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iMac 4K - Power or Storage?

ghsDUDE

ghsDUDE

macrumors 68030
Original poster
May 25, 2010
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I'm getting the 4K iMac and I need to see what's more important.

i7 or 2TB Fusion Drive

I only have about 500gb of files (everything else goes on an External) so I'm trying to decide if 2TB Fusion with 128SSD is better or i7 (with 1TB Fusion drive and 24SSD).

Is the power boost a nice upgrade over the hard drive? Or should I have a little less power with more storage b
 
The 128 GB SSD will be worth it over the i7, unless you do a lot of CPU-intensive work. If you can make do with a 256 GB SSD-only and use the external for the rest of the files, that would be even better as you get more SSD storage at a faster speed.
 
no.

Don't get the 1 tb fusion. don't

If you prefer to have internal storage , then the 2 tb fusion is an option.

The 4K also can have a 256 SSD which is a fine choice and you can put it all on the external if you prefer.

The i7 is way better, but if getting it means you'll buy something with a 1 tb fusion, then that would mean you have to forego it.
 
Well right now I have the 2TB Fusion with i5.

But I thinking I should cancel the order for i7 1TB Fusion...Such a tough decision.
 
ghsNick said:
Well right now I have the 2TB Fusion with i5.

But I thinking I should cancel the order for i7 1TB Fusion...Such a tough decision.
Click to expand...
Well you shouldn't. I'm telling you. You shouldn't.

In fact, there isn't anything worse you could do.

Look. Should you get the i7 AND 2 tb fusion? absolutely. But from the sound of it that's not in your budget.

If you can stretch it, well that would be your best option right there. But again, obviously, that is not always possible.
 
varian55zx said:
Well you shouldn't. I'm telling you. You shouldn't.

In fact, there isn't anything worse you could do.

Look. Should you get the i7 AND 2 tb fusion? absolutely. But from the sound of it that's not in your budget.

If you can stretch it, well that would be your best option right there. But again, obviously, that is not always possible.
Click to expand...
I just priced it out to get i5 and 512SSD.

If I do this option I'm only spending $65 more...hmm. Might do that since I know I'm not using 2TB ever lol.
 
ghsNick said:
I just priced it out to get i5 and 512SSD.

If I do this option I'm only spending $65 more...hmm. Might do that since I know I'm not using 2TB ever lol.
Click to expand...
You will thank yourself. I actually underestimated how much faster the new pcie SSDs in the new Macs are compared to the fusion drives, they're SO fast.

If you don't think you will even potentially need the 2 tb, then that settles it. Remember that $65 is a 3-5 year investment.
 
varian55zx said:
You will thank yourself. I actually underestimated how much faster the new pcie SSDs in the new Macs are compared to the fusion drives, they're SO fast.

If you don't think you will even potentially need the 2 tb, then that settles it. Remember that $65 is a 3-5 year investment.
Click to expand...
So, is the 2TB Fusion Drive by Apple even that fast?

I guess I don't understand how it works. Just cancelled the 2TB order and did 512 SSD.
[doublepost=1462843641][/doublepost]Also - now that I'm thinking about the i7 I'm wondering if I should just go all in on it and future proof this thing for as long as possible?
 
ghsNick said:
I just priced it out to get i5 and 512SSD.

If I do this option I'm only spending $65 more...hmm. Might do that since I know I'm not using 2TB ever lol.
Click to expand...


That is a GREAT choice. You won't regret it. It is what I would get if I were buying a 4K.

I got the 256 GB SSD in my 2011 iMac. Back then it was a (gulp) $600 extra charge. But the best $$ I've ever spent on a computer.
 
ghsNick said:
So, is the 2TB Fusion Drive by Apple even that fast?

I guess I don't understand how it works. Just cancelled the 2TB order and did 512 SSD.
[doublepost=1462843641][/doublepost]Also - now that I'm thinking about the i7 I'm wondering if I should just go all in on it and future proof this thing for as long as possible?
Click to expand...
Well, let me mention one thing.

The i7 is undoubtedly better. If you can stretch it you'll have something that is noticeably better, and will be better for longer.

The 2 tb Fusion is fast, there's no doubt about it. It's also highly convenient having the storage all on the internal.

But the SSDs 256, 512, etc are a whole new level of fast. For the fastest, most optimal experience, you'll want to get pure SSD.

The difference is absolutely noticeable, and actually incredibly, incredibly obvious. I would caution to listen to anyone who does not say the same.

That said, the fusion drive is still undoubtedly fast. It's faster than a lot of the pure SSDs you can get off Amazon.

If you appreciate subtle things like saving milliseconds, you'll want to go SSD. If you notice to a relatively low extent (not possible to not notice, it's too obvious), or simply aren't someone who is bothered to care about small nuances such as that, then you might want to go with the fusion.
 
Went with i7 and 512 SSD.

First world problem solved lol.

How does the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 hold up on this beauty?
 
ghsNick said:
Went with i7 and 512 SSD.

First world problem solved lol.

How does the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 hold up on this beauty?
Click to expand...

Who knows.... you have given no indication of the use for your computer, if gaming and doing graphics intensive applications you may have been far better off with a 27 inch with a fusion drive and an i5 to get a dGPU. If you are just doing normal everyday computing it is a fine integrated option.
 
Well, I just did something crazy.

My company had a new (Late 2015) 27 5K, i5 3.3, 8TB, 2TB Fusion and M395 available for $1,800 shipped.

I saved $700 (compared to my 21 4K order) and I went ahead and got it.

I guess I couldn't pass on the offer - was that a good choice?

I plan on spending $50 to upgrade the memory - is this the best to put in my iMac?

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/1867DDR3S08S/
 
ghsNick said:
Well, I just did something crazy.

My company had a new 27 5K, i5 3.3, 8TB, 2TB Fusion and M395 available for $1,800 shipped.

I saved $700 (compared to my 21 4K order) and I went ahead and got it.

I guess I couldn't pass on the offer - was that a good choice?
Click to expand...

That is the best choice you could have made, enjoy your new beast that's a fantastic machine with the best built in display you can get, a skylake over a broadwell chipset, a dedicated GPU and the RAM is user upgradeable in the 27inch so, that's also a bonus. I don't need one at the moment but I would have been hard pushed to pass up that deal.
 
Samuelsan2001 said:
That is the best choice you could have made, enjoy your new beast that's a fantastic machine with the best built in display you can get, a skylake over a broadwell chipset, a dedicated GPU and the RAM is user upgradeable in the 27inch so, that's also a bonus. I don't need one at the moment but I would have been hard pushed to pass up that deal.
Click to expand...

Thanks! $1800 after taxes instead of $2500. I literally couldn't pass up that deal ha.

Is this the best RAM to get for it? I always heard you want the same in each slot so I think I'll grab these.

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/1867DDR3S08S/
 
ghsNick said:
Thanks! $1800 after taxes instead of $2500. I literally couldn't pass up that deal ha.

Is this the best RAM to get for it? I always heard you want the same in each slot so I think I'll grab these.

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/1867DDR3S08S/
Click to expand...

It makes little difference these days on ram to be honest I would maybe look at a 16gb kit on Amazon it'll give you a total of 24gb for little more out lay and means you have 8gb sticks in 2 slots so an upgrade to 32gb if needed in the future is cheaper of course if you think 16gb is overkill anyway go for it that is some cheap ram.
 
Samuelsan2001 said:
It makes little difference these days on ram to be honest I would maybe look at a 16gb kit on Amazon it'll give you a total of 24gb for little more out lay and means you have 8gb sticks in 2 slots so an upgrade to 32gb if needed in the future is cheaper of course if you think 16gb is overkill anyway go for it that is some cheap ram.
Click to expand...
Does it matter if I have two 4gb sticks that come with it than two 8gb sticks?

I heard (and I may be wrong) that they all should be the same.
 
ghsNick said:
Does it matter if I have two 4gb sticks that come with it than two 8gb sticks?

I heard (and I may be wrong) that they all should be the same.
Click to expand...
Performance only suffers when you don't have them in matched pairs. So it doesn't matter if they're not all the same, as long as you have 2x4 GB and 2x8 GB pairs and the other specs match.
 
ghsNick said:
Check this out -

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/imac-4k-power-or-storage.1971842/#post-22885101
Click to expand...
You just made a good decision.

The 27 is way better but I assumed there was some sort of spacial limitation as that would be the only real reason to opt for the 21.5, a valid reason as it may be.

With the 27 you get a way bigger display (hard to describe how much better this is), dedicated gpu (again, so much better), current chipset, and user upgradable ram.

The 2 tb fusion is still plenty fast. It's comparable to the SSD speed of a MacBook Pro, but an SSD on a Mac Pro seems to be significantly faster.

In other words, it's still plenty fast.
 
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varian55zx said:
You just made a good decision.

The 27 is way better but I assumed there was some sort of spacial limitation as that would be the only real reason to opt for the 21.5, a valid reason as it may be.

With the 27 you get a way bigger display (hard to describe how much better this is), dedicated gpu (again, so much better), current chipset, and user upgradable ram.

The 2 tb fusion is still plenty fast. It's comparable to the SSD speed of a MacBook Pro, but an SSD on a Mac Pro seems to be significantly faster.

In other words, it's still plenty fast.
Click to expand...
When you say current chipset in 27 you mean Haswell? Right.

The 21 inch doesn't have Haswell?
 
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