Mac Desktop for Photo Editing

[adamhiram]

I’ve been a Mac user since 2015 when I picked up my 27” iMac. It still works great, with a large 5k resolution display, plenty of RAM, and a fast SSD. It’s not quite as responsive as it was 8 years ago, but it can handle anything I throw at it. I mostly use it with Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and browsing the web. That’s it.

But recent software updates have changed that. Lightroom started getting very glitchy until I figured out that hardware GPU acceleration wasn't working right and I disabled it. Microsoft Office recently stopped updating, stating that I need a newer version of MacOS. I also recently learned that MacOS 12 (Monterey) does not support older hardware, which includes my mid-2015 iMac. I’ve been told I can use a workaround to install it on unsupported hardware, but I’m not sure that’s a path I want to go down. And I will reiterate that the hardware still performs just fine.

So maybe it is time to start thinking about a comparable replacement, but that doesn’t seem to exist. New iMacs only have a 24” display, and max out at 24GB RAM and 2TB HD for around $2700. That’s a pretty steep price for a system that isn’t even on par with what I have now (albeit with a faster modern processor). A Mac Studio starts at around $3600 with their very expensive display, and increases to almost $5000 to get something with more impressive specs. I assume a 3rd party monitor would probably work just fine. A MacBook might seem like a decent option, but results in a lower spec’ed system without an external display for almost the same price. Fstoppers had a great video on this issue last week.

So I’m left wondering whether I use a bunch of hacks to keep my current system working for a while, spend an exorbitant amount of money for a Mac Studio, or start looking into switching back to Windows. Mac users, what do you currently use, and what does your upgrade path look like?

 

[smoke665]

So I’m left wondering whether I use a bunch of hacks to keep my current system working for a while, spend an exorbitant amount of money for a Mac Studio, or start looking into switching back to Windows. Mac users, what do you currently use, and what does your upgrade path look like?

I know many that sing the praises of Mac. I've thought of switching many times, but I started with a pc many years ago, and just evolved with it as it went. I have a 3yr old HP Omen laptop that's been good up until recently. The "r" key suddenly just quit. Have a new keyboard in route that I'm going to try and save it, but I'll probably go ahead and upgrade anyhow.

If you're happy with the Mac, I say drop the cash and stay with it. By the time you get similar specs in a PC there really won't be that much difference.

 

[Tinstafl]

I went with a laptop and a external display

 

[Rickbb]

Honestly, Windows and Mac's are not that different anymore performance wise. I know I'll get hate from the Apple fans, but it's just what it is. I've had to build and support both for the past 23 years, even a few Linux setups, I'd go with Windows every time.

You can customize the hello out of a Windows box and run the same software for less. You could build a very powerful system for $2,700.

 

[Dikkie]

So I’m left wondering whether I use a bunch of hacks to keep my current system working for a while, spend an exorbitant amount of money for a Mac Studio, or start looking into switching back to Windows. Mac users, what do you currently use, and what does your upgrade path look like?

Nooo, not Windows, that's going from the plague to cholera....

Just dip your feet in the Linux world
Get a spare (or second hand computer) to test and see if Linux Mint is something for you. It's free and won't hurt if it's not your cup of tea. You can also install it as dual boot aside other operating systems of course.
(it installs everything in half an hour, unlike half a day for Windows)

For photos, I use RawTherapee and Gimp.
Yeah, it's not the same, won't be your way-to-go photo workflow first, but once you're used all the menus, the new habit will come quickly.
I'm already 10 years Windows free now, won't ever go back.

There are Linux distributions that have a Mac user interface too, and otherwise you can make it look like a Mac with some tweaks too.

 

[dxqcanada]

@adamhiram ... you still thinking about your Mac?
I have used opencore to revive a 2009 and 2013 Macbook Pro to use a higher unsupported MacOS version.
Right now I am replying on the early 2013 Macbook Pro running Ventura (my memory is not enough for Sonoma ... but I did try it out).
While I will say that using opencore is not a simple click, it still is pretty easy to use.

 

[smoke665]

@adamhiram not sure if you've purchased anything yet. Switching from Mac to PC or vice versa isn't as difficult a learning curve as it used to be. I just recently upgraded to an HP Omen Desktop, with the RTX 4060 with 12mb on card. So far it's blazing on anything Adobe can throw at it.

 

[adamhiram]

not sure if you've purchased anything yet. Switching from Mac to PC or vice versa isn't as difficult a learning curve as it used to be.

Thanks for the additional info, and glad it's working out well! I haven't purchased anything yet, and hoping to hold out a while longer, but just about every application has stopped updating. None of the Adobe AI tools are supported on my system. I can certainly just run everything unsupported, including OS updates, but I'd rather just get something new after almost 9 years.

I've used both; in fact my current iMac is the first Mac system I've owned. I actually prefer it, I'm just frustrated at the price tag of the nearest equivalent system, with the knowledge that I will be able to use it until software vendors decide to stop supporting it, rather than when it is no longer powerful enough. In comparison, I still have a Windows desktop I built in 2009 that works just fine for basic office applications.

I predict I will either go all-in on a Mac Studio with their Studio display, or cut corners and pickup a Mac Mini with a 3rd party monitor. We'll see how I'm feeling later this year. For the record, I'm still mad my perfectly good 2015 iMac with zero performance issues is no longer supported.

 

[adamhiram]

@adamhiram ... you still thinking about your Mac?
I have used opencore to revive a 2009 and 2013 Macbook Pro to use a higher unsupported MacOS version.
Right now I am replying on the early 2013 Macbook Pro running Ventura (my memory is not enough for Sonoma ... but I did try it out).
While I will say that using opencore is not a simple click, it still is pretty easy to use.

I am certainly considering it, but it negates the whole "it just works" reason for getting a Mac. It's not like I'm throwing it out, so I'll still have it to play around on even if I do replace it. Glad to hear it's not too much of a hassle.

 

[smoke665]

one of the Adobe AI tools are supported on my system. I can certainly just run everything unsupported, including OS updates, but I'd rather just get something new after almost 9 years.

The inherent nature of the rapidly expanding technology field makes planned obsolescence a given. My old system was still functional at 3 years old but I could see the latest updates were starting to take a toll. The new system is blazing, the advancement on the graphics card alone were worth the cost. There's already a beta version of PS that incorporates Firefly. The AI in Firefly blows the Content Aware AI of the old PS away in both speed and function. IE: Try to remove something in front of a detailed background. Content Aware fails miserably because it only looks at the immediate pixels around the selection. Firefly looks at the big picture and fills in accordingly. It's amazing and is only going to improve, but that requires processing capabilities.

Even though I retired several years ago, I still have investments and passive business interests so office equipment, is a depreciable asset like any other, equipment. Given that so much of the software I use in business, is designed for Windows and the fact that I can replace a PC new in 3 years for less than half the cost of one Mac, going with a PC is a no brainer for me.

 

[SpiritMingler]

adamhiram,

The Mac Studio M2 Max at $1,999 ($1949 at Costco, BestBuy or eBay), paired with a couple of Viewsonic VP2756-4K monitors, (or one fancier $800 monitor) would come in at less than $2,800, and be more powerful than a $2800 MacBook Pro 16".

I currently am using a 13" MacBook Air M1, and it has all the horsepower I need for photo editing, but would be slow for video rendering and the screen is small for an editing app and image display. I need a larger display and want to have 2 displays to move all of the DxO PhotoLab menus to the second screen and dedicate one to the image I am editing, so I am hoping to get the Mac Studio/dual monitor setup in 2024.

 

[adamhiram]

The Mac Studio M2 Max at $1,999 ($1949 at Costco, BestBuy or eBay), paired with a couple of Viewsonic VP2756-4K monitors, (or one fancier $800 monitor) would come in at less than $2,800, and be more powerful than a $2800 MacBook Pro 16".

If I'm being honest here, I think my sticking point is the display. I am currently using an iMac with a 5k 27" display, and it feels like anything less than that is a downgrade. Is the Apple Studio display worth $1600? I'm not sure. But most other 5k displays this size are $1k+. Will I notice a big difference between a 5k and 4k display? Who knows.

The system itself isn't the sticking point; $2400 gets me an M2 Mac Studio with 64GB of RAM, and another $200-300 will add a 4TB external SSD drive for storage. Heck, if I'm okay with 24-32GB of RAM, the Mac mini will probably fit the bill. The real question I'm stuck on is what direction to go with for the display.

 

[smoke665]

real question I'm stuck on is what direction to go with for the display.

The real question is why do "you" think you need 5k. Is it a requirement for work or performance? And, of your photography how many of your viewers would he able to notice any difference between 4k and 5k?

 

[adamhiram]

The real question is why do "you" think you need 5k. Is it a requirement for work or performance?

Do I really need a 5k display? No. Do I want to spend $2,000+ to downgrade my monitor after using a 27" 5k display for the past 8 years? Also no.

 

[exposed]

adamhiram, have you looked at Apple Mac Upgrades - RAM, SSD Flash, External Drives and More They have older imac's, macbooks and more. Some are even factory sealed. I have purchased SSD's from them. Never a computer but you may want to check it out.