iMac vs Surface Studio

[James Falconer]

If you're a creative professional, which one would you get (iMac or Surface Studio) and WHY? Really curious to get your feedback here!!

 

[Laura Knotek]

If I were a graphic designer or musician, I would opt for an iMac and use Lightroom or Pro Tools on the Mac. My choice would be Mac, not PC, since that is what the people I know in creative professions use. If I were new to a creative profession, I would be able to learn from the Mac users I know.

 

[grahamf]

Yes, but why do they use Mac?

Honestly I really think the only reason why they haven't made the switch is just because the programs they use haven't made the switch. I suspect that the Creator's Update may have a chance of changing that.

 

[Matty]

For me, just based on the price it would be more logical to get the iMac. The Surface studio starts at $2,999 while the iMac 27" starts at $1,799. Now those are both big numbers but i can almost buy a 13" non touch bar Macbook Pro plus a iMac and it would be the same price as the Surface Studio.

From a creative persecutive, having a touch screen interface so close up allows you to become much more immersed in what you are doing and for that i would take the Surface Studio. Plus its a great 'scratch pad' for the kids. They can boot up paint and go mad haha

 

[Laura Knotek]

Yes, but why do they use Mac?

Honestly I really think the only reason why they haven't made the switch is just because the programs they use haven't made the switch. I suspect that the Creator's Update may have a chance of changing that.

They use Mac, since it has software that is easy for them to use for their photography and music professions.

 

[grahamf]

They use Mac, since it has software that is easy for them to use for their photography and music professions.

Which software? Adobe's entire collection is multiplatform and Final Cut has been made into castrated garbage. Hell, Microsoft has indicated that they will be cloning GarageBand when the Creator's Update comes out.

 

[grahamf]

They use Mac, since it has software that is easy for them to use for their photography and music professions.

Which software? Adobe's entire collection is multiplatform and Final Cut has been made into castrated garbage. Hell, Microsoft has indicated that they will be cloning GarageBand when the Creator's Update comes out.

 

[kittengirl]

Agreed. I work in a corporate marketing department so interface with designers all the time. I also am an amateur photographer and have used Photoshop for years. There are very few applications used by designers these days that are not cross platform, and with those, virtually no reason that a Windows user couldn't learn from a Mac user. I recall about a dozen years ago, our company part-time graphic designer's husband purchased a Windows based machine as a replacement for their Mac. After a couple of days using it at home, she came to work and said, "wow, all this time I thought there would be a huge difference, but there really isn't." She was referring to using the software. The primary reason that so many designers use Macs, is by this point in time just a legacy thing. Years ago, Macs had better graphics than PCs, so they were the preferred machines for designers. Since that isn't the case anymore, for most creative professionals, it makes absolutely no difference.

 

[James Falconer]

Good points. It's all what you're used to... but that said, I'm sure it wouldn't be a huge effort to migrate from Mac to PC and vice versa. I've done that a few times myself.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Which software? Adobe's entire collection is multiplatform and Final Cut has been made into castrated garbage. Hell, Microsoft has indicated that they will be cloning GarageBand when the Creator's Update comes out.

Yes, Pro Tools is also available for Windows. However, the majority of people in the recording industry use Mac not PC.

Garageband isn't what music pros use. Pro Tools is the defacto standard in the recording industry.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Good points. It's all what you're used to... but that said, I'm sure it wouldn't be a huge effort to migrate from Mac to PC and vice versa. I've done that a few times myself.

That's true. However, if I were new to a creative profession, I'd choose the platform that people I know have been using for years, so I could learn from them, rather than needing to learn everything on my own.

 

[illegaloperation]

Apple doesn't care about the Mac, at least not anymore. All Apple care about is iOS.

Mac Pro hasn't been updated in over three years. Mac Mini hasn't been update in over two years. They are both still selling at full price.

Aperture was discontinued. Final Cut Pro was dumb down into a glorified iMovie program.

Apple even got rid of a dedicated Mac team.

There is now a single team that spends most of its time developing iOS and barely any time developing Mac.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-20/how-apple-alienated-mac-loyalists

 

[grahamf]

That's true. However, if I were new to a creative profession, I'd choose the platform that people I know have been using for years, so I could learn from them, rather than needing to learn everything on my own.

The tools operate the same on both systems. It's easy to at least familiarize yourself with the alternative, so if you're forced to switch it's not as painless.

It is all rumors, but what I'm hearing is a lot of these professionals are relying on systems that they cannot replace because the new Macs do not work with their software or hardware, or simply don't exist anymore. The Mac pro is a joke now, especially with it's "replaceable" GPUs with no upgrade options.

 

[rdubmu]

If you need the touch screen, I would go for the Surface Studio, most of the software that is available on the MAC is available on windows and most of the time the windows versions of most cross platform software is better. If you are confortable with the MAC and do not need a touch screen, its a no brainer to get a MAC.