Which models of Mac will I need?

Question

I normally run chrome with 10 or more tabs + iTunes in the background playing music(just ALAC from the library not streaming) + photoshop in the background idling(just open and put it there) while sometimes edit image (minor edit like resize the image and canvas size). I will also stop the music in iTunes then open a movie/video that's 1920x1080 Hi10p/HEVC BD FLAC.
PS: I am not much of a gamer. While I may bootcamp just to play a few Japanese Visual Novel games that's available only in PC. Other than that, I seldom/almost no play games.
So which models of Macs do you guys think will suit my usage? Or are there any PCs out there that suit my needs too?

Answer 1

Appears the site Hosts have moved your thread into the iMac (Intel) discussions area
so as to keep it in-line with a more recent hardware and software technology. Another
option, sort of hinted at by where this discussion is now located, is the iMac series...
All of these (as new recent models) will run the most current OS X system, 10.10.
If you were interested in one kind of model build version over another, then there
are a few other choices. Some like the portability of the MacBook Pro or Air models.
Others may like the idea you could use most displays, keyboard & mouse, etc when
considering the Mac Mini, as it ships with none. An iMac ships with the built-in display,
a keyboard, and mouse. When ordering online from the Apple Store, you could choose
to also include a different mouse model, keyboard version, or touchpad; in addition to
the choice of processor and other factors, across two iMac 21.5 + 27-inch models...
(Then, there's the top-end model that would certainly not be within my budget: iMac 5K.)
There occasionally are recent models that are slightly discounted, fully guaranteed as
new, and qualify for the optional AppleCare extended plan, in Apple's refurbished site.
You have no options in the build, each one that may be listed is just that. Some have
more or less RAM, a variety of other specification, and may or may not ship with the
same software of the specific build-run they had when each was available in retail...
•Apple Store (US) online refurbished & clearance site:
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals
So it may be possible to get a last-years model that could have Mavericks 10.9 in it.
That model would be able to get Yosemite from the Mac App Store online, an upgrade.
It is possible to have an older system (in a partition or external separate drive) and a
newer one, and run the computer alternately from one or the other. Or revert to older.
A fair plan would be to budget for an externally enclosed hard disk drive with faster
7200-RPM drive inside, and USB3.0 porting; this could be used to backup and also
be able to support a bootable copy or clone of your system. This would be in addition
to an external drive or device that would be used with Time Machine for backups...
These should be self-powered so they do not rely on the computer port for power,
and be of suitable size capacity for some serious storage; or be good for partitions
so more than one duty can be served by the device. A 2 or 3 TB may be OK.
The site macsales.com (aka: OWC) has some good examples of this kind of gear.
For wireless and wired backups one could opt for an Apple Time Capsule, that is an
AirPort Extreme base station with internal storage; this works well for Time Machine.
The other backup drive device is an externally enclosed hard disk drive with fast HDD.
This is what can be used if set up, to truly have a copy of your computer via clone or
bootable clone. It could run the computer should the main internal drive fail, too.
Since OS X likes plenty of resources made available for its use, to make an affordable
investment in the device at a level you can justify and plan on using for a few years, is
about the best one can do. A top-end machine, not within most student budgets, is a
nice idea but not necessarily the affordable device to begin with. However to a good
extent, to get a reasonably good configuration of fast hard drive (spin rate, if not SSD)
and memory RAM, and processor with good spec graphics, can look more costly than
a generic PC that was not designed for use with OS X.
http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/mac-mini?product=MGEN2LL/A&step=config
The mid-level Mini has a few options. More RAM is only available as CTO or custom
order, or may be found in a retail Apple Store if they chose to stock them. 16GB is
quite a bit. An option for a 7200-RPM HDD is not listed in the online config page in
the Store, but that would be a fair one. The Fusion drive is some kind of hybrid that
would be fairly quick, though it uses a partial SSD and HDD together. A 1-TB hybrid
may be more like a 750GB HDD with a 250GB SSD working together, and seen in
the system as one unit. Some user errors or processes in utility can change this so
these Fusion units may appear broken or as two parts. It is one unit. Some of these
Mini models could use more than one HDD or one SSD and one HDD.
They had a server model which shipped with two 1-TB HDD (5400-RPM) and initially
only 4GB RAM, user upgradable to 16GB. Some users found these were slower than
expected and the Late 2012 Mini quad-core server cost nearly $1,000. Upgrades to
such a unit (no longer sold regularly at Apple) invite the faster spin rate HDDs, and
the RAM upgrade. A company in NY by name of B&H photovideo shows one of these
in their computer sales page, for about $849. and the inventory is new, not refurb.
However the graphics shares standard system RAM, and is slower than IRIS graphics
(which also appears to share standard system RAM with graphics.)
I have not looked closely at the newest Mini in the $699 price-point, but the Iris Graphics
may be a good move, if the computer also has at least 8GB RAM, and a 7200-RPM HDD.
OR an SSD. The solid-state product is rather costly, & third-party versions are not going
to be covered by the AppleCare and unless an Apple authorized service provider does an
upgrade and does not void the warranty, that is a loss of value to upgrade that way. You
could pay plenty extra for a small capacity SSD, to get some speed, but they fill quickly.
An external that could run at 7200-RPM via USB3.0 or Thunderbolt, could support an OS X
system running from that external location. That is an option, so the original HDD need not
be replaced straight-away. The stock 500GB HDD is usually a 5400-RPM model and that
would be the bottleneck or choke-point of the hardware. Even with a fair amount of RAM.
So the specifications on these have to be seriously considered and more information obtained.
Another source of comparison specifications, is a download database from http://mactracker.ca
in addition to the extensive site from http://everymac.com. If you were to consider older hardware
to have a lower cost option, the only advantage would be the cost and loss factor. Not as much
out there, and less loss if it turned up missing or damaged by accident. Oh if you have renter
or household insurance, see about accidental and water damage insurance as part of general
policy. This in addition to theft and personal articles coverage, that includes theft. These items
are not part of the AppleCare extended protection. All the numbers & specs change when one
considers a comparison between a portable and a desktop computer.
Sorry for all this writing, I had a few other web pages open and did some reading, but did not
see as that helps; you'd have to be looking ahead and hope for the best. Also plan otherwise.
To have a good backup method and a a duplicate method, so your works-in-progress aren't
lost if or when something should happen, is worth the cost for reputable quality & fair price.
Hopefully someone can give you better advice in the questions concerning configuration of product
and the kinds of options you may need to plan for at some point. If I were going to return to school
and wanted to keep a low budget while still using a Mac, I'd consider some pre-owned models at
low enough price (with viable known-good source) for something I could replace the HDD or add
RAM, and know it is essentially a disposable item. If you are taking science, math or design courses
the kind of computer would vary. Same thing if you were to expect image or video graphic editing &
building layers of changes that eat up resources. And I'd want to have a spare computer. If portable
I'd try & take the ugly used one out and let it be seen while any nice costly one would be in hiding.
Hopefully you can check into the options, and not just with a retail Apple Store. If available, ask
some of the same questions and compare answers from independent authorized Apple retail
shops whose business is also repair & service. Some of the older personnel have experience of
a level not found in the regular Apple Store, if they are real Apple Specialists.
Sorry for the long post, and I can't say this answers all that much!