Mac computer recommendations

I don't know if this is the place to post this but its seems a good fit. I'm in the dilemma of needing to replace both my iMac and MacBook due to their age, but I can only replace one due to funds constraint. I use Lightroom, Photoshop and DaVinci Resolve video software. My current iMac has 16GB of RAM, but I'm thinking maybe 32GB is the starting point now. What are people's experiences in this space? The MacBook might seem the go but there is the small screen issue compared to the 24" iMac.

Not a Mac guy, but: What is your Macbook needed for?

I felt always uncomfortable sinking a whole lot of my (no-)money into a laptop, i.e.: "the world's most expensive cardboard plate". - Cynic? - If it becomes my good &/ only computer, I'll have meals, i.e. bread crumbs on the keyboard that 'll mix with ashes and spilled drinks. I binned a couple of sticky PC keyboards over the years and sent laptop ones to hell too. - My personal pain treshold in the laptop field is at 200 maybe 250€/$, that'll buy neither new nor fancy.

Business forum, so:

1. Do you need a laptop in the field? (= no chance to edit at home)
    
   
2. Does it have to be a serious capability editing (makeshift) PC?
   

Even an iMac looks comparably mobile to me, assuming you are driving your lightstands around in some van.

I'd keep the old stuff and would lean towards a new iMac, unless I was too nomadic to have a chair a desk and 350+x days of electicity per year. How happy will you be with a Mac Book without USB ports? - I believe the latest ones didn't look very photographer friendly anymore.

Maybe read up about docking stations to use egular keyboards & screens on your MacBook at home?

I travel a few times a year and need to edit images on the go, but my current laptop has a faulty motherboard. Its interesting about the ports - I forgot about that. I might look into screens as well to use as a laptop-screen alternative to a new iMac.

OK, "faulty motherboard" most likely marks the end of that laptop. How iMac friendly would your travels be? - I have no car to cart one around but have seen iMac carrier bags marketed online. Hauling one of those into a hotel room looks doable, although it might mean 3 passes from car to room.

If you have a one-computer budget, get a laptop and plug it in to a monitor, keyboard and mouse when you want a desktop.

What have people found with a laptop running 16GB RAM - is that enough or is 32GB needed?

There is an argument for getting a 'pre-owned' older, but newer than yours. machine in that the newest operating systems will have trouble with non 64-bit older, legacy software. Of course, it may very be well worth the trouble and expense to upgrade everything if you want to have all the latest features, bells, and whistles.

 

However, if you installed the right version at the time, Photoshop 5 did have a 64-bit version, so may run OK (although I've had some flakiness with PS 5 even on High Sierra)

is 32GB needed?

Thats an input specific question. What kind of nightmare files are you planning to handle? 4K motionJPEG footage? Stacking &/ stitching 100MP RAWs?

Did you utilize MacOS's Taskmanager equivalent, to figure out what your iMac is lacking?

By all means, avoid using an Imac as a portable machine. You will come to hate it. It's clumsy to carry, easy to damage, and the weight will drive you crazy. Dongles will take care of your need for USB ports, and wifi will handle the rest. You can do a huge amount of work with 16 gb. In a desktop purchased this year, I would go for more because memory is cheap, but you'll be fine with 16.

 

You might want to check with Mac rumors buying guide (link) as to whether there might be something about to be released, but if you have a trip coming up and have a broken laptop, you'll have to go with what there is at present.

What have people found with a laptop running 16GB RAM - is that enough or is 32GB needed?

For photo editing I’ve never found 16gb limiting. Heck, I’m doing most of it on 8gb. People tend to drastically overstate the need for computing power for photography. For video... maybe you could find a benefit to 32gb if you’re doing something very complex?

I've got an old 2011 iMac running Sierra that is stalling a lot, I'm guessing its just the OS and some sort of bus issue, I use Lightroom, Photoshop and DaVinci Resolve, but in the past I've tended to double the base RAM the computer comes with as you need it over time. So I was just wondering if there was an issue with 16GB I need to be aware of.

 

Thats an input specific question. What kind of nightmare files are you planning to handle? 4K motionJPEG footage? Stacking &/ stitching 100MP RAWs?

Did you utilize MacOS's Taskmanager equivalent, to figure out what your iMac is lacking?

I was just wondering if there was an issue with 16GB I need to be aware of.

4K motionJPEGs. Maybe watch Peter Gregg's (& others') 5D IV footage editing related laments on YouTube.

I'd also dig out our Kharim Gantous' thread about (external!) SSDs and try one out.

I couldn't answer the 16 vs. 32 gb RAM question for video editing, but I would be inclined to go for more RAM, especially if you get a laptop where upgrading later is difficult or impossible. As for editing/screen size, how much editing do you currently do on your laptop? I have both a MacBook Air and a 27" iMac, and the only serious photo editing I do is on my iMac since laptop screens are problematic for color calibration and the size (13") is too small for comfort. How important is it to you to have portability? As Hector Javkin said, hauling an iMac around isn't something that you really want to do on a regular basis.

If you have a one-computer budget, get a laptop and plug it in to a monitor, keyboard and mouse when you want a desktop.

Agree. The new MBPs are pretty nice except for the need for dongles.