It’s been 5 years, that’s how long I have used my current iMac setup. Honestly, I don’t feel the need to upgrade or change despite so many new tech and gadgets released throughout the years. However, my iMac is giving me some minor issue lately with its screen, with some pinkish vignette glowing around the corners. Screen replacement is costly, connecting an iMac to an external display is not the best option as it takes up a lot of my desk space. In the end, I have started wondering if it is time to consider replacing it with something else.
I really enjoy using the iMac, its all-in-one form factor simply makes it one of the best desk setup you can get, but the screen problem I had prompted me to reconsider this. Plus, with hybrid work-from-home & office commute likely to be the norm, it makes sense for me to consider foregoing all-in-one and opt for modularity by getting an external display that plays well on both Windows and Mac system.
With that in mind, getting a mid range 4K display with a Mac Mini seems like the best options for me. I can hide the Mac Mini easily for a clean desk setup, connect the display to my office’s Windows laptop when I work-from-home, and continue to use some of the peripherals I’m currently using to keep my spending down to minimum. Why not the Mac Studio? Well, I don’t need that much of processing power, and Studio Display is out as it doesn’t play well with Windows machine.
I would love to wait until Apple releases a refreshed Mac Mini, but report seems to suggest it will only arrive next year, only time will tell. As prices are going up and stocks are lacking due to global chip shortage, not sure if it is the best time to make a purchase now. I think I will try to hold on to my iMac for as long as possible, if I need to do any colour correction work, I’ll just need to avoid placing the picture close to the corner of my screen. Otherwise, I’ll continue to live with it until I made my decision. Let’s see what the future holds. Till then.
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