Designer & Developer - Need Help

[paschaa]

Hey!

So I'm a designer and developer and I want to make the switch from my crappy Laptop to a iMac.

I am thinking about getting a 21.5" iMac and then buy a second screen.
I have a few questions on which I need some consulting on.

I work a lot on Photoshop, After Effects and I do a lot of HTML & CSS coding. My Photoshop files can get big at some times.
So, i dont know if I should go for the Intel Core i5 or i7?
Also, would the Fusion Drive be necessary?

I hope to get some good buying advice from you guys.

Cheers,
Patrick.

 

[firedept]

Just curious why not the 27" iMac? First it would allow you to upgrade the RAM on your own and second give you more screen. I use Adobe CS6 Master Collection and find the larger screen really handy when I have any of Adobe's applications open. Allows me to better utilize my pallets and tools while leaving me room to still see what I am working on.

Fusion drive will be a benefit, but an SSD will be an even bigger benefit. Fusion drive will give you faster start up and larger storage, while a large SSD drive will give you even slightly faster start up, but not as much storage as a Fusion drive will.

I will let other forum members answer in regards to the i5 or i7, but I believe the i7 will be a benefit to you with using After Effects. I use After Effects and Premiere Pro on my iMac i7, which I do notice a difference in rendering times over an i5 a friend of mine owns. But others with a better knowledge will be able to give you a definite answer to it.

 

[paschaa]

Just curious why not the 27" iMac? First it would allow you to upgrade the RAM on your own and second give you more screen. I use Adobe CS6 Master Collection and find the larger screen really handy when I have any of Adobe's applications open. Allows me to better utilize my pallets and tools while leaving me room to still see what I am working on.

Fusion drive will be a benefit, but an SSD will be an even bigger benefit. Fusion drive will give you faster start up and larger storage, while a large SSD drive will give you even slightly faster start up, but not as much storage as a Fusion drive will.

I will let other forum members answer in regards to the i5 or i7, but I believe the i7 will be a benefit to you with using After Effects. I use After Effects and Premiere Pro on my iMac i7, which I do notice a difference in rendering times over an i5 a friend of mine owns. But others with a better knowledge will be able to give you a definite answer to it.

Well, I think the 27" is out of my budget. I'm better off with a second screen.

 

[firedept]

Well, I think the 27" is out of my budget. I'm better off with a second screen.

Understood. I was thinking in part of RAM in the 27" being easy to upgrade. With the 21" you will need to make sure you get all the RAM up front you require as it is not an easy thing to do later. Bonus is the screen size. I understand budgets do not always permit it.

 

[paschaa]

Understood. I was thinking in part of RAM in the 27" being easy to upgrade. With the 21" you will need to make sure you get all the RAM up front you require as it is not an easy thing to do later. Bonus is the screen size. I understand budgets do not always permit it.

I have always worked with two screens and never had problems with it. I think i actually prefer that.

As far as ram goes 8GB would be enough, I hope.

 

[960design]

I have always worked with two screens and never had problems with it. I think i actually prefer that.

You've stated that you've always worked with a crappy laptop. Once you see a 27" iMac and all the realestate it affords, two monitors looks so, 1990s.

Macs also use workspaces or multiple desktops. You can finger swipe between 5 running applications in seconds. I typically have Chrome up on the left workspace, Coda ( or Xcode ) next, then Safari, and Notes ( the apple version ) to keep a cloud version of the work in progress.

Just throwing in my 2 cents. I prefer the 27" iMac. You don't need two screens. I can have coda up on the left side and Sketch/Pixelmator up on the right ( I've just switched away from PSCS6e ).

If you are going with the 21.5" you will not be disappointed either, the screen is not bad at all. If you want to add another monitor I recommend the newer ultra wide format monitors:
http://www.lg.com/us/computer-produ...HRGPn6MKz_ghCOI6otdvM6Qp_FbewH_60yhLvm7vD_BwE

The price is just right as well.

Good luck!

 

[paschaa]

You've stated that you've always worked with a crappy laptop. Once you see a 27" iMac and all the realestate it affords, two monitors looks so, 1990s.

Macs also use workspaces or multiple desktops. You can finger swipe between 5 running applications in seconds. I typically have Chrome up on the left workspace, Coda ( or Xcode ) next, then Safari, and Notes ( the apple version ) to keep a cloud version of the work in progress.

Just throwing in my 2 cents. I prefer the 27" iMac. You don't need two screens. I can have coda up on the left side and Sketch/Pixelmator up on the right ( I've just switched away from PSCS6e ).

If you are going with the 21.5" you will not be disappointed either, the screen is not bad at all. If you want to add another monitor I recommend the newer ultra wide format monitors:
http://www.lg.com/us/computer-produ...HRGPn6MKz_ghCOI6otdvM6Qp_FbewH_60yhLvm7vD_BwE

The price is just right as well.

Good luck!

Great info, thanks!

Would you recommend me the i5 or i7?

 

[960design]

Great info, thanks!

Would you recommend me the i5 or i7?

Both are very fast. In some tests the i5 actually runs single apps faster than the i7. It all depends on what you need. As a developer an i5 would absolutely work, just get lots of RAM ( I have 16G in my laptop and 8G in my desktops ).

I picked up the i7 for my iMac and MacBookPro, but have the i5 in the MacAir. I'm not really admitting this, but the MacAir is just as snappy as my fully loaded MBP, and sometimes it is a little faster. I've done simultaneous rendering on each and the MacAir will beat my MacBookPro, but not the iMac. I didn't say that AND my MacBookPro is due for a refresh, it is two years old, almost three.

 

[paschaa]

Both are very fast. In some tests the i5 actually runs single apps faster than the i7. It all depends on what you need. As a developer an i5 would absolutely work, just get lots of RAM ( I have 16G in my laptop and 8G in my desktops ).

I picked up the i7 for my iMac and MacBookPro, but have the i5 in the MacAir. I'm not really admitting this, but the MacAir is just as snappy as my fully loaded MBP, and sometimes it is a little faster. I've done simultaneous rendering on each and the MacAir will beat my MacBookPro, but not the iMac. I didn't say that AND my MacBookPro is due for a refresh, it is two years old, almost three.

I couldnt find the new iMac 27" with an i7. So I think I'll go for an 21.5 with i7.

 

[robgendreau]

Couldn't find an i7 27"??

Online, at least, similarly configured iMacs at 21.5 and 27 inches had a price difference of $500. That was for the i5, dunno if that holds for the i7.

A couple of recommendations: since it's an iMac you need to get the processor and graphics capability you need since that can't. You should also consider an SSD; it REALLY speeds things up. Apple charges a bunch, but I'm not sure if that's more than an external TB SSD of the same size.

And I'd recommend an IPS external; the Korean 27" can be had in the $350 range (be careful about connections; some wouldn't work at that resolution off some iMacs I believe, although that may have changed).

So you could still go with the smaller 21.5 and end up with MORE screen space at iMac resolution without spending as much as the 27". Just remember to load up the RAM, as noted.