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i5 or i7 for Video Editing

V

Vitiri

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 29, 2012
26
0
I'm about to purchase the iMac 27" but I'm not sure if i really need i7.

  • 3.2GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz

    or

  • 3.4GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz [Add $200.00]


I plan to use my mac for video editing (Premiere, AE), is it worth it?
 
Get it; you won't regret it. There's a sizable difference between the two, and I think for your purposes, the i7 is clearly worth the $200.
 
Vitiri said:
That makes it easier! Thanks!
Click to expand...

Actually it will cost you $400 more because you will need to purchase the TOL 27" which is an extra $200 above the lower end 27" THEN you will need to add the i7 option to that which is another $200 for a total of $400
 
your paying so much for that 27" imac... those 200$ won't make a difference. get it! it's worth it
 
Hyperthreading makes a big difference, the difference between the two machines in my sig is quite big.
 
In video editing, every single mhz you have makes a difference. Also be sure to get the 680MX for CUDA power.
 
I bought the low end 21" for video editing until a new pro machine comes out. It will do the job at least as well as the previous low end Mac Pro, so not too shabby. I'll sell it once the new pro machine comes out next summer or fall. That is where I want to put my money. (I'll get the low end on that one too. I love low end, but I'm not a pro so can't justify anything more anyway).
 
Photo and/or video editing are really one of the few areas where hyperthreading actually makes a notable difference. Otherwise, an i5 (with 4 cores) will do just fine.
 
zhandri said:
no it's 200 more because he already said that he is going to buy the TOL 27"
Click to expand...


You my friend, are incorrect

It is easy math

The base price of low end i5 27 is $1799
The base price of the high end i7 is $1999 PLUS another $200 if you want to upgrade that TOL 27 to i7

2+2+$400
 
CaptMike said:
You my friend, are incorrect

It is easy math

The base price of low end i5 27 is $1799
The base price of the high end i7 is $1999 PLUS another $200 if you want to upgrade that TOL 27 to i7

2+2+$400
Click to expand...

zhandri said:
those 200$ won't make a difference. get it! it's worth it
Click to expand...

Those = implying there's more than 1 $200 piece; he wasn't saying $200 would be the total for both of those.
 
CaptMike said:
You my friend, are incorrect

It is easy math

The base price of low end i5 27 is $1799
The base price of the high end i7 is $1999 PLUS another $200 if you want to upgrade that TOL 27 to i7

2+2+$400
Click to expand...

why u no understand?!?!?!?!:confused::confused:

he already said that hes torn between the 3.2 GHZ i5 and the 3.4 GHZ i5 so he is asking if the 200$ he has to pay for the i7 upgrade is worth it... he is planning on getting the 1999$ imac. he would have to pay 200$ for the upgrade not 400... he never ever said a word about the low end imac since it's not offered with a 3.2 ghz i5
 
zhandri said:
why u no understand?!?!?!?!:confused::confused:

he already said that hes torn between the 3.2 GHZ i5 and the 3.4 GHZ i5 so he is asking if the 200$ he has to pay for the i7 upgrade is worth it... he is planning on getting the 1999$ imac. he would have to pay 200$ for the upgrade not 400... he never ever said a word about the low end imac since it's not offered with a 3.2 ghz i5
Click to expand...

This is what he said

----------
Vitiri said:
I'm about to purchase the iMac 27" but I'm not sure if i really need i7.

  • 3.2GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz

    or

  • 3.4GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz [Add $200.00]


I plan to use my mac for video editing (Premiere, AE), is it worth it?
Click to expand...

He does not state which 27" he IS going to purchase
 
Last edited:
Chupa Chupa said:
I bought the low end 21" for video editing until a new pro machine comes out. It will do the job at least as well as the previous low end Mac Pro, so not too shabby. I'll sell it once the new pro machine comes out next summer or fall. That is where I want to put my money. (I'll get the low end on that one too. I love low end, but I'm not a pro so can't justify anything more anyway).
Click to expand...

I edit professionally at home when I choose to work there on a low end base model 2011 iMac....

Projects on Mtv and everything, so yeah don't worry to much...... The ONLY place that gpu really comes into play is when doing motion graphics. I usually just lower the res to like 50% and turn off some filters.

Then when I export I turn them on and boom , full quality.

Trust me, you DO NOT need such a powerful computer... Now one thing you will benefit from are fast hard drives. This is a Must, if not prepare to be patient while working....
 
tears2040 said:
I edit professionally at home when I choose to work there on a low end base model 2011 iMac....

Projects on Mtv and everything, so yeah don't worry to much...... The ONLY place that gpu really comes into play is when doing motion graphics. I usually just lower the res to like 50% and turn off some filters.

Then when I export I turn them on and boom , full quality.

Trust me, you DO NOT need such a powerful computer... Now one thing you will benefit from are fast hard drives. This is a Must, if not prepare to be patient while working....
Click to expand...

Would the fusion drive solve the problem of the lower speed HD?
 
CaptMike said:
Would the fusion drive solve the problem of the lower speed HD?
Click to expand...

Honestly it depends what you do. If you just surf the web and listen to music you might not really see a big difference. Working though with Pro apps imo I would say it's worth it.

Now also remember you can buy an SSD later and hook it up via thunderbolt, but most people prefer to have it in their actual iMac.

My suggestion would honestly be this if I were buying an iMac today.

Buy the top of the line 21.5" and upgrade to the Fusion drive. Then ask yourself are you doing very cpu intensive tasks to warrant the i7 upgrade.
 
tears2040 said:
Honestly it depends what you do. If you just surf the web and listen to music you might not really see a big difference. Working though with Pro apps imo I would say it's worth it.

Now also remember you can buy an SSD later and hook it up via thunderbolt, but most people prefer to have it in their actual iMac.

My suggestion would honestly be this if I were buying an iMac today.

Buy the top of the line 21.5" and upgrade to the Fusion drive. Then ask yourself are you doing very cpu intensive tasks to warrant the i7 upgrade.
Click to expand...

I would be doing photography editing with Lightroom and Photoshop
No gaming

I have concluded that the i7 21.5 with 1TB fusion and 16GB is the way to go for me, however I am wondering if I need a faster graphics card. If that is the case then I will be backed into a corner to purchase the i7 27" with the upgraded graphics
 
Last edited:
CaptMike said:
I would be doing photography editing with Lightroom and Photoshop
No gaming

I have concluded that the i7 21.5 with 1TB fusion and 16GB is the way to go for me, however I am wondering if I need a faster graphics card. If that is the case then I will be backed into a corner to purchase the i7 27" with the upgraded graphics
Click to expand...

That graphics card is more than fine. Also for the Money that the high end 21.5" will cost you, look into 2011 27" model (refurbished)
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD063LL/A
 
CaptMike said:
This is what he said

----------



He does not state which 27" he IS going to purchase
Click to expand...

The poster does, being torn between the 3.2 i5 and 3.4 i7 more than suggests he has chosen the top of the line already as the lower is the 2.9 i5.
 
tears2040 said:
I edit professionally at home when I choose to work there on a low end base model 2011 iMac....

Projects on Mtv and everything, so yeah don't worry to much...... The ONLY place that gpu really comes into play is when doing motion graphics. I usually just lower the res to like 50% and turn off some filters.

Then when I export I turn them on and boom , full quality.

Trust me, you DO NOT need such a powerful computer... Now one thing you will benefit from are fast hard drives. This is a Must, if not prepare to be patient while working....
Click to expand...

I realize I don't need a pro machine for my hobbyist work but I do need a headless machine that I can upgrade and do minor repairs myself. That is my sole motivation for selling the iMac when the pro model comes out. If the mini had a discrete video card I'd be there. I think Apple figured that out. :D
 
Imaginethe said:
The poster does, being torn between the 3.2 i5 and 3.4 i7 more than suggests he has chosen the top of the line already as the lower is the 2.9 i5.
Click to expand...

"suggests" ?

Does not state what he IS getting

----------
tears2040 said:
That graphics card is more than fine. Also for the Money that the high end 21.5" will cost you, look into 2011 27" model (refurbished)
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD063LL/A
Click to expand...

Thank you

No refurb for me but I will only focus on the 21.5 as described in my last post or the TOL 27 with i7 and (perhaps) the upgraded graphics card as I cannot see any other reason to get the 27 unless it is for the faster HD
 
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