Planning to buy 21.5 iMac

[LiE_]

Looking to buy an iMac. Usage will be internet, iLife, Blizzard games, iTunes.

This is the spec I'm considering.

21.5"
2.9GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x4GB
1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 512MB GDDR5

Not sure I will see any real benefit of i7 or fusion for my usage.

Any input would be great.

 

[BA Baracus]

Or, buy the base 21.5 model and spec fusion drive.

Price will come out at about the same and I *think* it would perform better than the model you mention.

2.7 v 2.9 i5 is no great advantage
640 v 650 graphics card you wouldn't gain any major benefit

Simples.

 

[LiE_]

I'm not sure I will feel the benefit of fusion for my usage, and would benefit more from faster cpu and gpu for games.

 

[kaellar]

2.7 v 2.9 i5 is no great advantage

true for home usage

640 v 650 graphics card you wouldn't gain any major benefit

looks like 640m from the base iMac has 64-bit memory and performs even a bit worse than 2011 iMacs with 6750m/6770m. so in this particular case u're wrong. the difference will be quite huge.

 

[slatyford]

Looking to buy an iMac. Usage will be internet, iLife, Blizzard games, iTunes.

This is the spec I'm considering.

21.5"
2.9GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x4GB
1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 512MB GDDR5

Not sure I will see any real benefit of i7 or fusion for my usage.

Any input would be great.

I've just taken delivery of the same spec machine and as it's my first iMac so far loving it. Not a heavy user though just web browsing and some office stuff

 

[Moccasin]

Consider an upgrade to the RAM on purchase as you can't upgrade that model later and 16GB will future proof the machine for a few years and also make it more valuable if/when you sell it on.