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2012 iMac 3.2GHz 27" 680MX Fusion

C

colenso

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 23, 2013
2
0
CA
Hi all,
does anyone have this set-up? I'm thinking of buying it, but wonder whether the upgrade to the 680MX will increase the (a) heat, (b) noise produced by the iMac. I was hoping to hear from someone who might have purchased that same configuration already.

Many thanks!
 
M

Mac32

Suspended
Nov 20, 2010
1,263
454
colenso said:
Hi all,
does anyone have this set-up? I'm thinking of buying it, but wonder whether the upgrade to the 680MX will increase the (a) heat, (b) noise produced by the iMac. I was hoping to hear from someone who might have purchased that same configuration already.

Many thanks!
Click to expand...

You give little information here, what are you going to use your Mac for? Anyway, the 680MX will not be an issue with either extra heat or noise. The iMac is nearly completely silent. The only time I notice the fan, is when I turn it up when gaming, which you would need to do with any GFX card you choose. As far as direct comparisons I doubt anyone here have tested different iMac models, but in my experience 680MX is a very mature graphics card. Its temps are very manageable, which makes the 680MX brilliant for aggressive overclocking. Just get the 680MX and enjoy a very powerful iMac. :)
 
J

Jonathan20022

macrumors newbie
Feb 11, 2013
29
0
Well it's not a laptop, so you shouldn't have to worry about heat since it's not going to be on your legs. Noise wise, every iMac I've seen from this gen on has been dead on quiet, and that's gaming online. Battlefield 3/Team Fortress 2, yes your computer will heat up more if you do this, and be slightly more noisy. But the fan design is pretty good and keeps quiet.

My Xbox get noisier turning on and loading a very simple game, so maybe I'm just more tolerant. But nothing bad, high end computers should be pushed if that's what you're going to be using it for.

Back onto the heat issue, the aluminum design is actually a huge plus it's almost like a makeshift heatsink for your processor and parts. So it absorbs the heat properly.

Specs wise, that just depends on what you're going to use it for. For me with my education discount, getting the upgraded graphics card was a no brainer for a little over 150$ same with getting the 3.4ghz i7, it's a good investment. Don't get RAM, that's a usual rule with Apple since RAM costs less to install yourself on the 27".
 
WhiteIphone5

WhiteIphone5

macrumors 65816
May 27, 2011
1,182
2
Lima, Peru
Jonathan20022 said:
Well it's not a laptop, so you shouldn't have to worry about heat since it's not going to be on your legs. Noise wise, every iMac I've seen from this gen on has been dead on quiet, and that's gaming online. Battlefield 3/Team Fortress 2, yes your computer will heat up more if you do this, and be slightly more noisy. But the fan design is pretty good and keeps quiet.

My Xbox get noisier turning on and loading a very simple game, so maybe I'm just more tolerant. But nothing bad, high end computers should be pushed if that's what you're going to be using it for.

Back onto the heat issue, the aluminum design is actually a huge plus it's almost like a makeshift heatsink for your processor and parts. So it absorbs the heat properly.

Specs wise, that just depends on what you're going to use it for. For me with my education discount, getting the upgraded graphics card was a no brainer for a little over 150$ same with getting the 3.4ghz i7, it's a good investment. Don't get RAM, that's a usual rule with Apple since RAM costs less to install yourself on the 27".
Click to expand...

would BF3 run well on an 675MX?
 
W

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,924
3,800
Seattle
Tombs said:
Yes it does, very well indeed and even better with an over clock. But, I couldn't resist the temptation of having the game run on Ultra at smooth FPS and returned it and ordered an imac with a gtx680mx.
Click to expand...

I certainly can't run Battlefield 3 on ultra with my 680MX at 2560x1440. Well, not without appalling framerates. I run generally at medium-to-high on most settings, with AA off. Even then it's not 60fps.
 
W

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,924
3,800
Seattle
Tombs said:
why do you want 60fps? the 675mx can do that on medium to high.
Click to expand...

I like 60fps, or close to it. We all have different tolerances to things. For me, 60fps is what I aspire to hit with all games. Some titles it's possible (Devil May Cry), and others it's not even close to possible without turning settings waaaaay down (Battlefield 3). Some people are fine playing games at 20fps. I'm not one of those people. Some people don't mind the screen tearing of VSYNC set to OFF. I'm not of these people.

And yes, I have the 3.4 i7, 680 GPU, 32GB RAM etc. Battlefield 3 at 60fps is a pipe-dream at any "high" settings at 2560x1440.

----------
colenso said:
Hi all,
does anyone have this set-up? I'm thinking of buying it, but wonder whether the upgrade to the 680MX will increase the (a) heat, (b) noise produced by the iMac. I was hoping to hear from someone who might have purchased that same configuration already.

Many thanks!
Click to expand...

The i7 + 680MX GPU is a very quiet combination. Whisper quiet, even, under "normal" usage. When you game, the single fan in the system does spin up, but this is to expected.
 
M

Mac32

Suspended
Nov 20, 2010
1,263
454
I find 30fps to be just fine in most shooter games, as long as you play a single player campaign. Higher fps (like 60) is more important in online shooters IMO.
Anyway, vsync@30fps is great (vs. vsync off), as it makes a huge difference in temperatures. I play the most demanding games overclocked +250/+375, and the max temps go up to around 70C for the GFX card, and ca. 80C for the CPU. This is with fanspeed at 2450rpm, and playing the newest, most demanding games.
If you turn off vsync with that overclock, you can add about 10C more during a long game session.
 
Last edited:
J

Jonathan20022

macrumors newbie
Feb 11, 2013
29
0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x67BxlBz5fc

Hopefully that gives people some general look into what an FPS, on a basic iMac 27", that's right. The base iMac with the 2.9 i5 Processor, and the GTX 675MX. Running Black Ops 2 at an average of 75-90FPS, with a drop to 50ish when respawning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiy7scR4oMg

And better yet, Battlefield 3! Running on a 27" iMac with the 3.2 i5 Processor, and the GTX 680MX, video is with him running Fraps. He reports getting anywhere from 40-60 During regular gameplay.

You'll be fine, these computers can handle these games.
 
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