Which Configuration for these Specific Tasks?

[sartrekid]

Prefix: Should this thread render redundant as there already is one like this out there, please point me to it and accept my apologies.

I had written a similar post half a year ago or so but the requirements have changed. I was very uncertain whether or not to get an iMac or a Mac Pro or even a PC.

This time around I am going to definitely purchase an iMac, namely this month. But, I'd like your opinion on which configuration to get.

I have a cMP and rMBP, the latter on which I'll be doing tasks that are CPU intense and make good use of an i7.

I don't actually know whether I will need either a top-of-the-line CPU or dGPU for the tasks below. But, from reading the threads here, it seems that the i5 would be sufficient. I am not sure on the dGPU side, though.
Anyway, are there any of you doing similar work as described below, and if so, what configuration have you chosen for yourself? What configuration would you tech geeks recommend for the tasks?

- Illustration & visual design (Adobe Photoshop, Manga Studio, Sketch 2, Adobe Illustrator)
- very light video editing (though I can let my MBP do that work)
- Web development

Also, I do not intend to keep this machine for more than maybe two years. I will be getting a 27" Cintiq somewhere down the line at which point the iMac's main purpose will render obsolete.

Thanks

 

[maflynn]

If you are going to be using the create suite type apps, I'd say the 5k iMac with the dGPU is your best bet. The larger display and faster chipset will be a plus. The 21" iMac which is a good computer but its only iGPU only so you have no choice in choosing iGpu or dGpu with the current model.

 

[sartrekid]

So, an i5 + AMD 390 would be more than enough? Thanks for the response.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

So, an i5 + AMD 390 would be more than enough? Thanks for the response.

It will be enough, but I would seriously consider an SSD or 2 TB fusion to get the fantastic speed benefits that a normal HDD is just incapable of providing.

 

[sartrekid]

It will be enough, but I would seriously consider an SSD or 2 TB fusion to get the fantastic speed benefits that a normal HDD is just incapable of providing.

Thanks! Okay, will get the SSD, then.

Another question; What about the 2014 model? Is the performance of a similar configuration noticeably a less optimal choice? For the same money of a i5 + 390 + SSD 2015 I could get an i7 + 290x + SSD (or the fusion which has a 128 SSD). Would you go with the 2015 model or the 2014? I'm leaning towards the 2014 model because it allows me to get an Apple refurb i7 for the same price. But then I've heard stories about the screen being significantly improved on the 2015 model. I don't know how big the difference actually is. If the difference is huge, then the 2015 model might make more sense.

 

[FreemanW]

I am a card carrying member of the go big or go home club.

With that caveat out of the way . . . . .

Is there financial pressure at play here that forces your decision to compromise on hardware specifications?

Storage wise, I've a late 2012 with the 3 TB Fusion and while I am sold on SSD's (all of the Windows machines in my office have SSD primary's) the size and pricing for iMac SSD option doesn't work for me. If you think that the 1TB SSD will be sufficient for your graphic files and video editing, go for it.

For the rest of the machine . . . . go for the top end processor and the graphics card upgrade. Go with the base memory and upgrade it yourself with a nice 32 GB selection of your own choosing.

Differences in performance over model years will be undetectable to the human cranium clock. Processor clock speed and system memory are the money shots.

My $0.02 USD

 

[sartrekid]

I am a card carrying member of the go big or go home club.

With that caveat out of the way . . . . .

Is there financial pressure at play here that forces your decision to compromise on hardware specifications?

Storage wise, I've a late 2012 with the 3 TB Fusion and while I am sold on SSD's (all of the Windows machines in my office have SSD primary's) the size and pricing for iMac SSD option doesn't work for me. If you think that the 1TB SSD will be sufficient for your graphic files and video editing, go for it.

For the rest of the machine . . . . go for the top end processor and the graphics card upgrade. Go with the base memory and upgrade it yourself with a nice 32 GB selection of your own choosing.

Differences in performance over model years will be undetectable to the human cranium clock. Processor clock speed and system memory are the money shots.

My $0.02 USD

Why buy a Porsche 911 if you're limited to driving in the city? I do see where you are coming from, but I do not want to go all in this time around because I have an i7 here from 2012 that works well and can be used for CPU intense tasks.

If the i5 and i7 are not really different in terms of performance for apps such as Photoshop and Manga Studio and other programs like it, then I'll be okay to go with the i5.

Agree on the RAM. Will do that.

As for SSD, no, I just want to use the internal as a boot drive, everything else will be on separate drives.

Argghh, I find this very difficult. I don't want to spend cash on what isn't needed as I won't be having this machine for that long, but I also don't want to cheap out. Meh.

PS: Maybe I ought to go to barefeets and study those benchmarks again. I'm totally undecided. The max I am willing to spend are €2.600. That's close to 3k USD. I am not willing to spend more for an iMac. But that amount won't get me both, the high-end CPU AND the upgraded 395x with 4 GB RAM.

 

[MadDane]

For the usage you describe and a lifetime of only two years, the i5 with the M390 and SSD should be perfectly capable. Unless you work in really large files in Photoshop of course. Still, it should be able to handle that as well. I use Photoshop and Illustrator (of the programs you are mentioning) fairly often on my late 2009 iMac. And even that one is capable of running it, although you need a little patience once in a while.

Just curious. Why not get a Cintiq now and skip the iMac altogether?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Thanks! Okay, will get the SSD, then.

Another question; What about the 2014 model? Is the performance of a similar configuration noticeably a less optimal choice? For the same money of a i5 + 390 + SSD 2015 I could get an i7 + 290x + SSD (or the fusion which has a 128 SSD). Would you go with the 2015 model or the 2014? I'm leaning towards the 2014 model because it allows me to get an Apple refurb i7 for the same price. But then I've heard stories about the screen being significantly improved on the 2015 model. I don't know how big the difference actually is. If the difference is huge, then the 2015 model might make more sense.

Yeah the i7 is hyper threaded so it is much faster for apps that use hyper threading as much as 40-50% faster. The GPU's are similar but the 295x will outperform the 395.

The new screen has a far better colour gamut a P3 configuration that is the movie industry standard.

Here is some general information on colour to put that in context.

http://www.technicolor.com/en/solut...fied/color-certification-process/color-spaces

 

[sartrekid]

Yeah the i7 is hyper threaded so it is much faster for apps that use hyper threading as much as 40-50% faster. The GPU's are similar but the 295x will outperform the 395.

The new screen has a far better colour gamut a P3 configuration that is the movie industry standard.

Here is some general information on colour to put that in context.

http://www.technicolor.com/en/solut...fied/color-certification-process/color-spaces

Thank you for this insightful post, Samuelsan2001! I have now everything I need to make my decision. =)