Don't buy i7, get i5 Upgrade processor later

[ezekielrage_99]

Haha You're kidding right?😀😀

I'm guessing from such a small response you must be using an i5 right? 😛

 

[Spike88]

Obviously one should only buy what one needs, then upgrade it/ replace it when it no longer works for them. The base in 2 years will far outperform the top of the line of today, so save the money that one would pour into the upgrades in order to buy brand new down the line.
If you don't need a Ferrari, it would be much wiser to buy a new Honda every two years then to buy a Ferrari and try and use it for 20.

I hear you and agree... Some folks want a Ferrari today, they cannot afford it, they purposely buy a Honda (planning to install a Ferrari engine in it on year 2). Thus, getting themselves a Farrari "like" vehicle. But in reality, they still have a Honda (and all its other weak design points). And in 2 years, the Farrari's are even much better (then today's Farrari design). Yet, they still want to upgrade their Honda - thinking its "as good as" the Farrrari.

In my books, one should buy what they can afford (and need) based on 3-4 year projections. If their "vehicle" (iMac or car) isn't good enough in 4 years, trade/sell the current model and get a brand new (or nearly brand new) much better model. To me, upgrading existing with better engine and the risk of opening up the box (re: if it works - don't touch it things) isn't worth it. Been there many times over and over.... Now, I simply replace the entire box. Today, I have no hassle of hardware upgrades (other then external HDDs and memory simms) - which to me, are low cost throw away items. re: It they break after warranty, simply throw away and replace with newer / much better replacement.

Buying lower specs and purposely planning to upgrade with "better" insides during year 2-3 doesn't make sense to me... buying more then needed today and make is last full 4-5 years is my norm..... My days of swapping outs is over... Been there, done that, had enough...

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[88 King]

I think OP's idea make economical sense if you want i7 on the 27" entry model imac with the HD6770M graphic card.

Since Apple only allow i7 upgrade option on the higher spec 27" imac. So you have to spend extra £410 ($650) to get i7 on BTO mac if you don't care for the higher spec graphic card.


This is the same logic I used to install an better spec aftermarket SSD for half the price instead pay Apple £480 ($780) to install an average SSD for me.

 

[NutsNGum]

Cinebench is an artificial benchmark. It does not reflect the real-world performance of an average user.


The only reason I got the i7 because I do lots of statistical simulations which are easily parallelized. And hyperthreading on i7 gives a nice performance boost here.

Their rendering test is quite real. There's a substantial enough difference to justify the i7 if you do that sort of thing.

I think OP's idea make economical sense if you want i7 on the 27" entry model imac with the HD6770M graphic card.

Since Apple only allow i7 upgrade option on the higher spec 27" imac. So you have to spend extra £410 ($650) to get i7 on BTO mac if you don't care for the higher spec graphic card.


This is the same logic I used to install an better spec aftermarket SSD for half the price instead pay Apple £480 ($780) to install an average SSD for me.

There's a 2.8GHz i7 offered for the 21.5 inch, bud. Absolutely agree on your SSD point though.

 

[Spike88]

...
This is the same logic I used to install an better spec aftermarket SSD for half the price instead pay Apple £480 ($780) to install an average SSD for me.

Buying an iMac unit without SDD, then install a better SDD (for same dollars) within immedate short term makes sence. I would do that - because it yeilds better technology and financial sense.

Buyng an i5 with the purpose to replace with i7 "chip" in the future would be like purposely buying Honda with upgraded engine later on. On the outside, its still a Honda. Why not buy the i7 with better supporting desigh the 1st time.

 

[R.OG]

Well i just performed this upgrade on my 27" imac, i upgraded the cpu from the i5-2500s to the i7-2600. The upgrade is defiantly not for the faint of heart but its not much harder that the SSD install i performed several weeks ago.

 

[vengasuk]

upgrade

Does this mean your 2.7 i5 is now a 3.4 i7 without any problems. Also is that GPU capable of running 3 displays on say Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro without any lag or problems?

 

[derbothaus]

The benchmarks that show i5 staying with an i7 are game tests and single threaded tasks that rely on single core MHz. Games are GPU bound and show little variation at same clock speeds between a Core2Duo vs. and i5 vs. an i7. In real partial to fully multithread aware apps the i7 spanks it. Sometimes up to 40%. I'd say worth the $200.00.