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RedlegsFan

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 15, 2012
528
236
When I do buy an iMac in December, is it worth it to buy the 395 over the 380 IF I will be an average user? Some photoshop, etc. Nothing really taxing, normally I will just be browsing, email, etc.

I just want to make sure the device wont be handcuffed due to the bottom of the barrel video card. Thanks!
 

IngerMan

macrumors 68020
Feb 21, 2011
2,016
905
Michigan
I would say buy the best graphics card you can afford on the 27" model. I read complaints on that card running Mission Control and a few other applications.

I have the M395, 2TB Fusion and 32 GB of aftermarket ram. I am very happy with my setup and have not noticed any issues. I play a few games but mostly non taxing stuff. I have never used the M380 so it is only speculation.
 

Whiskey27

macrumors newbie
Aug 7, 2016
13
3
When I do buy an iMac in December, is it worth it to buy the 395 over the 380 IF I will be an average user? Some photoshop, etc. Nothing really taxing, normally I will just be browsing, email, etc.

I just want to make sure the device wont be handcuffed due to the bottom of the barrel video card. Thanks!
By all means......Go with the 395, as the others have mention it's best to do so. I did, along with the 2TB Fusion Drive and some additional after-market memory modules.
 
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varian55zx

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2012
748
260
San Francisco
I had the iMac with the m380 because I don't game, edit video, or do 3d rendering, so I thought it would be fine.

Turns out the card is so preposterously bad, that it can't even run the screen.

Simple tasks like mission control, stacks, and launchpad don't work properly and lag much more than the m395 model.

If you buy the iMac with the m380, you have wasted your money. I'd recommend you take my warning.

I traded my machine for the m395 model with the 512 SSD. That is a machine that performs much better.
 

RedlegsFan

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 15, 2012
528
236
Wow, I didn't realize this. Would love to hear from more people who can speak on this, but it looks like I. Ishtar need to spend around an extra $100 to get the 395.
 

Malus120

macrumors 6502a
Jun 28, 2002
695
1,451
Wow, I didn't realize this. Would love to hear from more people who can speak on this, but it looks like I. Ishtar need to spend around an extra $100 to get the 395.

Hopefully by the time you're buying (you mentioned December) new iMac's will be available with much better video cards all around. That said, the advice of the previous posters will likely still hold true. As the video card is the one component that truly CANNOT be upgraded later you should always buy the best you can afford.
 

AlexGraphicD

Suspended
Oct 26, 2015
368
309
New York
I had the iMac with the m380 because I don't game, edit video, or do 3d rendering, so I thought it would be fine.

Turns out the card is so preposterously bad, that it can't even run the screen.

Simple tasks like mission control, stacks, and launchpad don't work properly and lag much more than the m395 model.

If you buy the iMac with the m380, you have wasted your money. I'd recommend you take my warning.

I traded my machine for the m395 model with the 512 SSD. That is a machine that performs much better.

Unbelievable..!!!
If the base model is incapable of running the screen smoothly then WHY PRODUCING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE???!!!!
Apple must be the only company that sells base models that consumers are not supposed to buy them. Go figure..
 

varian55zx

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2012
748
260
San Francisco
Unbelievable..!!!
If the base model is incapable of running the screen smoothly then WHY PRODUCING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE???!!!!
Apple must be the only company that sells base models that consumers are not supposed to buy them. Go figure..
It couldn't even animate the bouncing animations from opening applications in the dock without producing choppiness. It was insanely bad!

Wow, I didn't realize this. Would love to hear from more people who can speak on this, but it looks like I. Ishtar need to spend around an extra $100 to get the 395.
You're only looking at an extra $100? Without a doubt you have to get it. Heed my warning on that.

I've had the chance to use both and it is a night and day difference, the m380 is a junk card that should've never been included.
 
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maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
Wow, I didn't realize this. Would love to hear from more people who can speak on this, but it looks like I. Ishtar need to spend around an extra $100 to get the 395.
I'm on the 395 and I'm really happy with the performance. I cannot comment on the other GPUs, but for my humble needs the 395 is fine
 

varian55zx

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2012
748
260
San Francisco
What about the 390? Is it more on par with the 380 or 395?
It's more on par with the 395, as I understand it the jump from 380 to 390 is the biggest performance increase in the lineup.

The 390 seems to be solid enough, the 395 brings only modest increases to it going off benchmarks.

I would imagine the 390 is adequate, I went 395 because, well, it's better.
 

iJohnnyG

macrumors regular
May 7, 2011
129
34
Newcastle
I've got a 395 in my 5k 27 iMac, recently set up bootcamp and started playing FSX Steam Edition and is actually better than my PC which has a GTX 970 in. Glad I went for the 395, the 390 was definitely the minimum for me though.
 

mxreader

macrumors newbie
Aug 27, 2016
14
3
I'm using AMD Radeon R9 M380 2048 MB right now.... I haven't noticed any lags. I got some other issues tho. Plus I see micro jitter scrolling Logos bible software.
 

varian55zx

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2012
748
260
San Francisco
I'm using AMD Radeon R9 M380 2048 MB right now.... I haven't noticed any lags. I got some other issues tho. Plus I see micro jitter scrolling Logos bible software.
Open a big folder with the stacks feature on the desktop.

Open 7-10 windows and try to use mission control, and then at the same time, try to open Notification Center.

Open various applications in your dock (with bounce turned on)

Open google chrome (check icon bouncing).

Please tell me that you still aren't experiencing lag. I would just be so fascinated.
 
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mxreader

macrumors newbie
Aug 27, 2016
14
3
I've opened a "big folder" (don't know if it is big enough, it is 282MB in size and has 84 items)
and dragged it to my right end of the dock... open that up
I have opened at least 10 of the pdf files
Opened Notification Centre
Opened Chrome it bounced once and opened fine, went to google news, scrolled up and down to check.
Plus
I have opened Logos (a big app) it loaded fine without any noticeable lag. It micro jittered like usual.
I used mission control to switch between different pdf file windows and the Logos etc, I didn't notice any hassles.
I have 8GB memory only.

What else would you like me to open?
If you read my two or three other posts in this forum you should understand that I am not a fan of iMac.

Oh, I have also now added a second folder in stack with 8.9GB of 12 movie files.
No discernible lags.

I also opened Activity Monitor:
Physical Memory: 8.00 GB
Memory Used: 6.48 GB
Cached Files: 1.36 GB
Swap Used: 3.8 MB

I am now running one of the Videos
Used Mission Control to see all the windows (I see the Video running too)
Opened Notifications... no hassles

I have opened a second Video
I see both videos running in Mission Control
Opened a news article in Chrome
No discernible lags.
 
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varian55zx

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2012
748
260
San Francisco
I don't know what to make of that, that doesn't mirror mine or other's experiences.

I used to own one with the m380 before I sold it on Craigslist and I've tried some m380 models at the store... no go. They can't drive the screen.

I can't explain your situation, but that is good for you.
 
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mxreader

macrumors newbie
Aug 27, 2016
14
3
I can try something else if you like, but I don't know either. I'm new to iMac. Confirm that the GPU is the same spec.
 

varian55zx

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2012
748
260
San Francisco
I can try something else if you like, but I don't know either. I'm new to iMac. Confirm that the GPU is the same spec.
I had the r9 m380 with 2gb vram which is what you say you have.

Maybe if you configured it with the i7 or something it's helping it along?

I ran a diagnostic when I sold the thing and there were no hardware problems at all, the computer was gently used (only sold for $100 less than what I got it for, insanely good cl transaction).

I had the i5 and 8gb of ram but I have to tell you, I just don't believe you on the stacks thing.

Even the m395 models have a little lag in a bigger folder in stacks.

I mean, your assertion that there's just NO LAG is not at all easy to believe, with all due respect. I'm not doubting you.
 

mxreader

macrumors newbie
Aug 27, 2016
14
3
I had the r9 m380 with 2gb vram which is what you say you have.
I had the i5 and 8gb of ram but I have to tell you, I just don't believe you on the stacks thing.

Even the m395 models have a little lag in a bigger folder in stacks.

I mean, your assertion that there's just NO LAG is not at all easy to believe, with all due respect. I'm not doubting you.

Nope, I got the basic model.
3.2 GHz Intel Core i5 8 GB 1867 MHz DDR3 AMD Radeon R9 M380 2048 MB
Even the HDD is standard 1 TB SATA. No SSD.

If you can maybe tell me step by step what you mean for me to do to have the "stacks thing", please let me know. I don't use that feature, I turn off the fan stack because I didn't like it, but after your post I discovered you can have it like a folder. That's what I have in my Ubuntu machine, so maybe in future I will use it more. Earlier when you said open 10 windows, do you mean for me to maximise each window?

A possible difference is that I have set my Display to scaled at "Looks like 1600 x 900"
 

varian55zx

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2012
748
260
San Francisco
If you can maybe tell me step by step what you mean for me to do to have the "stacks thing", please let me know
Drag folder into far right portion of the dock by the trash icon

Right click, select "grid"

Make sure it is a decently large folder.

Click the icon.

I would be stunned if the animation doesn't lag for you. It will even lag sometimes on the m395 model.
 

AlexGraphicD

Suspended
Oct 26, 2015
368
309
New York
Is the m395x worth over m395?
I'm not talking about heavy gaming or 3d work.
Just web & graphic design, web browsing and occasional video editing @ 1080p.
 

mxreader

macrumors newbie
Aug 27, 2016
14
3
Drag folder into far right portion of the dock by the trash icon

Right click, select "grid"
That's what I did before. What do you mean by decently large folder? I put in there my ebooks folder of 1.89GB and 1520 items. I selected grid. If there was any lag it would be at first show when it loads up the little icons on the "grid", after that if I click on the stack it smoothly opens up the stack, all icons are there, books, subfolders. Notification slides in and out smoothly. I use Control+up arrow to show Mission Control... they show up smoothly. Animation is OK.
 
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