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Do I really need the core i7?

D

doxavita

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 6, 2010
614
3
I'll be using my iMac for: Web-Browsing, Word Processing, Music, Movies, Chess Software, maybe light gaming. Plus plenty of CrossOver and also maybe Parallels (Windows 7), (EDIT: Maybe some Dreamweaver and Photoshop too) BUT I would like to future-proof it a bit. So it's best to go for the core i7 right now? and just spend on RAM later on? (Other EDIT: And hopefully it lasts me 5-6 years...)
 
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No need for i7 for the usage you described. Yes, ram is cheap and always welcome.

I run 2 VM (XP + Win7) simultaneously all the time to test my designs + lots of other apps like Adobe CS4. The i5 is amazingly fast, muuuuuuch faster than my previous quad core Xeon Mac Pro.
 
maxinc said:
No need for i7 for the usage you described. Yes, ram is cheap and always welcome.

I run 2 VM (XP + Win7) simultaneously all the time to test my designs + lots of other apps like Adobe CS4. The i5 is amazingly fast, muuuuuuch faster than my previous quad core Xeon Mac Pro.
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So even if I wanted to future proof it a bit, you think it's still not necessary to go for the i7?
 
No, since none of those are CPU intensive tasks, there would be little benefit to paying $200 for the i7. The i7 is about 50% faster, but in real world usage most of the delay in your activities will come from other sources such as the hard drive. Unless you are doing a lot of encoding, or gaming with the latest games on high settings you probably will be better off saving the money.

That is unless you get warm fuzzies on the inside knowing that you have the fastest processor. I would rather have a still very fast computer and $200.
 
Of course it is up to you. Get the best you can afford.

As for future proofing, I seriously doubt it would make a huge difference. By the time you will reach the limits of the i5, there will be CPUs out there 4 times faster and you will almost certainly want one ;)
 
Right, the heaviest app I could use (eventually) would be Adobe Dreamweaver and maybe Photoshop, don't do any 3D rendering/modelling, don't make music, not really an artist hehe. And that would be all boosted by RAM right, not processor? I read processor helps on apps such as CrossOver though... (hyper threading?!)
 
So the i7 helps with CrossOver?

What make a computer feel "snappier" ? Is it the Hard Drive? The RAM?, The Processor too?
 
doxavita said:
Nah, can't afford it, only thing that interests me right now is whether I should go for the i7, (going to buy the iMac today or tomorrow! :) )
Click to expand...

If you still have doubts, probably best to get the i7 since anything less will make you wonder how much quicker it would have been the other one.
 
Farthen said:
No. If anything you should try to get a SSD. It makes your computer feel so much more snappier, that you won't ever want to use a computer without a SSD anymore.
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Like I said, I can't afford it. Only choices left would be to customize my RAM, probably won't get the i7 then.
 
doxavita said:
Like I said, I can't afford it. Only choices left would be to customize my RAM, probably won't get the i7 then.
Click to expand...

Pssst, Steve. Are you listening? You are losing another potential customer for a 128GB SSD in the iMacs.

According to the RAM: Don't buy RAM from Apple. Order it somewhere else. It saves soooooooo much money.
 
Farthen said:
Pssst, Steve. Are you listening? You are losing another potential customer for a 128GB SSD in the iMacs.

According to the RAM: Don't buy RAM from Apple. Order it somewhere else. It saves soooooooo much money.
Click to expand...

How much RAM do you recommend I get? (I was thinking about 12GB total :) )

Also, I can keep the 4GB from stock and ADD 8 GB more myself?
 
doxavita said:
How much RAM do you recommend I get? (I was thinking about 12GB total :) )

Also, I can keep the 4GB from stock and ADD 8 GB more myself?
Click to expand...

If I were you I'd get it without any RAM upgrades and would monitor my RAM usage for some days. You can then see if you need any more RAM than the stock 4GB.

And yes, you can keep the 4GB and add 8GB. Both iMac models have 4 RAM slots.
 
Would you consider CrossOver a more RAM intensive or more processor intensive app? (and what about Parallels too)
 
For Future proofing and future selling I always try to go for the top processor available, being the i7 now.

IMO it will hold it's value more, and will be more useful and attractive to buyers & yourself in 3-4yrs time.

If you can afford it go for it, as you can't change it later, and you can upgrade ram ANYTIME
 
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