ok our graphics dept needs to replace a 2012 mac pro desktop, after getting sticker shock at the price of the newly announced mac pro starting @ 6k I am now looking at the imac pro....we use adobe illustrator and photoshop, nothing super taxing on the system considering the current 2012 desktop only has 8gig of ram in it and a lowly ati graphics card from that time era....my only concern is having the entire system encased inside the monitor...any ideas if this sounds viable ?
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IMAC PRO RELIABLE?
- Thread starter callihan_44
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Only you know what kind of downtime your work can tolerate, but I'll say that the iMac Pro on my desk has been there for about 18 months and hasn't skipped a beat.
I do book design for a small publisher and there are times when I'm on a deadline. I don't worry much because I know that if the iMac takes a dump I can shift the task to a 2015 MBP if I have to (thanks, Dropbox).
I do book design for a small publisher and there are times when I'm on a deadline. I don't worry much because I know that if the iMac takes a dump I can shift the task to a 2015 MBP if I have to (thanks, Dropbox).
Based on the needs described, I might actually say get them all regular 27" iMacs (not Pro). Reliability may be lower, but with the savings you can buy a new one when it dies and still come out on top. Because it is a concern that it's all enclosed in the one box. From all I've seen the iMac Pro is quite reliable and won't just break on you, but if one part does go, you can't easily just replace that part.
And even a regular iMac would be quite a bit of an improvement on the 2012 Mac Pro for the work it seems, and as mentioned you'd be able to buy two for the price of 1 iMac Pro; Or more than that as well.
And even a regular iMac would be quite a bit of an improvement on the 2012 Mac Pro for the work it seems, and as mentioned you'd be able to buy two for the price of 1 iMac Pro; Or more than that as well.
I managed to get an Apple Factory Refurb iMac Pro on Ebay for $3800. Killer deal...was basically brand new condition (even had fresh screen protector plastic on it from Apple, etc).
Yeah, you don't need an iMac Pro. Total overkill at any price. An i5 quad core processor, 16GB of RAM, and SSD is the minimum you need to run those applications smoothly. Where I work we are still on our 2012 Minis (i7, 16GB of RAM, 1TB platter HDD), and it runs CS6 fine. An SSD world make things quicker, but 10.8.5 is a comparably sparse operating system and still runs fine on spinning drives. We are updating soon. I hope we get iMacs!
Yet another vote for the standard 27" iMac with Core i5, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD (or larger if so required). Add AppleCare+ for a worry-free 3-year warranty with accidental damage protection and you're still paying half of what a similarly specced iMac Pro without extended warranty would have cost you.
The 2019 iMac will do everything you need, and generally speaking these computer have become very reliable. They are either broken out of the box (my 2017 27" iMac was a lemon and was replaced by Apple no question asked) or will work reliably for many years. Just make sure to avoid the 95W Core i7 and i9 CPUs because the iMac's CPU cooler is built for 65W and not 95W CPUs.
The 2019 iMac will do everything you need, and generally speaking these computer have become very reliable. They are either broken out of the box (my 2017 27" iMac was a lemon and was replaced by Apple no question asked) or will work reliably for many years. Just make sure to avoid the 95W Core i7 and i9 CPUs because the iMac's CPU cooler is built for 65W and not 95W CPUs.
I don't get that. The top 27" iMac runs fine. The fans only kick in when CPU under lots of load. High CPU load (with all cores active) adjusts the cooling and CPU speed to consume about 80W after an initial burst at 120W. And CPU still runs faster than its base speed of 3.6 GHz - mine runs at 3.9 GHz (or a bit faster) when under continuous all-core cpu load.
What I mean by that is that the iMac's cooling solution was designed for keeping a 65W CPU cool while staying as quiet as can be. Thus, even sustained high load will not result in a significant increase of fan noise. In return, a 95W CPU will regularly result in higher fan noise and a hotter overall system. It doesn't mean you can't run a 95W CPU inside a current-gen iMac. It simply means that it wasn't designed to do so but can if so required. The best example of this is the fact that in all cases where people complained about their iMac's fan noise they had opted for the faster/fastest i7 or i9 processor available. You never hear that complaint with the lower-specced slower i5 processors.
TL;DR The current generation iMac's CPU cooler was designed to keep a 65W CPU cool while remaining dead silent. It will be able to handle a 95W CPU at the cost of higher noise levels.
TL;DR The current generation iMac's CPU cooler was designed to keep a 65W CPU cool while remaining dead silent. It will be able to handle a 95W CPU at the cost of higher noise levels.
I follow your reasoning and I am sure that the i5 is quieter, but (there is always a but): The i9 is super quiet unless under sustained load (all 8 cores working hard) - I am happy with it being a bit (not a lot) noisy at times. Also (2nd but), the 2019 model has better thermal controls than the 2017 iMacs - I base this on comments in these and other forums.
and this is why you get an imac pro. Is very quiet for me on rendering and only really kicks in when using gpu rendering software and looking through models live fully rendered. That taxes it a bit
I couldn't stand my previous maxed imac and was certainly much more prone to loud fan noise on CPU use [but it was a 2017 model]
Interesting. I've only heard of Apple Refurbished products being sold from the Apple web site. Who was the seller? If not Apple how do you know it was Apple Refurbished? What is the warranty?
That's good to know, thanks. The 2017 model year was notorious for noisy fans on both 91W SKUs (i5-7600K and i7-7700K). They tended to ramp up dramatically even after very short periods of load (say, browsing the web) whereas the i5 remained quiet even when gaming. When the 2019 iMac came out there were some early reports indicating a similar behavior with the 95W i5-9600K and i9-9900K. Since the cooling system remained unchanged between the 2017 and 2019 model year this came as no surprise. Maybe Apple addressed the issue with firmware fine-tuning and adjusting the fan and temperature curves? No idea. But it's certainly good to know that the i9 can remain whisper quiet as well.
Are we allowed to put links to sellers on this forum? I thought that wasn't allowed.
It's one particular seller on eBay. I don't know how they get the official Apple Refurbs, unless it's overstock from Apple that they are selling to resellers. But it is 100% Apple Factory Refurb. Came in the sealed box Apple uses for refurbs, all the parts had Apple's protective film attached, and it was 100% valid for Apple Care (which I bought for it right after i received it).
Hi can you pm me the name of your reseller?
i’m trying to get an imac pro refurb off ebay, and I suspect I know which seller you are talking about. But I wanna check before I order. Im trying to get the refurb imac pro that is eligible for applecare and then but that as soon as I receive the computer.
Have you been able to compare their price with that on the official apple store site? Maybe they are buying up the refurbished units and reselling them.
Have never heard of that happening.
I second this. Given your demands, a higher end (regular) iMac should be enough for your needs.
The only issue you might have is the iMac might not be as quiet as an iMac Pro---different cooling systems.
Yeah, as I recall, it was about $700 less than the refurbs on Apple’s site at the time, so there’s no way they were buying them from Apple’s website.
No clue how they acquire them, but they are legit Apple Refurbs.
edit: it could be a scenario like this
https://www.google.com/amp/s/techcrunch.com/2014/07/08/apples-secret-ebay-store-returns/amp/
Re: reliability—please keep in mind iMacs are the most “mature” product design in Apple’s lineup. The current version debuted in 2012 and the 5K’s have been around for five years. Any design kinks have been worked out. I have a feeling 2020 will see a revision/new design, but I’d have no qualms at all about a new iMac w/ Apple care (which was only $149 when I bought my 2017 5K).