iMac with better graphics or Fusion Drive?

[JacobKei]

Hi everyone!
I am planning to order new iMac. I choosed the hi-end 27" version with i7 processor and 680MX graphic card.
I thought it will be the best option for me, but now I am thinking, do I really need the better graphic card instead of Fusion Drive?

I mostly designing websites and mobile apps, also making animations in After Effects.

So, I am asking, which option you rather choose? Better graphic card or Fusion Drive?

Thank you very much!

[torana355]

If you are not gaming the fusion drive without a doubt.

[JacobKei]

Originally Posted by torana355

If you are not gaming the fusion drive without a doubt.

Not a lot, for this occasions I have my xbox, but SimCity coming this March really attracts me..but.. I don't know, maybe the MX675 is enough for this..

[Mac32]

If I was you I would save a little bit longer and get both.

[torana355]

Originally Posted by Mac32

If I was you I would save a little bit longer and get both.

This is another good idea, if you are spending that much money on a iMac you may as well spend that little bit more and get both.

[jmcgeejr]

Originally Posted by JacobKei

Not a lot, for this occasions I have my xbox, but SimCity coming this March really attracts me..but.. I don't know, maybe the MX675 is enough for this..

the 675 will be plenty for simcity, however I will only throw this one thing out there. Let's just say you do decide to play more games that require more power, you WONT be able to get a better graphics card with what you have now, PERIOD. It doesnt matter what kind of a hacker you are , however if you just got a 1TB drive now and not the fusion with the upgraded graphics, you could at a later time open up the 27" and put in an SSD or even put in a blade SSD from apple or OWC. Heck you could do what I did, I just got a seagate thunderbolt adapter and am using a 256GB SSD that I got for $250 plus the seagate adapter at $90.

[rjs2]

i'd go fusion over gfx

[Dave26]

Personally I went with both because I do video editing for university and a little light gaming. But also to future proof a little. For example if you decide in 12 months that you want to edit videos or play better games. Personally I would rather spend the little extra on a Mac that's going to last longer.

[waldo3125]

I agree with most who replied - go with both... When I was ordering mine, I think the 1TB fusion drive was $225 extra (edu discount) and the 680 was $135... Even without the discount, if you're going to get one, just get the other as well.

[forty2j]

Skip the i7 and get both fusion and 680MX IMO.

[JacobKei]

Originally Posted by forty2j

Skip the i7 and get both fusion and 680MX IMO.

Oh, really? And why so? I thought the processor is important for my doing that stuff i explain in my first thread.

[Katori]

I'd say keep the i7 and the graphics upgrade.

You can add a Fusion Drive later, aftermarket.

[forty2j]

Originally Posted by JacobKei

Oh, really? And why so? I thought the processor is important for my doing that stuff i explain in my first thread.

I don't see anything in your list taking advantage of hyperthreading. Animations will be largely rendered by the GPU, and compiling mobile apps and running an emulator isn't terribly intensive.

[Tanax]

If you're just doing "some effects in After Effects", you won't need the i7. You only need it if you're doing intensive effects and videos for a living.

And if you're choosing between Fusion or GFX, I'd go with GFX any day. The Fusion Drive you can create yourself with external SSD. And in the future when there are more Thunderbolt accessories available, it will be even more easy to achieve near internal-speeds.

GFX however is something you WON'T be able to upgrade in the future and in 3 years, you're gonna wish you had that GTX 680MX upgrade.

[JacobKei]

Originally Posted by forty2j

I don't see anything in your list taking advantage of hyperthreading. Animations will be largely rendered by the GPU, and compiling mobile apps and running an emulator isn't terribly intensive.

Ok man, so my configuration is:

Intel Core i5 3,2 GHz, Turbo Boost 3,6 GHz
16 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz - 2 x 8 GB
1TB Fusion Drive
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2 GB GDDR5

What do you think?

[dirkjan]

Dude, save some money and buy that RAM yourself. You can easily build it in.

[torana355]

Originally Posted by JacobKei

Ok man, so my configuration is:

Intel Core i5 3,2 GHz, Turbo Boost 3,6 GHz
16 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz - 2 x 8 GB
1TB Fusion Drive
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2 GB GDDR5

What do you think?

I also think that would be the best config for your needs. The only thing is you should upgrade the ram yourself and save a heap of cash.

[JacobKei]

Originally Posted by dirkjan

Dude, save some money and buy that RAM yourself. You can easily build it in.

Yeah I know, I will be buying it myself, from Apple Store I ordering only standard 2x4GB.

[zedsdead]

Originally Posted by JacobKei

Ok man, so my configuration is:

Intel Core i5 3,2 GHz, Turbo Boost 3,6 GHz
16 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz - 2 x 8 GB
1TB Fusion Drive
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2 GB GDDR5

What do you think?

This makes the most sense for you.

Fusion and Graphics will be more of use in real terms than the i7.

[JacobKei]

Thank you all guys!

[woshiysc]

I bought a 2012 21'imac without fusion drive,feeling OK. but 2012 27 imac is so slow without fusion drive,so I bought a 27 imac with fusion yesterday feeling very good!!I can't feel out big difference when the 27'imac CPU changed from i5 to i7 and GPU changed from GTX675MX to GTX680MX.but fusion drive it's necessary
In my opinion,the sequence of upgrade is fusion drive>GTX680MX>i7 3770 CPU~

[thekev]

Originally Posted by JacobKei

Not a lot, for this occasions I have my xbox, but SimCity coming this March really attracts me..but.. I don't know, maybe the MX675 is enough for this..

If you like the new raytracer in after effects, I'd probably value the gpu higher. Also bear in mind that to run on the gpu, it has to fit in gpu memory. I'd definitely value ram pretty high in After Effects. I wouldn't touch that program under 16GB. This allows you 2GB /core with an i7 cpu. The fusion drive would resolve disk bottlenecks to some degree. I don't know how many projects you keep on your boot drive or if you'll be loading them from something else.

[jvette]

You really have to think about how long you plan on keeping it. I have a early 2007 24" Imac I still am using everyday. When I purchased it I got it maxed out and it has payed off in the long run. I plan on using it until it starts to slow down a lot. It did slow down after the Mountain Lion upgrade and I can see it is about at the end of it's useful life for me. I feel spending the money up front and getting 5 or 6 years out of it is the way to go. If you plan to keeping up to date by replacing every couple of years I agree that the I5 is the way to go.

[stockcerts]

I went back and forth for the past week, deciding between the 21.5 with Fusion and 16gigs, and the 27 with Fusion and 8gigs.

I went with the 27 with Fusion only. My reasoning was not just the real estate, but faster processors and I can upgrade the memory later...for less pesos.

Just placed my order today, so the long wait begins!

[Aluminum213]

if you HAVE to chose go fusion, the SSD speeds makes a MASSIVE difference


I recently put an SSD drive into my 13" 2010 macbook pro and now it's incredibly fast and just about everything I use opens up instantly