Which CPU and Video on a new iMac 27?

[hakr100]

I am planning to upgrade. I currently have a 2009 iMac with the i7 CPU and the standard video that came with it. I plan to sell this machine, which is in great shape.

I'm looking at a new 27" iMac, and I'm wondering if there are any meaningful non-techy test reports you can point me to that show speed and other performance differences between the i5 and i7 CPUs available on the new machine and also that show the speed and performance differences between the two graphics chipsets available on the 27" iMac.
I'd also appreciate helpful comments on the differences I might encounter in spec'ing these differences.

I plan to go with an SSD drive, rather than a fusion drive.

Thanks.

 

[Bear]

We might be able to give better advice if you said what you used your system for.

For most applications there is little difference between the the three CPU options for the 27" iMac. Currently the i7 is only really useful and used to it's fullest for some video editing applications and some music creation/engineering applications.

As for the GPUs, the 775M is I believe 50% faster than the 755M, but that speed difference won't matter except for some games and some video editing applications. The 780M is only about 7-10% faster that the 775M, but if you need the power, it's useful.

 

[hakr100]

Thanks, Bear.

I don't do video editing, but I do a lot of photo editing and as a professional writer, I edit and manipulate manuscripts, sometimes several hundred pages long.

 

[Bear]

Thanks, Bear.

I don't do video editing, but I do a lot of photo editing and as a professional writer, I edit and manipulate manuscripts, sometimes several hundred pages long.

In that case you might want to go middle of the road and get the 3.4GHz i5 and the 775M, especially if you will be using multiple displays. Although, I'm not sure you would notice any real difference from the 3.2GHz i5/755M.

 

[mrsavage1]

In that case you might want to go middle of the road and get the 3.4GHz i5 and the 775M, especially if you will be using multiple displays. Although, I'm not sure you would notice any real difference from the 3.2GHz i5/755M.

Get the 780m i made the mistake of choosing the base graphics card for my imac. You can't upgrade the vid card by yourself later.

 

[Bear]

Get the 780m i made the mistake of choosing the base graphics card for my imac. You can't upgrade the vid card by yourself later.

Why was the base graphics card a mistake in your case? Not everyone needs the top end card - it alll depends on what they use their Mac for. In this case, I'm not even sure the middle graphics card (775M) is needed for what the OP uses their computer for.

 

[jvette]

With a 27" I think any of the cpu's gpu's will work great for the average person. Most people feel better buying more than they will ever use. It's always safe to pick the middle of the road system. Granted the more you buy the more you may future proof yourself if you keep your computer for a long time. Upgrading to the max on a 27" with a 500gb ss drive without upgrading the ram will cost you almost $1000. For word processing and basic tasks you have to ask yourself if it is worth it. I think you could get a great system with the basic 27" with a upgraded hard drive like the 1gb fusion that would do everything you want for about $1900.