After Effects + Cinema4d + ZBrush + modo + photoshop + painter + illustrator + indesign. Can an iMac handle these apps well without any issues or will I need to go the Mac Pro route. I can´t stop thinking about how hot the iMac would get and perhaps screen tint issues etc. Experiences anyone?
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Mac Pro vs iMac for
- Thread starter josheeee
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If you set up the iMac correctly
I run all the same applications plus some gaming on my 2011 i7 iMac. I installed a SSD and 16 gb of ram (owc offers up to 32gb or ram) I can run indesign, photoshop, final cut pro at the sometime and not have any heat or lagging. I also own a Mac pro great machine but I have to say my 2011 i7 is taking over. It all comes down to $$$ and how long you wish to keep the computer (Mac pro last longer because you can upgrade more and the extra cores help). I always have the current iMac because I sale it when a new one is released. Personally go with the iMac but if money is no issue just get the Mac pro.
I run all the same applications plus some gaming on my 2011 i7 iMac. I installed a SSD and 16 gb of ram (owc offers up to 32gb or ram) I can run indesign, photoshop, final cut pro at the sometime and not have any heat or lagging. I also own a Mac pro great machine but I have to say my 2011 i7 is taking over. It all comes down to $$$ and how long you wish to keep the computer (Mac pro last longer because you can upgrade more and the extra cores help). I always have the current iMac because I sale it when a new one is released. Personally go with the iMac but if money is no issue just get the Mac pro.
Yes, those apps run on my iMac but I'd say it depends on two things:
1) How many hours a day you work especially with video and media trans coding. If you do this only 10 minutes a day the most you can save is 10 minutes. But if its' all day long that's different.
2) if you can stand using a screen that lacks any kind of anti-glare treatment. The iMac screen is highly reflective. Just make sure there is nothing bright to your rear. If you get a Mac Pro you have to option to buy a higher quality monitor that has some anti-reflective coating or treatment.
Agreed, I'm in the middle of archiving 200x25 minute HD broadcast shows...basically retouching, re-rendering, and re-encoding for DVD/Tape/digital file, etc. My 8-core Mac Pro with 16 threads is chewing through each show so fast I don't even have time for a coffee break. If you're not doing a LOT of rendering or not using apps that take advantage of all the power of a Mac Pro, then go with the iMac. I spent a good few days recently deciding if the new 2011 i7 iMac would do it for me, and for my needs, I'm glad I stuck to my MP.
I'm sure the iMac can handle them, but that's not the main reason I went with a Mac Pro.
Being able to choose a matte screen is very important to me, because I can't stand glare (giving thanks for anti-glare shields on my iPad).
It was also worth the extra money to me to have an actual desktop machine, rather than an all-in-one - I use this machine quite a bit (Photoshop in particular), and it's just not worth it to have the screen go out, and basically have to get a new machine.
With regards to Photoshop, I mainly do photo editing and color correction, and glare is not only distracting, but the glass saturates the colors too much. It looks beautiful on screen, but messes with the natural colors.
It really just depends on your needs, wants and budget.
Being able to choose a matte screen is very important to me, because I can't stand glare (giving thanks for anti-glare shields on my iPad).
It was also worth the extra money to me to have an actual desktop machine, rather than an all-in-one - I use this machine quite a bit (Photoshop in particular), and it's just not worth it to have the screen go out, and basically have to get a new machine.
With regards to Photoshop, I mainly do photo editing and color correction, and glare is not only distracting, but the glass saturates the colors too much. It looks beautiful on screen, but messes with the natural colors.
It really just depends on your needs, wants and budget.
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Trying to make the same decision as the OP as my old Mac Pro barely meets requirements for Lion and Final Cut. I use pretty much the same apps. The Photoshop files I deal with can be quite large, in excess of 1 GB and my renders in Cinema 4D can take overnight to complete. I'm also not sure about that glossy screen on the iMac, although I usually work in dim light. However a new 8 core Mac Pro and a good monitor, such as a NEC PA271w, will cost about $5000 and a tricked out iMac about $3000. I'm very interested to know what decision you make.
I am still in a stalemate haha. Like you said $5000 is like eating a million hot chillies at once. I am going to wait for more responces to this thread before deciding.
Wait until the next Mac Pro refresh in the next 30 days or so. The newer model makes more sense rather than comparing something from last year with the new iMac. Also, I found that the Mac Pro makes sense when you load it up but doesn't if you keep it baseline in comparison to an iMac. In other words, don't ever get a half-assed configured Mac Pro.
Mac Pro if you need to make money consistently from this work, iMac if it's mostly a hobby.
I'm not going to skimp on work tools again...
I like iMacs, but screen issues, difficulty in component replacement, and environmental sensitivities have made me look at the Mac Pro for my next Mac.
I don't have time any longer to schedule genius bar appts every 6-8 months for the screen issues, unresponsive DVD issue, cratered HD issues, graphics adapter issues, related heat issues...
I just want to get through my workload. So my next is a Pro, unless Apple gets wise, and releases a mid-sized tower that I can get in and maintain as easily as the ones I build.
I have both iMac's and MacPro's, I say just buy the Pro.
For the type of work and personal creativity I use my Mac Pro for, it simply cannot be beat. Yes, the price of entry is steeper, but you get what you pay for.
Why by an "all in one" with next to no upgrade-ability, when you can buy the "right tool for the job" in a Mac Pro.
They are very easy to open up when it comes time to change or add drives, memory, video cards, you name it, the Mac Pro will make your job ten times easier than a consumer oriented, style conscious iMac.
My wife loves her iMac, but is style conscious and uses it like the average home user. Nothing really serious or resourse intensive.