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Should I buy a base model

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Dyn-tec

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 29, 2012
91
30
I have been eyeing up the 27" i5 1tb fusion, 8gb ram (update later) and 680 graphic card...just having a hard time justifying the 2500.00 price tag....

So got about 1300.00 in Xmas money...do I buy a base now or wait 6mths or so when my impulses give in and buy the imac listed above....

I don't game, do editing, etc...but know that I will after I buy the computer...

Any advice....
 
H

HenryDJP

Suspended
Nov 25, 2012
5,084
843
United States
Who's to say that in 6 months you'll have the available cash to buy a more expensive iMac? Most people wish they had your problem in regards to having $1300 in xmas money. Just get the base model. Even a power user doesn't need anything more than the base model and if you're a high-end gamer an iMac isn't for you anyway.
 
tom vilsack

tom vilsack

macrumors 68000
Nov 20, 2010
1,880
63
ladner cdn
Maybe a mac mini would better suit your needs,and way easier to change hd and ram.

Any Imac with a 5400rpm hd seems like a major rip off...heck my 2006 ibook has ssd (simple upgrade) and my old sempron desktop pc has a ssd.

How any online or mag tech reviewer could give a Imac with a 5400rpm anything but a complete fail rating is beyond me!
 
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Dyn-tec

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 29, 2012
91
30
The money is not so much the issue. I have the money, but don't know if I can justify parting with 2500 for a computer. ....then I started thinking, well, if I buy the base model, I never part with my own money...
 
B

bobright

macrumors 601
Jun 29, 2010
4,813
33
Get it I have a base model 27" w/ Fusion its awesome and suits my needs which are similar to yours
 
jido

jido

macrumors 6502
Oct 11, 2010
271
129
bobright said:
Get it I have a base model 27" w/ Fusion its awesome and suits my needs which are similar to yours
Click to expand...

Same here, I have the base model and it is awesome. The drive is 7200rpm, the all-in-one anti glare display is the selling point, and it is free of clutter. Lovely machine.
 
Chupa Chupa

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
I have the base 21" -- can't get anymore base than that -- with an external HD. I've already edited a few short (6 min) videos in FCPX w/ a few effects cooked in Motion. Not the fastest rabbit in the bunch, but not mind numbingly slow either. It'll keep me satisfied until I see what Apple replaces the MP with later next year. I prefer dual monitors to one big 27" and I couldn't get my head around the cost of an upgraded 21".

Happy with my purchase and guess I'll get 75-80% of it back if I sell it next Fall which makes for an inexpensive rental.
 
T

torana355

macrumors 68040
Dec 8, 2009
3,609
2,676
Sydney, Australia
It depends what you use it for but what i will say is i spent $3300 Australian on my near maxed out 27" and i love it!! At first i was a bit hesitant to spend so much money but after i got it all setup and started playing Far cry 3 on it i was happy i spent the extra money. One thing i would never do is get the $1300 768GB ssd option, now that is a waste of money.
 
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Dyn-tec

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 29, 2012
91
30
torana355 said:
It depends what you use it for but what i will say is i spent $3300 Australian on my near maxed out 27" and i love it!! At first i was a bit hesitant to spend so much money but after i got it all setup and started playing Far cry 3 on it i was happy i spent the extra money.
Click to expand...

Ouch, I thought 2500 was steep....
 
biggd

biggd

macrumors 6502
Apr 6, 2008
345
0
Calgary
If you spend 3hours or more on it a day. Pay more
If you will do editing. Pay more


Which ever you get, get fusion drive.
 
W

Wakeywarrior

macrumors member
Oct 14, 2012
47
0
I got the base 27 with the fusion drive. I couldn't justify another 200 pounds on the higher model, then another 120 on the 680 graphics card- if I wanted to play lots of games I would have bought a cheaper and more powerful gaming rig.

I found the base 27 really powerful and quick- the fusion is a worthy upgrade.

Personally I game on an Xbox and the 300 difference in price will likely pay for the new Xbox when it is out, likely back end of 2013 and that should blow away a high end Mac.
 
W

Wakeywarrior

macrumors member
Oct 14, 2012
47
0
TechZeke said:
A high end iMac? Doubt it.
Click to expand...

Well, the latest rumours are that it could have dual modified 7000 GPU's, with a single one of these being roughly on a par with a desktop GTX 6800 , not the mobile 680 in the new iMac. Latest rumour, there is some AMD slides stating that it is the choice for consoles ( which must be the next gen) is that it will be AMD 8000 HD. If true, it is likely to blow away a top end imac.

Some rumours say the GPU could be much more powerful, and one source has also stated the CPU will be 16 cores.

The iMac comes no where near the leading gaming rigs. Traditionally, on a new consoles' launch, they are pretty close to what is currently cutting edge in the PC Market- but we also always find that the architecture, designed to last 5 or more years, always allows the developers to get more and more out of the machine over that 5 year period.

The mobile GPU in the iMac is a great mobile GPU, but if the next generation of consoles don't easily beat it, they'll be in trouble.
 
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TechZeke

TechZeke

macrumors 68020
Jul 29, 2012
2,454
2,287
Dallas, TX
Wakeywarrior said:
Well, the latest rumours are that it could have dual modified 7000 GPU's, with a single one of these being roughly on a par with a desktop GTX 6800 , not the mobile 680 in the new iMac. Latest rumour, there is some AMD slides stating that it is the choice for consoles ( which must be the next gen) is that it will be AMD 8000 HD. If true, it is likely to blow away a top end imac.

Some rumours say the GPU could be much more powerful, and one source has also stated the CPU will be 16 cores.

The iMac comes no where near the leading gaming rigs. Traditionally, on a new consoles' launch, they are pretty close to what is currently cutting edge in the PC Market- but we also always find that the architecture, designed to last 5 or more years, always allows the developers to get more and more out of the machine over that 5 year period.

The mobile GPU in the iMac is a great mobile GPU, but if the next generation of consoles don't easily beat it, they'll be in trouble.
Click to expand...

Rumors? I'll take it with a grain of salt. 16 cores? Yea, right. I could say the next Xbox has 3 GTX 780 in tri-SLI for goodness sake.

Also, saying '7000 series' is way too vague. It could be anywhere between a 7750 or 7970. A single 7970 costs as much as a single console, and too big, unless it's the size of a standard desktop PC, which I doubt.

Keep in mind one of the supposed strength of consoles is it's low cost so more can people can play it.
 
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Dyn-tec

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 29, 2012
91
30
Hey don't worry....I use Ps3....rumor has it PS5 will have 64 cores (I just started that rumor)

Thanks for the help think I will buy the base 27" with fusion.
 
W

Wakeywarrior

macrumors member
Oct 14, 2012
47
0
TechZeke said:
Rumors? I'll take it with a grain of salt. 16 cores? Yea, right. I could say the next Xbox has 3 GTX 780 in tri-SLI for goodness sake.

Also, saying '7000 series' is way too vague. It could be anywhere between a 7750 or 7970. A single 7970 costs as much as a single console, and too big, unless it's the size of a standard desktop PC, which I doubt.

Keep in mind one of the supposed strength of consoles is it's low cost so more can people can play it.
Click to expand...

Normally the Hardware is sold at a loss- it cost MS around 125 dollars above selling price for the first Xbox.

The simple fact is when a new Xbox or PS is launched, it is pretty close to cutting edge PC level. I suspect we will see an AMD 8000 chip in the next one. Either way it will be substantially more powerful than the highest end iMac you can buy now, which is a mobile GPU, albeit a great mobile GPu.
 
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