Alternative to iMac for Studio Computer?

I'm doing well now. I backed up my brothers 2012 as an image for safety. Then imaged my 2011->2012 using CCC (Carbon Copy Cloner) and it worked.
Now updating registrations. And I can use the 2011 as a 2nd monitor. The iMac is about a 2k.

My friend mentioned you can get 2k monitors (cheaper than 4k) which if the iMac is any indication, allow for very amazing realism for my Reaper skins. I can look like a real console.
(i.e. http://www.houseofwhitetie.com…imperial/wt_imperial.html)

I'm using one called Abbey Road: https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=199434

I read the new iMac is 5k and only about $5k dollars! Not in my future!

808illest

I used versions of DAWs that came free with hardware purchases. Cakewalk, Sonar, Ableton Live, even Pro Tools 9->10 upgrade.

In the end, why I chose Reaper was, when I wanted to do something, like splice a WAV file and move a sub-part to a new track, Reaper was intuitive.

I didn't need to define tracks. Didn't need to open a "WAV editor". Assigning I/O is easy peasy drop-down menu.

Bottom line was, it was FUN. I have Logic Pro X, but on my system, it would crash, or if left open, would eat up RAM and hog resourced, requiring a kill-reboot.
Often, it wouldn't even open due to a plugin (I have a lot, and they're all big names commercially purchases, so that pissed me off)

I liked Studio One 3, but that too had plug-in issues. Support told me to peruse via some method, and eliminate the problem plugin protocols. Ie, if there was an AU, VST, VST3, and the VST worked, delete the other two. That would mean going over a hundred plus plugins eliminating these version, in more than one place. Just STUPID.

Reaper, opens, works, rarely crashes. Easy peasy. So I decided to stick with it, even though it's difficult in terms of compatibility with hardware (ie Slate Raeven, Melodyne, etc)