Poss switch from Windows to Mac

[goinggreynow]

Evening all,
Long time since I was a regular poster and I need to put that right.
I find myself at a bit of a crossroads and would appreciate any words of wisdom to help me not make a gigantic mistake.
For reasons I won’t bore you with, I seem to have fallen ‘out of love’ with my photography and I want to put that right.
My camera kit and lenses are fine.
But I don’t seem to leave the house much these days so the kit stays in the bag. I think I need a good kick up the ….. to get motivated again.
My IT/computing kit isn’t fine, though, and when I also look at the number of photos I’ve taken and done nothing with, I feel totally overwhelmed and this is probably a contributing factor to my overall lethargy.
I realise that simply buying new computer kit won’t solve all of my issues - but I am at the point where my existing W10 desktop (from 2012/3) has to be replaced - not least because it won’t upgrade to W11.
So, I do need to make a fundamental decision - soon, but not overnight - as to whether to stay with Windows kit or to make a real break and go with a Mac mini.
Any thoughts, experiences or words of wisdom would be much appreciated, taking into account;
- I have no experience of the Mac OS but do run an Ipad Pro
- I have a nice Eizo monitor which has DVI and displayport inputs which I cannot afford to change
- I have used LR (version 6) for years but would not say I was ‘wedded’ to the software and would be OK making a change
- realistically if I went Mac mini, it would be the base model.
Thanks.

 

[ecoleman]

I was a very long time windows user. In fact from windows 3.0 all the way to XP before I made the switch to Mac.

It’s is different and is a bit of a learning curve especially after using windows for so long but it didn’t take me too long to find my way around. Installing apps is very different but so simple and so fast you’ll wonder why you ever put up with windows and its constant reboots. Updates are less frequent and far less intrusive and as the OS and hardware are all by Apple the windows issues of outdated or incompatible drivers are a thing of the past.

All I can say is get a book, watch some YouTube videos, visit an Apple Store and have a play. I’ve been using Mac for around 15 years and I’ll never go back.

In terms of the Mac mini. I think you really will be hard pressed to find a comparable mini PC for the money. For photo edited you really want at least 16gb (8Gb will work fine but you will find the SSD gets hammered a bit with swap memory). Apple upgrades can be silly money so I usually get the base storage as USB or NAS storage can be added but get 16-32gb ram depending on budget as it can’t be upgraded later.

 

[GeeJay57]

After about 30-years of using and building PCs (MS-DOS through to Windows 7), in 2013 I decided to get a late 2012 iMac27. It's still going though it is no longer upgradeable. Best computer I've owned. Have in the interim also used laptops with Windows 10, including upgrading them to run from SSD. I also have a Windows 10 partition on my iMac, which in fairness has worked well, but after using MacOS for just over a decade, I really don't like Windows.

Back in February, I bought a MacBook Air (M2, 8GB, 512GB) and it's great for what I need.

If I were buying again, I would get another MacBook Air, but with M3 16GB 512GB or wait for the M4 version.

 

[goinggreynow]

I was a very long time windows user. In fact from windows 3.0 all the way to XP before I made the switch to Mac.

It’s is different and is a bit of a learning curve especially after using windows for so long but it didn’t take me too long to find my way around. Installing apps is very different but so simple and so fast you’ll wonder why you ever put up with windows and its constant reboots. Updates are less frequent and far less intrusive and as the OS and hardware are all by Apple the windows issues of outdated or incompatible drivers are a thing of the past.

All I can say is get a book, watch some YouTube videos, visit an Apple Store and have a play. I’ve been using Mac for around 15 years and I’ll never go back.

In terms of the Mac mini. I think you really will be hard pressed to find a comparable mini PC for the money. For photo edited you really want at least 16gb. Apple upgrades can be silly money so I usually get the base storage as USB or NAS storage can be added but get 16-32gb ram depending on budget as it can’t be upgraded later.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I appreciate the input.
If I do go the Mac mini route, I just need to make sure that I don’t fall into any ‘bear traps’ - e.g. there is an issue using my existing monitor, for example.

 

[goinggreynow]

After about 30-years of using and building PCs (MS-DOS through to Windows 7), in 2013 I decided to get a late 2012 iMac27. It's still going though it is no longer upgradeable. Best computer I've owned. Have in the interim also used laptops with Windows 10, including upgrading them to run from SSD. I also have a Windows 10 partition on my iMac, which in fairness has worked well, but after using MacOS for just over a decade, I really don't like Windows.

Back in February, I bought a MacBook Air (M2, 8GB, 512GB) and it's great for what I need.

If I were buying again, I would get another MacBook Air, but with M3 16GB 512GB or wait for the M4 version.

Thanks.
I’ve already thought about the advantages/disadvantages of MacBook v Mac mini and for me, one of the things to consider is whether or not the ability to sit on the sofa, listening to my hi-fi, and editing photos on a laptop, might just be a part-solution to my long list of inter-related issues.
The reality is, though, I won’t know without buying a Macbook!

 

[GeeJay57]

Thanks.
I’ve already thought about the advantages/disadvantages of MacBook v Mac mini and for me, one of the things to consider is whether or not the ability to sit on the sofa, listening to my hi-fi, and editing photos on a laptop, might just be a part-solution to my long list of inter-related issues.
The reality is, though, I won’t know without buying a Macbook!

I bought an inexpensive USB-C dock that has HDMI, micro SD, SD, and USB-A slots in it, so that gives me options for external connectivity for the MacBook Air if I want it. Being just A4 in size with 17-hours of battery life, it’s a very handy thing. Very pleased with it.

 

[the_accidental]

Usb-c to DisplayPort will work fine on a mini.

The base M4 is an amazing deal in performance per pound, you can’t get close with a PC. But - and it’s a big but - upping the storage costs a lot unless you’re prepared to do it via an external SSD. Which for a desktop like the mini isn’t too bad of a compromise. Get something fast, Thunderbolt connection rather than USB ideally, but even 10Gbps USB drives will feel amazing vs a 10yo pc.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

I use both Windows based PCs ond Apple Macs and I use them a lot.

The first point I would make is that the devil you know is always the best first choice. On that basis, I would stay with Windows, unless there is something that you definitely cannot do on Windows.

You say you have never used a Mac but you are an iPad user. If you're prepared to pay for one of the new Macs, running Sequoia, you'll find yourself with two converging operating systems that will interact well but you'll have to pay a substantial premium over a new Windows machine in the same class.

There are many packages that are offered as identical or nearly so on both operating systems. There is both free, open source and paid for packages and these are often very well established. As an example, the MacBook on the left and the Acer on the right are both plugged into the same double cassette tape deck and both are running the open source Audacity recording and editing package...

 

[ancient_mariner]

As I recenyly posted in another thread:

If you hate having to manage Windows and dislike being responsible for looking after the OS then you will probably LOVE the Mac. OTOH if you hate not being in control of how your computer does stuff and like to have at least some sense of knowing wat's going on then you'll probably HATE the Mac. Also generally Macs have no upgradeablility - generally nothing like RAM or hard drive space can be increased after purchase - what you buy is what you have forever with current models.

I've owned a Mac and used them over many years, but dislike the sense of losing control. I have a good friend who didn't like the computing side of computers, and was overjoyed when he bought his first Mac.

 

[goinggreynow]

Usb-c to DisplayPort will work fine on a mini.

The base M4 is an amazing deal in performance per pound, you can’t get close with a PC. But - and it’s a big but - upping the storage costs a lot unless you’re prepared to do it via an external SSD. Which for a desktop like the mini isn’t too bad of a compromise. Get something fast, Thunderbolt connection rather than USB ideally, but even 10Gbps USB drives will feel amazing vs a 10yo pc.

Thanks.
It’s good to hear that my existing screen will be Ok if I go the Mac mini route.
I appreciate the warning about storage costs. The mini would only work for me in its entry configuration. I’m not tight, but I refuse to pay £200 for an extra 256Gb of hard disk and certainly not £400 for an extra 750Gb.
I would just have to get used to external drives or do something a but more radical like setting up a Raspberry Pi as a NAS (haven’t checked yet if there would be any issues).

 

[TimHughes]

Evening all,
Long time since I was a regular poster and I need to put that right.
I find myself at a bit of a crossroads and would appreciate any words of wisdom to help me not make a gigantic mistake.
For reasons I won’t bore you with, I seem to have fallen ‘out of love’ with my photography and I want to put that right.
My camera kit and lenses are fine.
But I don’t seem to leave the house much these days so the kit stays in the bag. I think I need a good kick up the ….. to get motivated again.
My IT/computing kit isn’t fine, though, and when I also look at the number of photos I’ve taken and done nothing with, I feel totally overwhelmed and this is probably a contributing factor to my overall lethargy.
I realise that simply buying new computer kit won’t solve all of my issues - but I am at the point where my existing W10 desktop (from 2012/3) has to be replaced - not least because it won’t upgrade to W11.
So, I do need to make a fundamental decision - soon, but not overnight - as to whether to stay with Windows kit or to make a real break and go with a Mac mini.
Any thoughts, experiences or words of wisdom would be much appreciated, taking into account;
- I have no experience of the Mac OS but do run an Ipad Pro
- I have a nice Eizo monitor which has DVI and displayport inputs which I cannot afford to change
- I have used LR (version 6) for years but would not say I was ‘wedded’ to the software and would be OK making a change
- realistically if I went Mac mini, it would be the base model.
Thanks.

I understand how you’re feeling. When passion fades, especially with a backlog of photos and gear sitting unused, it can feel overwhelming. But the fact that you’re looking for ways to reignite your love for photography is already a fantastic first step—so well done for starting that journey!

Before diving into the Windows / Mac question, let’s talk about getting back to shooting. Sometimes it’s not about forcing yourself to take more photos but about rediscovering what made photography fun for you in the first place. Joining one of photography challenges here in the forum or setting a small, achievable goal can be a great way to rekindle your creativity. It doesn’t have to be a big project—even just capturing something that catches your eye on a walk can help remind you why you love photography.

On the technical side, the most important thing is having a setup that feels smooth and inspiring to use, not a source of frustration. If you’re considering a Mac mini, it could be a refreshing change! While there’s a bit of a learning curve, macOS is very intuitive, and if you’re familiar with iPadOS, you’ll feel right at home quickly. The base model Mac mini is more than capable of handling Lightroom or an alternative, and your Eizo monitor will work beautifully with the right adapter (like DisplayPort to USB-C or Thunderbolt). I have the 2019 Mac mini with such an adapter for an old Eizo monitor and it works well.

Take your time, and remember—it’s supposed to be fun! Wishing you all the best, and I hope you’re back out shooting again soon.

 

[goinggreynow]

I use both Windows based PCs ond Apple Macs and I use them a lot.

The first point I would make is that the devil you know is always the best first choice. On that basis, I would stay with Windows, unless there is something that you definitely cannot do on Windows.

You say you have never used a Mac but you are an iPad user. If you're prepared to pay for one of the new Macs, running Sequoia, you'll find yourself with two converging operating systems that will interact well but you'll have to pay a substantial premium over a new Windows machine in the same class.

There are many packages that are offered as identical or nearly so on both operating systems. There is both free, open source and paid for packages and these are often very well established. As an example, the MacBook on the left and the Acer on the right are both plugged into the same double cassette tape deck and both are running the open source Audacity recording and editing package...

View attachment 439705

Many thanks.
I have to say that after so many years running Windows, it would be quite a wrench to leave it behind. There is nothing (I know of) that I would like to/need to do but which I can’t do on Windows.
I guess it’s mainly a case of needing to do something to move off of W10 whilst at the same time, hearing about the new Mac mini 4.
As a fellow Audacity user, those screens look very familiar!

 

[goinggreynow]

As I recenyly posted in another thread:

If you hate having to manage Windows and dislike being responsible for looking after the OS then you will probably LOVE the Mac. OTOH if you hate not being in control of how your computer does stuff and like to have at least some sense of knowing wat's going on then you'll probably HATE the Mac. Also generally Macs have no upgradeablility - generally nothing like RAM or hard drive space can be increased after purchase - what you buy is what you have forever with current models.

I've owned a Mac and used them over many years, but dislike the sense of losing control. I have a good friend who didn't like the computing side of computers, and was overjoyed when he bought his first Mac.

Thanks. This has put another perspective on things which I hadn’t thought about.
I can say categorically that I don’t like not being in control.

 

[the_accidental]

OTOH if you hate not being in control of how your computer does stuff and like to have at least some sense of knowing wat's going on then you'll probably HATE the Mac

I’d actually argue the opposite. You get a full unix system on a Mac, integrated nicely with all the gui apps. By comparison on windows it feels like it’s lacking except for maybe WSL but that’s also a lot more separate.

It’s what drove me to macs in the first place, the low level control etc. when I want it and not otherwise.

I have also used windows (and Linux) extensively for work - very high end computing needs are not well served on Apple kit.

 

[goinggreynow]

I understand how you’re feeling. When passion fades, especially with a backlog of photos and gear sitting unused, it can feel overwhelming. But the fact that you’re looking for ways to reignite your love for photography is already a fantastic first step—so well done for starting that journey!

Before diving into the Windows / Mac question, let’s talk about getting back to shooting. Sometimes it’s not about forcing yourself to take more photos but about rediscovering what made photography fun for you in the first place. Joining one of photography challenges here in the forum or setting a small, achievable goal can be a great way to rekindle your creativity. It doesn’t have to be a big project—even just capturing something that catches your eye on a walk can help remind you why you love photography.

On the technical side, the most important thing is having a setup that feels smooth and inspiring to use, not a source of frustration. If you’re considering a Mac mini, it could be a refreshing change! While there’s a bit of a learning curve, macOS is very intuitive, and if you’re familiar with iPadOS, you’ll feel right at home quickly. The base model Mac mini is more than capable of handling Lightroom or an alternative, and your Eizo monitor will work beautifully with the right adapter (like DisplayPort to USB-C or Thunderbolt). I have the 2019 Mac mini with such an adapter for an old Eizo monitor and it works well.

Take your time, and remember—it’s supposed to be fun! Wishing you all the best, and I hope you’re back out shooting again soon.

Thank you for such a helpful and wide ranging reply.
I know you’re right about getting back to taking photos and only last week I was thinking about using (for the first time) a Minolta macro lens that I’ve never used since buying it about 4 years ago!
In tandem with this, I’m going to seriously consider a licence for (I think it’s) FastRawViewer?? which I used a couple of years ago - only briefly - but I found it a fantastic help in culling RAW files. I need to check I’m thinking about the right bit of software, which platforms it works on, etc.
What I’m not going to do is to change my camera kit. I’m as sure as I can be that this isn’t the issue and changing it to….. (I’m really not sure) would just be an immediate cost with dubious benefits.
I need to give far more thought to this whole Windows v Mac choice and as suggested earlier, possibly get myself along to an Apple store and have a close look what’s on offer.
Thanks again.

 

[TimHughes]

I’d actually argue the opposite. You get a full unix system on a Mac, integrated nicely with all the gui apps. By comparison on windows it feels like it’s lacking except for maybe WSL but that’s also a lot more separate.

+1 for this view.
The only time I miss Windows is when I need to perform firmware updates for kit where the manufacturers either don't support mac or are behind the current OS, but this is very rare and thankfully my gamer son has windows

 

[Pound Coin]

Been using both since 1985, after cutting teeth on a QL.

There is only one answer, unless you worry about money more than usage…

 

[ancient_mariner]

Control - if you can work on the command line then you know what to do.

 

[Adamcski]

I have just purchased my first MacBook Pro having had nothing apple related since the iPhone (the original).

I still have a pretty high spec laptop (more like a desk top replacement) running windows also.

The Apple is really nice to use and so far, I haven't had too much difficulty using it or learning it.

One thing I will say is that I was a very early adopter of cloud and chrome (Chromebooks are awesome) and I save very little to the actual machines (windows or Mac). I have my Mac set up exactly like I do my windows and use chrome as the browser. I haven't downloaded or used any Apple apps yet. I have windows, but I use the cloud version rather than downloading (I have it on work laptop also).

But the MacBook battery lasts forever compared to the laptop which more or less has to be plugged in constantly and it's much faster.

I may eventually venture into some of the apps, but doubt I'll use pages and such.

 

[bluefin2004]

new

 

[gramps]

Faced the same dilemma several years ago as a long time PC user, bought an iMac over lockdown for a large screen zoom ability.
Easily learnt to use it and never looked back, should have done it years ago and no reason why not as an Apple iPhone/iPd user.

 

[skullfunkerry]

When my laptop died I bought an M1 Mac Mini - just the base spec one, with 8Gb of RAM. I use Affinity Photo 2 with no problems, and for my music stuff I use Reaper with a few plugins and no latency, I'm very happy with it. Didn't take long to get used to MacOS, and I love how it all works with my iPhone and iPad.

 

[Raymond Lin]

It took me a mere matter of days to get used to a Mac when I transitioned from Windows 7 to it.

A Mac is like an appliance, I like to just use it, I don't need to, or to be precise, I don't care to, I don't want to know how it does things, or how it need handholding from me every few weeks or months to get it done.

Windows is a kid in computer terms that always poke at the parent going "look what I am doing daddy" and then now and again will go "Help me, I've dropped my cookie".

Mac is the grown up child who has left home and got a job and then send back some money frequently.

 

[Craig1912]

I have both iMac for home use and photography and a Windows laptop for some voluntary work. I dislike using the windows machine but need to for some Access database stuff. If I was you I’d be going for a Mac mini(I used to have a 2012 version) and just get at least 16gb Ram. I use external SSDs for storage

 

[Raincloud]

I have always preferred Windows myself. I like the upgradability. But, i do like to tinker with them.

 

[Eucris]

I only use a home computer for Photography and surfing t’internet. Comparing a PC to a Mac is akin to comparing a Ford to a Vauxhall, they both do the same thing in a very similar way. If you can drive a Ford you can drive a Vauxhall. If you can use a PC you can use a Mac.

 

[taxboy]

I changed from being a long term Windows user to a Mac Mini as I was at a similar point, needing to upgrade a PC to run newer software. The Mac won me over for it's much smaller form and I've been pleased I made the move. There is a transition period but I found it reasonably straightforward...plus some Google help !
As you sound like a longer term owner rather than a regular upgrader I would suggest if you can stretch to getting increased RAM rather than storage to offer some degree of future proofing. Storage is easy to increase but you will be stuck with the RAM, which may impact in the future.
My experience with a PC is if you run it until the software stops working, the upgrade route often involves so many new components you are virtually starting again
Downsides - sometimes there isn't a Mac version of the software (usually for something niche) and they're a bit stingy with the USB ports but cheaply overcome

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

If you can use a PC you can use a Mac.

I agree.

The two systems have converged over the decades and now they are largely equivalent. That said, as with cars, there are minor differences that can mean a lot to the user. To extend your analogy, the position of the controls and displays on the dashboard of the Ford may not suit you, while those in the Vauxhall might be just what you want.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

At the end of the day Photoshop and Lightroom, and pretty much any other productivity software apart from exclusives will look and behave 99% the same on either. Just pick one for your budget and other requirements

 

[Gary Rawlins]

If you're getting a mac, have a look at using, "Cleanmymac". I recommend this software.

 

[Gold]

The Apple Silicon Mac minis are truly fantastic and perhaps the best value for money computer on the market, particularly now the base model starts with 16gb of RAM. I have the M2 Pro mini and it handles Lightroom/Photoshop with ease and far better than my old i5 Mac did.

Highly recommend an external SSD for storage.

 

[Stephen L]

I was an IT pro for about 35 years, from mainframes to networked PCs, including building my own. However, I became so disillusioned with constantly upgrading hardware that when I retired I swore I wouldn’t touch Windows again, and moved to Mac. Never looked back, I just let Apple do the hard work , and find that instead of bothering about things like cross-compatibility of cards and motherboards Macs last far, far longer. Yes, there is a learning curve, but it’s worth it.

PS, yes buy the largest RAM you can afford, and put data on external SSD drives. Mac Mini is a great option these days.

 

[goinggreynow]

I was an IT pro for about 35 years, from mainframes to networked PCs, including building my own. However, I became so disillusioned with constantly upgrading hardware that when I retired I swore I wouldn’t touch Windows again, and moved to Mac. Never looked back, I just let Apple do the hard work , and find that instead of bothering about things like cross-compatibility of cards and motherboards Macs last far, far longer. Yes, there is a learning curve, but it’s worth it.

PS, yes buy the largest RAM you can afford, and put data on external SSD drives. Mac Mini is a great option these days.

Thank you for your thoughts.

There really seems to be quite a lot of support for switching to a Mac mini (or Macbook).
I’m sitting here now wondering how I’m going to get on without the ability to take the cover off (a new) machine and having a ‘fiddle’ with the cabling, HDDs, Ram, fans, wiring or anything else - which is what I’ve been doing for the last 20 years or so - and then I remember that’s exactly what I have with the Ipad.
I shudder to think at the hours I’ve spent sorting/trouble-shooting/re-installing this and that on various Windows machines.

A few ancillary things now crossing my mind about a possible switch (these are just thoughts - please don’t think I’m asking you to answer these for me),

How does Apple’s licensing of MacOS work as compared to Windows? I’m thinking about the fact that even though I own a fully licensed copy of W7 (which has been upgraded to 10), it’s now of no use in helping me to upgrade to 11 and I face the purchase of a new licence for about £110.
I have read - but probably not paid enough attention to - numerous articles about whether (or not) security software/anti virus is required for the Mac OS. I need to get this clear in my own mind once and for all.
Now do I attach SSDs and other peripherals in a neat and tidy way without my desk becoming a mass of cables, etc?
Will I have a problem running my (old) copy of LR version 6 (something)?

Thanks again.

 

[the_accidental]

How does Apple’s licensing of MacOS work as compared to Windows?

Effectively bundled with the hardware, you'll get all the upgrades for free as long as the hardware is supported. Same model MS have copied now.

whether (or not) security software/anti virus is required for the Mac OS

For home use I don't bother, for work use the threat model is different so maybe/yes.

Now do I attach SSDs and other peripherals in a neat and tidy way without my desk becoming a mass of cables, etc?

Well it's one cable to an SSD, no cables for the KB + mouse, and the one cable is round the back of the monitor somewhere I can't see it.

Will I have a problem running my (old) copy of LR version 6 (something)?

Yes. If you have a Mac version it'll be x86 not Apple Silicon, which _might_ work but it's probably time for an upgrade. Someone here might have tried it though. It went out of support December last year though so you might struggle to find a download even if you have a valid key.

LR 6 is 10 years old now!

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

How does Apple’s licensing of MacOS work as compared to Windows?

If you have a Mac you're free to use any version of OS-X that will run on it, You simply go to the Apple site and pick what it says will run on your Mac.

One caveat: just because Apple says a version will run on your Mac doesn't mean it really will. I've had a couple of weeks of "fun" finding the safest version to run my wife's 2019 MacBook Pro. The Apple Store people claimed the MacBook was toast after we tried to do the upgrade to Sonoma. I finally had to down grade it to Catalina (10.15.7) to "repair" it and now it works very nicely.

 

[Craikeybaby]

Now do I attach SSDs and other peripherals in a neat and tidy way without my desk becoming a mass of cables, etc?

Both video and data (and power!) can simultaneously go down a USB-C/Thunderbolt cable, so depending on which Mac you go with, you may only need 1 cable, if you connect peripherals to your monitor.

My set up is for MacBooks, so keyboard/network/webcam etc are all plugged in to my monitor, then I can plug either of my MacBooks in with one cable to use it as a desktop.

 

[JohnMcL7]

I was an IT pro for about 35 years, from mainframes to networked PCs, including building my own. However, I became so disillusioned with constantly upgrading hardware that when I retired I swore I wouldn’t touch Windows again, and moved to Mac. Never looked back, I just let Apple do the hard work , and find that instead of bothering about things like cross-compatibility of cards and motherboards Macs last far, far longer. Yes, there is a learning curve, but it’s worth it.

PS, yes buy the largest RAM you can afford, and put data on external SSD drives. Mac Mini is a great option these days.

It's a bit of an odd comment to say you don't need to worry about cross compatibility on a Mac because you can't change the parts, you don't need to worry about cross-compatibility on a PC either if you don't want to change parts. It's an option you have on a Windows PC if you want it whereas it's not an option at all on Apple devices. 20 years ago when there were a lot changes in the CPU and graphics card markets, upgrade cycles were shorter but you only needed to upgrade if you were wanting the top performance and you'd need to do the same with Apple hardware. Nowadays the CPU and GPU refresh cycles are much slower so even my five year old system still offers top of the line performance and isn't in need of any upgrades, when it does I'd much rather the option to upgrade the parts required than have to chuck it away and buy an entire new unnecessary system.

As for lasting far, far longer it's disappointing to see an 'IT Pro' repeating one of the most common Apple myths which isn't even remotely true. Apple support cycles are much shorter than Windows and Apple hardware is now almost impossible to upgrade and difficult and expensive to repair. Almost any component failure means the end of the system and they most certainly do fail, a system where you can replace and upgrade the individual parts is going to have a vastly better chance of lasting longer. The OP is already having to ask about storage issues before they've even bought the machine so it's not even lasted long enough to reach the starting point, similar Windows devices let you have pretty much any amount of storage and ram you want now and you can change and upgrade them as needed in the future if needed to give them a much longer lifespan. Admittedly the point is lost on me of buying svelte little machine and then having to buy all manner of docks and external storage when I can have a three year old machine the size of a Mac Mini that has performance far beyond what Apple currently offer but what do I know.

 

[Stephen L]

It's a bit of an odd comment to say you don't need to worry about cross compatibility on a Mac because you can't change the parts, you don't need to worry about cross-compatibility on a PC either if you don't want to change parts. It's an option you have on a Windows PC if you want it whereas it's not an option at all on Apple devices. 20 years ago when there were a lot changes in the CPU and graphics card markets, upgrade cycles were shorter but you only needed to upgrade if you were wanting the top performance and you'd need to do the same with Apple hardware. Nowadays the CPU and GPU refresh cycles are much slower so even my five year old system still offers top of the line performance and isn't in need of any upgrades, when it does I'd much rather the option to upgrade the parts required than have to chuck it away and buy an entire new unnecessary system.

As for lasting far, far longer it's disappointing to see an 'IT Pro' repeating one of the most common Apple myths which isn't even remotely true. Apple support cycles are much shorter than Windows and Apple hardware is now almost impossible to upgrade and difficult and expensive to repair. Almost any component failure means the end of the system and they most certainly do fail, a system where you can replace and upgrade the individual parts is going to have a vastly better chance of lasting longer. The OP is already having to ask about storage issues before they've even bought the machine so it's not even lasted long enough to reach the starting point, similar Windows devices let you have pretty much any amount of storage and ram you want now and you can change and upgrade them as needed in the future if needed to give them a much longer lifespan. Admittedly the point is lost on me of buying svelte little machine and then having to buy all manner of docks and external storage when I can have a three year old machine the size of a Mac Mini that has performance far beyond what Apple currently offer but what do I know.

I stand by my statements, although I accept that Windows systems have come on since I had to manage them . I'm not going to go into any arguments with you, thank you.

 

[the_accidental]

I can have a three year old machine the size of a Mac Mini that has performance far beyond what Apple currently offer but what do I know.

You literally can't. An M4 will far exceed the single core performance of I think _any_ PC CPU you care to name from 3 years ago and beat anything multi-core that's fitting in anywhere near the same size envelope.

E.g. here's an 11900K (top of the line i9 from 3 years ago) vs a base model M4

Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. MS-7D07 vs Mac16,10 - Geekbench

Synthetic benchmark but the M4 is 84% faster multi-core, and 60% faster single core. You couldn't find a motherboard that would fit in the footprint of the Mac mini to take the i9 either. You could get comparable storage speeds for sure (PCIE gen 3 if we're talking 3 yrs ago) and cheaper, but you again wouldn't get close to size or power. A mini-ITX board is 77% bigger than a Mac mini footprint...

Mac's still can't compete at the very high end (server kit, high end ML workloads etc) but that's a world away from home kit (in price, size, power and performance).

Apple support cycles are much shorter than Windows

This is relevant to the OPs decision, and also not accurate. They're nearly directly comparable. If I look at the supported hardware list for the latest windows 11, it goes back to some 8th gen intel CPUs - late 2017. If I look at the hardware list for Sonoma, the recent MacOS release, it also goes back to 2017 hardware.

Anyway, slightly derailing this thread now

 

[ancient_mariner]

Will I have a problem running my (old) copy of LR version 6 (something)?

Yes. An aspect of Apple being in charge is that generally you must use relatively current software. M series chips require different code, and while there is software that can allow older software to work, there are limits.

There is also NO upgrade path. You buy what you need and replace it as required. That can mean long lifetimes, but sometimes can be very limiting. Apple seems well ahead of the curve for performance right now, so even a 2020 model may be ok for a while. That's not always been true for systems, say 10 to 15 years ago.

Be aware too that sometimes Apple do get it wrong too. Things can sometimes get broken and you can't fix them. In general apple make better default choices than Microsoft, but they aren't perfect.