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Which iMac Model Are You Buying?

Which iMac Model Are You Buying?

  • Total voters
    277
2012 27" iMac high end
3.2GHz i5
8GB RAM, upgrade to 16GB third party
675MX 1GB VRAM, for external or 2 someday dream setup.
1TB Fusion
Applecare before 1 year is up. First rev insurance.

2011 display issues worry me, so no refurb for me.
Also want affordable SSD w/o opening case myself.
Reduced glare will be nice.
 
TWO of the following:

iMac 27" High End Model
Upgrade to 3.4GHz i7 CPU
Upgrade to 680MX 2GB GPU
1TB Fusion Drive

Will upgrade to 32GB RAM via OWC immediately.

They're for our design studio to be used as Photoshop/Illustrator/Indesign/Coding/Video workstations for my two middleweight/junior designer/developers.

I'll continue to use my 2009 Eight-Core Mac Pro until next year when something better comes out. Even though in all likelihood these new iMacs will be snappier than my Pro in just about everything!

I just wish they were available NOW, as my new junior starts in a couple weeks.

Scottie
 
iPhisch said:
What are people's opinions on i5 vs i7? I'm thinking I'd rather get the low end i5 and put the extra money towards storage vs getting the faster processor and have to skimp on drive space. I don't think I need the giant video card. The most processor intensive thing I do is handbrake encoding, anyone have experience comparing an i5 vs a hyper threading i7 with this application? My 2010 C2D Mac mini is slow as balls. Basically encodes in realtime.
Click to expand...

Video encoding is actually the only scenario that I think an i7 is worthwhile for. Virtually any other use the money is better spent on other upgrades.
 
I waited until the announcement and determined that the new iMacs cost more than the old ones and, at least for me, don't have any practical improvements.

So today I went to Craigslist and bought a 2011 27" iMac for $1100. I'm using it now and it's great. Very happy that I saved $600-$700.
 
I'm hoping to snag a 2011 top end 21.5 iMac within the return window for 2012 launch so I can see the real word tests and reviews of the new top end 21.5 and then make up my mind whether to stick or twist.
 
Razorhog said:
May I ask why on both accounts?
Click to expand...

- Based on my usual data needs, I'm unlikely to use much more than the 128GB flash in the Fusion. Given that the only pure-flash option is the 768GB, I expect to save ~$300-400 by going Fusion and have essentially identical performance. Truth be told I would have preferred a 256GB Flash-only option.
- I use AppleCare for the warranty, not the phone service. So there's no real need to add it on immediately. I already expect to be shelling out around $2500, which is more than I planned, so I can defer the expense of AppleCare until it matters.
 
Finally going to upgrade from my 2006 Mac Pro with:

2012 27" iMac
3.4 GHz Core i7
32 GB memory (I will buy from Crucial)
768 GB flash storage
GTX 680MX
Magic Trackpad
 
Upgrading from my 2008 Black MacBook

27-inch 3.2GHz i5
8GB RAM (will upgrade myself)
NVIDIA GTX 680MX
1 TB Fusion Drive


I'm not missing the pricing details anywhere, right? They haven't posted them yet? I'm anxious to see how much the upgrades are as I'd consider going i7 and/or a 3 TB Fusion Drive based on pricing. That will likely be out of my budget as I'd like to keep it around $2500. I do get an education discount, so that will help a little bit.
 
forty2j said:
- Based on my usual data needs, I'm unlikely to use much more than the 128GB flash in the Fusion. Given that the only pure-flash option is the 768GB, I expect to save ~$300-400 by going Fusion and have essentially identical performance. Truth be told I would have preferred a 256GB Flash-only option.
- I use AppleCare for the warranty, not the phone service. So there's no real need to add it on immediately. I already expect to be shelling out around $2500, which is more than I planned, so I can defer the expense of AppleCare until it matters.
Click to expand...

Understandable. I'll probably hold off on AppleCare too. Keep in mind that the Fusion drive is new technology. I just read an article that says it can't be partitioned. Well, the HDD part can by itself, but not the whole thing. Not sure how that will affect folks... Sounds to me like BootCamp might have to be run from the HDD side only.
 
Depending on how pricey the BTO's are, and how giddy i'm feeling, probably this...

27 inch
3.2GHz i5
8GB ram
GTX 680MX
1TB fusion drive

my base 21 inch from late 09 is still chugging along nicely for now, but the warranty runs out pretty soon, so it's certainly tempting :)
 
I'm looking at getting one for prosumer level audio work and general computing.

Thinking 21.5" with Fusion Drive for fast write speeds, i7 for heavy synth work and having to pay Apple's 16GB RAM prices.

I may scrape up to the top end 27" with i7 and Fusion Drive, then getting the RAM 3rd party if I feel I need it, (or a sale comes along).

If anyone knows if Logic 9 and Native Instruments stuff benefits much from i7 and hyperthreading, or a certain amount of RAM it would be really helpful.

A top tier Mac Mini may be the black horse in this decision, but I'm nervous in 3 years I may be thinking, "I wish I just saved up extra for an iMac".
 
Razorhog said:
I just read an article that says it can't be partitioned. Well, the HDD part can by itself, but not the whole thing. Not sure how that will affect folks... Sounds to me like BootCamp might have to be run from the HDD side only.
Click to expand...

Right, you can add one partition to the HDD, and the SSD will still be, err, fused to the original HDD partition. So in Windows you would be HDD-only, and couldn't even see the Mac HD parts.

I've been debating the relative performance of Fusion-assisted Parallels and spinner-only Windows in Boot Camp.
 
First post... been a lurker for 6 months awaiting the new iMac announcement.

Finally taking the plunge after 30 years of MS-DOS/Windows punishment.

My first Apple computer will be the 2012 iMac 27". :)
 
forty2j said:
Right, you can add one partition to the HDD, and the SSD will still be, err, fused to the original HDD partition. So in Windows you would be HDD-only, and couldn't even see the Mac HD parts.

I've been debating the relative performance of Fusion-assisted Parallels and spinner-only Windows in Boot Camp.
Click to expand...

Depending on price, the 768GB SSD option looks better and better to me. I'm about to order a loaded 15" Retina Macbook Pro and the 768 SSD adds $450.
 
Razorhog said:
Depending on price, the 768GB SSD option looks better and better to me. I'm about to order a loaded 15" Retina Macbook Pro and the 768 SSD adds $450.
Click to expand...

Right, that adds $500 (I'm looking at USD, not sure what you're looking at - educational?) from the stock 512GB SSD. How much will it add from a 1 TB Spinner?

It's hard to predict what Apple will price these at. But for example, on a cMBP, going from the stock spinner to 1 TB costs $100, and then going from that to 512GB SSD is another $800. Do I think the 768GB SSD in the iMac will be a $1300 option? No, but I wouldn't be shocked if it were near a grand.

(Another point of reference - on the lower 15" rMBP, going from 256GB SSD to 768GB is $1000. Fusion is looking better and better to me; shouldn't be more than the $250 upgrade cost it is on the Mini, where going to 256GB SSD is $300.)
 
For sure gonna pick up a 27 inch with 680mx, but I'm kinda torn between the fusion drive and just getting an SSD. I might just go with the SDD and get soem external storage for files and junk. I'll also upgrade the ram myself.

Also wondering where those new Thunderbot displays are, I want one!

EDIT: Also curious if it will be possible to maybe turn off the Fusion drive and just access both drives separately.
 
27" with the i7
8GB of RAM, will add 16GB later to bump it up to 24
probably 3TB Fusion drive, 2TB would have been ideal, but it'd be nice to not have to worry about storage at all.
keeping the 1GB video card
Trackpad
Assuming $2649 (thinking +$200 for the i7, +$200 for 3TB, & +$250 for Fusion)
 
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I need to see actual prices to make a final decision (budget = $3,000). but maybe:

27-inch
3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
8GB RAM (upgrade later)
3TB hard drive
AppleCare

Do you think that Apple will continue to offer the wired keyboard with numeric keypad as an option with BTO? That's a must-have for me. There's enough sacrifice with the 2012 that I'll be peeved even more if I have to ante up $49 to "upgrade" to a wired keyboard.

Very disappointed by the new iMacs.
 
forty2j said:
Right, that adds $500 (I'm looking at USD, not sure what you're looking at - educational?) from the stock 512GB SSD. How much will it add from a 1 TB Spinner?

It's hard to predict what Apple will price these at. But for example, on a cMBP, going from the stock spinner to 1 TB costs $100, and then going from that to 512GB SSD is another $800. Do I think the 768GB SSD in the iMac will be a $1300 option? No, but I wouldn't be shocked if it were near a grand.

(Another point of reference - on the lower 15" rMBP, going from 256GB SSD to 768GB is $1000. Fusion is looking better and better to me; shouldn't be more than the $250 upgrade cost it is on the Mini, where going to 256GB SSD is $300.)
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, sorry I was looking at a quote on the education side. Wow, if the 768 is $1000, I'll be going fusion as well. My budget is about $3000
 
Cinema Display

Although no cinema display was announced, I am hoping that a new one is also included as part of the 27" iMac release. That will be my purchase to supplement my rMBP. :cool:
 
2011 21.5" 2.7 i5. I already have it got an awesome deal on one. Using the money I saved to put a 256gb crucial ssd and 16gb of ram.
 
Upgrading from a Dell Latitude D620, do you think would be worth getting the base 21.5" model or a higher spec refurb 2011 model, if my budget is about $1299? Also, is there a significant different between the 640M and 650M that would make it worth it spending a little more and getting the $1499 21.5"?
 
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