The WORST Apple Product I've Ever Bought 😅
Summary
TLDRIn this entertaining and candid video, the creator shares his experience with a newly purchased, custom-ordered yellow iMac, highlighting its aesthetics and performance. Despite acknowledging the iMac's high price point and limited configurations, he appreciates its minimalist setup and sleek design. The video also includes a humorous interaction with an expert, Luke Miani, who provides his seal of approval, albeit with reservations about the iMac's value for money.
Takeaways
- 💻 The speaker purchased a custom, expensive yellow iMac, which might be uniquely configured.
- 🤷♂️ The purchase was made with assistance from Ken, but it was ordered incorrectly leading to an even more peculiar setup.
- 🏠 The speaker's office is in need of redesign and the new iMac is intended to be a part of the revamped workspace.
- 📺 The Samsung Frame TV is part of the office setup, reflecting a theme of items that are desired for their aesthetics rather than practicality.
- 🖥️ The existing office setup revolves around an LG UltraFine 5K monitor that is starting to fail, necessitating an upgrade.
- 💼 The speaker's previous setup was laptop-centric, using a Thunderbolt dock connected to the 5K display and other peripherals.
- 🎨 The iMac M3 is chosen for its design and the speaker's desire to use it since its introduction, despite its limitations.
- 🧩 The new iMac configuration includes a VESA arm for flexibility, a yellow desk pad for color coordination, and various peripherals.
- 🎥 The speaker has been using the iMac for video editing and finds the M3 processor capable, but wishes for the M3 Pro for better performance.
- 💡 The speaker acknowledges the iMac's high price and its status as a niche product, suitable more for consumers than professionals.
- 📉 The speaker does not recommend purchasing the iMac at its current price point, suggesting considering a refurbished model for better value.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic of the video is the presenter's experience with their newly purchased, custom-ordered yellow iMac and their process of setting up and evaluating its performance and value.
What issues were the presenter experiencing with their old LG UltraFine 5K monitor?
-The presenter was experiencing Bluetooth and 2.4 gigahertz interference, which caused devices like Bluetooth mice to be flaky. Additionally, they were getting purple fringing around the edges of the display, which was getting progressively worse.
Why did the presenter decide to switch to an iMac?
-The presenter decided to switch to an iMac because they wanted to try a device they had been interested in since its release and also because their existing setup was outdated and needed an upgrade.
What are the specifications of the new iMac that the presenter purchased?
-The presenter purchased a custom-ordered, yellow iMac with the Apple M3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 24-inch 4.5K display. It also came with a VESA arm for mounting.
What peripherals did the presenter include in their new setup?
-The presenter included a custom keyboard by Switch and Click, a Magic Trackpad, a Logitech MX Master 3S, a yellow desk pad, a headphone holder, and an Anker USB-C charger in their new setup.
How does the presenter feel about the iMac's performance?
-The presenter feels that the iMac's performance is not terrible, with the M3 processor handling tasks like video editing without issues. However, they mention that they would have preferred the M3 Pro for better performance.
What is the total cost of the presenter's iMac setup?
-The total cost of the presenter's iMac setup, including the iMac, Trackpad, and other accessories, is $1,949.
What does the presenter think about the value of the iMac?
-The presenter believes that the iMac is not worth the high price, especially when considering the upgrades and configuration options. They suggest considering a refurbished model for better value.
What is the presenter's plan for future improvements to the iMac setup?
-The presenter plans to replace the VESA arm with a yellow one for better aesthetics and is considering adding a small display, like an iPad with Sidecar, for extra information.
How does the expert, Luke Miani, feel about the setup?
-Luke Miani approves of the setup, appreciating the aesthetic and the minimal setup, but he is not sold on the yellow iMac and misses the larger 27-inch model.
What does the presenter conclude about the M3 iMac's worth?
-The presenter concludes that the M3 iMac is not worth its price, especially when considering its performance and the lack of CPU upgrade options. They suggest that only those who can justify the cost, like YouTubers, should consider such a purchase.
Outlines
📦 Unboxing the Custom iMac
The speaker introduces the video by expressing his dissatisfaction with the most recent Apple product he purchased - a custom yellow iMac. He explains that the configuration of this iMac is likely unique due to a mix-up during the ordering process. The speaker provides a tour of his current office setup, highlighting the need for improvement and explaining his attachment to his existing LG UltraFine 5K monitor, which has started to malfunction. He also discusses his typical workflow, which involves using a laptop connected to a Thunderbolt dock and a 5K display, and his desire to switch to an iMac for its aesthetic and minimalistic appeal. The speaker emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity, introducing the sponsor, Bitdefender, and its GravityZone Small Business Security solution to protect against phishing attacks.
🖥️ Setting Up the New iMac
The speaker continues by discussing the decision to use a VESA arm for his iMac, which provides more flexibility than the default stand. He shares a humorous exchange with Ken, who ordered the iMac with the VESA arm, leading to the speaker's commitment to the VESA setup. The speaker then proceeds to clean up his desk and set up his new iMac, expressing initial doubts but ultimately finding satisfaction with the new configuration. He describes the peripherals he uses, including a custom keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Logitech MX Master 3S, all coordinated in yellow to match the iMac. The speaker also mentions his use of the iMac for various tasks, including video editing, and his thoughts on the M3 processor's performance. He concludes this section by seeking approval from an expert, Luke Miani, who appreciates the setup but suggests a bigger iMac would be better.
💸 Justifying the iMac Purchase
The speaker discusses his mixed feelings about the iMac's price, acknowledging that it is an expensive purchase but justifying it with its aesthetic appeal and minimal setup. He shares the total cost of his iMac configuration, which reaches $1,949, and humorously asks for Luke Miani's approval, despite the high price. The speaker then reflects on the value of the iMac, concluding that while it is not worth the price for most people, a refurbished model could be a more reasonable option. He emphasizes the lack of CPU options and the absence of an M3 Pro chip as limitations of the iMac, but overall, he expresses contentment with his new setup, despite its shortcomings and the irrational nature of the purchase.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡iMac
💡Ken
💡VESA arm
💡Bluetooth interference
💡M3 iMac
💡Purple fringing
💡Thunderbolt dock
💡Cybersecurity
💡Productivity
💡Aesthetic
💡Value
Highlights
The speaker introduces their new, custom-ordered yellow iMac, which they consider a questionable purchase.
The iMac was ordered with the assistance of Ken, but it was ordered incorrectly, making it unique.
The speaker's office setup is in need of improvements and redesign.
The speaker's existing office setup has remained largely unchanged since 2016, centered around an LG UltraFine 5K monitor.
The LG UltraFine 5K monitor is starting to fail, with Bluetooth interference and purple fringing issues.
The speaker plans to upgrade and redesign their office setup, moving away from the laptop-centric system they've used for years.
The base iMacs only have eight gigabytes of RAM, which the speaker finds insufficient for their needs in 2024.
The speaker is trying out the iMac after wanting to use one since their introduction.
The 24-inch iMac features an Apple M3 processor and a 4.5K display, which the speaker finds satisfactory for basic tasks and video editing.
The speaker expresses a desire for an iMac with an M3 Pro chip for better performance.
The speaker's new office setup includes a yellow iMac, a custom keyboard, and peripherals on a yellow desk pad for color coordination.
The speaker has been using the iMac setup for a few weeks and is happy with it, despite acknowledging its niche appeal.
An expert, Luke Miani, gives his approval to the speaker's setup, but suggests a bigger iMac would be better.
The speaker discusses the high cost of their iMac configuration, reaching $1,949 for the M3 model.
The speaker acknowledges the iMac is not worth the price and recommends considering a refurbished model for better value.
The lack of CPU options for the iMac is frustrating, particularly the absence of a pro chip option.
The speaker concludes that the M3 iMac is not worth the price, but they are happy with their aesthetically pleasing and minimal setup.
The speaker humorously warns viewers not to make irrational purchases like their iMac, joking about the consequences.
The speaker invites viewers to subscribe to their channel to avoid the fictional charge of $1,949 for the iMac.
Transcripts
- Inside this box
is the dumbest Apple product I've ever purchased,
and that's saying something.
I would explain, but it's better
(table thumping) to just show you.
Behold, my friends, my new computer,
(foam squeaking) (rhythmic music halting)
an iMac.
Yeah, I'm not kidding.
This is my new computer.
I custom ordered
a very expensive, yellow iMac.
The way this one's set up might be
the only one in existence,
because I don't think anyone is dumb enough
to order an iMac the way that I ordered it,
and by I, I mean I asked Ken to help me order it,
and then he ordered it wrong,
so, it's even weirder. (chuckles)
(Ken laughing)
Now, you might look at this
and think that it is an incredibly questionable purchase,
but when you see my existing office,
you'll see that I have a lot of room
to make some improvements.
So, before we get started,
let me give you a tour of my actual office.
I've shown this in videos in the past,
but I've always cleaned it up, we've tried to decorate it.
This is what it actually looks like.
I actually need to kinda, like, design this sort
of setup a little bit more.
It's still a little bit basic, but there's that.
The couch, I can't show you.
We're gonna have to censor all of this,
'cause (clears throat) this is where I leave
embargo products that have not been dealt with,
so, we're just gonna move on from that.
Then you'll see this, my Samsung Frame TV.
Now, there's a little bit of a theme in my office,
where I have a lot of items that don't really make
a lot of sense from a value perspective,
but I irrationally want it,
and I wanted one of these Frame TVs for a while.
So, my existing setup is basically unchanged
since something like 2016.
So, a lot of it is built around my LG UltraFine 5K monitor.
Now, I'll be honest,
I love this display.
This is the original launch model,
and I've used it for many years.
The problem is that it is starting to go out on me.
Not only have I ever since day one
had Bluetooth and 2.4
gigahertz interference,
which means that things like Bluetooth mice
tend to be a little bit flaky with me,
but on top of that, especially the last year or so,
I've been getting this purple fringing
around the edges of the display.
It's fine, but it's getting worse and worse,
and honestly, I know that I'm gonna have
to give up eventually.
Look, I'm stubborn, it's a really good display, I like it,
but it is definitely time for a replacement.
The problem is, is that with my office, what I tend to do,
because I have a lot of products come in and out,
a lot of stuff, it all just kind of lives on the desk.
I gotta stop doing that.
I know I gotta stop doing that,
but for now, that's where things live.
I am going to fix this desk.
That is my goal for this video.
So, I'm going to upgrade and completely redo my setup.
Now, this setup is really designed to be used with a laptop,
and that's been my primary system,
so, it's been a number of laptops over the years,
but I've pretty much always taken my laptops
and plugged them in via a Thunderbolt dock,
which then goes to the 5K display, 10 gig ethernet,
all that kind of stuff.
It's really quite a good setup for me,
because I can take the laptop with me when I go home,
when I travel, when I come to the office,
one system everywhere.
Now, there are other, like, 4K monitors and stuff out there.
There are even some OLEDs that are tempting,
but to me, it feels like this is a good opportunity
to try to go back to a device that I have wanted
to use since day one, which is the iMac.
The issue though is that using a base iMac
becomes a little bit of a challenge
when it comes to doing a little bit more of creative tasks,
you are running lots of apps and stuff,
because all those base iMacs only have
eight gigabytes of RAM.
Now, we've talked about this in the past.
We made an entire video using the MacBook M3,
the MacBook Pro with eight gigs of RAM.
It is a usable setup, but for me, it's not...
I'm not gonna, look, it's 2024,
I am not gonna daily drive a system.
I don't care, Apple Silicon or not, with eight gigs of RAM,
that's just not an option.
This is a good opportunity for me to actually tidy, clean,
and redesign this setup with at least
a little bit of thought in mind.
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(screen whooshing) So, this is my 24-inch iMac.
It looks so weird with this VESA stand.
Take a look at...
(upbeat music)
Wow, that is a white-ass bezel.
I'm gonna put this back on now.
We're just gonna cover this up.
(crew laughing) I'm gonna show,
make sure that I keep my screen nice and protected
until I get it on the actual VESA arm.
The way I'm going to configure this in my office,
is this is going to be on a VESA arm,
so I actually have some sort of flexibility,
because the base stand that it comes with
is a very short, squat, little thing
that just adjusts a little bit of tilt.
So, that was one of the main things
that I wasn't sure I wanted,
and then Ken ordered it with a VESA arm,
and then I was like, "Okay, I guess I'm gonna commit
to the VESA life?"
Oh, good lord.
- I mean, I have the Slack message. (chuckles)
I basically sent you the invoice,
did not realize it was VESA,
and you were just like, "Ah, the one with the VESA.
Ah, actually, (duck quacking) it, I'll just order it."
- That is an exact quote? (Ken laughing)
- That's literally what you said.
I didn't even have time to respond to you.
You made your decision up on your own.
- [Austin] That is exactly what I said, yes.
- [Ken] You could have turned back.
(screen whooshing) - So, it is time
to start cleaning up this desk.
I need to order a bunch of accessories,
a bunch of peripherals.
I have some ideas right now,
but this is the starting point,
and hopefully by the end of this video,
this whole setup will be much tidier, and much, much cooler.
(Austin muttering indistinctly)
Yeah, yeah, there you go.
(arm thumping)
I did it.
(bright music)
So, with my VESA arm built, it is time
to layer our iMac into place.
Goodbye to this beautiful, gold exterior
that I'm never gonna see,
'cause I'm looking at it from the other side.
All right, I'm gonna adjust this very slightly,
tighten everything down,
and we're gonna get this iMac up and running.
My questionable decisions continue.
Ready and...
(computer chiming)
Whoo!
Those speakers are actually not bad.
I have a little bit of second thoughts right now,
I'm not gonna lie.
Screen's a little small, a little small,
but something that's small, never hurt anybody.
(bwow intensifies)
I'm gonna see how well I like this iMac,
and I'm gonna start thinking about the rest
of the desk, but,
I feel good.
Asterisk, a little nervous.
(screen whooshing) And now, the peripherals
are in, it is time to look at my new desk setup.
So, in addition to my yellow iMac,
I also have this keyboard,
which was built for me by Betty from Switch and Click.
I have swapped out the key caps
to make them a little bit more Mac friendly,
but on top of that, I am using the Magic Trackpad
that came with the iMac, plus my Logitech MX Master 3S.
All of this is on a yellow desk pad.
As you can see, I've tried, not super successfully,
but I've tried to get a little bit
of color coordination with this setup.
I also now have some basic things, like a headphone holder,
and an Anker USB-C charger on my desk,
where I can charge laptops, and phones, and you name it,
but I'll tell you what, I've been using
this iMac setup for a few weeks,
and I'm actually kind of happy with it.
So, let's discuss the iMac M3
It's not terrible.
You know, you've got the Apple M3 processor,
which is very powerful, even today.
So, you've got very good single thread performance,
enough sort of graphics, and sort of general horsepower
to do things like editing,
which I've had zero problem with,
and you've also got a very nice, 24-inch, 4.5K display.
What I've been using this iMac for
is a mixture of basic tasks, like, you know,
web browsing, and writing, and researching everything,
but I also do a lot of video editing on this.
Now, primarily, the things that I edit
these days are Shorts,
so, certainly a little bit (graphic whooshing)
easier to handle,
but I will tell you this, the M3 has had absolutely
no problem chewing through it.
It shouldn't be a surprise.
I used to edit our main videos on my M1 MacBook Pro
all the time back in 2020,
so, the fact that this has significantly more performance
than that easily makes it powerful enough
for anything I want to throw at it,
but I will say, it'd be really nice
if at least I could have outfitted this with the M3 Pro.
That is still a significant step up in performance,
and because they've got the pro-level chips
in something like the Mac Mini,
I don't understand why they couldn't put it in the iMac.
It does feel like they're sort of artificially trying
to separate out their product line,
and let's be real, they probably don't sell
that many of these iMacs.
It is a very niche product that is much more so
for consumers than for actual professional use,
but it just looks so cool, right?
It's one thing for me to tell you all about my new setup.
I need to actually bring in an expert.
Luke Miani has made many, many, many wonderful videos
on the Apple products of yesteryear and tomorrow,
but does he approve of my setup?
(screen whooshing) Behold, my friends,
this is very secretive,
my office setup.
Can I direct your attention to my setup over here?
And can I get your honest opinion,
unbiased, as much as possible?
Don't tell me what I wanna hear.
- Okay, first off, I love this keyboard.
The keyboard, 10 outta 10.
Now, the yellow iMac...
- Uh-huh?
- I'm not sold on it.
- Oh really? - I'm not sold on it.
It's...
(Austin and Luke laughing)
See, the thing is they need a bigger iMac.
- What? - I miss the 27-inch iMac.
- [Austin] It's a little small.
- It's a little small,
but I like the idea that you've done here.
I like the coordinated yellow, that's a good touch.
- So, I've had this setup now for about three weeks now,
so, I've been spending some time on it.
My thoughts are I'm gonna replace this VESA arm.
- With a yellow one.
- Well, I need something that's less ugly.
I actually wanna put, like, a small display.
I was actually thinking about maybe
running an iPad with Sidecar.
I was thinking about it,
- Oh. - 'Cause I want something
that's kind of small.
- I like that. - More so just, like,
to kind of put, like, just a little bit
of extra information down there.
Some of the other things I've got here,
and in fact, this is new to you,
because I've spent the last couple of weeks tweaking
and tuning this setup.
I now have the Osmo Pocket, which now functions as a webcam.
So, now, I have a decent webcam,
which you can see will actually follow me.
So, as I move around, get close, get farther away,
it works pretty well.
I also have the Neumann mic,
which I can just pull right down here.
So, if I need to podcast, I can just be ready to go
as quickly as this.
Hit a couple of buttons with the lights,
(remote clattering) it feels good.
This is the setup now.
I'm gonna evolve it more.
I've already established some areas that need improvement,
- Mm-hmm. - But does it get
the Luke Miani seal of approval?
- Oh yeah, this is an excellent setup, you have my seal.
Would you like a handshake to confirm it?
- Thank you, appreciate it.
So, you agree that a $2000 iMac is a good idea?
Thank you very much. - No, no, no, no, no.
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
(Luke chuckling) - So here's the next part
of the video that I've been waiting
to talk about for a long time.
This iMac,
(hands clapping) let me actually
show you how expensive this was.
You look at the iMac, it starts at 1,300 bucks, right?
But who wants no USB 3 ports, gigabits,
and then nah, of course not.
And you also have to go up to the higher configs
for the colors. - The colors.
- [Austin] So, we're starting at 1,700 bucks,
then we go out to $1,900. (cash register chiming)
- [Luke] God.
- [Austin] And then we had another 50 bucks
for the Trackpad, (cash register chiming)
making this computer (pen scratching)
$1,949
for an M3 iMac.
(exhales) Is this still Luke Miani approved?
- You don't even have a terabyte.
(Austin wheezing)
- [Austin] No, I could have!
That would've been just another 200 bucks.
That would've been 2,000,
I wanted to keep it under- - That's insane.
- I wanted to keep it reasonable at less than $2,000.
Well, you know what?
Have you ever made an irrational purchase?
Have you ever done something dumb
because your heart told you to?
- Yeah, I bought an M2 Ultra Mac Pro.
(Austin laughing)
Even I'm not that dumb.
- Yeah. - Well,
you made some videos out of it, though.
- I did.
- I'm making a video out of this, which helps me
to justify. - There you go, I mean,
only YouTubers could justify it, then, is what
we're basically saying. - That's true, that's true.
This is my new system.
I am quite happy with it.
I really like the aesthetic of it.
I like the fact that it is really a super minimal setup.
I don't have to have the tower,
I don't have to have the laptop.
It is outrageously expensive,
but if you can get past that price,
or just don't configure it with a VESA arm
and everything, like I have, it's really solid.
(screen whooshing) So,
is the M3 iMac worth it?
No, it is not, it is not.
It is not a hard conversation to have.
Now, if something like the iMac is interesting to you,
I would highly recommend to consider a refurb model.
When you're talking about sub-$1,000 for a system,
even with an M1 that has still plenty of performance,
you've got years of updates down the line,
Apple Silicon, a beautiful display,
it's not an actually bad system.
It really is pretty solid.
The problem though is that when you get into the value.
When you look at the upgrades,
when you look at trying to get this thing
to, like, a reasonable sort of spec,
it is absurdly expensive.