Anyone here using M3 iMac?

[cl516]

Hi!  So my current iMac (27-inch Retina Late 2015 4ghz i7) has a multi-core benchmark of 4373.  Thinking of settling on an M3 iMac for 2 years before moving up to Mac Studio.  The M3 iMac's multi-core benchmark is about 11700.

I still print through outboard, I mostly use hardware synths, and even if I use soft synths I print a lot of stuff.  Anyone on here have real world experience using Logic on this new M3 iMac?  

thanks 

[Dr.Socrates]

I work on an M1 Mac mini since several years. I think that, based on your description, if you get an M3 you will continue using that for more then 2 years. 🙂

I cannot see why an M3 iMac would have any problem handling whatever you would put it through, to be honest. 

[David Nahmani]

Same here, no hands-on experience, but I think the M3 iMac will be more than fine for your applications, it's a powerful beast. 🙂 

[polanoid]

If only there was a 27 inch model... going back to 24 inch does make the screen feel quite small.

[David Nahmani]

33 minutes ago, polanoid said:

If only there was a 27 inch model... going back to 24 inch does make the screen feel quite small.

Yes, I've been waiting for a new 27" iMac for many years. I finally gave up waiting and got a Mac mini with a 3rd party display but it's just not the same experience - at all. Lots of ugly stray cables on my desk. 

[Studio162A]

I'm on one of the last i9 27" imacs. It's a great machine but the timing was unfortunate in that it's just a matter of time before I'm told that Logic updates will be for Silicon machines only.

The 27" is a beautiful all-in-one thing and as has already been mentioned, I wouldn't want to go to 24"

Given your comment, David, what would you do next if you had to buy a new Mac?

Jim

[David Nahmani]

6 hours ago, Studio162A said:

what would you do next if you had to buy a new Mac?

I would wait for the next 27" iMac! This time it's bound to happen sooner or later, right? 🤣

No seriously though I would most likely get a Mac mini or Mac studio and a 3rd party display. 

[Dr.Socrates]

7 hours ago, Studio162A said:

what would you do next if you had to buy a new Mac

I know that you asked David specifically, but I'm jumping in as well. 😄 

I totally agree with all the praise for the iMac. I have two generations of the 27" standing here, which I very much still love, but I have migrated to mostly using a Mac mini M1 and a MacBook Pro M1 Max, and a Philips display. Of course it is not close to being an iMac, but I love the M1:s enough that it is worth dealing with the 3rd party display. 

The mini is very much power for the money. 

[Studio162A]

Thanks to David, Dr. Socrates, and anyone else who wants to chime in. 

I'm hanging on to the i9 iMac until I'm forced to move to Silicon. At that point I'll be back to ask for 27" display recommendations.

[FlowerPower]

On 1/29/2024 at 11:14 PM, cl516 said:

Anyone on here have real world experience using Logic on this new M3 iMac?  

I have, and wrote something about it here:
 

 

[cl516]

Thanks for chiming in folks!  I went with a base model Mac Studio M2 Max and Apple Display.  The plan will be to keep all the peripherals, accessories, and display, then when they announce M3 Max/Ultra Studio I'll pounce in and getting something huge.  I just couldn't come to terms with going down to 24" screen also, my eyes aren't exactly getting better each year lol.

[cl516]

…on an even better note, I just found a Certified Refurbished on the base config that I wanted!  Just popped up!  Even better!

[j3tman]

On 1/31/2024 at 7:34 AM, cl516 said:

The plan will be to keep all the peripherals, accessories, and display, then when they announce M3 Max/Ultra Studio I'll pounce in and getting something huge.

 

I've been debating whether to wait for an M3 Max/Ultra Studio or go ahead and grab an M2 now. I too am on a late 2015 27" iMac and know I likely won't be disappointed either way, but if the new one comes out for the same price then I can definitely wait. But I'm wary of some videos saying that the M3 is actually a step down for Logic due to it not using efficiency cores at all, and the M3 has more efficiency cores and fewer performance cores. I'd really like to think this will be resolved in Logic via a software update, but given this is a multi-year problem I'm not sure it's being prioritized.

 

 

[FlowerPower]

4 hours ago, j3tman said:

But I'm wary of some videos saying that the M3 is actually a step down for Logic due to it not using efficiency cores at all, and the M3 has more efficiency cores and fewer performance cores. I'd really like to think this will be resolved in Logic via a software update

Logic has an Settings option which allows users to define whether Logic shall use the E-cores or not. But it's generally advised against giving Logic all the available cores, since the OS and various background tasks need them. 

Which M3 have you seen which has more efficiency cores than performance cores? If I'm not mistaken, even the base model has four of each. There are no M3 Mac Minis yet, but these are the specs for the M3 MacBook Pros: