Is $1499 iMac worth the extra $300 for Graphics

[ctsoundguy]

Trying to decide between the new base 21.5 imac for $1199, or to spend the additional $300 for a better graphics card. iMac will be used for web, office stuff, some video editing, mostly with iMovie,maybe with Final Cut Express. Mostly just an all around computer to replace my aging G4 Quicksilver. Gaming unlikely. Thanks.

 

[HBOC]

Trying to decide between the new base 21.5 imac for $1199, or to spend the additional $300 for a better graphics card. iMac will be used for web, office stuff, some video editing, mostly with iMovie,maybe with Final Cut Express. Mostly just an all around computer to replace my aging G4 Quicksilver. Gaming unlikely. Thanks.

Well, if you are going to be doing video editing stuff, I would say it is worth it.

 

[Sun Baked]

Even if you only plan on using it for regular web browsing and movies, the ATI GPU is a definite (worth-the-upgrade) over the Integrated GPU.

Even a really sucky low end GPU is worth the upgrade, since you are going to a dedicated GPU that isn't using system RAM.

http://www.barefeats.com/imac09d.html Old one, but you can get the idea where the 9400m is around 20-25% of the dedicated GPU at the moment.

 

[alent1234]

i've done video editing on Windows Movie Maker years ago on hardware that is probably slower than the 9400M. your best best is to upgrade the RAM since you will be working with large files.

 

[macrumorsMaster]

imac for $1199, or to spend the additional $300 for a better graphics card. iMac will be used for web, office stuff, some video editing, mostly with iMovie,maybe with Final Cut Express. .

If you're just going to do imove and FCE for personal stuff the nvidia 9400 is fine. I tried motion with just a couple of objects at the apple store w/ the nvidia 9400 and it was fine. I'm sure if I made it more complex, it'd take a performance hit, but to do just do regular editing(fancy dissolves are for amateurs), you'll be just fine.

Use the money you save for more ram, extra external hd drive to store your video files, etc.

BTW, I've seen people edit just fine on the old mb's w/intel's integrated graphics, and nvidia's is better, so I don't think you'll have a problem. Also, don't ask the apple store person, they'll try to upgrade you of course

Also, I've done editing on a windows PC w/premiere with integrated intel 4500 and it's been fine, rendering could be a bit quicker, but I don't notice any performance degradation for editing and I just edited a short I filmed.