Mac upgrade

[Beemer]

I need to replace either my Mac desktop or laptop in 2024 and would welcome advice and opinions on the best options for me. Please note, I am a confirmed Mac user so I am not looking to change systems!

I currently have a 2011 27" iMac and a circa 2015 13" MacBook Air. Both are unable to be updated to the latest operating systems (the past few to be honest!) and as I'll be using Adobe Creative Cloud (InCopy, Acrobat, etc) and Word, I need something a bit more up to date.

I mostly use the desktop unless travelling, and I am likely to be doing a little travelling for work so I am thinking a laptop may be the better option. I use an ergonomic keyboard with my desktop and would most likely buy a larger external monitor to use the laptop on a desk when working at home. I'd love a MacBook Pro but am not sure I can afford or justify the extra expense, so I will probably be looking at another MacBook Air.

I asked on an editing site I belong to and got some good advice - the usual go for the most memory you can, etc. Some also recommended taking my iMac in and having the drive replaced with a solid state drive. I am not even sure if this is an option with my 2011 model, and I wouldn't know who does it. I am in Manawatu if that helps.

Having the drive replaced is one option, but as I have some old software loaded on the iMac (Photoshop, iTunes, iPhoto, etc) that can't be transferred to a new machine, I am worried I'd lose all that by having the drive replaced. I know once I replace my iPhone X (yes, I keep my things for a while, lol!) I won't be using these things, but I'd like to keep them if possible.

I don't do gaming or edit videos, etc, so the laptop won't need massive capacity. I'd also like advice on what type of monitor to go for and what size (I love my 27" screen now), and how this all gets set up.

[Wainuitech]

Any upgrade of the actual computer shouldn't be a problem esp if the Programs you are using are Subscription versions, all that means is when  you get a newer model of MAC, simply log in and download or what ever you do to use the program.

A newer model will mean the OS is upto date where as older models software may not be compatible.

As for installing a SSD, no big deal, its ( in simple terms ) copying the current drive and data to a Faster drive, still wont bring teh OS upto date, but everything will work faster. Of course you would need the appropriate MAC clone / Imaging software to do it.

Like everything as time moves on OS's get outdated, and newer software doesn't work on Old systems. Its called  Progress

As for what to buy -- the advise about most memory etc is correct, I personally always suggest the best you can afford, its better to have to much power / resources and not use them than under powered and struggle.

Each to their own, as sometimes finances do mean you cant always get the biggest and top end.

Time to stop this reply   Its new years eve, and WT has already had enough   to start being silly.

[Olive]

I need to replace either my Mac desktop or laptop in 2024 and would welcome advice and opinions on the best options for me. Please note, I am a confirmed Mac user so I am not looking to change systems!

I currently have a 2011 27" iMac and a circa 2015 13" MacBook Air. Both are unable to be updated to the latest operating systems (the past few to be honest!) and as I'll be using Adobe Creative Cloud (InCopy, Acrobat, etc) and Word, I need something a bit more up to date.

I mostly use the desktop unless travelling, and I am likely to be doing a little travelling for work so I am thinking a laptop may be the better option. I use an ergonomic keyboard with my desktop and would most likely buy a larger external monitor to use the laptop on a desk when working at home. I'd love a MacBook Pro but am not sure I can afford or justify the extra expense, so I will probably be looking at another MacBook Air.

I asked on an editing site I belong to and got some good advice - the usual go for the most memory you can, etc. Some also recommended taking my iMac in and having the drive replaced with a solid state drive. I am not even sure if this is an option with my 2011 model, and I wouldn't know who does it. I am in Manawatu if that helps.

Having the drive replaced is one option, but as I have some old software loaded on the iMac (Photoshop, iTunes, iPhoto, etc) that can't be transferred to a new machine, I am worried I'd lose all that by having the drive replaced. I know once I replace my iPhone X (yes, I keep my things for a while, lol!) I won't be using these things, but I'd like to keep them if possible.

I don't do gaming or edit videos, etc, so the laptop won't need massive capacity. I'd also like advice on what type of monitor to go for and what size (I love my 27" screen now), and how this all gets set up.

I'm not an expert, but a long time Mac user.   About a year ago I replaced my very slow 6 year old 21" iMac with a 24" M3 8 CPU/8GPU and ditched my old iPad and bought a MacBook Air 13" with M2 chip.   All of my software, including an intricate musical notation program, transferred perfectly from the old iMac.  It took a long time but I wasn't confident to try any shortcuts and after about 8 hours everything was there on both new machines and working.

I don't think iMacs come in 27" screens any more, and you will probably find that the resolution and sharpness of a new iMac will be such an improvement that you won't miss the extra screen area.
8-Core GPU

[Beemer]

Thanks Wainuitech and Olive, I had ticked to receive email notifications of any responses but for some reason that didn't happen.

I still haven't done anything, but am pretty sure I'll go with a laptop when I do upgrade, most likely a MacBook Air as that's what my old laptop is and until it could no longer be updated it was fine for what I needed it for.

With some of the software I currently have like Photoshop, it was purchased outright, it's not a subscription, which is why I want to keep my old iMac so I can use it now and then when I need to - although PS is starting to not play ball even now! With InCopy or other Adobe things I may need to use for work, they were subscription-based and paid for by my client - I'm just worried that I'll need a new laptop to even use those because I haven't been on their subscription since 2020 so my system may not be up to speed so to speak regarding its use.

Wainuitech - that's what I thought, upgrading to an SSD would only make my computer faster, it won't solve the outdated OS, so no real advantage.

Once I get my A into G and buy something, I'll report back!

[Agent_24]

Thanks Wainuitech and Olive, I had ticket to receive email notifications of any responses but for some reason that didn't happen.

I don't think email notifications are working for me either, even though subscribing with emails is my default thread option.

Checking my email inbox, the last email I received from this forum was in October 2022!

[king1]

the email notification bit broke after the last MyBB update...

[Agent_24]

the email notification bit broke after the last MyBB update...

Is there no fix?

[king1]

the email notification bit broke after the last MyBB update...

Is there no fix?

possibly another board update might resolve it - I've mentioned it to nzoomed, it's his board, he's the only one that can do the updates... 

... 

Just having a look at the change log for mybb latest version
https://mybb.com/versions/1.8.37/ 

One of the resolved issues seems to be the same problem
https://github.com/mybb/mybb/issues/4734

I'll raise it again in the moderators forum...