My iMac died and I need a new computer... please help?

[BONES]

I need to use Windows for some work related tasks but whenever I do, it takes me about an hour and I want to kick that box out of the window. I have no idea how people can cope with that OS nonsense.

That's exactly the opposite to the way it is for me. I have more problems with my brand new, $6000 MacPro at work in a week than I have with my $700 PC laptop in a year. And the problems are with the hardware, pathetic graphics performance, as well as the software, which includes applications that just don't run as well as they do on Windows to an OS that simply won't do what I need it to. Simple things like copying and pasting a file path are beyond the capability of macOS.

Personally, I'm looking at ASIO4ALL and all I can do is wonder "why on earth...?".

Whereas I look at ASIO4all and think "perfect, why would I even bother with anything else?" But, of course, I do bother so ASIO4all is but one of many options I can choose from.

The stupid thing is that the new Windows "app" platform has really good, reliable, realtime audio and nobody will use it because of some stupid resistance to change. The only application I have that seems to use it is the standalone version of Equator, which runs with very low latency without ASIO. Why developers aren't falling over themselves to take advantage is beyond me.

[simmo75]

Thanks for your input guys, it’s much appreciated.

[scratchaer]

I need power and preferably a machine with longevity and that I’m able to upgrade parts for.

Then you don't want a new Mac. Seriously, they're trash these days.

you mean in terms of operating system or vitality?

[sprnva]

I mean in terms of hardware. They've been on a downward spiral since 2012/13. Less ports, less upgradability, poor QC.

[fmr]

I mean in terms of hardware. They've been on a downward spiral since 2012/13. Less ports, less upgradability, poor QC.

^^^ THIS ^^^

[elxsound]

15 years on Mac...

Some things to consider
-How often do you need to go back to old works
-Are any of your old projects OS dependent (like are any plugins using AU instead of VST)? And on this topic... Will a project created with Mac VST plugins open the Win VST equivalent when switching? If you are on PT, I think you are covered with AAX.
-Are any of your plugins or hosts OS dependent (do you use Logic or Final Cut Pro for anything)?

Switching Win to Mac, or Mac to Win is not the worst thing if you are picking up and moving forward, but it can be incredibly difficult depending on what you need access to from old works. It's been almost 10 years (wow) since I used to move back and forth between a Mac desktop and Win laptop and then work with people using both Win and Mac in various collaborations. There were lots of small (but frustrating) discoveries of what worked and didn't work back then.

Any way, best of luck getting up and running. Many of us have been there before and it does suck terribly (to put it mildly).

[dellboy]

Whats all this stuff about switching to windows is hard ? I am scratching my head to think what I did when I put a new copy of win 10 onto an SSD a while back. It took a few minutes to download and setup and configure itself. I think I downloaded one driver for my USB audio interface and that's it.

Its possible to build a PC that can boot into Windows- Linux - Mac, and personally I would have no problem working in any of those OS's.

If I was going Mac, I guess it would be a Mac mini. Can they be configured to boot into all three operating systems if one so wished ?

[jancivil]

I mean in terms of hardware. They've been on a downward spiral since 2012/13. Less ports, less upgradability, poor QC.

^^^ THIS ^^^

is regurgitated common wisdom, and negativity as though it's a smarter look on social media afaic. All kidding aside, 'trash' is a bit much.

I have the 2018 i9 with Turbo Boost 32GB RAM MBP, it's been a lovely experience in every way.
If you like fiddling with the insides of machines, it's no good, surely. I make music on it. And some dilettante-level video making which the machine is optimized for.




i9 is a higher spec than i7. If you buy a Mini you're going to have to wonder about a display monitor.
I bought the 4k, which isn't even an Apple product, that they sell now. Its display is wonderful, it's a cheap-ass build.

I migrated to the new machine via Time Machine, which is apparently not the best move. But it wasn't a nightmare, I did have to re-authorize many things but fortunately those things have workable software for it.

This https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/imac-pro
specs out nicely in comparison. I went with the i9, long story short.

[chk071]

Don't get it either. Some Macs look very powerful on paper. "Less ports" is often down to hardware limitations as well. You just can't have a normal USB port, or LAN port, or even a headphone jack on modern Macbooks anymore. Too thin.

[jancivil]

This has the 4 ports, one of which is the power adapter. So, this was always a downside to the MBP. I have more than 3 things external to connect and my hub isn't ideal.

If I wasn't sick as I am, maybe the iMac Pro would have been a choice. I can do everything in bed this way, and it's the i9. On paper I like more cores, but I've been using multicore for a decade now, and nothing I do uses really more than 6.

[Etienne1973]

If I was going Mac, I guess it would be a Mac mini. Can they be configured to boot into all three operating systems if one so wished ?

You can easily run Windows 10 via Boot Camp on a Mac mini 2018. Linux is hard to get running b/c T2 chip allegedly.

[simmo75]

Thanks again guys.

I decided to stay with Apple, going to check out the top spec iMacs and Mini.

Cheers!

[pekbro]

While sadly, I can't recommend it for folks who are less than adventurous when it comes
to computer configuration, it's really not that hard to install OSX on PC hardware. I've
even run it on a netbook where the screen was too small to be able to access the entire
UI, worked perfectly well, other than that. If not for the overhead apple adds to the
hardware cost, I would buy them myself.

[adam_nielsen]

Before buying the new Macs you should look at the reported issues with the new T2 chip. With a USB2 audio interface you have a "good" chance to experience some audio crackle issues. This problem is know for over many months and there's still no solution around.

I've bought the new Mac mini and I cannot say I'm satisfied. My performance with Ableton Live is much worse than with my previous machine (Hackintosh with lower specs).

[samsam]

iMac should be alright:

"These Mac computers have the Apple T2 Security Chip:

iMac Pro
Mac mini models introduced in 2018
MacBook Air models introduced in 2018
MacBook Pro models introduced in 2018"