Is the i7 worth it?

[Willdta]

i currently own a iMac 27inch c2d.I plan to sell it and upgrade to the next update of the iMac (to settle screen issues,and hopefully to get a HDMI-in) when its released most likely at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.

my question for you guys is the i5 or i7 chips worth the money.im a casual user so the most power consuming task i do is render some videos,other than that im listening to music and surfing the web.so is the i7 worth the money or not,and also do you think that i5 will be the standard in the next refresh?

 

[pilot1226]

i5 and i7 are a pretty considerable performance increase due to the different architecture of the chip itself. If you search the forums you'll find some benchmarks, which suggest that the i5/i7 are between 20-40+% more efficient than the Core2Duo generation.

The C2D is also a "dead" chipset line, so in terms of the future, the i5/i7 is the way that intel seems to be pushing.


https://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/07/apples-magic-trackpad-or-magic-slate-revealed/

 

[TMRaven]

For future-proofing your purchase, I think it is. But if you plan on selling it fast for another update, I don't think so.

The i7 is a luxury when it comes to video editting/encoding.

 

[talmy]

I've managed to get 100% usage of all cores in my i7 running Aperture or Handbrake, as well as snappy performance without 100% utilization running CAD programs on Windows in Parallels while capturing the screen in iShowU HD (which processes the video real-time). The i7 has been well worth it for me.

 

[Willdta]

thanks for the input guys,i think im going to stick with whatever chipset is in the bottom line model,i7 is way more than i need,i would rather speed the extra cash on a ssd

 

[hundert]

I am looking for a used 3ghz core 2 duo 27 inch iMac, because all I need is a screen!

So, it depends on what you need and how much you are willing to spend.

I have a i7 Windows Desktop, so I don't really need i5 in that Imac. I just need a big screen for work with photo.

I currently have the old 20 inch Alu.

I would recommend i5 over i7, because the HT is just eating power and utilized is it only when you do stuff like 3D rendering, which I am sure you do not do much of, and for a normal user, it is a waste of money. For rendering videos, the C2D does a good job. If you do not do it too often, you don't need the i5.

And for surfing and music, a 10 year old computer will do the job.