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Looking at a 27" iMac to Run Adobe Creative Cloud - Please Critique My Configuration???

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macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 1, 2007
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Toronto
Hello,

Just getting back into design (logos, print, banners, posters, billboard (online and external), websites, photographs, vectors and likely looking into learning how to do some graphic and web design animation. I am looking at the 27" iMac to run Adobe Creative Cloud. I have posted the specs below which include:
  • 3.8GHz 8-core 10th-generation Intel Core i7 Processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz
  • 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 Memory (Upgraded from 8GB)

Questions

Would this be sufficient to support 2020/2021 Creative Cloud Apps, mainly, Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign, as well as having other apps open such as iTunes/Music, Pages, Messages, WhatsApp etc, etc, ?

1. I stuck with the 512GB SSD Storage. Is this sufficient or does anyone recommend the 1TB SSD Storage as 'essential'? My research has mostly concluded a 512 SSD being adequate for my needs?

2. Would the Graphics Option 'Radeon Pro 5500 XT with 8GB of GDDR6 memory' be adequate for my needs or would that also need to be upgraded to the 16GB (+ $625 CAD).

3. Is the storage, graphics, memory and processor all upgradable after purchase?

4. Would this also be enough to support video software like Final Cut Pro?

5. Can anyone recommend some nice 'Bluetooth Speaker(s)' to pair with the 27" iMac? I was looking at the 'Beats by Dr. Dre Pill+ Bluetooth Wireless Speaker'. Link to speaker: https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/produc...oth-wireless-speaker-black-ml4m2ll-a/10398561

6. Can anyone recommend a decent 'Drawing Tablet'? I have done some research and have read several positive reviews in regards to the 'Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet, Medium'. Link to Drawing Tablet: https://www.staples.ca/products/2638608-en-wacom-intuos-pro-pen-and-touch-tablet-medium


Trying to keep the overall price in and around or under $4,000 CAD.

All insight/opinions and/or experiences are very much appreciated! Thanks to all who respond!


Proposed Specs

 

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1. 512GB is plenty. Adobe CC has online cloud storage that you will most likely be using. If you are doing a lot of video work you can get an external hard drive.
 
You can save some money buy getting an 8gb model and adding your own memory. Graphics and video can use up a lot of space. You might want to rethink the 512 SSD. For your workflow I think priorities should be, in order, memory, GPU, then CPU.
 
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glenthompson said:
You can save some money buy getting an 8gb model and adding your own memory. Graphics and video can use up a lot of space. You might want to rethink the 512 SSD. For your workflow I think priorities should be, in order, memory, GPU, then CPU.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Yes, this was a 8GB model that I configured up to 16GB. All new iMac 27" models start at 8GB. You are thinking 1TB SSD?

Below is a screenshot of the base model specs for the new iMac 27". My current option is the top base model (far right) with upgraded Memory from 8GB to 16GB.


iMac 27" Base Models

 

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SigEp265 said:
1. 512GB is plenty. Adobe CC has online cloud storage that you will most likely be using. If you are doing a lot of video work you can get an external hard drive.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input. I have read similar sentiments online. Thoughts on other specs such as Memory and Processor? Adequate for my workflow in your opinion?
 
As someone who's in an office filled with design pros, I echo what is said, 512GB storage, 8GB of ram and upgrade.
If you're going to keep it for a long time, get the "best" or rightmost option there, then you'll get the extra vram.

This iMac will easily support all of Adobe CC and Apple pro apps.

Why would you want a bluetooth speaker if it will be directly connected to the mac? I'd opt for Bose Companion 2 if you just want a nice pair of speakers on your desk. If you want something more studio oriented, Yamaha HS7s or Tannoy Gold.

Personally, which Wacom you get is about personal preference. They all do the same thing. For most "artists" the features are useless because unless you've already trained yourself to use them, they're just buttons and lights you ignore. Some people at my office have the 17x11" one but for some people, that's way too big for their desk and it makes using a keyboard and mouse super non-ergonomic. Some also don't use a mouse and always use the wacom, so they use the 9x5 one.

What type of art will you be doing? Big files? Small illustrator files? If it's all for a 3rd party, I'd segment my life and not store any locally, then you can send the client the external drive and say that's the only copy so you're not liable.
For video you'll always be working off an external drive anyway so nothing to worry about there.

While no one else can tell you how much storage you'll consume, I'd absolutely vouch against using cloud storage, live, for art. While it sounds like a good idea, when you're working on enormous photoshop files, you really don't want to wait for files to up/download. Also, worrying about file sync errors and how CC decides to use your local storage to sync the cloud is a disaster. Getting an external USB SSD and pay for backblaze backup will keep you far more sane.
 
macsound1 said:
While no one else can tell you how much storage you'll consume, I'd absolutely vouch against using cloud storage, live, for art. While it sounds like a good idea, when you're working on enormous photoshop files, you really don't want to wait for files to up/download. Also, worrying about file sync errors and how CC decides to use your local storage to sync the cloud is a disaster. Getting an external USB SSD and pay for backblaze backup will keep you far more sane.
Click to expand...
100% this. A few massive save files here and there and then *BOOM* your cloud storage is full. While years ago it would have been more viable, now a days most of my save files from Photoshop alone are several 100MB in size, and that's for fairly simple projects. A few of those a day adds up... FAST.
 
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buttongerald said:
100% this. A few massive save files here and there and then *BOOM* your cloud storage is full. While years ago it would have been more viable, now a days most of my save files from Photoshop alone are several 100MB in size, and that's for fairly simple projects. A few of those a day adds up... FAST.
Click to expand...
I mean, even years ago, I was still making 2-4GB photoshop files. When you make products at 100% scale at 300dpi, file size is always big.
I used to work at a company that had a building face a main road. We decided to capitalize on that visibility and hang a 8' tall 24' long vinyl banner, and change it out 6-8 times a year. That's a big photoshop file.
For the sake of knowing what your mac can and can't do, I made most of those, painstakingly, on a white macbook with 2GB of RAM and a spinning harddrive. Making a 4GB photoshop file with 2GB of ram is painful, but completely doable.
 
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For sure buy the 8gb ram model and upgrade to 16 or even 32. 16 would be minimum today for CC since at least with my workflow I usually have at least 3 CC apps open at a time minimum. Can always add external T3 storage so 512 will work fine but you might regret not upgrading to the 1TB at some point. 8gb graphics works just fine today but 16 would keep you up to speed for the foreseeable future. This will be a wonderful CC machine with any of your choices for years to come!
 
I recommend 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD - even with 1TB SSD, you’ll run out of space on the internal storage with the type of work you’re doing... so keep the SSD for boot disk, apps, and current projects. Move everything else to external storage. Buy RAM from a 3rd-party. Get the best GPU since that cannot be upgraded.
 
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bluetooth said:
Hello,

Just getting back into design (logos, print, banners, posters, billboard (online and external), websites, photographs, vectors and likely looking into learning how to do some graphic and web design animation. I am looking at the 27" iMac to run Adobe Creative Cloud. I have posted the specs below which include:
  • 3.8GHz 8-core 10th-generation Intel Core i7 Processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz
  • 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 Memory (Upgraded from 8GB)

Questions

Would this be sufficient to support 2020/2021 Creative Cloud Apps, mainly, Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign, as well as having other apps open such as iTunes/Music, Pages, Messages, WhatsApp etc, etc, ?

1. I stuck with the 512GB SSD Storage. Is this sufficient or does anyone recommend the 1TB SSD Storage as 'essential'? My research has mostly concluded a 512 SSD being adequate for my needs?

2. Would the Graphics Option 'Radeon Pro 5500 XT with 8GB of GDDR6 memory' be adequate for my needs or would that also need to be upgraded to the 16GB (+ $625 CAD).

3. Is the storage, graphics, memory and processor all upgradable after purchase?


Trying to keep the overall price in and around or under $4,000 CAD.
Click to expand...

Hi, I run a design studio and use the iMacs as workstations. I just bought a similar machine, with a few tweaks. I upgraded to a 2tb SSD. Cloud storage is great for email and other stuff, but is a pain for work files. Also, if you work on larger files you will need scratch disk space. Installing ram takes 5 minutes, and if you wanted 128gb, you would save $2100 by doing it yourself. 16gb, might be a little light and I would go with at least 32 or 64gb. If you already bought the computer, you can still easily upgrade the ram.

I store all of my files on external drives. A fast Thunderbolt drive for my image archive, and several USB3 externals for working and backup drives. The iMacs are perfect for design and imaging work.
 
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Professional designer here. You can do all you need to do on an old iMac or even an old MacBook Pro with an external display. I personally use a 2015 15” MacBook Pro with a 24” Dell external display. I’m in Premiere, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Audition. No problems.
But if I were buying a new machine, I would prioritize the longevity things like storage, graphics RAM, and processor speed. I had a maxed-out 2007 iMac that I used to run a design firm for 8 years. Keep it clean through annual reformatting and don’t install anything that you don’t truly need. Do that and any decent Mac will run your business for years and years.
Also, CONGRATULATIONS on getting back into the design business! If you approach your business and your clients with the same care you’re using with this purchase, you’ll do great. The world needs us designers out there, fighting the ugly! 👍🏻
 
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