27" quad, i5 or i7, is HT really needed?

[OZMP]

About to re-pull the trigger(cancelled my 27" i5 online as they are in my local stores), I encode a few movies(handbrake), use VM's(fusion), use iTunes, iPhoto, some Logic. Gaming: WoW when cata comes out, SC2, D3 etc, want to check out the Steam catalogue(time dependant...)

So, Currently HT isn't a big deal(5%?), this machine needs to last 18-24months, Which should I be grabbing?

My MP goes to its new owner tonight... So I am keeping availability in mind slightly alongside the slight gains. Wanting to consider HT more than the actual processor clock speed.

 

[cluthz]

Both the i5 and i7 features HT, as far as I know

 

[alust2013]

Both the i5 and i7 features HT, as far as I know

In the Arrandale chips in the MBPs, yes. However, in the desktop versions in the iMac, no.

As for OP, it is hard to say without knowing what you want to do with it.

 

[ceshimm]

Both the i5 and i7 features HT, as far as I know

quad core i5 2.8G does not features HT which is the only one among all iMac processors, all others do support.

To OP, i do not think HT is that important to most of common consumers with iMac.

 

[WickedSick]

Yeah Im planning on picking up one of these. I intend to use it to play SC2 etc, will I even see a difference with the i7 as compared to the i5?

 

[OZMP]

In the Arrandale chips in the MBPs, yes. However, in the desktop versions in the iMac, no.

As for OP, it is hard to say without knowing what you want to do with it.

, I encode a few movies(handbrake), use VM's(fusion), use iTunes, iPhoto, some Logic. Gaming: WoW when cata comes out, SC2, D3 etc, want to check out the Steam catalogue(time dependant...)

QFT

 

[reticulate]

Yeah Im planning on picking up one of these. I intend to use it to play SC2 etc, will I even see a difference with the i7 as compared to the i5?

Everything I've read pegs the i5 and i7 almost identically when gaming. You're going to be GPU-limited far before you tax out an i5 with most game engines.

It's a worthwhile update if you're going to be doing a lot of stuff that will find benefit in the four extra cores HT brings.

 

[Baunkjaer]

Seems like the i5 is considered mid-end, and the i7 as high-end.
Unless you really need the power (i.e. do a lot of multitasking), I say go i5.
As reticulate mentioned: Both CPU´s are very strong, and the GPU will be the bottleneck.
Here in Denmark, were I live, the i7 will cost additionally 1.500 Danish bucks, which is about 260USD. I don´t think it is worth that amount of my hard earned cash!