New computer: Windows or Mac - and accessories

[PLShutterbug]

Hi -

I need help deciding whether to jump from Windows to Mac for personal use. I've heard from work colleagues that I will get a significant jump in Affinity performance for photo work with a Mac vs. Windows machine (right now my Windows machine, see below, has significant lag when doing things like stacking or creating images with lots of layers at 46MB or when pixel-shifted ). I have a relatively complex equipment setup at home and wonder how much I'll have to switch out if I jump to a Mac.

My background: I'm an advanced amateur photographer with over 50 years of experience and I do a lot of helping out in the Nikon Z forum here. I'm also a software product manager for a global automated data capture manufacturer and do a lot of technical work with stakeholders from customers to our firmware engineers. Earlier in my career I used to build PCs and install networks; I know Microsoft operating systems inside-out from MS-DOS 1.10 to Windows 11. Lots of tech experience.

I'm considering moving to a Mac Mini or MacBook Air 13", either with the M4 chip and 24GB of "unified" memory. I will continue to use a Windows PC in my work because that is my company's standard.

My personal Windows machine is a Dell 3020 tower (13th gen i-13700, 64GB RAM, 12GB NVidia graphics), a Viewsonic VP32684K display, and a wireless keyboard/mouse attached to an electronic A/B switch so I can switch back and forth between the tower and my work laptop (HDMI, 2xUSB-C, 2xUSB-A). I attach to the switch via HDMI from both computers and monitor for video and audio; and via USB-A to USB-B 3.0 for keyboard/mouse. I press a button to switch from one to the other computer running the display/keyboard/mouse. I want to retain this capability.

Questions:

• Will I really see a dramatic photo/video graphics processing increase with the Mac vs. either my current Windows PC or buying a new one?
• Will I be able to continue using my Viewsonic display with a Mac given the relative dearth of ports on a MacBook?
  • My monitor's manual states: 'For a MAC with Thunderbolt output, connect the mini DP end of the “mini DP to DisplayPort cable” to the Thunderbolt
    output of MAC. And connect the other end of the cable to the DisplayPort connector on the rear of the monitor.'
  • My Viewsonic display has 2xHDMI, 1 full-sized DisplayPort, 1 mini-DP, and four USB type-A ports. It does not have any USB-C ports.
• Right now both PCs I use are connected to my network via Ethernet, not WiFi. I liked the faster performance and no latency this provides for photo work. Any issues connecting a MacBook using a USB-C to Ethernet dongle?
• I think I'll probably have to replace my A/B switch to one that accepts USB-C connections, and possibly Thunderbolt. Any suggestions, I'll appreciate.
• I store most of my images on a Synology DiskStation DS224p and will probably work from it. Any challenges with that and Mac gear? I don't expect any but ...
• I use a Canon Pro-10 printer for photo printing, and an Epson WF-7720 for document printing. As librarian for a local symphony I print quite a lot of public-domain parts from Adobe Reader.
• I don't travel as much as I used to, and generally don't do editing on the road. I have done some with Affinity on my iPad Air M2 13" and that is probably adequate. I struggle just a bit on Mac Mini vs. MacBook Air.
• Macs I'm considering:
  • Mac mini M4 Pro, 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • MacBook Air 13" M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • These two are almost the same price.

Thanks in advance for any advice, and sorry this post is so long.

 

[bakubo]

I'm considering moving to a Mac Mini or MacBook Air 13", either with the M4 chip and 24GB of "unified" memory.

• Will I be able to continue using my Viewsonic display with a Mac given the relative dearth of ports on a MacBook?
  • My monitor's manual states: 'For a MAC with Thunderbolt output, connect the mini DP end of the “mini DP to DisplayPort cable” to the Thunderbolt
    output of MAC. And connect the other end of the cable to the DisplayPort connector on the rear of the monitor.'
  • My Viewsonic display has 2xHDMI, 1 full-sized DisplayPort, 1 mini-DP, and four USB type-A ports. It does not have any USB-C ports.

You can connect your monitor with HDMI. That is what I do. With the Mini there is an HDMI port. With the Air there is not, but you can use a dongle. I have a UGREEN dongle that cost about $20 that has several USB-A ports, HDMI port, and an SD card reader.

• Right now both PCs I use are connected to my network via Ethernet, not WiFi. I liked the faster performance and no latency this provides for photo work. Any issues connecting a MacBook using a USB-C to Ethernet dongle?

I have a second UGREEN dongle that has several USB-A ports, HDMI port, Ethernet port, and an SD card reader. The Mini already has an Ethernet port, but the Air doesn't.

Here are some UGREEN dongles:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/53BA0E41-DC27-470D-AE14-3D9466FF2386

• Macs I'm considering:
  • Mac mini M4 Pro, 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • MacBook Air 13" M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • These two are almost the same price.

Both good. Just depends on what you care more about. Mini has higher performance (more GPU cores will help a lot for AI denoise, etc.) and more port flexibility, but not portable. Air gives you portability with less performance and fewer ports. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Saint 112]

• Will I really see a dramatic photo/video graphics processing increase with the Mac vs. either my current Windows PC or buying a new one?

I am unable to compare.

• Will I be able to continue using my Viewsonic display with a Mac given the relative dearth of ports on a MacBook?

The expression "relative dearth" is an understatement ;-). You absolutely need a dock with USB, HDMI and/or DisplayPort, Ethernet ports, card reader, etc.

• My monitor's manual states: 'For a MAC with Thunderbolt output, connect the mini DP end of the “mini DP to DisplayPort cable” to the Thunderbolt
  output of MAC. And connect the other end of the cable to the DisplayPort connector on the rear of the monitor.'

With a dock the problem is solved.

• My Viewsonic display has 2xHDMI, 1 full-sized DisplayPort, 1 mini-DP, and four USB type-A ports. It does not have any USB-C ports.

Your choice depends on the type of KVM switch you already own, either HDMI or DP, unless you are considering buying a new one. I have always been using DP so my switch is DP only.

• Right now both PCs I use are connected to my network via Ethernet, not WiFi. I liked the faster performance and no latency this provides for photo work. Any issues connecting a MacBook using a USB-C to Ethernet dongle?

I never tried. I think using a dock with plenty of ports is preferable.

• I think I'll probably have to replace my A/B switch to one that accepts USB-C connections, and possibly Thunderbolt. Any suggestions, I'll appreciate.

If you mean a KVM switch, I am just replacing the one I have had for years but that died, I must say that while I was doing my shopping I saw none of them with USB-C ports. Since a switch is meant for mouse and keyboard it's quite natural.

• I store most of my images on a Synology DiskStation DS224p and will probably work from it. Any challenges with that and Mac gear? I don't expect any but ...

Mac OS reads and write ExFAT formatted drives and can read only NTFS (or you need a third party utility). Yet it's recommended not to work on a regular basic on them. So you can format those drives (after saving the content on other ones).

• I use a Canon Pro-10 printer for photo printing, and an Epson WF-7720 for document printing. As librarian for a local symphony I print quite a lot of public-domain parts from Adobe Reader.

If the vendors still provide the drivers this not an issue.

• I don't travel as much as I used to, and generally don't do editing on the road. I have done some with Affinity on my iPad Air M2 13" and that is probably adequate. I struggle just a bit on Mac Mini vs. MacBook Air.

I have a 13" MacBook Air too but I must say I am unable to do serious editing on it. I do it only on my 32" monitor.

• Macs I'm considering:
  • Mac mini M4 Pro, 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • MacBook Air 13" M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD

The Mini will have better performances.

 

[PLShutterbug]

Thanks, good points all.

 

[PLShutterbug]

• Will I be able to continue using my Viewsonic display with a Mac given the relative dearth of ports on a MacBook?

The expression "relative dearth" is an understatement ;-). You absolutely need a dock with USB, HDMI and/or DisplayPort, Ethernet ports, card reader, etc.

Thanks. I aim to entertain, in a small way ….

• My Viewsonic display has 2xHDMI, 1 full-sized DisplayPort, 1 mini-DP, and four USB type-A ports. It does not have any USB-C ports.

• I think I'll probably have to replace my A/B switch to one that accepts USB-C connections, and possibly Thunderbolt. Any suggestions, I'll appreciate.

If you mean a KVM switch, I am just replacing the one I have had for years but that died, I must say that while I was doing my shopping I saw none of them with USB-C ports. Since a switch is meant for mouse and keyboard it's quite natural.

Yes, KVM - sorry. I thought I fixed that before posting.

i did find several on Amazon that were either all-USB-C or hybrid, where input 1 is USB/HDMI and 2 is USB-C. Here is one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CB8C67C9/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3R2WRS5QNVSPP&th=1

• I store most of my images on a Synology DiskStation DS224p and will probably work from it. Any challenges with that and Mac gear? I don't expect any but ...

Mac OS reads and write ExFAT formatted drives and can read only NTFS (or you need a third party utility). Yet it's recommended not to work on a regular basic on them. So you can format those drives (after saving the content on other ones).

I will check Synology’s site for this.

 

[Hal Wilson]

Hi -

I need help deciding whether to jump from Windows to Mac for personal use. I've heard from work colleagues that I will get a significant jump in Affinity performance for photo work with a Mac vs. Windows machine (right now my Windows machine, see below, has significant lag when doing things like stacking or creating images with lots of layers at 46MB or when pixel-shifted ). I have a relatively complex equipment setup at home and wonder how much I'll have to switch out if I jump to a Mac.

My background: I'm an advanced amateur photographer with over 50 years of experience and I do a lot of helping out in the Nikon Z forum here. I'm also a software product manager for a global automated data capture manufacturer and do a lot of technical work with stakeholders from customers to our firmware engineers. Earlier in my career I used to build PCs and install networks; I know Microsoft operating systems inside-out from MS-DOS 1.10 to Windows 11. Lots of tech experience.

I'm considering moving to a Mac Mini or MacBook Air 13", either with the M4 chip and 24GB of "unified" memory. I will continue to use a Windows PC in my work because that is my company's standard.

My personal Windows machine is a Dell 3020 tower (13th gen i-13700, 64GB RAM, 12GB NVidia graphics), a Viewsonic VP32684K display, and a wireless keyboard/mouse attached to an electronic A/B switch so I can switch back and forth between the tower and my work laptop (HDMI, 2xUSB-C, 2xUSB-A). I attach to the switch via HDMI from both computers and monitor for video and audio; and via USB-A to USB-B 3.0 for keyboard/mouse. I press a button to switch from one to the other computer running the display/keyboard/mouse. I want to retain this capability.

Questions:

• Will I really see a dramatic photo/video graphics processing increase with the Mac vs. either my current Windows PC or buying a new one?
• Will I be able to continue using my Viewsonic display with a Mac given the relative dearth of ports on a MacBook?
  • My monitor's manual states: 'For a MAC with Thunderbolt output, connect the mini DP end of the “mini DP to DisplayPort cable” to the Thunderbolt
    output of MAC. And connect the other end of the cable to the DisplayPort connector on the rear of the monitor.'
  • My Viewsonic display has 2xHDMI, 1 full-sized DisplayPort, 1 mini-DP, and four USB type-A ports. It does not have any USB-C ports.
• Right now both PCs I use are connected to my network via Ethernet, not WiFi. I liked the faster performance and no latency this provides for photo work. Any issues connecting a MacBook using a USB-C to Ethernet dongle?
• I think I'll probably have to replace my A/B switch to one that accepts USB-C connections, and possibly Thunderbolt. Any suggestions, I'll appreciate.
• I store most of my images on a Synology DiskStation DS224p and will probably work from it. Any challenges with that and Mac gear? I don't expect any but ...
• I use a Canon Pro-10 printer for photo printing, and an Epson WF-7720 for document printing. As librarian for a local symphony I print quite a lot of public-domain parts from Adobe Reader.
• I don't travel as much as I used to, and generally don't do editing on the road. I have done some with Affinity on my iPad Air M2 13" and that is probably adequate. I struggle just a bit on Mac Mini vs. MacBook Air.
• Macs I'm considering:
  • Mac mini M4 Pro, 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • MacBook Air 13" M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • These two are almost the same price.

Thanks in advance for any advice, and sorry this post is so long.

I'm not going to get into the Mac vs PC argument; I'm a long time Mac user, have tried Windows machines and they ain't for me. I don't even consider anything else these days. I'm happy to spend a bit more on Apple products cos they tend to be just a bit nicer and last longer ime. The best integration across all devices by far; my Macs, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Watch etc all integrate seamlessly and without issue, and I know that isn't the case for any other brand. but back to the computer hardware; unless you need the portability of a laptop, buy a desktop (Mac Mini, iMac etc). As mentioned, you'll get better spec and performance for the same money.

In your position, I'd also be considering an iMac. More expensive, but the screen is so good. You'd probably end up spending more if you bought a separate display, of equivalent quality, and computer anyway. The iMacs are still very powerful (equivalent to the Mac Minis), and more than adequate for the stuff you want to do with it. My iMac is now 4 years old yet still feels like a new machine; copes with the 45Mp files from my Nikon Z8, in Lightroom and Photoshop, absolutely fine. Also coped well with the 8k video I dabbled with, although for such use you'd be looking at getting a Mac Studio or Pro tbh. The current Mac models will of course be even more powerful and capable.

'Thunderbolt' is a Mac interface protocol that now uses the USB-C port. My iMac has 2 such Thunderbolt ports. You can get a lead to connect to an external display, whatever it is pretty much.

 

[PLShutterbug]

Hi -
Thanks in advance for any advice, and sorry this post is so long.

… back to the computer hardware; unless you need the portability of a laptop, buy a desktop (Mac Mini, iMac etc). As mentioned, you'll get better spec and performance for the same money.

Thanks for that.

In your position, I'd also be considering an iMac. More expensive, but the screen is so good. You'd probably end up spending more if you bought a separate display, of equivalent quality, and computer anyway. The iMacs are still very powerful (equivalent to the Mac Minis), and more than adequate for the stuff you want to do with it. My iMac is now 4 years old yet still feels like a new machine; copes with the 45Mp files from my Nikon Z8, in Lightroom and Photoshop, absolutely fine. Also coped well with the 8k video I dabbled with, although for such use you'd be looking at getting a Mac Studio or Pro tbh. The current Mac models will of course be even more powerful and capable.

The iMac is the all-in-one, right? I need to connect whatever display to both a Windows work laptop and my personal machine. If an iMac’s display will work as the display for an external Windows PC then it might be worth considering. Otherwise, not.

 

[Saint 112]

• Will I be able to continue using my Viewsonic display with a Mac given the relative dearth of ports on a MacBook?

The expression "relative dearth" is an understatement ;-). You absolutely need a dock with USB, HDMI and/or DisplayPort, Ethernet ports, card reader, etc.

Thanks. I aim to entertain, in a small way ….

• My Viewsonic display has 2xHDMI, 1 full-sized DisplayPort, 1 mini-DP, and four USB type-A ports. It does not have any USB-C ports.

Anyway, due to the "relative dearth" of ports on MBs, that are Thunderbolt only, you need either a Thunderbolt dock (expensive) or a USB-C station (affordable). I have both. So you don't need to bother about the connection to the monitor.

• I think I'll probably have to replace my A/B switch to one that accepts USB-C connections, and possibly Thunderbolt. Any suggestions, I'll appreciate.

If you mean a KVM switch, I am just replacing the one I have had for years but that died, I must say that while I was doing my shopping I saw none of them with USB-C ports. Since a switch is meant for mouse and keyboard it's quite natural.

Yes, KVM - sorry. I thought I fixed that before posting.

i did find several on Amazon that were either all-USB-C or hybrid, where input 1 is USB/HDMI and 2 is USB-C. Here is one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CB8C67C9/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3R2WRS5QNVSPP&th=1

OK. I had missed the fact you were considering USB-C for the monitor connection. I was figuring out it was for the mouse/keyboard.

Yet to me a dock or a station is an absolute must so you can consider an HDMI or DP switch via the dock.

The switch I ordered and should get tomorow is this one:

Amazon.com: UGREEN 8K@60Hz Displayport KVM Switch 2 Monitors 2 Computers, Aluminum with 4 USB 3.0 Ports for 2 Computers Share Dual Monitors Keyboard Mouse Printer with 2 USB Cables/Power Adapter/Controller : Electronics

We currently have a 35% rebate on it in France. ;-)

BTW: if your mouse and/or keyboard works with a dongle make sure the switch you buy accepts it. The first I had didn't recognize my mouse dongle (an Amazon basics model). I had to get another one (which eventually died). So I asked the question before I bought this one.

But if you have a dock you may use your current switch, you don't need a new one.

• I store most of my images on a Synology DiskStation DS224p and will probably work from it. Any challenges with that and Mac gear? I don't expect any but ...

Mac OS reads and write ExFAT formatted drives and can read only NTFS (or you need a third party utility). Yet it's recommended not to work on a regular basic on them. So you can format those drives (after saving the content on other ones).

I will check Synology’s site for this.

They may have a driver to manage NTFS from a Mac.

Nick

 

[MarshallG]

I’m much happier with a Mac. I edit 45 mp Canon RAW photos using DxO PhotoLab. It’s an excellent tool which lets me browse RAW photos and I can do all of the RAW processing, plus local edits, adding watermark and final output. I no longer need Photoshop; I replaced it with Affinity, which I very rarely use.



Performance with my MacBook Pro M1, 16 Gb RAM, is completely fine. For instance, I can adjust sliders like white balance in real time and view the effect. The only part that’s slow is Export. That’s where your M4 will be better.



The Thunderbolt ports are truly universal, which is remarkable. The Mac Mini Pro has 80 gb/s Thunderbolt 5. You can attach a Thunderbolt, Power, USB OR a DisplayPort cable directly to the computer’s USB ports. Or you can attach one port to a Thunderbolt hub and attach many devices to the hub.



Your monitor will work fine. Use either of the monitor’s DisplayPort inputs.

 

[Hal Wilson]

In your position, I'd also be considering an iMac. More expensive, but the screen is so good. You'd probably end up spending more if you bought a separate display, of equivalent quality, and computer anyway. The iMacs are still very powerful (equivalent to the Mac Minis), and more than adequate for the stuff you want to do with it. My iMac is now 4 years old yet still feels like a new machine; copes with the 45Mp files from my Nikon Z8, in Lightroom and Photoshop, absolutely fine. Also coped well with the 8k video I dabbled with, although for such use you'd be looking at getting a Mac Studio or Pro tbh. The current Mac models will of course be even more powerful and capable.

The iMac is the all-in-one, right? I need to connect whatever display to both a Windows work laptop and my personal machine. If an iMac’s display will work as the display for an external Windows PC then it might be worth considering. Otherwise, not.

Yeah if you just want one display on your desk, get a Mac Mini. The iMac's display wont work with another computer. You can 'mirror' from another Apple device via Airplay, but tbh that's not ideal and only really for say showing a video on a large screen from an iPhone or iPad. The iMac is a superb machine of top quality, that works so well precisely because the hardware is integrated and doesn't have to cater for other computers. You can use the iMac as a display via a little widget called Luma Display from Astropad, but it's not perfect. A MacMini and some sort of display switching gadget would probably be better tbh.

I'd still get the MacMini over a laptop mind. I use an iPad as a portable computer; I don't want to be trying to do photo editing on a tiny screen, so I don't need a laptop.

 

[PLShutterbug]

• Will I be able to continue using my Viewsonic display with a Mac given the relative dearth of ports on a MacBook?

The expression "relative dearth" is an understatement ;-). You absolutely need a dock with USB, HDMI and/or DisplayPort, Ethernet ports, card reader, etc.

Thanks. I aim to entertain, in a small way ….

• My Viewsonic display has 2xHDMI, 1 full-sized DisplayPort, 1 mini-DP, and four USB type-A ports. It does not have any USB-C ports.

Anyway, due to the "relative dearth" of ports on MBs, that are Thunderbolt only, you need either a Thunderbolt dock (expensive) or a USB-C station (affordable). I have both. So you don't need to bother about the connection to the monitor.

• I think I'll probably have to replace my A/B switch to one that accepts USB-C connections, and possibly Thunderbolt. Any suggestions, I'll appreciate.

If you mean a KVM switch, I am just replacing the one I have had for years but that died, I must say that while I was doing my shopping I saw none of them with USB-C ports. Since a switch is meant for mouse and keyboard it's quite natural.

Yes, KVM - sorry. I thought I fixed that before posting.

i did find several on Amazon that were either all-USB-C or hybrid, where input 1 is USB/HDMI and 2 is USB-C. Here is one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CB8C67C9/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3R2WRS5QNVSPP&th=1

OK. I had missed the fact you were considering USB-C for the monitor connection. I was figuring out it was for the mouse/keyboard.

Yet to me a dock or a station is an absolute must so you can consider an HDMI or DP switch via the dock.

The switch I ordered and should get tomorow is this one:

Amazon.com: UGREEN 8K@60Hz Displayport KVM Switch 2 Monitors 2 Computers, Aluminum with 4 USB 3.0 Ports for 2 Computers Share Dual Monitors Keyboard Mouse Printer with 2 USB Cables/Power Adapter/Controller : Electronics

We currently have a 35% rebate on it in France. ;-)

It's about $90 here in the USA. I don't need 8K so either will just keep what I have or buy one that specifically supports whichever Mac I buy - assuming I pop for it. That one doesn't use USB-C to connect video, only for data. it uses DP or HDMI for that. From a Mini that isn't a problem, but I guess you get a Thunderbolt to DP converter cable, right?

BTW: if your mouse and/or keyboard works with a dongle make sure the switch you buy accepts it. The first I had didn't recognize my mouse dongle (an Amazon basics model). I had to get another one (which eventually died). So I asked the question before I bought this one.

I had an earlier one that frequently caused the mouse to "skitter" but my newer one - about a year old - doesn't do that. It has been good.

• I store most of my images on a Synology DiskStation DS224p and will probably work from it. Any challenges with that and Mac gear? I don't expect any but ...

Mac OS reads and write ExFAT formatted drives and can read only NTFS (or you need a third party utility). Yet it's recommended not to work on a regular basic on them. So you can format those drives (after saving the content on other ones).

I will check Synology’s site for this.

They may have a driver to manage NTFS from a Mac.

They describe how to do it ... you use SMB.

How do I access shared folders on my Synology NAS from a Mac computer within a local network? - Synology Knowledge Center

Synology Knowledge Center offers comprehensive support, providing answers to frequently asked questions, troubleshooting steps, software tutorials, and all the technical documentation you may need.

kb.synology.com

Looks straightforward.

 

[PLShutterbug]

I'd still get the MacMini over a laptop mind. I use an iPad as a portable computer; I don't want to be trying to do photo editing on a tiny screen, so I don't need a laptop.

My iPad Air 13" is the same size as the MacBook 13", come to think of it. Mine has an M2 chip, which I realize almost certainly isn't the same power as an M2 chip in a MacBook, but I have done some work with Affinity for iPadOS and it worked fine. As you say, very light stuff. My biggest challenge with iPadOS is its lack of a real file system. However, that may change with version 26 that is currently in beta - I have heard that it has a real file system.

 

[Saint 112]

I had an afterthought with my last post. I added it later but obviously you didn't get it.

If you buy a Thunderbolt dock or USB-C station you will get all the ports you need and that are missing on the MacBook. Therefore you don't need a new switch. The one you already have will do the job.

It's about $90 here in the USA. I don't need 8K so either will just keep what I have or buy one that specifically supports whichever Mac I buy - assuming I pop for it. That one doesn't use USB-C to connect video, only for data. it uses DP or HDMI for that. From a Mini that isn't a problem, but I guess you get a Thunderbolt to DP converter cable, right?

HDMI has long been an issue with MacOS. I don't know the current situation. That's why I opted long ago for DP. During many years it was an issue finding accessories DP compatible but it seems they are more common now.

Nick

 

[PLShutterbug]

I had an afterthought with my last post. I added it later but obviously you didn't get it.

If you buy a Thunderbolt dock or USB-C station you will get all the ports you need and that are missing on the MacBook. Therefore you don't need a new switch. The one you already have will do the job.

It's about $90 here in the USA. I don't need 8K so either will just keep what I have or buy one that specifically supports whichever Mac I buy - assuming I pop for it. That one doesn't use USB-C to connect video, only for data. it uses DP or HDMI for that. From a Mini that isn't a problem, but I guess you get a Thunderbolt to DP converter cable, right?

HDMI has long been an issue with MacOS. I don't know the current situation. That's why I opted long ago for DP. During many years it was an issue finding accessories DP compatible but it seems they are more common now.

Nick

Thanks. I will see if my current switch supports DP. It's a bit complex - to reduce cord clutter I buried it in a tray, at the back, under my desk surface. So I have to crawl around with the spiders and other thingies to see whether it's there. Anyway.

 

[Saint 112]

Thanks. I will see if my current switch supports DP. It's a bit complex - to reduce cord clutter I buried it in a tray, at the back, under my desk surface. So I have to crawl around with the spiders and other thingies to see whether it's there. Anyway.

AFAIK MacOS is now compatible with the latest version of HDMI but they have a record of blunders in that respect.

In 2014 I bought a Mini equipped with one HDMI port and one Thunderbolt 2/mini DP combo port. I connected my 27" Quad HD monitor to the HDMI port and got a 1080 image. I tweaked all the settings I could to no avail. Then I learned that MacOS at that time was compatible with HDMI 1 only. So I had to connect my monitor to the DP port and got Quad HD (and had to buy the correct cable). That's why I am now stuck to DP. Yet DP has a better reputation that HDMI.

In 2021 I bought a MacBook Air with the brand new M1 chip. I bought also a Thunderbolt dock to get some ports. I connected my monitor via DP and the screen remained black. As an emergency solution I tried connecting it with a USB-C to DP adpater and got an excellent image. I was sure the dock was faulty and was ready to return it. Then I learned that the version of Mac OS the Mac was shipped with could not manage video via DP but could via USB-C! Yes sir! Apple was shipping computers equipped with only 2 TB ports and omitted to make sure you could connect a monitor to it. Updating MacOS solved the issue.

If your switch is HDMI then you just need to connect your MB to it via an HDMI station or dock. So you won't need to buy a new switch and save money to buy a dock.

Of course if you choose to buy a Mini things are much simpler.

 

[GodSpeaks]

Hi -

I need help deciding whether to jump from Windows to Mac for personal use.

Have you actually tried a Mac? It is a different (quite different) OS than Windows. If you are not used to it, it could be quite a learning curve.

My personal Windows machine is a Dell 3020 tower (13th gen i-13700, 64GB RAM, 12GB NVidia graphics), a Viewsonic VP32684K display,

Clarification required here. 13th gen i?-13700 CPU. What version? i3, i5, i7, i9?

12GB nVidia (small "n") graphics. What model nVidia GPU? It could make a big difference. especially as we are now up to the RTX 5000 series.

Questions:

• Will I really see a dramatic photo/video graphics processing increase with the Mac vs. either my current Windows PC or buying a new one?

If you can answer the above questions, it will help answer that question

The only other thing that could be an issue would be drivers for any devices you want to attach to a Mac computer. And of course, there is the software you use for image processing.

 

[bakubo]

I'm considering moving to a Mac Mini or MacBook Air 13", either with the M4 chip and 24GB of "unified" memory.

• Will I be able to continue using my Viewsonic display with a Mac given the relative dearth of ports on a MacBook?
  • My monitor's manual states: 'For a MAC with Thunderbolt output, connect the mini DP end of the “mini DP to DisplayPort cable” to the Thunderbolt
    output of MAC. And connect the other end of the cable to the DisplayPort connector on the rear of the monitor.'
  • My Viewsonic display has 2xHDMI, 1 full-sized DisplayPort, 1 mini-DP, and four USB type-A ports. It does not have any USB-C ports.

You can connect your monitor with HDMI. That is what I do. With the Mini there is an HDMI port. With the Air there is not, but you can use a dongle. I have a UGREEN dongle that cost about $20 that has several USB-A ports, HDMI port, and an SD card reader.

• Right now both PCs I use are connected to my network via Ethernet, not WiFi. I liked the faster performance and no latency this provides for photo work. Any issues connecting a MacBook using a USB-C to Ethernet dongle?

I have a second UGREEN dongle that has several USB-A ports, HDMI port, Ethernet port, and an SD card reader. The Mini already has an Ethernet port, but the Air doesn't.

Here are some UGREEN dongles:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/53BA0E41-DC27-470D-AE14-3D9466FF2386

• Macs I'm considering:
  • Mac mini M4 Pro, 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • MacBook Air 13" M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
  • These two are almost the same price.

Both good. Just depends on what you care more about. Mini has higher performance (more GPU cores will help a lot for AI denoise, etc.) and more port flexibility, but not portable. Air gives you portability with less performance and fewer ports. Good luck with whatever you decide.

One more thing to think about. The Mini has much better cooling so rarely (or never) thermal throttles and slows down. The Air will though. The Air throttling normally only comes into play in extended heavy processing though (batch imports/exports, video editing, etc.).

 

[PLShutterbug]

Hi -

I need help deciding whether to jump from Windows to Mac for personal use.

Have you actually tried a Mac? It is a different (quite different) OS than Windows. If you are not used to it, it could be quite a learning curve.

No, I haven’t - and I realize about the learning curve.

My personal Windows machine is a Dell 3020 tower (13th gen i-13700, 64GB RAM, 12GB NVidia graphics), a Viewsonic VP32684K display,

Clarification required here. 13th gen i?-13700 CPU. What version? i3, i5, i7, i9?

Oh. Oops! I omitted the 7. It’s an i7-13700, with a GeForce RTX 3060.

12GB nVidia (small "n") graphics. What model nVidia GPU? It could make a big difference. especially as we are now up to the RTX 5000 series.

Questions:

• Will I really see a dramatic photo/video graphics processing increase with the Mac vs. either my current Windows PC or buying a new one?

If you can answer the above questions, it will help answer that question

The only other thing that could be an issue would be drivers for any devices you want to attach to a Mac computer. And of course, there is the software you use for image processing.

I use NX Studio for initial viewing of Nikon NEF files, and Affinity. Both have Apple versions.

Thanks for the prompts.

 

[CAcreeks]

There are many posts, especially on Reddit, saying Affinity Photo runs faster on MacOS.

You'd think your GTX 3060 would be fast enough, but perhaps Affinity is not optimized for moving large chunks of memory between CPU and GPU. Affinity uses OpenCL, so AMD Radeon is not advised.

Macbook Pro models have HDMI, like the Mini.

I don't think Windows and MacOS are all that different. Instead of _[]X controls on the right, you get on the left. The always-on-top menu is wonderful.

"Microsoft - the company that taught the world to turn off their computers by pressing the Start button."

 

[Hal Wilson]

HDMI has long been an issue with MacOS. I don't know the current situation. That's why I opted long ago for DP. During many years it was an issue finding accessories DP compatible but it seems they are more common now.

I haven't had an issue with HDMI ever, with any Mac, going back to a 2006 Mac Pro 1,1. Used all sorts of configurations; DVI, VGA, DV etc. Some 3rd party hardware may well be poorly made/configured, that's the problem, not the Macs. But I used to connect all sorts of crap to my Macs; CRT monitors, cheapo flat panels of all descriptions, home TVs, etc. Never an issue.