was your external monitor a 27"? Which one?
 
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Chad Huff said:
You're doing what I will probably do with the MacBook Air, but I will likely what for the next generation. I'm ok for now my laptop, and I use my iPad for a lot of my daily work. Does your Air run the external monitor fine? And, agreed on the base model ANYTHING Mac. Those are pretty much designed to have a 2 year shel life. I've always gone for the mid range or above. The M1 doesn't have a lot of options in that regard though. I didn't know about the thermal throttling on the base config though. Thats good to know.

I looked at the Mac mini as well. I've always loved the design and still have an older one I use as a backup of backups for stuff I really dont want to loose.
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With the M1, the base iMac was the only one I heard any negatives on. No problems with the external monitor on the air. The only negative I’d say is only having the two ports but a hub takes care of that.
 
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I was in a similar situation. My 2013 iMac was having problems. I nursed it along until the M1 was available in the MacBook Pro 13". I bought one back in Feb along with a 27" external monitor, and "Magic" keyboard and mouse. I use it mostly as a desktop but it is nice to have it as a traveling companion for those times I will be editing in the field. I find editing on the Mac easier than editing on my iPad Pro 12.9"

I cannot directly answer your iMac question but I can say the M1 chip is far faster and cooler running than any Intel chip equipped computer I've used in the past and that included my wife's older 2015 MacBook Pro 15". We recently upgraded her laptop to a 16" MacBook Pro with the "M1 Pro" chip. In side by side use I cannot see much of a difference in performance vs. my M1 equipped laptop. I'm sure in the geek bench tests and heavy load performance testing the "Pro" and "Max" are faster but for my usage of Photoshop, Affinity Photos, iMovie rendering, Medium to low complexity spreadsheets, Topaz DeNoise and Sharpen, and, of course reading Backcountry Gallery forums, the M1 is blazingly fast.

I will say I'd be reluctant to buy any Intel equipped Mac right now. I think there will be a time during the useful life of your computer when new Mac OS updates will no longer support both platforms and app developers will find it too much of a burden to compile app updates for both the Intel based operating systems and the Apple Silicon based systems.

As for size difference 24" to 27" I'm not sure how much difference there is. If you have a Best Buy or Apple Store nearby, you can always look at them side by side and see.

Hope this helps.
 
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Chad Huff said:
The 27" M1 iMac isn't available yet, and I really can't wait any longer. The fastest processor in the 27" listed on Apple's website is the 3.6GHz 10-core 10th-generation Intel Core i9... Which is an option I'd consider (though I'd probably buy a 2020 or 2019 from OWC and make it a stop gap)... You may be thinking of the 16" MacBook Pro M1 that was recently released.

Was your external monitor a 27"? Which one?
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It's available in Canada.
 
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Just out of curiosity, why not a MBP + external monitor. The cost is not that different and I have my M1 MBP in a vertical stand next to the screen so the footprint is hardly bigger than the 27" iMac it replaced. It also will make it easier to transition to an M1 Max MBP if I decide to. I also like the form factor of the 32" 16:9 monitor I was able to fit in the same space - it makes managing the LRc and PS tools much easier on one screen. And when I need a dual screen set-up (rare) I just open the MBP and use it to display the tools.

I used iMacs since 2009 but this year I went to that MBP+ external screen (because the iMac was only 24") and I don't think I want to go back to an iMac even with the 27" available. I like the flexibility of the laptop + screen.
 
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I have found this youtube channel very helpful when looking at new Mac computers. He is a photographer and focuses his testing and reviews around programs and task we perform. I ended up settling on a 14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16G ram and 1TB drive. I had originally orders a more decked out $4K 16" but after watching his reviews I decided I didn't need that much computer for my needs. I am upgrading a 2010 MacBook Pro which is used for internet use on my desk and wanted to be able to travel with it to download cards, maybe do some on the road editing. I am continuing to use my 2017 27" iMac and the plan is to go all in upgrading that when the new iMac's are released next year. I like the bigger screen, the limit on cords with iMac and it is nice having a separate dedicated machine for editing. I find when I get in the groove to edit hours pass by but I am focused. In the old days I would edit on my laptop sitting in a recliner with a TV on, multitasking at it's best but now that I have a desk with iMac in my office just for that purpose I find my editing to be more enjoyable. Just my 2 cents.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtIsRight/videos
 
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FB101 said:
Just out of curiosity, why not a MBP + external monitor. The cost is not that different and I have my M1 MBP in a vertical stand next to the screen so the footprint is hardly bigger than the 27" iMac it replaced. It also will make it easier to transition to an M1 Max MBP if I decide to. I also like the form factor of the 32" 16:9 monitor I was able to fit in the same space - it makes managing the LRc and PS tools much easier on one screen. And when I need a dual screen set-up (rare) I just open the MBP and use it to display the tools.

I used iMacs since 2009 but this year I went to that MBP+ external screen (because the iMac was only 24") and I don't think I want to go back to an iMac even with the 27" available. I like the flexibility of the laptop + screen.
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I've used an MBP with an external monitor in years past. Its certainly workable but my OCD doesn't enjoy the extra cords and overall messiness of that setup. Also, An MBP is quite a bit more (depending on what you're buying I guess, I'd certainly max the RAM and that alone makes the cost of the mid level 16" $3100.) A 16" is going to be $1000 more plus a monitor that is roughly $800+... And, honestly, a few generations ago MacBook Pros really were kind of catered to "pros". That has long since ceased to b e the case with the MacBook. Unless that is your only computer a MacBook Air is a much better deal (like $2000 cheaper the way I would configure them) which can go towards a desktop, which I need for work anyway.

If your only computer is going to be a laptop, your solution could work fine if you can get past the OCD, lol. I can't I need a tidy desk or I'm sunk.
 
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Hut2 said:
fwiw- I have just decided to go with 24 inch and then deck out a "27" inch later next year when the new one is released. Looking online photo side by side with 27 the display size seems very nice on the 24.
She says we will still be able to make use of this 24" later since we retired our old 21" last year. I will put it in the travel trailer.
Not a whole lot of customizability on these 24 inch models. The base model 8 core CPU 7 core GPU has only one fan and the upgraded 8 core CPU 8 core GPU have 2.
My better half says get a green one.
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Fantastic. I looked at them in the Apple Store near me and the screen seems to utilize the size well. They did something with the bezel, it looks larger than 24". Its a little smaller but I don't really think it will be a problem. Plus you can always run a second monitor up to 6K 60... Which coincidentally is the specs on the Apple pro display that only costs $6000, hahahahahahah.

Here is a question I had when I saw the colors, "Is that going to impact the way I edit?" Because I could see it tricking my eyes into seeing a color cast that isn't there. Its hard to tell in a store that is lit completely differently than my office. I always liked gray, white, or black for that reason. But I noticed that they lighten the color on. the front so its probably totally fine. FWIW, I liked the green and blue as well.
 
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dtibbals said:
I have found this youtube channel very helpful when looking at new Mac computers. He is a photographer and focuses his testing and reviews around programs and task we perform. I ended up settling on a 14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16G ram and 1TB drive. I had originally orders a more decked out $4K 16" but after watching his reviews I decided I didn't need that much computer for my needs. I am upgrading a 2010 MacBook Pro which is used for internet use on my desk and wanted to be able to travel with it to download cards, maybe do some on the road editing. I am continuing to use my 2017 27" iMac and the plan is to go all in upgrading that when the new iMac's are released next year. I like the bigger screen, the limit on cords with iMac and it is nice having a separate dedicated machine for editing. I find when I get in the groove to edit hours pass by but I am focused. In the old days I would edit on my laptop sitting in a recliner with a TV on, multitasking at it's best but now that I have a desk with iMac in my office just for that purpose I find my editing to be more enjoyable. Just my 2 cents.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtIsRight/videos
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I really wish I could wait until the 27" comes out. I can't though. I have a some necessary work software that is upgraded beyond the specs of my older desktop and no longer functions the way it needs to...
 
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dtibbals said:
I have found this youtube channel very helpful when looking at new Mac computers. He is a photographer and focuses his testing and reviews around programs and task we perform. I ended up settling on a 14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16G ram and 1TB drive. I had originally orders a more decked out $4K 16" but after watching his reviews I decided I didn't need that much computer for my needs. I am upgrading a 2010 MacBook Pro which is used for internet use on my desk and wanted to be able to travel with it to download cards, maybe do some on the road editing. I am continuing to use my 2017 27" iMac and the plan is to go all in upgrading that when the new iMac's are released next year. I like the bigger screen, the limit on cords with iMac and it is nice having a separate dedicated machine for editing. I find when I get in the groove to edit hours pass by but I am focused. In the old days I would edit on my laptop sitting in a recliner with a TV on, multitasking at it's best but now that I have a desk with iMac in my office just for that purpose I find my editing to be more enjoyable. Just my 2 cents.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtIsRight/videos
Click to expand...

I'm curious, what lead you to config the 14" MBP that way? It's basically the same as a midrange MacBook Air with a little smaller screen, but almost $1000 more.
 
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jeffnles1 said:
I was in a similar situation. My 2013 iMac was having problems. I nursed it along until the M1 was available in the MacBook Pro 13". I bought one back in Feb along with a 27" external monitor, and "Magic" keyboard and mouse. I use it mostly as a desktop but it is nice to have it as a traveling companion for those times I will be editing in the field. I find editing on the Mac easier than editing on my iPad Pro 12.9"

I cannot directly answer your iMac question but I can say the M1 chip is far faster and cooler running than any Intel chip equipped computer I've used in the past and that included my wife's older 2015 MacBook Pro 15". We recently upgraded her laptop to a 16" MacBook Pro with the "M1 Pro" chip. In side by side use I cannot see much of a difference in performance vs. my M1 equipped laptop. I'm sure in the geek bench tests and heavy load performance testing the "Pro" and "Max" are faster but for my usage of Photoshop, Affinity Photos, iMovie rendering, Medium to low complexity spreadsheets, Topaz DeNoise and Sharpen, and, of course reading Backcountry Gallery forums, the M1 is blazingly fast.

I will say I'd be reluctant to buy any Intel equipped Mac right now. I think there will be a time during the useful life of your computer when new Mac OS updates will no longer support both platforms and app developers will find it too much of a burden to compile app updates for both the Intel based operating systems and the Apple Silicon based systems.

As for size difference 24" to 27" I'm not sure how much difference there is. If you have a Best Buy or Apple Store nearby, you can always look at them side by side and see.

Hope this helps.
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Yeah, that M1 Pro chip (whatever that means) is crazy expensive on the 16". I'd wait and buy a Mac Pro tower before I did that, but I don't need that much horse power.
 
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Hut2 said:
The only real decisions to make on the 24 inch order screen.

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Yeah, that is always the case on Macs these days. Buy it now or forget it. I suspect that is one reason for the "unified memory" move. They caught a lot of flack for changing the MBP to none upgradable memory back in 2016. Now its just a new "kind" of memory, its "unified" lol... And Macs prices for memory have always been ridiculous.
 
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Chad Huff said:
I'm curious, what lead you to config the 14" MBP that way? It's basically the same as a midrange MacBook Air with a little smaller screen, but almost $1000 more.
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I considered the air however the Pro had a few advantages for 14". One is screen size, processor speed, battery life, new screen which is much better than air, more ports, magsafe, better speakers. When considering how long I keep a computer like this (it is replacing an 11 year old 13" pro) I figured it is worth the extra money.
 
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dtibbals said:
I just received word my new MacBook arrived in Dallas this morning so I am guessing DHL will deliver it Monday! Anyone want a 2011 MacBook pro 13"?
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Nice! I'm glad you're getting the new machine in time for Christmas. I don't need ANOTHER 2011 MBP though, I have one, plus a 2016, and some older ones. I'll trade all of them for what you have coming though. Then you could have a Mac collection! lol.

I really need to dedicate a Saturday to getting rid of all these old machines going back several decades now. Its kind of ridiculous. I always mean to wipe the drives and give them away or recycle them at Apple and never get to it. Its quite a pile now. lol.
 
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