Advice regarding YouTube videos on latest 5K iMac

[solideliquid]

I purchased the new 5K iMac with the 3.5 GHz core i5, 1 TB Fusion Drive, and the M290X graphics card. I am not sure if I need this much computer, and I've never had a 4K/5K monitor, although I upgraded from a late-2013 MacBook Pro 13" with retina display. In terms of watching YouTube videos, and those that are recorded in 4K, is it worth it to select 4K vs 1080p on the 5K iMac? I don't know if I can tell a huge difference between 1080 and 4K on the iMac. I do select the "bigger" text scaling option, so I don't know if that negates any advantage of selecting 4K.

What do you guys use?

 

[soupcan]

I can see a difference between 1080p and 2160p on my Retina MacBook Pro, so you'll definitely see a difference between 1080p and 4K. If I were you though I'd get the M295X just to future proof your machine. The M290X only has 2GB of VRAM (and Apple should be bashed for putting 2GB of VRAM on a 2014 machine with a 5K display) so getting the M295X with 4GB of VRAM future proofs your machine.

 

[henkej]

If I were you though I'd get the M295X just to future proof your machine. The M290X only has 2GB of VRAM (and Apple should be bashed for putting 2GB of VRAM on a 2014 machine with a 5K display) so getting the M295X with 4GB of VRAM future proofs your machine.

Hilarious reply imo. Good thing to buy bacon as well, incase there is no bacon in the future. Also a 2nd keyboard, never know if we run out of them in the future. Hows the weather by the way? Springsteens Born to Run on the radio atm.

 

[soupcan]

Hilarious reply imo. Good thing to buy bacon as well, incase there is no bacon in the future. Also a 2nd keyboard, never know if we run out of them in the future. Hows the weather by the way? Springsteens Born to Run on the radio atm.

I... I... I... am so confused right now. It's a legit argument to upgrade to the 4GB R9-M295X since you can't do it 2 years down the line and then you come in and ramble about bacon and Bruce Springsteen and weather.

 

[jerwin]

Apple uses a 2 GB version of the m290x because it's easier for it's sales staff to point to VRAM.
for instance: "6B versus 4 GB: The D700 is clearly more powerful than the m295x"

In reality, though VRAM is greedily consumed by some games, and barely touched by others. The performance advantages of the m295x in Unreal Heaven are not the result of more VRAM.