Which is the best Imac to buy for graphic design (to future proof for the next 5 years) considering it will always run the latest adobe suite as well as 3D rendering software. - Will a refurbished one last five years?
For graphic design I would not choose an older refurbished model. Graphic design requires a lot of processing power and memory, so I would go for a most recent iMac model, with more then 8 gigs of memory, 16 at the least
The latest iMac has a M3 chip, so it would suit your needs fine
With Adobe on Mac, bets are always off. Additionally, the M1 and M3 iMac displays have had issues with horizontal lines scrolling across the middle of the screen. My gut feeling is that it happens every time someone tries to cancel their overpriced Adobe subscription but I can’t prove it unfortunately…
Anyway, stay away would be my advice.
You are asking about an iMac however for your needs you should be looking at a Mac Studio! Your question is kind of like, "What light weight Ford Pickup should I buy to haul 20 tons of gravel per day?"
While I understand this is not what you want to hear, it is correct.
answering part two first…
Adobe recommends using one of the two newest MacOS versions (Ventura or newer currently).
Apple’s next version requires a 2019 or newer and should meet Adobe recommendation for the next 2+ years. If you want support for three years beyond that you should probably get a mac three years newer. A refurbished 2022 or newer model will probably work just fine.
M3 iMac vs M2 Pro mini vs M2 Studio is another question.
Remember that with most current Macs, for future-proofing you must buy today what you need a year or two from now. RAM, storage, GPU, and video hardware are integrated into a single "system on a chip" or "SoC"configuration, meaning none can be be changed or increased after the device starts down the assembly line, not even by Apple.
If you go with a current iMac, avoid the entry-leverl model. It has only two USB ports and no ethernet port. Most pro users need more ports and wired networking.
Example (entry-level model is on the left):
On the entry-level model you pay extra to get an ethernet port; in the next model up, the ethenet port is standard and incorporated into the power supply.
Depending on you budget, you can also consider a Mac Studio or a Mac Mini M2 PRO. Same "can't upgraded after purchase" caveat applies.
+2 on the advice.
Look at the current Adobe System requirements for their applications. Especially RAM requirements. The current M3 iMac tops out at 24 GB RAM. Five years from now, both macOS and Adobe applications will have their RAM requirements expanded and a non-upgradable Mac with 24 GB RAM may be insufficient for sustained performance and application usage. You probably will have more than one Adobe application opened concurrently making this even more of a RAM restriction issue.
A current M2 Mac mini Pro can be configured with 32 GB RAM and more CPU/GPU cores than the current iMac. You then get to select the appropriate 32-inch 4K or 5K LG display that will give you far more usable screen real estate for open applications. I have a M2 Mac mini Pro with 32 GB RAM and a 32-in 4K UltraFine LG display and I would not trade it for any 24-in iMac.
Apple has recently added a website to help you choose which Mac would be best for you based on your needs.
VikingOSX wrote:
I have a M2 Mac mini Pro with 32 GB RAM and a 32-in 4K UltraFine LG display and I would not trade it for any 24-in iMac.
Which is the best Imac to buy for graphic design
