Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Well, I can't read all the comments. But I recommend that you stay in the PC environment since that is what you know.
I am a long term Mac user. They are good, but different. The most routine tasks can baffle and frustrate an inexperienced user. Same goes for a PC type computer for a long term Mac user. I've recently had the experience of trying to figure out how to open a file on a USB thumb drive on a PC. Not at all like the Mac!

So rather than get a sexy new machine that is also VERY DIFFERENT, get a sexy new machine with menus that you know. It will cost less too.
The old view that "Macs are better for photo editing" might have been true long ago (though personally I doubt it). Fact is, it has not been true for many years.

AndyGarcia

Don't even think about it. A Mac will transform your experience. I've been using Macs since the Apple Lisa. I've used Wintel machines now and then but they don't do it for me. I'm still using a 2008 MacBook bought used for $300 running Windows on it. Says everything really. Go for it and have your mind blown!

smf85 Loc: Freeport, IL

I have a MacBook Pro c. 2012 with 8GB and a SSD - pages a lot, but with the SSD its not too bad. Unfortunately I can't upgrade the memory as its one of the models with hardwired memory. Get the SSD if you can.

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

Been a mac user since apple 2 serial #9 even though until IBM and Oracle got smart had to use PC Laptops for work. The big advantage for you with mac is it will continue to run well for you for years. We replaced our work pcs every two years because they were pretty much dead (and these were the top of the line pc laptops). I'm currently using a mid-2011 27 inch iMac running High Sierra as an OS (that is 2 back from current macOS which is Catalina). I run my root drive as a thunderbolt SSD externally. It is a complex job to modify any iMac since late 2011 because of how thin Apple made them and as the above gentleman said you will void your warranty.

So the best solution for you is to buy additional memory from OWC. It is easy to install as you just open a door at the bottom of the screen pull out the old memory and put the new memory in. OWC has videos to show you if you have any worries. For the drive you have 2 choices in my mind - buy the model iMac with a larger SSD installed 500MB minimum then attach an external hard drive for storage. You will run your software and OS off the SSD and store images on the external HD. This is the more expensive option. The other option would be to reverse the order - buy the iMac with the largest HD you can afford and buy an external SSD to run off the Thunderbolt 3 port (much faster than USB3). Put the OS and applications on that drive and store your data on the internal drive. In any case, since you are a new user to Mac you will be installing a clean system anyway so just pick where you want it first there won't be any transferring as mentioned by another poster.

Here are few links from MacMost you might want to look at - https://macmost.com/questions-new-mac-users-have-when-switching-from-windows.html

https://macmost.com/cheaper-alternatives-to-the-new-mac-pro.html

The second one compares the new Mac Pro (a fantastic machine but $$$$) against options. One might fit you better than the iMac.

I hope this helps but if you have questions please ask away. And welcome to getting away from the Dark Side, we have cookies laughs

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

When I left Oracle a few years ago, they were providing Lenovo PCs... Not an Apple in site in our office of a hundred users.

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

Oracle allows Macs since 2011 when I joined to sales and marketing.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Key word being “allow”. I left Oracle sales in 2015, and we were provided with Lenovos.

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

hardymorgan42

hardymorgan42

Get the 27" screen. iMac is so much easier to use with photos. I've posted more than 8000 photos on findagrave and have been using Mac for years. It's the best.

Hardy

aikiboy

Whether I ultimately go with Mac or PC I will absolutely go with a large (27") screen. There doesn't seem to be anybody who replied that doesn't love it, and the laptop I'm using is pretty frustrating. The price, once you move up to SSD and more memory, is a bit daunting, however, I suspect that this may be the case for a premium PC and screen, too. Anyway, I continue research and thank everyone for your replies.

99Photographer

I have been using Mac's from the original Macintosh. Now I have an iMac 27", 4.2 GHz i7, 40 GB RAM, and a 500 GB SSD. I recommend purchasing the computer with the minimum memory and later upgrade to the max from OWC or equivalent. Adding memory is a 10 minute job and simple. Because the internal drive can't be changed without major surgery (not recommended for most folks), I recommend getting the largest SSD that you can afford. Even thought the internal SSD would be faster, I keep my 100K Lightroom Photos and the Lightroom catalogs on external drives with backups. I am waiting for a reasonably priced large capacity external SSD with Thunderbolt 3 interface which should be a great combination. I'll stick with HDD's for backups.

I use the iMac for everything. Both Lightroom and Photoshop perform well. I did a quick evaluation of Topaz AI Gigapixel and found it sluggish. I understand that this is quite normal as this application is computationally intensive.

Good luck. I believe that you will enjoy the iMac once you get past a few growing pains.

gawalker2 Loc: Sarasota, Florida

If you're used to a PC, you will definitely have a learning curve changing to Mac. I am pretty good with computers and every time my wife asks me about something about her Apple products, I have to do an internet search. Macs and PCs are kinda like politics. Apple folks are very loyal - for good reason. For me, I would never switch because of the learning and I have an awesome HP Spectre 360 laptop that is better than an iMac Pro and cost quite a bit less. But that's what works for me. Always a tough decision. Good luck!

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

The Costco 27" iMac is $1729. It retails on the Apple website for $1799 but is available as a refurbished model for $1529:

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/FRQY2LL/A/Refurbished-27-inch-iMac-30GHz-6-core-Intel-Core-i5-with-Retina-5K-display?fnode=e895012595b1a59ae04084271a8a605559ffd56ae99b02c12c54a54fb8993557188e0a691536bb679092f1fab9b609b0ff4c82328813fb8b1f88f1a81c43956797bbb9930e4ad89827730a86a674ae8e

I believe the RAM (8GB) comes in two sticks of 4GB each. You can buy additional RAM (16GB as two 8GB sticks from Macsales.com for a $79) and add them and still keep the original 8GB of RAM giving a total of 24GB.

I you elect to get a new iMac, get the one you were looking at but get the 512GB SSD and add the additional RAM yourself. This would come to about $2200. If this doesn't work financially, get the Costco one and add the additional 16GB later.

W9OD Loc: Wisconsin

Don’t think, just do it.