iMac 24 & Mac mini M4 - Apple's October 2024 event & what's about to CHANGE?

[@sgtaneja]

M4 Pro Mac Mini vs M2 Max Mac Studio for equivalent 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD - thoughts ?? The new iMac is a failed lineup without the pro and max chips and limited RAM upgrade options.

[@DavidLewisTech]

Well, if we get the rumoured new Mac mini I thinking up buying one, not only to review, but to replace my 2021 M1 Max MacBook Pro…

[@conalhendry]

I'd definitely be interested in a new MacBook Pro, portability but maximum functionality is key for me.

[@DavidLewisTech]

So, my plan is to buy a new Mac mini….but I’m sitting here this Sunday afternoon hovering over buying an iPad mini to look at this week…

[@conalhendry]

@@DavidLewisTech ooh, I was a little tempted myself, but I rather like the idea of the new iPad Pro instead, with a pencil. Size is everything for me, for media consumption, editing, drawing etc. if you get one though I'll be sure to watch the video!

[@bmanrobinson4532]

Do you think the Mac mini will be powerful enough to put together and edit 30-60 minutes documentaries in 4k quality without lag and stuttering?

[@DavidLewisTech]

If all the figures we are hearing are true that there will be a speed bump of around 25%, then yeah, I reckon so. Get the M4 Pro with 32GB of memory and I reckon you'll be fine

[@nathanbassett471]

I really wish that the studio display was slightly cheaper so I could pick one up. Really stuck at the moment deciding if i go the studio display or another monitor. Paired with a mac mini, m4 ipad pro, every time you mention the studio display it makes me wish it was cheaper

[@DavidLewisTech]

I saw on MacRumors that Amazon is doing a deal on them right now for about $1250 I seem to recall. I know that is still a crazy amount of money, but it has been one of the best investments I've made...and now, a few years on, will save me money in giving me the option to switch to a Mac mini rather than buying a new MacBook Pro

[@nathanbassett471]

@@DavidLewisTech The joys of living in Aus $2500 aud currently on amazon over here. Definitely a great option though as you won't need to upgrade to the new MacBook Pro

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hah! I had two Aussies on my Minus Sixteen podcast! That will be up later today...I know there are certain geographical problems with getting tech in Aus!

[@abstractobject5337]

Curious of what preamp and compressor you have on your desk?

[@DavidLewisTech]

Ah - very eagle-eyed of you! My set-up is a Focusrite 2i2 for the most part. But for recording the audio for these videos I run the Røde mic through a Focusrite Vocaster One and use their app to flatten the sound a little. Then I tidy it up in Audition. I also have an Ivanky hub which I love to bits!

[@AJM547]

I have a 2019 iMac (intel based) and I am ready to upgrade to Apple silicone. I was planning on buying a new M4 iMac, but the Mac mini sounds like a possible option. Does it make sense, or is it even possible, to connect an M4 Mac mini to my 2019 iMac and use it as my monitor? What are the pros/cons? I can not afford to purchase, nor do I need, an Apple studio monitor. I am only considering the mini to save money.

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hi there - great to hear from you. Sadly Apple stopped supporting the use of the iMac as a display (Target Display) which is a crime if you ask me. If you have any monitor though and the other peripherals, the Mac mini represents silly amounts of power for the money. Put it this way, I think I will probably get one with the M4 Pro chip, 32GB of RAM and 4TB of storage and migrate from using £3500 M1 Max MacBook Pro. Three years on the newer chipset will out perform my current MacBook - crazy times eh!

[@AJM547]

@@DavidLewisTechWell, ain’t that a kick in the teeth. I guess I am back on track for a new iMac since I am sure a mini plus decent 4K monitor would be more expensive. Thanks for information, I really appreciate it.

[@DavidLewisTech]

no problems - glad to chat and help

[@glennsan1998]

I’m gonna get the Mac mini. Depending upon pricing will determine if I get the base or the pro version but I’m looking at 32 gig gram upgrade the hard drive a little bit I do KZbin videos and editing and I want to be able to game on it exclusively and get rid ofmy Windows PC, which is what I use right now.

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hi Glenn - I think the spec I will go for will be the M4 Pro with 32GB of RAM and 4TB of storage...

[@glennsan1998]

@@DavidLewisTech if I can end up gaming on external hard drives, I’m probably not gonna go for anything higher than a one terabyte. That Apple hard drive tax just drives me crazy and I’ve got a couple of nice 5 TB USB four drives that I think will work. I will be watching your videos to see how it goes when your stuff shows up, though I really like how you take care of that.

[@DavidLewisTech]

The release of this Mac mini has really got me excited to see what it is capable of Glenn

[@georgestiros4392]

I want a 27 or a 32 in I MAC.........please. My I Mac is 12 yo and I cannot upgrade because I will not be able to operate my APERTURE app. which I use and love more that Photoshop.

[@DavidLewisTech]

A fellow Photoshop & iMac user! I've not tried Aperture yet....

[@pjrdegroot]

Is a Imac 27 inch new from 2020 wise to buy? Or a 2024 newer Imac?

[@DavidLewisTech]

I'd go with Apple silicon - the 24-inch every time. No fans, and super quick!

[@pjrdegroot]

@@DavidLewisTech No fans is for me the best!! Thanks for the info. Do I go for M1 or M3?

[@pjrdegroot]

If I use the Imac 27 inch for normal use. No graphic special things, will the fan still work? I ma not a dsigner or so.

[@DavidLewisTech]

You'd probably be ok - but I was working at home yesterday on my 2015 Intel Mac and the fans started to spin up even though I was only working in Chrome. The later, newer machine may be ok, but I think it would be safer to go for an M3 Apple silicon Mac even though the screen is a bit smaller...

[@pjrdegroot]

@@DavidLewisTech I am thinking of doing the 27 inch machine from 2020 €1299,- .However I am alergic to fan noise. :) So maybe the 2023 machine is better? €1499,-

[@PathfinderARA]

While I use a Mac Mini, I agree that the iMac and MacOS have simplified computing. I constantly needed to install drivers and virus software on Windows machines, which slowed down the machine significantly. I hope to get a reasonable amount for my Mac Mini M2 for the newer version.

[@DavidLewisTech]

So, another happy Mac mini user then…I am so tempted…it could be the answer to a lot of peoples issues….

[@Midland_Wolf_71]

Mac Mini is a killer product, I’m on my second since 2015 (currently M1) and upgrading to M4 most likely when we see OFFICIAL spec….. I retire them to Media Servers on each upgrade.

[@DavidLewisTech]

When I read stories like that - I'm even more excited to try one out! I'm expecting great things from it! Thanks for commenting 👍🏻

[@NeilLavitt]

The iMac is going to be a very good buy this year. I think it will have upgraded IO as it will have either 3 or 5 USB-C ports as per the M4 SOC configuration. It will also have USB-C keyboard/mouse/trackpad. There will also likely be 16 Gb of RAM to run Apple intelligence. I’m planning on getting one for our family room so that we can all have our separate accounts and switch between them with the Touch ID as well as use it for Zooms with relatives etc.

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hi Neil - that's a good point about improved I/O. Yeah, I mentioned that I've heard all M4 macs will start with a basic 16GB of RAM, which must be good news! We all love our iMacs - what a machine!

[@ferdinandogiusepperotolo638]

It will happen, I agree.

[@glennsan1998]

@@NeilLavitt I agree with you that the iMac is a great purchase and would be excellent for talking about. I’m torn between it and an M4 laptop because even though 90% of the time when I use a computer it’s at my desk that 10% of the time when I wanna go to the basement or on vacation, dragging an iMac along it’s just impossible.

[@NeilLavitt]

@ yeh, that 10% matters. I don’t think I could completely replace a laptop with a desktop either.

[@DavidLewisTech]

I'll be able to comment on that soon!

[@thomas_xsg]

I still use my 2020 27” and I love it. I’d buy a new M-series 27” in a heartbeat

[@DavidLewisTech]

I keep hearing rumours...do you think they will ever make another large iMac again though?

[@rewanji]

Still waiting to upgrade my 2015 27” iMac but with no hope in sight and, in all respects, the current iMac is a lesser iMac and for me is a no go.

[@DavidLewisTech]

Those Intel machines were built like bullets! I love my one so much!

[@NeilLavitt]

An M4 iMac, even with a binned version (just efficiency cores) will be several times better than that 2015 iMac. Smaller screen but they do the same resolution in a smaller space and look just as good. David errored in that the IO will be better as it will get either 3 or 5 ports as per the M4 SOC spec. If will also get USB-C keyboard and mouse/trackpad. Also it will come with 16Gb to allow it to effectively run Apple intelligence. I personally think it will be a good time to buy an iMac this year.

[@gorofujita5767]

The 24 inch iMac desperately needs ProMotion (120hz). It's great for the eyes, facilitates the reading of scrolling text, and now all devices are moving in that direction (even the baseline iPhone 17 will probably start including that next year, if rumors are correct). And if you're buying a device whose display you can't change, it better have a great display.

[@DavidLewisTech]

I wonder if they will change the specs of the Pro Display XDR as that is still only 60Hz...even at that price!

[@glennsan1998]

I agree with promotion comment, but I think it also needs to go to 27 inch. My 27 inch iMac from 2020 is the best Mac I’ve ever owned. 24 is just a little too small for the work I do so I’m probably getting a Mac mini with a larger monitor.

[@DavidLewisTech]

I adore my 27-inch iMac but what with the Studio display and Mac Studio, I just don't see that there is a place in the lineup any longer for a 27-inch iMac

[@adrianjenkins2447]

Long story but currently preparing a business case to get a new Mac mini M4 with maxed out RAM for work :). Currently 70% likely to get it tooo :)

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hi Adrian - ooh! I have Mac envy! I'm not certain about the specs yet, but my heart tells me to spec it out and replace my M1 Max MacBook Pro...

[@adrianjenkins2447]

@@DavidLewisTech I did some analysis on my M1 64 GB Max studio the other day, what could have taken ~ 3-4 weeks on the work Surface laptops (2 years old 16 gb ram) took~38 hours TheM$ mini pro is likely to have 32 GB RAM but the M4 Pro is likely to be faster than the M2 Max…

[@abstractobject5337]

70% - I absolutely hate the Windows/Dell IT mob within corporate America.

[@DavidLewisTech]

so my thoughts of switching from an M1 Max to an M4 Pro sound logical then?

[@DavidLewisTech]

the poor souls that have to work on a PC everyday!

[@aloneinbangkok8534]

I have the studio display. of course Mac mini/studio + studio display is amazing, but it still just doesn't have the same feel as a real iMac. I love the iMac colors too. unfortunately I just need something more powerful than what the iMac currently offers

[@DavidLewisTech]

I am really looking forward to trying out an M4 Mac mini! But agreed, there still remains something special about working on an iMac!

[@NeilLavitt]

The new M4 Mini will be so small you likely be able to Velcro (3M strip) it to the back of that studio display. That being said, the new iMac with M4 will likely be as fast as the M2 Pro Mac Mini in multi core and 50% faster in single core. I can’t imagine anything other than 3D rendering that would warrant better.

[@JordanRyan_YT]

I've never owned a Mac, but I've had an iPhone for many years and have been using Apple Watches since the first release. The Mac Mini, though, is the first one that's really making me consider getting a Mac. Even the base model Mac Mini seems like a great deal if the rumors are true and it retains its current price. If it’s priced under £800 with 16GB of RAM and the M4 processor, as the rumors suggest, it would be an absolute steal. I rarely need my laptop away from my desk, so this form factor is perfect for me. Now, I just need to look into a KVM switch so I can easily use my desktop, Mac Mini, and work laptop without any hassle. I also like the idea of taking the Mac Mini with me when I travel, along with a portable display, keyboard, and mouse.

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hi ya Jordan - yeah, I edited that point out of the final video, but with the right monitor, the Mac mini can easily double up as a portable set-up. I am so tempted to use it as my main rig for the channel. I think you are coming to the world of Mac at just the right time! Let me know if you pick one up later this month 👍🏻

[@JordanRyan_YT]

@@DavidLewisTech I started to look at the new ARM Chips by SnapDragon which then made me look at macs again. It just seems like Apple are way ahead of the game as it stands and I think now the M4 has this much power we will see a lot more applications/games being developed natively for Mac. I think the Mac Mini is a good entry level for me and with the new M4 Processor it should be able to power my Samsung G9 49" oled Monitor. I don't believe the standard M3 could output to 5120 x 1440 but I believe the M4 can which is fantastic. Have subscribed to your channel as this video seemed much more like a real world users point of view rather than some Vloggers view.

[@shameermulji]

As much as I like Macs, the M4 13" iPad Pro is, hands down, my favorite Apple device.

[@thatampguy]

What do you enjoy about it most?

[@DavidLewisTech]

I think it's about time I make another video about my iPad - I too have been loving it!

[@shameermulji]

@@thatampguy I love the form factor. It's light, portable, immersive and powerful. I love the flexbility with respect to using touch-screen, keyboard, Pencil. I also prefer iPadOS vs macOS. Mind you, my introduction to the Apple world came via the iPhone so I am biased in that regard. It does everything I want from a home computer.

[@davidwellings2783]

My 27” iMac’s graphics card died (it was first replaced, under warranty, then it failed again and I literally cooked it in my oven - 200°C for 10 minutes, which gave me another eight months usage! When it finally gave up the ghost, I couldn’t face the dismantling process again!) I’ve been getting by with a polycarbonate white MacBook, but am desperate to get a new machine! The iMac is too small, the Mac Studio looks brilliant, but is still on M2 and won’t be upgraded to M4 till 2025(??) The speculated new Mac Mini looks a tantalising prospect, though I will have to get a Studio Display with what ever machine I settle on! Getting extremely frustrated……! 😖😖

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hi there David - unless I am way off pace here, it seems that the M4 Mac mini pro is going to be getting close to M2 Mac Studio performance. I started to look at prices yesterday of a spec’s up M2 mini…that was sobering, but, it could be a very special Mac!

[@zoganje]

Such a lovely video for all of us iMac lovers out there. I'm still using my trusty 21.5" 4K Retina iMac from late 2015 with a Fusion Drive even though I've switched to a MBA M2 and ASD combo last year. Nothing beats the design and convenience of the AiO in my opinion. Great video as always, David!

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hey man - great to hear from you again. I hope all is well with you. Those iMacs from that era were built like rockets, weren't they! The all-in-one design is just so convenient too...

[@zoganje]

@@DavidLewisTech Thanks for your concern, David. I appreciate it. Exactly! That's why I still hold on to it. It's built like a tank and I still believe that old design was far superior compared to the modern iMacs. But that's just my opinion. I'm well aware of a Latin maxim which goes that "in matters of taste, there can be no disputes". Take care!

[@drval]

I'm definitely interested in the M4 MacMini as well as you. My partner - soon to be wife I hope(!!!) - is wanting to setup a new iMac to run her small business and, while that might work very well for her situation, I've mentioned the MacMini I have to run W11 on. Yes, it's Intel based and, at this point, that IS necessary for the Windows based software because of design limitations in the language those Windows apps were compiled and built in: ie they do not run in ARM or ARM-based Hosts for GuestOS of W11. Sorry for the long note...

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hs your Intel Mac mini been a good experience?

[@drval]

Yes, it has

[@DavidLewisTech]

Right - my mind is made up. I think I may go hi specs and expect to start using it instead of my M1 max MacBook Pro

[@CoolTatts]

While I like the iMac and have owned a couple in the last (gasp) 26 years. I now prefer the Mac Mini and its versatility. Thanks for this retrospective and making me realize I’m so old 😅

[@glennsan1998]

I’ve been using Max longer than that. Old is just a state of mind really. Until you get out of bed and your knee buckles and you wonder what happened.

[@DavidLewisTech]

Ha! I know what you mean! ☺️

[@DavidLewisTech]

My man - 26 years is a great vintage!! 🤣

[@yoservs]

Still working with my m1 chip mac mini and it serves more than my needs. I have my pen display connected to with some minor issues. Don't see the sense in upgrading.

[@DavidLewisTech]

if it works for you...that is what matters!

[@thatampguy]

Dude. Love your presentation.

[@DavidLewisTech]

I appreciate that! 🙏🏻🤛🏻

[@dell1032]

David, there is an excellent 54 minute deep dive on MKBHD's The Studio channel showing how they make their videos. The exact title is "How to Make High Quality Videos in 54 min, 19 sec, 20 milliseconds"

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hi Dell - yeah I watched it yesterday. Some of it was really interesting (the audio & thumbnail parts in particular). However, the timing...selling us on why they take brand deals and how squeaky and beyond reproach they are...coming out on the back of the Panels app...the timing of the release of that video (notably with no Marques in it) was priceless!

[@ShawnRempel-s4c]

Hope to get the I Mac mini

[@DavidLewisTech]

Yup - you and me both 🙏🏻

[@eldorado5319]

I like the iMac but never owned one. I owned many PowerMacs, Mac Pro's and a Mac Mini. And my next Mac will be a..... Mac mini (M4). So I'll have to wait again for the iMac experience...

[@DavidLewisTech]

There is no doubt you'd love working on an iMac - there remains something special about it. Like you though, I am gearing up to buy an M4 Mac mini with 32GB RAM and either 2 or 4TB of storage! I'm pretty certain it'll prove to be faster than my 3-year-old M1 Max MBP...

[@nicolaijul]

im a huge iMac lover! but also iPad lover, so I sold my iMac m1 when I got the iPad 13" m4, and replaced it with studio display, so that I can use both my iPad and (often) and my wife can use her MacBook m1 on the display.. so we are hoping for a new Mac mini to replace the MacBook m1, we don't bring our device with us, so a mini will be perfect. And I really like the studio display with the Ipad:) Keep up the good work, love your channel, best of luck from Denmark;)

[@DavidLewisTech]

Hey Nicola - great to hear from you. This morning I am working on that combo...M4 iPad Pro hooked up to the gorgeous Studio Display and wearing AirPods Max! I think these new Mac minis could be such great value for money! Great to hear from you - hope to hear from you again some more! 🙏🏻

[@georgeshaffer4686]

First Mac was a 128

[@DavidLewisTech]

Classic! How many have you owned since then?

[@Johns051]

Mac min😂

[@ikunalz]

Dude spends half the video-length how much he liked using the iMac. Pointless.

[@DavidLewisTech]

the clue was in the title!