iMac

Im looking to buy an iMac for video & photo editing. Which are the best 5?

iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 16

Posted on Jul 25, 2023 12:43 AM

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3 replies

Jul 25, 2023 1:44 AM in response to Abbz85

There's only one line of iMacs left – the 24" M1 iMac line.


If you are looking for a desktop Mac, but it doesn't have to be an iMac specifically, you could consider other Macs such as the Mac Mini and Mac Studio With those, you provide a separate keyboard, mouse, and display.


Whatever Mac you get, I would suggest getting at least 16 GB of RAM, even if you have to custom-order the Mac from the online Apple Store. You cannot add RAM to Apple Silicon Macs after purchase. Adobe recommends 16 GB or more of RAM for PS / LR / LRC, and you probably would want at least that to do heavy video editing.


Jul 25, 2023 9:12 AM in response to Abbz85

To add to Servant of Cats's excellent response:


  • Avoid the entry-level iMac 24 ("seven-core"). It has a severe shortage of ports:

including no network port unless you order the optional power supply that has a network port. The 8-core model includes the ported power supply. If you need to use an external monitor or several external storage devices, the 2-port model would be crippling.

  • Just as RAM cannot be upgraded, neither can internal storage. Buy today the storage you may need in 2-3 years. I recommend no less than 512GB for home users and a minimum of 1TB for pros. We are already seeing complaints from people with 256GB SSDs who routinely do not have enough free space to install system upgrades.


the iMac 24;s are basically consumer models. Today there is no replacement for the uprated 27-inch iMac so many of us enjoy. If you can wait until Apple's fall announcements, you may see if the currently limited options improve.

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