Thinking about iMac as my next computer.

[justlog]

Hello everyone! this is my first post here in the forum but, i was reading alot of threads on this forum. anyway let me start my thread.
Today my primary PC is a PC with win 7 and with this specs:
Intel E8400 3.0Ghz
Some lame motherboard dunno the exact model.
GTX 460 1GB Gainward
4GB of ram DDR2(yea yea i know but this computer is about 3 years old) 800Mhz
500W power supply.
so for now i don't have a real primary use for my PC but, a year ago i was gaming non-stop. but today i don't play as much as before. well today i play a little World of Warcraft a bit of Starcraft and from time to time and that's it. well my system is begging to fall apart and i started thinking about new machine. well i first thought to upgrade my current system to a better one but then i had my eyes looking on a iMac. from what i seen it's prefect for me. it has a large screen(i have a mental problem with 24 and less screen ) it have the prefect specs for me for my uses. but i just want to be sure so i wont regrat my purchase.
so i wanted your opinion.
if i have some english problems its because i need to work on my english im a bit rusty .
sorry for the tiering thread

 

[Taz Mangus]

Hello everyone! this is my first post here in the forum but, i was reading alot of threads on this forum. anyway let me start my thread.
Today my primary PC is a PC with win 7 and with this specs:
Intel E8400 3.0Ghz
Some lame motherboard dunno the exact model.
GTX 460 1GB Gainward
4GB of ram DDR2(yea yea i know but this computer is about 3 years old) 800Mhz
500W power supply.
so for now i don't have a real primary use for my PC but, a year ago i was gaming non-stop. but today i don't play as much as before. well today i play a little World of Warcraft a bit of Starcraft and from time to time and that's it. well my system is begging to fall apart and i started thinking about new machine. well i first thought to upgrade my current system to a better one but then i had my eyes looking on a iMac. from what i seen it's prefect for me. it has a large screen(i have a mental problem with 24 and less screen ) it have the prefect specs for me for my uses. but i just want to be sure so i wont regrat my purchase.
so i wanted your opinion.
if i have some english problems its because i need to work on my english im a bit rusty .
sorry for the tiering thread

When you purchase a Mac computer you do get a 14 day return policy (on-line or in-store purchase). So if you don't like the iMac (and I doubt that will be the case) you can return it for a full refund. Also, I would suggest going to a Apple store and playing around with a iMac. You can also ask questions about the iMac. The Apple floor people are very friendly and knowledgable. They could probably answer any questions for you. Go play around with the iMac before you buy it.

 

[justlog]

first of all thank you for your response well anyway, the thing is that if ill end up ordering the iMac ill order it from United states because i live in israel and in the israeli store it costs about 1000$ more. i am not kidding. well i did played with the iMac a little bit but not enough i think. well i will go again to the isreali store. about what you said to ask the workers. well it's not as much useful as it is in London(just came back from there because alot of the workers of the isreali store dosen't really give a **** about the buyers questions. and they dosen't know enough about apple devices. anyway anyone else have an opinion?

 

[50548]

first of all thank you for your response well anyway, the thing is that if ill end up ordering the iMac ill order it from United states because i live in israel and in the israeli store it costs about 1000$ more. i am not kidding. well i did played with the iMac a little bit but not enough i think. well i will go again to the isreali store. about what you said to ask the workers. well it's not as much useful as it is in London(just came back from there because alot of the workers of the isreali store dosen't really give a **** about the buyers questions. and they dosen't know enough about apple devices. anyway anyone else have an opinion?

Well, WoW and SCII will run fine on your new iMac - besides, the 27" screen is just gorgeous and among the best in the industry.

At this point I don't know what else to say - if you buy one you won't regret it (just be sure that you have an authorized Apple Service Provider in Israel, in case some problem occurs)...

My recommended specs if you have the money:

iMac Core i7, 8GB RAM, 1 or 2TB HD (SSD also recommended, but may be expensive from Apple) - get also the 2GB option for the GPU 6970M.

Good luck!

 

[justlog]

Well, WoW and SCII will run fine on your new iMac - besides, the 27" screen is just gorgeous and among the best in the industry.

At this point I don't know what else to say - if you buy one you won't regret it (just be sure that you have an authorized Apple Service Provider in Israel, in case some problem occurs)...

My recommended specs if you have the money:

iMac Core i7, 8GB RAM, 1 or 2TB HD (SSD also recommended, but may be expensive from Apple) - get also the 2GB option for the GPU 6970M.

Good luck!

first of all thank you for the reply. first of all i have an authorized apple service in isreal so i don't need to worry about that. well there's an reason for the 2GB option GPU? about what you said on the SSD i would buy an SSD but i really don't wanna get my hands dirty with the iMac inside.

 

[50548]

first of all thank you for the reply. first of all i have an authorized apple service in isreal so i don't need to worry about that. well there's an reason for the 2GB option GPU? about what you said on the SSD i would buy an SSD but i really don't wanna get my hands dirty with the iMac inside.

2GB - future-proof for more demanding games...

 

[justlog]

2GB - future-proof for more demanding games...

really? didn't see one game supporting 2GB till now. well okay if you say so

 

[Blaine]

I would not waste my money on the 2GB video card. Too many people here say that you'll max out the gpu where it is the limiting factor before you'll ever touch the 2GB of memory.

 

[justlog]

I would not waste my money on the 2GB video card. Too many people here say that you'll max out the gpu where it is the limiting factor before you'll ever touch the 2GB of memory.

well that was my thinking. anyway i was just for cheaking got to the apple website and cheaked how the perchause works there anyway i couldn't see how to change the contrey in the shipping form. any help?

 

[88 King]

I had a PC with the same spec as you, except the CPU was an E8500 overclocked to 3.8GHz. I think you will be very happy with the performance increase the core i CPU offers. The graphic card is laughable compared to high end desktop version. But if you are not going to treat it as a gaming PC, the 6970m is good for casual games.

I also don't think there is any need to pay extra for the 2GB VRAM.

I've been playing GTA4 in Bootcamp last weekend. For those who remember, the game menu displays how much VRAM are used based on the graphic settings. With the latest patch, I was only able to push the 6970m to use 750 out of 995MB of VRAM for a smooth playing experience of 40+ fps. Any higher settings which takes more RAM result in fps drop to a point of slow down in game play.

So if the 6970m can not make full use of the 1GB VRAM on a game that is released in 2008, why would people think it have the muscle to handle the processing power needed to take advantage of 2GB VRAM on any future games?

 

[justlog]

I had a PC with the same spec as you, except the CPU was an E8500 overclocked to 3.8GHz. I think you will be very happy with the performance increase the core i CPU offers. The graphic card is laughable compared to high end desktop version. But if you are not going to treat it as a gaming PC, the 6970m is good for casual games.

I also don't think there is any need to pay extra for the 2GB VRAM.

I've been playing GTA4 in Bootcamp last weekend. For those who remember, the game menu displays how much VRAM are used based on the graphic settings. With the latest patch, I was only able to push the 6970m to use 750 out of 995MB of VRAM for a smooth playing experience of 40+ fps. Any higher settings which takes more RAM result in fps drop to a point of slow down in game play.

So if the 6970m can not make full use of the 1GB VRAM on a game that is released in 2008, why would people think it have the muscle to handle the processing power needed to take advantage of 2GB VRAM on any future games?

thank you for the reply. well let's say i don't really a fan of overcloacking even if someone else does the OC for me. and BTW it's not that im not happy with the Computer Preformence its just it's starting to fall apart so i wanna to start saving some money to buy a new system. and BTW running GTA IV on high settings is not casual.

 

[Abazigal]

If you still plan on gaming hard, I recommend sticking with windows, where you can easily upgrade to a much better CPU (spec-wise at least) at lower price.

If you are interested in switching over to OSX, I recommend the 3rd option in the imac line (the 27' with 512 graphics), then upgrade to 8 gb ram. The huge screen is gorgeous and very useful when editing documents, and when you want multiple screens on at the same time.

Why you would switch over is mainly for the more stable and generally smoother/hassle free user experience. Gone are the days of having to constantly defrag your drive or update a hundred and one different programs intended to keep your PC running at tip-top condition.

Make sure you hang on to your normal mouse though, the trackpad and magic mouse absolutely stink when it comes to games like starcraft.

 

[justlog]

If you still plan on gaming hard, I recommend sticking with windows, where you can easily upgrade to a much better CPU (spec-wise at least) at lower price.

If you are interested in switching over to OSX, I recommend the 3rd option in the imac line (the 27' with 512 graphics), then upgrade to 8 gb ram. The huge screen is gorgeous and very useful when editing documents, and when you want multiple screens on at the same time.

Why you would switch over is mainly for the more stable and generally smoother/hassle free user experience. Gone are the days of having to constantly defrag your drive or update a hundred and one different programs intended to keep your PC running at tip-top condition.

Make sure you hang on to your normal mouse though, the trackpad and magic mouse absolutely stink when it comes to games like starcraft.

well i can't really come back to hardcore gaming because for now my grades suck and i gotta fix it. so i wont have enough time to do that. well what you described is what I want.

 

[Abazigal]

well i can't really come back to hardcore gaming because for now my grades suck and i gotta fix it. so i wont have enough time to do that. well what you described is what I want.

Well then, since you can't really play games with your imac (without bootcamp), I guess that should help your "addiction" somewhat.

 

[justlog]

Well then, since you can't really play games with your imac (without bootcamp), I guess that should help your "addiction" somewhat.

well i can play the games i especaily want so it's fits me as i said i like to play WOW and some starcraft and Diablo 3 when itll realesed. all of thoose support OSX so it's okay. and BTW my addiciton is long gone from about half a year ago.
anyway if anybody that HAVE the iMac i would like some personal look at the iMac if you can

 

[Blue Sun]

You're better off to pay the extra now for the SSD and have Apple install it.

I can't say the same for the RAM though, Apple charge an arm and a leg. You should be able to pickup 16GB (4x4GB) aftermarket for a relatively low price these days.

 

[justlog]

You're better off to pay the extra now for the SSD and have Apple install it.

I can't say the same for the RAM though, Apple charge an arm and a leg. You should be able to pickup 16GB (4x4GB) aftermarket for a relatively low price these days.

about the SSD i think you right but the thing is it's cost fortune and i can't afford that.
about the RAM it depends what kind of RAM does the iMac needs?

 

[neo-cd]

You can always install Bootcamp in your iMac. The hard drive has enough space to split it in two partitions (depending your priority) and then to install Windows 7 and the games desired.

You will be happy to know that Windows 7 runs flawlessly in the iMac as the games.

At the end, in one computer you have the better of the two worlds .

I recommend you the 27' inch iMac (essentially for the games).

 

[50548]

I had a PC with the same spec as you, except the CPU was an E8500 overclocked to 3.8GHz. I think you will be very happy with the performance increase the core i CPU offers. The graphic card is laughable compared to high end desktop version. But if you are not going to treat it as a gaming PC, the 6970m is good for casual games.

I also don't think there is any need to pay extra for the 2GB VRAM.

I've been playing GTA4 in Bootcamp last weekend. For those who remember, the game menu displays how much VRAM are used based on the graphic settings. With the latest patch, I was only able to push the 6970m to use 750 out of 995MB of VRAM for a smooth playing experience of 40+ fps. Any higher settings which takes more RAM result in fps drop to a point of slow down in game play.

So if the 6970m can not make full use of the 1GB VRAM on a game that is released in 2008, why would people think it have the muscle to handle the processing power needed to take advantage of 2GB VRAM on any future games?

The information you purport to provide in your post is not only inaccurate; it's also deliberately misleading to prospective Mac users.

First of all, the 6970M is still one of the most powerful GPUs in the industry, and at least until one week ago was the second most powerful mobile GPU in the market (PCs and Macs alike). Of course there are (a few) more powerful DESKTOP GPUs out there, but these would simply not work with the iMac's slim form factor. In any case, your statement that the 6970M is "laughable" when compared to desktop GPUs is laughable in itself. The 6970M is a highly respectable GPU for pretty much any use out there apart from extremely high-end gaming needs, which 90% of the PCs anywhere can't cover anyway.

Secondly, a number of sites have already proven that the 2GB limit CAN be reached for certain games and 3D applications, especially if one considers future needs. Moreover, even BareFeats has proven that the "famous" gaming performance gap between Windows and Macs is already close to nonexistent in many games, especially those from software producers willing to work a little longer on optimizing their code to specific Mac packages. Your example of GTA4 is simply anecdotal and shouldn't be taken as a rule.

I hope this clears up some of the more ignorant comments from "hardcore" gamers coming from the PC world (similarly to those who still think Macs are only good for DTP operations) - in fact, I have yet to find a Windows PC which is faster than my i7 iMac among all my colleagues - not to mention that I can run SCII, Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2 and CoD 4 with virtually everything maxed out and without any performance loss...I wouldn't call that "casual gaming".

 

[88 King]

First of all, the 6970M is still one of the most powerful GPUs in the industry,

Correction, your statement should be "the 6970M is still one of the most powerful Mobile GPUs in the industry."

I agree with you the 6970m is a good mobile graphic card, but it is a slow version of a mid-range desktop card that is not designed to play current games at native resolution of the imac.

Also most current games run best in DirectX 11. To show you how demanding this is, the GTX 580 which is 175% faster than the 6970m in Direct X11 is not able to produce 30+ fps (the min needed for smooth game play) at 2560x1600 and maximum settings on many of the current games.

The GTX 580 have 1GB of VRAM, do you think the 6970m with an extra GB of VRAM will work miracles?

Source of GTX 580 test:
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc...vidia-geforce-gtx-580-906690/review?artc_pg=3

Source of 6970M benchmark:
Look for Unigine Heaven 2.1 for the 175% difference:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-6970M.43077.0.html

If you are happy with the games you are playing than fine, but I hope I’ve provided to you with facts that my last post was not “deliberately misleading”.

 

[redri]

Correction, your statement should be "the 6970M is still one of the most powerful Mobile GPUs in the industry."

I agree with you the 6970m is a good mobile graphic card, but it is a slow version of a mid-range desktop card that is not designed to play current games at native resolution of the imac.

Also most current games run best in DirectX 11. To show you how demanding this is, the GTX 580 which is 175% faster than the 6970m in Direct X11 is not able to produce 30+ fps (the min needed for smooth game play) at 2560x1600 and maximum settings on many of the current games.

The GTX 580 have 1GB of VRAM, do you think the 6970m with an extra GB of VRAM will work miracles?

Source of GTX 580 test:
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc...vidia-geforce-gtx-580-906690/review?artc_pg=3

Source of 6970M benchmark:
Look for Unigine Heaven 2.1 for the 175% difference:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-6970M.43077.0.html

If you are happy with the games you are playing than fine, but I hope I’ve provided to you with facts that my last post was not “deliberately misleading”.

Compare a 580 desktop card to a 6970m card is just stupid in any situation i think. And for the 6970m in the 27" iMac is not designed to play current games at native resolution is just so wrong, you have surely not tested it out.
The maxed out 27" iMac is a pure monster in all aspects i think and when it comes to gaming i am just so impressed. 3 days ago i installed Battlefield Bad Company 2 and bought the vietnam expansion (through boot camp and windows 7) and i play this game at native res with the settings on Mid/High with AAx1 and AFx2 and v-sync ON and it runs flawless, i haven't noticed a lag even once (as a comparison i have the xbox 360 version thats capped to 30fps and i can't game it because it is so laggy that my eyes hurt and my head hurts even more). WoW is just piece of cake on Ultra setting.
But the most interesting aspect of gaming on the 27" that everybody yells about is gaming in native resolution. Why use native res when almost all the affordable 27" monitors out there has a res of 1920x1080. Most of my friends with massive gaming rigs including myself when i built my own rigs for gaming used/use really crappy monitors for gaming if you compare them to the iMacs displays, even the 21,5". So why not just lowering the resolution to 1080 and game on max settings with most of the current games.

The cheapest 580's out there actually has 1536MB of vram where the more expensive 580's actually got 3072MB. And the main reason for that i think is for the user to have more than 1 display and thats why i picked the 2gb version of the 6970m.

...but thats just my thoughts....

 

[justlog]

lol guys chill i know what my needs for this iMac and i will choose them smart.