Switching from PC to iMac ?

[Mikesr]

Gathering some input and thoughts on switching from being a PC user for 20 years. DW and I are already iPhone and iPad uses and have upgraded these devices a couple times because we outgrew the storage capacity of the older phone and tables. So we’re already familiar with Apple and both have iTunes accounts.
Some of the specific questions and concerns we have is with peripheral devices like printers, external hard drives and data files stored on flash drives and portable HDD’s. Will our PC data files (i.e. word documents and photos) work on an iMac?
We understand the iMac will be a chunk of change and we plan to spec it for RAM and processing speed to be higher then our current needs. Any input on that would be helpful. The iMac Pro is not in our budget. Hopefully keeping this under 2 grand.
Thank you for any input.

[TechWriter]

Something to keep in mind if you want to use a VESA-mounted iMac like this . . .



If you're ordering a new iMac, you can buy one with a built-in VESA mount. After-market VESA mounts can be klunky.

[tragusa3]

Lifelong PC user here. Frustrated as all heck in 2014 I bought an iMac 27" (middle of the road specs). It has changed my computing experience! In nearly 4 years, it has never hesitated to do exactly what I expected it to do. I have used Final Cut Pro for thousands of hours of HD video editing and it has done it flawlessly. My hobby of video editing would have never existed the way life was on a PC.

In another year or two, I will spend the Apple premium tax again, HAPPILY!

BTW, the learning curve was all of two days.

[1492]

I use both my PC and iMAC every day. Primarily Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator or other developer work on iMAC, which I prefer over WIN platform. And enterprise stuff like MS360, or Adobe Premiere Pro/After Effects (Video) on DELL WIN10 workstation, as it has faster processors and can accommodate Adobe's recommended nVidia graphic cards internally, which essentially can blow the iMAC out of the water.

For travel, I tend to take a MS Surface Pro or DELL XPS Ultrabook, both WIN10. But at home, prefer my MacBook Air.

I would definitely buy an external HD drive for backups on iMAC or PC, most any brand will do. Though, IMO, iMAC has a far better backup/recovery system "built-in" than WIN. If your internal drive fails in your iMAC, you're likely not going to be able to replace it unless you're a techie with specialized tools. About all you can do is upgrade the RAM yourself, not too difficult for most users. But then again, you will also have access to walk-in support from Apple stores.

You can install WIN on iMAC with Apple's free Boot Camp. Parallels is a paid app. Though, one caveat, a WIN or MAC OS upgrade can cause Boot Camp to fail on your system, requiring a restore. Another reason you should make sure to have backups.

I also prefer using a separate wireless mouse on my iMAC, which is actually a Microsoft ergo mouse. :B But works better than what comes with the iMAC.






Another very handy accessory has been this inexpensive hub, which adds USB3 ports and/or SDHC card reader to the front of my iMAC. Especially, convenient for portable flash drives. It works very well, attaching to the vents on the under side, though need to make sure the screw is on firm. But will not scratch the case. I bought mine on Amazon.

[pauldub]

I've been using PCs for at least 30 years and I've also had a macbook for the last 4 years. I really love my iPhone and iOS but I've never cared for the macbook's OS. I've used Windows for so long that none of it's quirks seem like quirks while the mac quirks still seem like quirks. I think it's easier to make the change if your brain is younger.

[Larry-D]

I wouldn't say monthly but it does let you know when there's an update and then gives you the option of installing it. You can ignore it for a while but then it'll do it on its own or when you turn it off and then back on. At least that's what my mac mini does.

[neal10a]

Does the Mac do monthly updates like Win-10 ?

[mockturtle]

I switched to a MacBook Pro two years ago and am very pleased with the choice, although I still have my Win 8.1 laptop because there are files and programs that don't work on my Mac. The learning curve was not really too steep. The biggest downside to a Mac is the lack of usable applications. In short, compared to Windows programs, Mac versions are pretty second rate. This is especially true with games, so if you're an avid gamer, you might want to at least hang onto your Windows (I don't have Windows 10--I refused to download it--so I can't use my word processing app but my Mac version works fine). Mac is trouble-free compared to Windows, without the annoying 'updates' and fixes Windows is so prone to. YMMV.

[b17drvr]

Once you do mac, you never go back.

[stew47]

i bought a Mac air couple years ago. I’ll never go back either. There were some Apple ways I didn’t understand but I just find a YouTube video and no problems.

[ljr]

Mikesr wrote:
....we plan to spec it for RAM and processing speed to be higher then our current needs.

As a retired IT guy and long time Mac user, put whatever extra you have to spend into RAM first. That’s where you’ll get the most bang for the $. As apps and operating systems grow in the future, as they inevitably do, you’ll need all you can get.

Personally I have a Mac mini stashed behind my TV. I use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and the TV as a monitor.

[Farmboy666]

I changed to Macbook Pro 2 weeks ago, I bought a 2012 model from an IT guy, Last year Ram and battery changeable. USB, Firewire, SD card slot , CD tray. I found having an Ipad and Iphone helped me and not much curve at all. Pictures show up automatically, message from macook, all good and saved a bunch of money. There are a few online computer stores that will also help save by buying used.

[TechWriter]

Mikesr wrote:

Some of the specific questions and concerns we have is with peripheral devices like printers, external hard drives and data files stored on flash drives and portable HDD’s.

Will our PC data files (i.e. word documents and photos) work on an iMac?

Your iMac should have no trouble accessing these devices. For example, image, movie, and music files should open and run seamlessly. For Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, etc), I use the free, open source Apache Open Office -- it slices, it dices . . . and it's free.

As someone else mentioned, I'd suggest buying Parallels for Mac software. I run Windows XP and Windows 7 which allows me to run just about anything.

Likewise with printers, but you may have to get the applicable software drivers. Do your homework and check if they are available.

Mikesr wrote:

We understand the iMac will be a chunk of change and we plan to spec it for RAM and processing speed to be higher then our current needs.

Great minds think alike . . . I'm doing the same thing -- and, yes, the iMac Pro is out of my price range (starts at $5K! Yikes!)

However, I would suggest a 27" 2017 5K display iMac, preferably with at least 16 GB of memory and at least a 2 TB internal hard drive. Memory Upgrades are easy and inexpensive, but upgrading iMac hard drives is not easy -- it involves 34 steps. You can get up to a 3TB fusion hard drive pre-installed which is what I'll probably do.

Anyway, there are not a lot of used 2017 iMacs out there, so I'd recommend either the Apple Store or the Apple Refurbished Store where good deals can be had.

Finally, iMacs (and other Macs) come with Time Machine automatic backup software which I recommend you use. However, you'll have to re-purpose any hard drive you have laying around or shell out for a new one. I recommend Two, 4 TB, USB 3 hard drives that you could run as RAID 1 . . . and Macs also have build-in RAID software.

[wildtoad]

Except for this years tax return, I have all but quit using my Windows PC and have found I can do everything I need to do on either my iPhone or iPad Pro. I have only seen a new Mac in operation once when a friend of mine asked for some help in getting is MH on eBay. I was totally unimpressed with the interface after hearing for years how much better or intuitive it was than Windows.

A different friend of mine, we are both ex IT guy’s, switched to the Mac and after going through the conversion tells me that they both have issues, both have regular updates it’s just that Apple hides their issues and updates better than MS.

Anyway, at this point I’ll not shell out any more money for either a Windows based or Apple based Personal Computer. If I can’t do it with my IPad, perhaps I don’t need to do it.

[Chris_Bryant]

My Dad bought his first Mac in 1985- a 512k "fat Mac". 2 floppies, no hard drive. He's only on his fourth Mac now, an iMac around 10 years old. It has been updated with more memory and an SSD, and works fine.
I really think you will be pleased with the whole Apple ecosystem- already having iPads and iPhones will make the move easy.