Insightful video Lauren. Asus Vivobook. I added extra ram taking it from 8gb to 20gb. And maybe to add an extra solid state drive to run the 3d program/s
Thanks for a fantastic REAL WORLD review. I get so fed up with tech benchmark reviews that are for most people meaningless, at the end of the day all I need to know is will it get the job done.
Cheers from a fellow graphic designer! My aging 2015 iMac was close to dying on me too so I decided to trade it in the Apple Store. They took my old one all right but when I asked for the one I wanted (yellow! 💛) it turned out to be out of stock, as well as most other colors. They only had silver and green available but I had my heart set on the yellow. After 20-something years of silver/beige iMacs, I really wanted a change. What a bummer! The sales girl almost had me convinced to get the silver. They had brought in the box and everything and then I asked if I could trade the keyboard for the one with the numeric keypad. And since they didn't have that option either, I put my foot down and left the store empty-handed but went home and ordered online the one I really wanted. It took two weeks to arrive but it was WORTH THE WAIT! My yellow one is so pretty I want to eat it. In terms of performance, I'm astounded at how fast apps open. I've run into the "this webpage is running slowly" when I have multiple tabs open and since I kept the 8 Gigs of RAM it's probably for the best not to have so many apps open at the same time.
Wow that sounds amazing and beautiful! I am proud of you for sticking it out for 2 weeks too! Would love to see a pic of that. The colors they created are truly aesthetic beyond belief. I am glad that the performance is overall good. Yes, sometimes the webpage could be an Internet connection problem too. In any case, enjoy your new delicious yellow iMac!
Hey! Hello there? Are the colors not too distracting? I am about to change my 27inch imac as it is 10 years old. I do not know if I should go with the silver or a colorful one as I am an illustrator. I am worried that the front color would be too distracting for me when working on drawings. Any thoughts?
This is the best computer I have ever had abs I had many. My first imac but I only had macs in the past. This is the most sensible computer I had in my career. This is an all in one that reduces desk cluster. Powerful, light, amazing screen(finally) and this m1 chip does the job and in almost a year I never heard the fan even under great stress. I am just amazed by it. I will stick to this concept now until I retire.
Yes! I agree 100% with all you said. I had an iMac in 2004 and then switched to a Mac Pro at my job and then had the 27” iMac and now this one. It is a really sturdy and beautiful and reliable computer.
I changed from a 2019 iMac 27" due to failure on 3 occasions (I always recommend apple care after this experience) and screen size was fine, this 24" iMac is by far the best system I have owned or used, more than pleased with it.
My wife is a graphic designer and has had an iMac 27” since 2013. Last year in the middle of a project, the fan in the iMac called it quits. I researched how to replace it, and it was a pain in the backside, so we took it to a repair shop. After a month and numerous calls to the shop out of the blues, the technician supposedly found other issues with the iMac. I said forget it and took it home wholly disassembled. Since my wife had a 27” 4k monitor that she used with the iMac, I told her to get a Mac Mini, so she got on the online Apple Store and bought a 16Gb Ram and 1Tb Mac Mini. She also bought another monitor of the same kind that she had. She is pleased with her setup, but that does not impede her from nagging me about how nice it would be to have a Mac Studio 😂😂😂 I told her to wait for the anticipated new Mac Mini that is supposed to come out sometime in this decade 🙏. Anyway, I like your channel; I am going to share it with my wife, so most likely, she will subscribe also well as I. Stay safe 🙏
Oh wow! So it seems that I’m not the only one with this 27” fan problem engine dying on us! Sorry that happened to her but I like the solution you came up with. Yes a Mac Studio would of course be amazing! But for what I do the iMac is wonderful. Thanks so much for your kind words and I’ll be happy to have both of you as subscribers 😊
Thanks so much for this review! It was just what I needed. I've just had a very similar event happen...I'm on a design deadline and my 27in iMac just froze. Trying not to panic I called all the repair places but can't get in anywhere until tomorrow and even then it could be days IF they can fix it. So then started looking at a new one. This video was so helpful and I've just ordered the 24in and am picking it up tomorrow.
So happy that you choose the silver! Blue wouldn't fit at your desk at all and it would likely come without a Magic Trackpad, which would mean you would need a new one and you can't buy the blue one separately.
Like you, my 27-inch iMac failed two days ago and I lost everything since the last backup in January. I blame the Fusion drive-- shame on Apple. Happy to have a new 24-inch with 1 TB SSD in blue, picked up at the Cupertino store. Here's hoping for a more stable platform and no more spinning disk drive issues!
Oh no I am so sorry to hear that happened to you Barry! Yes the Fusion drive is not great. Great you got the 24 inch in blue! that is the one I wanted. Nice work :) I wish no more spinning drives upon both of us!
Thanks for making this video. My biggest concern was the smaller screen size, coming from a previous 27 inch 1440p monitor, and 32 inch 4K monitor, in which I would plug in my mid-2019 MacBook Pro via USB-C. After seeing one in-person and getting to try it out, I can say with confidence that 24 inches is more than enough screen space. In my opinion, a 24 inch screen keeps me more focused on being productive as opposed to being tempted to consume media on a larger screen. Probably just a personal issue haha. What helps is the higher resolution making UI elements and text looking sharp when using any of the creative cloud apps. For my personal specs, I am choosing to upgrade to the 8-core chip because it adds an extra fan for cooling on the IMac, but also I need 16GB’s of RAM for most of my daily tasks as a UX/UI designer. I love how powerful the new M1 chip and blows my MacBook outta the water! I also personally like the silver color and how it just seamlessly blends in with the aesthetic of my house.
Glad you also found the smaller screen workable. Haha funny point on being more focused. Good idea on the RAM and cooling fan. Yes I agree on it being truly beautiful resolution. And silver is a beautiful color 👌
Thank you for having this review! I'm in the same boat a year later, and Adobe no longer supports my 27-in iMac, and I'm freaking out. Lol I guess I have to downgrade to the smaller screen. Ug. 😅
I still have my original Mid 2014 5K 27 inch iMac. It will soon be unsupported by security updates. It’s been the most dependable computer I’ve ever owned and as long as it lives, I will use it. Of course I’ve been considering an upgrade but I was initially really put off by that new iMac look but I get it. This is a throwback to the original iMacs with “one size fits all” and multiple colors! I must admit this new design is starting to grow on me. The all glass front reminds me of the iPhone 4 which was the first iPhone I held in my hands. The build quality was impressive! I think I could be quite fine with one of these!
Yesss! My aunt had one of those original iMacs from the 80s/90s and that was funny enough my first computer. I agree on the iPhone glass front. At first I didn't like it either, but if you choose to get a color, it makes it even more beautiful. Best of luck and you can always keep your 27 inch as a backup. We got a new hard drive for mine and my team still uses it for more administrative things.
I was looking for a straight forward review of the 24” iMac and yours is the only one I found. Based on your thoughts, I will definitely purchase one. Even though My 2013 27” iMac is still working, it will not accept the latest OS, and Photoshop with various plug-ins cannot be upgraded either. Thank you.
great review! all I wanted to know was how it works from a user's perspective rather than numbers and stats, especially when I'm considering using Photoshop and you did it perfectly without wasting time. thanks again!!! Also, I just subscribed.
Thank you so much for this!! I'm sitting with my 2011 27" iMac looking for ANYONE to present and honest review of the new Macs with graphic designers (not videographers or gamers) in mind. As much as I'd love an updated 27" all-in-one, I'm not holding my breath for Apple to sell one.
Yay! I’m so glad it helped! I realized there were already tons of reviews but I felt there wasn’t any genuine ones for designers. I agree with you on the 27”! And I’m so amaZed your 2011 one is still intact!
@@4TheCreativesIt's been a workhorse for me but at this point, it's had its time. Need to upgrade to Catalina ASAP and some applications have slowed to a crawl. I've resigned myself to customizing something to suit my needs, but wasn't expecting so many options.
Unfortunately I think the 27” is dead because of Studio Display. It’s disappointing because Studio Display isn’t an all-in-one which is why a lot of us gravitate to iMac.
I did mention this, that the screen size does not bother me. I am able to work on it very well and that it is more at my level the way the computer is configured.
Just think how more crazy happy you would be if you had at least 512 GB Storage (I got 1 TB) and 16 GB Ram...Glad to hear you didn't like the silver color...I have the bright orange and its been working flawlessly for the last 18 months...The very best iMac I have ever owned...
Thank you for the review. I just purchased one yesterday and I am picking it up at the Apple store this Friday. I really enjoyed a non technical review, even though I am very tech savvy. BTW, purchased the blue one!🙂
I bought this iMac model as there was no 27" in the shop, I’m just waiting to arrive. I’m having second thoughts about the purchase since I’m not sure about the 8GB ram working with clip studio paint and Wacom intuos, as well as well as the screen size but there was something about it. Watching this video gave me some reassurance that I’ve made the right decision.
I must have a tank, my iMac 27" late 2015 is still going but I'm hearing some noises too that don't sound too great. Then the other day it like just shutdown on me. Thank goodness I was just watching a youtube video and not actually working on something creative. I like your video because I'm a designer. Most of these iMac 24" reviews are for general office stuff. You really gave a thorough input on how it works for you and makes me feel more confident about getting one, thanks. Although I kinda feel that I wanna hold out for if they release a M2 version. It's been two years...
Oh dear the noises are so painful to hear! I had that too... I am sure the M2 will be amazing and I have not been following the release of that, but the M1 is really great and will not dissapoint.
I learned Graphic Design using Macs in school. Since working in my career I been using my employers PC including personal Labtops & Desktops I pay out of pocket. Both systems are effective and have their advantages once you understand both. At some point every designer has to put their Specialized Skills into perspective. This is how you determine which system is most suitable. Also, for a long time most softwares only worked on PC. This is why a lot of people use PC within industry standard, convenience and affordable. As a designer I feel more secure with the PC to complete any task. On the other hand the I’m totally aware the Mac operating system is more organized with a user experience that’s more innovating. If I’m serious about the best results in today’s world, I would need two separate computers. Mac & PC together
Thanks for sharing your experience! That would be interesting to have both a PC and a Mac. When I worked in-house I did have a PC for more administrative functions and then used my Mac for designs. My dad is on your side about the PC being more secure, but I always feel that Apple is so much of a smoother and easier interface for creating. Going back to PC now would be way to detrimental to my workflow.
@@4TheCreatives This is the computer I’m currently using. If you decide PC in the future, I highly suggest this model. It’s not a Mac but it’s really nice for Designers with enough fun-factors. The performance is superb and it’s hard to not like this computer. Also, the Logitech POP Mouse gives it a nice feel. ASUS - ProArt StudioBook 16 H5600 16" Laptop - AMD Ryzen 9 - 32 GB Memory - NVIDIA AMD GeForce RTX 3060 Radeon Vega 7 Graphics
Just to correct. Mac is the industry standard for creatives. Adobe always prioritise Mac over windows pc. You don't need to plugin charger all the time for macbook like windows. Plus no fan noise or heat. Apple silicon is the future mu friend
Don't rush to give up on your iMac 27 yet, most slowness issues are related to the slow fusion drive. buy an external SSD (eg Samsung T7) and plug it in via the USB-C and transfer your whole system to it. after this my iMac 27 has literally come back to life again. I can never go back to 24" after having used 27" for years.
Great tips! And we are currently repurposing the 27", but I have adjusted very well to the 24" and thought that I could never go to it, but it is really not that different.
I was curious, are you considering upgrading to the M3 iMac? Months after I listened to your video, I got the iMac and it has been great for creating videos for teaching. The M3 seems to be faster.
I use a PC that I built myself as I used it for gaming but now that I'm heading more into the design field, I'm starting to work towards getting more Apple products.
I love that you have only 8GB/256GB and still found it adequate. That's the power of the M1. As for the magnetic power cable, it aligns the plug for ethernet data transfer and holds it tight, because there is not much friction on such a small device. Mine is green and I love it to death. 😊
@@4TheCreatives Green is calming and the least distracting, I believe. Apart from silver of course. The teal backside looks almost black in the winter. I'm also attracted to the orange iMac. Maybe I need two? The whole idea of colorful iMacs is just wonderful.
Oooh that teal color sounds amazing! And the orange was super yummy looking too. Why not get two? Yes as soon as I saw them I fell in love and didn’t expect I’d need to get one as the size had turned me off. Until necessity hit!
@@4TheCreatives For me it was inflation and the dropping exchange rate of the euro. As much as I wanted to wait for a large screen iMac, there was no way it would be priced affordably. So I started to look and found, people are selling their one year old M1 iMacs for up to -40% less than Apple. The opportunity was too good, so I "settled" ( or so I thought ) for the smaller 24-inch. Little did I know how roomy it feels to actually use one. Standing at the Apple desk of a big retail store doesn't give you the right impression. You need to sit at your own desk and experience first hand how cool, quiet and quick it is. It's funny how reluctant we were before the purchase and how satisfied afterwards. One day I will own a big iMac as a living room TV. In the meantime I'm absolutely happy.
@Arthur D'Aquino If you look for a longevity upgrade, choose the 512GB storage. Because that also instantly doubles the total amount of bytes that can be written to disk before the SSD starts to wear out. But performance wise it's all the same.
Now that's what I call a review. Thank you. My late 2015 27" imac is running so slllloooowww with Adobe CS...even with 32gb RAM. Time to start shopping. :-)
I am just shutting down my 27" and purchasing the M3 24". I also use a Wacom Cintiq. Can you tell me what kind of hub you purchased to still use your old connectors? Your review was very helpful.
Alright, sold. I’m learning, and planning to start a career in, product design. My laptop is a Lenovo but I’m going to need to move past it one day. I’ve had a Mac before and am dying to go back lol
Excellent, thanks. My macbook pro keeps flashing purple up on the screen so I get the feeling it might die soon. I was looking at the iMac 24 and this review has tipped me over the edge, I'm off to buy one. Thanks !
thank you so much for the lovely review well done covered everything, am an Apple user as well and I need it to upgrade my system since am using adobe Preimer and adobe addition but I was worried about the 8GB Ram I know you have clearly mentioned it fine but I need to more sure will it work fine with 4K videos and adobe Preimer will work fine ?? thanks once again
Great review Lauren, i love how you made it interesting and funny. you got a new subscriber lol One question tho. I'm thinking about buying this, but i'd like to know from your experience, do large photoshop or AI files as big as 4-5gb run well on it?
Thank you! Yes, they run okay AS LONG AS you don't have many programs open at once. And that you have your storage space not exceeding 3/4 full. It forces me to properly store files in DropBox and get them off my hard drive as well as delete unnecessary ones which I used to let run wild when I had my 27" with 2TB of space. If you will regularly be running PSB files that large, then I would suggest upping your RAM.
I have the green version which also replaced my 27 I Mac as well it was way too big for me the new one takes way less desk space and free from clutter and is super fast boots up in less then 1 minute
I have Hp 15, with 16gb RAM, Adobe cc run smoothly enough so far, but I am awaiting the next M2 generation next October, to upgrade. I believe Mac is the best option for design
This was a really helpful video! I noticed you were using InDesign at 3:30. What has been your experience using InDesign for projects with the M1? You usually find loads of videos of people testing out Photoshop and Illustrator, but never InDesign. Have you ever thought of doing a test in real time?
I have a 2015 iMac 27' which I do love. It is ageing with random shutdowns I can't remedy that are driving me mad. It's been my workhorse. I am a Web Developer / Graphic Designer and I live in XD, Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. But they are sooo slow. It is effecting productivity. I even purchased the Affinity alternatives which do run much quicker. But they have nothing that compares to XD or Illustrator. I usually have one program open on the left and another on the right. I don't know if the 24' will be large enough and I should go with a Macbook Pro with 4k monitor for the advantage of transportability. With vector artwork that large screen size is so important. I did see the 24' new iMac in a shop and is seemed rather small but I suppose I could easily adapt. Macs are a bit harder to find in shops in Ireland regardless most creative production houses run on them for good reason.
Makes total sense and o love that you are a hardcore Adobe user as I am. I could never go to Affinity. But what I would suggest is having a second monitor if you want more room. I was surprised that the 24 was still a great amount of space for me though. I was so worried at first.
@@4TheCreatives Thanks a mill for the reply. As I was writing my reply my iMac performed its random shutdown fault again. I reckon I am on borrowed time. Affinity has some decent programs like Publisher which is faster for smaller projects where InDesign is just overkill. But the Adobe libraries syncing to all apps is very handy. Adobe falls short with Premiere, its a ridden with bugs, wrecking my head. Best stick to FCP for video. Or trying to paste a simple vector graphic from XD to Illustrator or vice versa, the spinning wheel of death is the result that will make your head explode. I do hope you back everything backed up in a cloud option like Dropbox or Google Drive after your most unfortunate luck.
@@deirdrenic9823 Oh dear on the shutdown! I know what you mean on the head explosion...lol...it is soooo irritating when that spinning wheel comes. And yes I have Time Machine all backed up now for my 24". I don't like Publisher and am obsessed with InDesign, but I am glad you have found one that works for you as an alternate. And sidenote: My whole father's line has ancestry in Ireland :)
@@4TheCreatives Aye InDesign is a brilliant tool. I have designed countless promo material in there. Uploading to the cloud and sharing a link for clients is class, anything print. Affinity Publisher is for the simple bits. I hope you didn't think i meant Microsoft Publisher🤮lol I live on a farm on the side of a mountain, a wild and beautiful place. Extra points for Irish ancestry😀
@@deirdrenic9823 Lol at first I did think you meant Microsoft! haha. Yes, I agree on InDesign. Oh wow, what a gorgeous place that must be! I love that so much. My ancestral name is O'Meara.
@@4TheCreatives Yes I'm a graphic designer with 2 and a half years of experience. I'm thinking about getting one because I have an Asus Vivobook 2013, who is bailing on me even for small tasks, and I'm also aiming to improve the quality of my work!
@@4TheCreatives Haha, you're not bailling me. In fact, I did get a job at a global financial app that has a lot of benefits and a good salary compared to the common salary for a designer in my country. They sent me a Macbook Pro M2 with the best storage also. But I plan to get a Macbook Air just in case I work abroad some day, cool isn't it:
Hi, I'm planning on getting an iMac and I'm wondering since it's been two years from your review and adobe received a lot of updates since, does the 8GB ram still work well ? Thank you for all the info.
I am amazed that things still work well. If I could I would get a higher ram as when the computer gets below 100 GB or space left, it does start to slow down. But this has forced me to be extremely organized and not leave files on the computer when I am done with them. But in terms of the Adobe programs, it still works very well.
Thank you for the GREAT video ... my 27' (8 year old) iMac hasn't crashed yet, yet other than that I'm in the exact situation that you were in with one exception ... I also use Maxon's Cinema 4D 3D software ... I'm wondering how the new mac will handle it? have you heard any news on that? Jimmy
Ooh doing 3D I believe would be best suited to a Mac Studio setup. I have heard that using 3D programs is not the best. For light video files and for graphic design programs that I mentioned (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator) it is perfect, but the Mac Studio is really for the heavier ones you mention. But if you have been able to handle that program on your 27" iMac then I can tell you that this one is much more powerful. I would just go all the way if I were you and going to invest.
@@4TheCreatives Thank you for your feedback ... really appreciate it! My gut was telling me to go with the Mac Studio, yet it's GREAT when people such as yourself can help me reaffirm! Thank you again! Jimmy
Thx, i still use my 27 inch iMac for design as i still use my old software. I bought a M1 Mac mini that is plugged onto my tv screen and it is perfect but the 8 g ram isn’t enough. I’d love to get an iMac for coding and such but it has only 16g of ram. Do u find it enough for your workflow? On the Mac mini the ram is taken by the internet it’s crazy! Just need another computer to work that my old iMac can’t handle anymore as it can’t be upraded.
You have quite an interesting setup with the TV screen! I couldn't deal with that. I do find that my low RAM is okay for me as long as I don't have too many files on my computer. I do a frequent cleaning and storing in DropBox to keep the space that is free at least 100 GB. Obviously the more the better, but what type of programs are you dealing with?
@ 4 The Creatives Does your cursor freeze for a few seconds in the upper left corner of the screen when you first turn it on. Then freeze for a few seconds when you log in to your user after a cold startup
I looked this up and this is the info I found on the program Ableton: help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/209772425-Live-1-9-Minimum-System-Requirements
Did you consider the base Mac Studio with Apple Display? I'm also a graphic designer currently trying to update from my 2015 iMac 27 and I can't decide between Mac Studio+Apple Display, Mac Mini+Apple Display or iMac 24, but I fear it would not be powerful enough to last me at least another 3 years or that the screen will be too small. I would really appreciate an advice, thank you!
I did consider the Studio at one point and I had a Mac Pro when I worked in-house that was great, but I found that the way Apple has been making their iMacs, the power has been just as good as the Mac Pro was. Now I have not used a Mac Studio currently, but for the type of programs I run (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), the iMac is in my opinion sufficient. Back when I had the Mac Pro in 2010 an iMac was not sufficient to run those programs. My 2015 iMac lasted 6 years. This new iMac is exceptionally better than that one.
The Studio will be as future proof as you'll ever need. I'd go with a MINIMUM of 1TB storage, but the Max processor and 32GB RAM will do it all. A Mini, even with 8GB, is immensely capable for the price but in terms of long term usability, connectivity etc, I'd go with the Studio; THE PROBLEM is that the Studio and Studio Display together effectively costs twice the amount of the previous entry level iMac 27". I won't consider changing my 5K iMac for something with any less than a 5K screen, so the SD is the only way forwards...
@@4TheCreatives Was also, so upset with the Studio Display that, I picked-up a used 2014 "space gray" trash can size Mac Pro D-700, with RAM of 64 GB and a 1TB SSD for $1,200 and then paired it with my Apple 27-inch Cinema LED (none thunderbolt) display and everything is working great together (smile...smile).
Hi there! Thanks for the video. Obviously you're are pretty pleased with the new M1 iMac, but I jut wanted to ask if there have been any uncomfortable aspects for you to going from a 27" to a 24". Do you ever find it cramped working within Adobe programs and their myriad of palettes? Cheers!
I really have not had this problem and I thought I would so I was surprised. A lot of the 27” was taken up by the margin of the computer. I’m really liking the margin being smaller. Margin meaning the space around the screen.
@@4TheCreatives Thanks so much for getting back to me! I'm really glad for this feedback...I have been thinking in some ways it would be really nice to have a display with a smaller overall footprint/presence on my desk but I'm definitely a little anxious about having less desktop "real estate" for design. I have read that the higher resolution of the display makes it feel more spacious because everything is much crisper at a smaller size than on displays with less resolution. And I love the slimmer, sleeker bezel on the M1. (I could also get better about managing my workspace and palettes in Illustrator, etc. I'm sure any loss in workspace size would be helped by keeping things a little more tidy!)
It’s so funny as there was another designer who commented on the same thing about being more tidy with their desktop and I have noticed the same thing for myself! I actually love that about it. Plus like you said the desk real estate is a real bonus. It truly is more compact. Allows for more room for my Wacom.
@@conradobravo6803 I always used the Apple Pencil for iPads. I don't like to draw on my screen and haven't tried the track pad because it is too small.
is your iMac a 8 GB one or 16 GB? I need one for home use, no graphic designing yet, but my daughter may start learning in a year or two. Not sure if 8 GB would suffice. If you are managing the designing work with 8GB one, then it should be more than enough for me also. Please let me know.
@@4TheCreatives Thank you. this is helpful. Not sure which exact software my daughter wants to use. She wasn't to do photo and video edits, compose and edit music and so on.... :)
lol everyone saying thank you, but if this was a guy doing a review the comments would be full of MAC sucks blah blah blah 🤣😂 I like your review very open minded
now this is called a genuine review facing same issue currently using 27 inch. & confused whether should buy 24 M1 or not or now after watching this going to buy this.
I still think the discontinued "space gray" 27-inch iMac Pro, is a perfect for a graphics designer (it has every port that, you could want) but, even used the base model is still about $2,200. However, if all your applications have been updated to run on Apple's M-1 and M-2 processor chips a good future proof option, would be a top of the line colorful 24-inch iMac (smile...smile).
By the time, I am ready to settle with Mac they upgrade stuff. For eg new processor etc. Then I get a feeling. I am missing the new stuff and , mind says to sell what I have and get the new one. Apple is emotional manipulator ha ha.
Totally!! Sorry they have you hooked. But I can tell you I lasted with my iPhone 6S for 5.5 years and did great while everyone else flashed their 11s, 12s and 13s. As long as it still works, you are good to go.
