Buy 2020 iMac or wait for 2021 iMac - That is the question

[Oblivion777]

Hi guys!

I know nobody can give a concrete answer to the question, but in general I face a conundrum: I want to buy an iMac for my secondary DAW and have initially wanted to buy a fully equipped iMac 2020 Intel /w 64GB RAM. But since M1 seems to outperform Intel in processing power and a 2021 release of next-gen M1 (M1X or whatever) is practically guaranteed for 2021 the question arises on whether to wait or buy a new Intel iMac which will be "obsolete" in less than a year. Clearly I can wait as my primary DAW comp is a 7.1 MacPro so I am in no particular hurry. And yes I am aware of a - possibly huge - delay until Avid will recompile ProTools for the new processors.

So I guess I am just interested to hear/read what you guys think and what would you do in my position.

Cherio!

[JFreak]

If you are heavy VI user you need more memory, if not, new one may be better choice

[JFreak]

With that said, I still tap myself on the shoulder by buying the last generation liquid cooled G5 PowerMac tower before they went all-Intel. That decision tok me until 2009 and "Nehalem" models and I suffered nothing on the transition

[Oblivion777]

Hi J!

Yes I am a heavy VI user...hence the need for 64GB RAM. If rumors are to be believed then the "M1X" will support more RAM, possibly up to 64GB.

[JFreak]

If you are heavy VI user then I would say you better buy one of the latest Intels with more memory

[musicman691]

Thing I would research in current iMacs is do they still have issues with cpu throttling or not. I remember user TNM going off on a rant about that some months back.

[Sardi]

If you’re in no hurry, personally, I think you’d be crazy not to wait and see what the next iteration of iMac brings.

Worst case, you buy the previous model. Best case, you’ve got a far more capable machine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Obsidian Dragon]

Originally Posted by Sardi

If you’re in no hurry, personally, I think you’d be crazy not to wait and see what the next iteration of iMac brings.

Worst case, you buy the previous model. Best case, you’ve got a far more capable machine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is what I would do too. I like to have the best options available to me before making the decision. It sounds like you can wait a bit given your primary system is a 7.1 MacPro.