[Macworld]

Post your comments for Lab Report: New build-to-order iMacs impress with speed here

[mancusofamily]

My question is whether or not the new BTO i7 models are worth the extra cost if you're editing video. I do more of that and if they'll render video quicker I'm ready to buy.

[lwdupont]

I'd imagine if your video app is multi processor aware, it's worth the extra $200 to get 4 more cores, even if they are virtual.

[Biallystock]

The new iMacs are looking like seriously competitive workstations, but Apple has to spoil what should be win-win with things like the difficult internal access and the deliberately incompatible Hard Drive connections.

Drives are the one thing that almost certainly will go wrong in the life of the Mac. Users need to get angry and take this up with Apple, because it is adding risk and unnecessary cost to the machine.

[Anim8rSam]

Speed is great, but I have an i7-related question.

It's time for a new Mac at our house, but our family has had some heat issues with past iMacs (my son testifies to a hot spot near the top left when playing his graphics-intensive games), which led to real crashing and glitches (my own diagnosis).

I love the quiet of iMacs, with their careful/minimized use of fans, but I'm worried that an i7 would generate extra HEAT and thus cause problems and noise. Apple's engineers must have done something to address this issue -- is there a way to get reassurance about this...?

[mretondo]

mancusofamily, on 13 May 2011 - 12:41 PM, said:

My question is whether or not the new BTO i7 models are worth the extra cost if you're editing video. I do more of that and if they'll render video quicker I'm ready to buy.

The same goes with me. I'd really like to know the diff using the new FCP X which takes advantage of all the cores you have. I know that FCP X isn't out yet but that's the comparison I'm waiting for. I'll buy a new 27' iMac once I know if the $200 is really worth it.

[lawrance]

Biallystock, on 13 May 2011 - 01:17 PM, said:

The new iMacs are looking like seriously competitive workstations, but Apple has to spoil what should be win-win with things like the difficult internal access and the deliberately incompatible Hard Drive connections.

Drives are the one thing that almost certainly will go wrong in the life of the Mac. Users need to get angry and take this up with Apple, because it is adding risk and unnecessary cost to the machine.

First off, ALL all-in-one computers have difficult access. If this is an issue, get a Mac Pro. Secondly... I have no idea what you're referring to with incompatible hard drives... I've personally replaced many hard drives in all shapes and sizes of Macs and I've never seen an "incompatible" hard drive in my life. Care to explain?

[Syriac]

mretondo, on 13 May 2011 - 01:44 PM, said:

mancusofamily, on 13 May 2011 - 12:41 PM, said:

My question is whether or not the new BTO i7 models are worth the extra cost if you're editing video. I do more of that and if they'll render video quicker I'm ready to buy.

The same goes with me. I'd really like to know the diff using the new FCP X which takes advantage of all the cores you have. I know that FCP X isn't out yet but that's the comparison I'm waiting for. I'll buy a new 27' iMac once I know if the $200 is really worth it.

I would say NO.
Yes there is some speed gain but in the real world they are negligible.
There is of-course a bigger difference going from a 2009 and older iMac to these, but not that much from going from an i5 to i7.
I would advise to spend those 200 upgrading your RAM from 4GB to 16GB. (and buy a bigger HD as they are not easily upgradeable)
The speed difference on a Mac running 4GB vs. 16GB RAM for video production yields you much more bang for your money.

Jack

This post has been edited by Syriac: 13 May 2011 - 02:52 PM

[borgy]

I'm considering a new iMac as my music computer and record with Logic Studio. I'm just a hobbyist, and won't likely have like 24 audio tracks, but I will be using several Audio Unit plug-ins. Should I consider the BTO upgrade? Does Logic take advantage of Hyper-Threading? Does anyone know of any Thunderbolt Audio Interfaces in the works?
Thanks!

[DanaLea73]

I like the BTO options not because they'll do something great for me right out of the box, but because I imagine I'll have the same iMac for YEARS, and down the road that extra oomph will mean a lot more then it does right now. Could get an extra year out of an i7 (verus the i5) before having to upgrade.

I'll really like one of the new ones, but my 2008 model is still performing quite well, so I can hold off a few more years I'm sure.

[donatello]

It's quite amazing that an iMac is almost as powerful as a Mac Pro

[CameronBales]

What I'm interested in is comparing the quality of the investment between upping the processor, or adding the SSD to the iMac. For the $ which does better? If you do both the i7 and the SSD how much cooler is it?

[nathanimal]

I've noticed in these benchmarks there is nothing for us audio engineering types that are using programs such as Logic or Pro Tools. I am under the impression that each instance of a plugin runs as a separate thread in these DAW software(s?). So more cores should allow for greater efficiency of large mixes. But I would also like to know how these processors affect CoreAudio latency, for example - always a big deal for project studio types who can't afford TDM systems and expensive outboard gear. C'mon, quit leaving us the dark! Answers anybody?

[Biallystock]

lawrance, on 13 May 2011 - 02:37 PM, said:

Biallystock, on 13 May 2011 - 01:17 PM, said:

The new iMacs are looking like seriously competitive workstations, but Apple has to spoil what should be win-win with things like the difficult internal access and the deliberately incompatible Hard Drive connections.

Drives are the one thing that almost certainly will go wrong in the life of the Mac. Users need to get angry and take this up with Apple, because it is adding risk and unnecessary cost to the machine.

First off, ALL all-in-one computers have difficult access. If this is an issue, get a Mac Pro. Secondly... I have no idea what you're referring to with incompatible hard drives... I've personally replaced many hard drives in all shapes and sizes of Macs and I've never seen an "incompatible" hard drive in my life. Care to explain?

The white iMacs were accessible from the rear, you didn't have to go through the easily marked screens, motherboard, ducting etc just to change the drives.

Apple has changed the firmware on the hard drives in the new Sandy Bridge iMacs, which now use an exclusively Apple 7 pin connector instead of the standard 4.

Users will effectively be forced to have something as simple as a drive replacement done by Apple's very expensive and slow service agents.