Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Should I sell my gaming rig for a top of line iMac 27?
- Thread starter nizmoz
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
That's a chuckle, you think the difference between a console and a 7970/GTX 680 is slight? The word immersive comes to mind when you say the gameplay makes up for the difference in graphic detail, yes gameplay can be fantastic but great gameplay and fantastic detail walk all over the consoles. It's just a league above and then some.
Back on to Crysis again and the CEO for the firm Cevat Yerli recently said this 'Crysis3 will push the 360, PS3 to its limits, ahead of Crysis2, but Crysis3 PC will be clearly ahead!'
Now that's the CEO of a multi-million dollar games developer talking and he really knows his stuff. PC is literally years ahead. Enjoy your console, sincerely, but it's no PC.
You make a few points about the lack of Gaming towers available in stores etc. These are such a niche product that the vast majority of rig makers realised that most folk will make their own rig rather than buy one at a large mark up.
Last edited:
You make no sense. Answer the question. Would you ever spend $2K on a build from iBuypower regarding all the bad rep? Don't say I'd build it myself. Not looking for that. I'm talking about this company.
I now play X-Plane 10 on a '08 Mac Pro with Radeon HD 5870.
The 5870 is a good card, but still is the limiting factor on this Mac (the CPU is 5 years old!).
I'm waiting for more benchmarks / comparisons of the new iMac with GTX 680 MX. Barefeats has some comparisons, but I'm more interested in "real life" experiences with X-Plane 10, especially with highly detailed and heavy scenery loading (payware airports like KJFK, EHAM, KORD, etc.)
Question is:
Will there be a new Mac Pro with a desktop class GPU (GT 680 / HD 7970) that I should wait for, or is the maxxed out iMac 27" now "faster enough" than my ageing Mac Pro (with the not-so ageing 5870...) to justify the money...?
Last edited:
I'm running a GTX 680 in my Mac Pro and it walks all over a 680m in the iMac. The official GPU on the next Mac Pro is likely to be a 7950/70 as the latest 10.8.3 OS X beta has the card listed.
If you want good performance now the iMac seems great, if you want performance you can enhance then the Mac Pro is the answer, you'll find the iMac is great today but it's a bitch when you can't upgrade it.
So, I am still here stuck in the delima of wanting to part my gaming rig and get a loaded IMAC 27". Reason being, I only really play BF3, and Black Ops 2. And Mostly browse, emails, research, etc.
I was about to take apart my PC today to start selling the parts for a IMAC, but something has stopped me. It;s that feeling as I don't want to make a mistake. I like the IMAC, I like OS-X, and hate what I see coming out from Windows now. So someone convince me!
I was about to take apart my PC today to start selling the parts for a IMAC, but something has stopped me. It;s that feeling as I don't want to make a mistake. I like the IMAC, I like OS-X, and hate what I see coming out from Windows now. So someone convince me!
I can't give you advice about finances, but if you're worried about the computer, the iMac is a great machine. If you think upgrading is a really big deal, wait for the Mac Pro. Otherwise, I think you'll be glad you made the jump.
Not really for high end components. Parting it all out I won't lose as much as you think.
But you have to admit you will lose much more % than an iMac. These resales are a very encouraging if you ask me. And I see why. IMacs are for regular, mature people.
Honestly, get the iMac. You'll waste less time managing everything like memory, HDD/SSD, its all BS. That's what computers are for. And as you get older, you'll game less. Get a dedicated system if you really need to get out the gaming itch.
The iMac is an incredible machine. Look beyond the specs. Look at the experience. You wouldn't buy a top fuel dragster over a Porsche 911.
And if you ask me, the software hasn't caught up to the capabilities of hardware and specifically the Mac and its Unix/Mach underpinnings. Macs, particularly the iMac and Pros, are each little Cray supercomputers. They could model a fission reaction if there existed the software.
I am prepared to lose what I put in it. Actually, most of it was purchased from my previous job because they required me to have a good system at home and didn't need it back. I purchased the 680 myself and SSD.
I just would like to know if others did it, and if the IMAC is good enough playing games especially for several years? I hooked up my M17xR4 with a 675mx and it plays BlackOps 2 at 90 fps with FULL Extra on all graphics with 2540x1440 resolution with my Apple Cinema. So I assume that would be comparable?
I use my iMac for work, spending 8 hours in front of it each day. I usually put in 2-3 hours into gaming after each day (I work from home so no downtime commuting
) and 6-8 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. I've been gaming for about 20 years. I am not sure if that qualifies me to comment as a serious gamer or not? I play all sorts of games from online multiplayer RPG's, to single player strategy and sometimes FPS's. My new (almost maxed out) iMac really hums, with all my games (including new ones like Bioshock Infinity) achieving 60+ fps on ultra settings. I really can't imaging wanting (or actually appreciating) anything better. I accept that in 2-3 years new games might push my system a bit, but in reality I expect that I won't notice that my games are running at just 30 fps...
I went all SSD because I generally game on Bootcamp. It is sooooo quiet and cool!
I am 100% happy with the one cable solution of the iMac. So I guess I am saying go iMac 27', and you won't be disappointed.
I use my iMac for work, spending 8 hours in front of it each day. I usually put in 2-3 hours into gaming after each day (I work from home so no downtime commuting
I play all sorts of games from online multiplayer RPG's, to single player strategy and sometimes FPS's. My new (almost maxed out) iMac really hums, with all my games (including new ones like Bioshock Infinity) achieving 60+ fps on ultra settings. I really can't imaging wanting (or actually appreciating) anything better. I accept that in 2-3 years new games might push my system a bit, but in reality I expect that I won't notice that my games are running at just 30 fps...
I went all SSD because I generally game on Bootcamp. It is sooooo quiet and cool!
I am 100% happy with the one cable solution of the iMac. So I guess I am saying go iMac 27', and you won't be disappointed.
Thanks for the info. I am moving slowly away from gaming really. I don't play as much as I use too either. So if it can run them great when I do that is fine.
I use my iMac for work, spending 8 hours in front of it each day. I usually put in 2-3 hours into gaming after each day (I work from home so no downtime commuting
I play all sorts of games from online multiplayer RPG's, to single player strategy and sometimes FPS's. My new (almost maxed out) iMac really hums, with all my games (including new ones like Bioshock Infinity) achieving 60+ fps on ultra settings. I really can't imaging wanting (or actually appreciating) anything better. I accept that in 2-3 years new games might push my system a bit, but in reality I expect that I won't notice that my games are running at just 30 fps...
I went all SSD because I generally game on Bootcamp. It is sooooo quiet and cool!
I am 100% happy with the one cable solution of the iMac. So I guess I am saying go iMac 27', and you won't be disappointed.
You game 15-18 hours a week, and don't notice 30fps?
OK... You should definately try out D3DOverrider (from Rivatuner) for vsync triple buffered, and cap framerate @59. That makes a HUGE difference from 30fps in terms of lag and responsivness in games. Just sayin.. Of course, the new big thing is 120hz monitors with the light boost in 2D (strobing) tweak that pretty much equals CRT screens, but I'm digressing..Btw. do you know about the STALKER games? Just discovered them myself recently, amazing games - incredible atmosphere, esp. when modded correctly..
The iMac with the 680MX and i7 can max out any game even at 1440p. You install windows on bootcamp and you get the best of both worlds. Desktop pc is useless nowadays.
I did that a year ago, selling my rig and buying my first iMac. Never going back to pc, even if they pay me.
I did that a year ago, selling my rig and buying my first iMac. Never going back to pc, even if they pay me.
but at what frames? Crysis 3 is a killer. Bioshock Infinite is a killer.
Maxing it out, and maxing it out with staple framerates are two different things. No fun playing a slideshow.
Those games work fine at 1440 p with good frame rates. You just have to know which graphic settings to tweak.
Well, Crysis 3 doesn't really work at 1440p with good frame-rates. Unless you basically turn everything to low.
Bioshock Infinite can get decent frame-rates at 1440p, though I found 1080p to be the sweet spot at mostly high settings for ~60fps gameplay.
The above post wins all the things. All the more so considering the PS4 and New Xbox are both slated for year-end release. PC gaming is a shrinking niche in which developers depend on an increasingly stratified demographic of grognards to buy an ongoing succession of more and more expensive and elaborate GPU cards. Buy a console and everything runs at 100% on it for five years at the very least.
Mostly true. That said, I've dumped 90% of my 360 games (the other 10% are system exclusives), because quite simply my i7/680 iMac plays all of those games in higher resolutions at 60fps.
As stated in an earlier post, I think the PS4 (and 360 successor) will blow this iMac generation out of the water. But for gaming those 360/PS3 games out NOW and anytime during these consoles' life, the iMac just wins.
Well, Crysis 3 doesn't really work at 1440p with good frame-rates. Unless you basically turn everything to low.
Bioshock Infinite can get decent frame-rates at 1440p, though I found 1080p to be the sweet spot at mostly high settings for ~60fps gameplay.
Well I come from a console so I guess it depends on what is acceptable to each individual. I'm more than happy with the 680mx. Considering its not a dedicated gaming pc.
Well I come from a console so I guess it depends on what is acceptable to each individual. I'm more than happy with the 680mx. Considering its not a dedicated gaming pc.
I was responding to a guy who said you could max it out.
I don't even think Geforce Titan can max Crysis out at 2560x1440, and that graphics card cost over a thousand dollars.
Knowing this you might be less surprised why some people might call BS when someone runs their mouth like that.
I know 680mx is going to be a big step up from consoles, but it's not really in PC. iMac has laptop hardware inside of it. It should be obvious that it also the style and design, and less clutter that is the focus of the machine.
dedicated gamers who anticipate games like rome 2 total war, witcher 3, battlefield 4, and other high profile games in 2013-2014 should stay clear and use less than half the amount on a small rig.
I get it. I really do. Windows 8 is weird on desktop(it might get better with 8,1 - supposed start menu and desktop is coming back), most pc chassis are annoying, and its hard to make a beautiful build like they do in videos with good cable management. if you got no skills and basically dont know to change a lightbulb it can be daunting.
but you can find nice looking pc cases. and make them silent and make them run cool.
Well I come from a console so I guess it depends on what is acceptable to each individual. I'm more than happy with the 680mx. Considering its not a dedicated gaming pc.
Well considering a lot of 360/PS3 games run at 30fps with dips into the 20s...