New i7 Quad Core iMac or Duo Core ?

silurian1980

Hi guys

I have decided to switch to Mac and will be buying my new machine this week, and yes I'm very excited .

I know I definately want the iMac rather than the MacBook as I am a web designer and require a large screen and a decent processor for Photoshop and Flash design.

However, I am unsure if I should opt for the Duo Core 3.3Ghz with 8Gb RAM OR the i7 Quad Core 2.8Ghz 8Gb RAM.

I can afford either of them but (forgive me tech specs aren't my strong point) I just wonder if the 3.3Ghz duo core is going to give me a smoother experience in Flash and Photoshop than the 2.8Ghz quad core?

I suspect they're going to be much of a muchness but can anyone give their opinions on which machine would be a better buy.

Cheers

K.O.Kiki

i7 Quad.
No contest.

Heck you could even get the i5 Quad. Either of those can run rings around the Core 2 Duo.

Also, Crucial sell a 2x4Gb RAM kit for just over 430euro (*here*); seeing as the iMac i5/i7 has 4 RAM slots, you could keep the 2x2Gb that comes as standard and SUPPLEMENT it with an extra 8Gb (for a total of 12Gb) for less than the price of Apple's upgrade.

And it's easy-as-chips to install.

alexlyons

silurian1980 wrote: »

I suspect they're going to be much of a muchness but can anyone give their opinions on which machine would be a better buy.

not a chance, the i7 will destroy the core 2 duo. The i7 has 4 real cores, and it supports hyper-threading thus giving you 8 virtual cores. Photoshop prefers more ram rather than processing power, but cs5 should change that so it likes as much of both as possible. It currently doesn't make use of multiple cores that well, but as i said, cs5 should fix it. Flash AFAIK likes it's processing power so the i7 wins hands down there.

Don't buy ram from apple. choose the minimum possible and get it from either komplett.ie elara.ie or ebay of you are comfortable using it.

Having said all that, my thoughts:
You're jumping 300 quid from the C2D to the i7 and by saying you can afford both, I assume the i7 isn't really a budget stretch, especially if you're happy to part with 180 for 8GB of ram. I appreciate you may not have known about cheaper ram, but the point is you have the money.
My idea is this:
Apple are going to be updating the Mac Pro's soon. Prices generally drop a bit when they release new models, and the older ones definitely drop in price.
I would say that if the extra for a MP is a bit much now, wait a few weeks and save up. then you can decide to get either a newly released model, or a nice refurb old model (which would be the current model now if you get me). Even though you'd need an external monitor, I'd still say at that price you'd be mad to go for a completely non-upgradeable machine. Hang tight and get a MP which you can throw a drive into, add more ram, change out the graphics card etc etc.
You can get a very good brand new machine now for very near the price you're looking at, and stretch to a screen or wait and get an equally good or better machine for less money and get the screen while the budget wouldn't be stretched as much. It just depends how urgent you need the machine. You can get a slightly lower spec machine than the imac, and add bits as money allows, something you can't do with an imac. Also, photoshop likes scratch discs, and internal ones I find are much better and faster.

I have a 24" iMac and the screen is huge, I do photoshop and design also, and it was plenty big for it. I have an external 20" screen now also, but that was more want than need. Its also a tv, which is it's main function. 27" external displays aren't cheap, but you can get some very nice 24" ones if you look in the right place.

You'd be mad to get an imac at that price. Go for the Pro

alexlyons

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Heck you could even get the i5.

i5 doesn't hyper thread, major bummer, not worth it IMO

banquo

i7 = totally worth it in the long run. Seriously.

silurian1980

alexlyons wrote: »

not a chance, the i7 will destroy the core 2 duo. The i7 has 4 real cores, and it supports hyper-threading thus giving you 8 virtual cores. Photoshop prefers more ram rather than processing power, but cs5 should change that so it likes as much of both as possible. It currently doesn't make use of multiple cores that well, but as i said, cs5 should fix it. Flash AFAIK likes it's processing power so the i7 wins hands down there.

Don't buy ram from apple. choose the minimum possible and get it from either komplett.ie elara.ie or ebay of you are comfortable using it.

Having said all that, my thoughts:
You're jumping 300 quid from the C2D to the i7 and by saying you can afford both, I assume the i7 isn't really a budget stretch, especially if you're happy to part with 180 for 8GB of ram. I appreciate you may not have known about cheaper ram, but the point is you have the money.
My idea is this:
Apple are going to be updating the Mac Pro's soon. Prices generally drop a bit when they release new models, and the older ones definitely drop in price.
I would say that if the extra for a MP is a bit much now, wait a few weeks and save up. then you can decide to get either a newly released model, or a nice refurb old model (which would be the current model now if you get me). Even though you'd need an external monitor, I'd still say at that price you'd be mad to go for a completely non-upgradeable machine. Hang tight and get a MP which you can throw a drive into, add more ram, change out the graphics card etc etc.
You can get a very good brand new machine now for very near the price you're looking at, and stretch to a screen or wait and get an equally good or better machine for less money and get the screen while the budget wouldn't be stretched as much. It just depends how urgent you need the machine. You can get a slightly lower spec machine than the imac, and add bits as money allows, something you can't do with an imac. Also, photoshop likes scratch discs, and internal ones I find are much better and faster.

I have a 24" iMac and the screen is huge, I do photoshop and design also, and it was plenty big for it. I have an external 20" screen now also, but that was more want than need. Its also a tv, which is it's main function. 27" external displays aren't cheap, but you can get some very nice 24" ones if you look in the right place.

You'd be mad to get an imac at that price. Go for the Pro

Thanks for your detailed advice alexlyons, I am very tempted to wait for the new MP and get a monitor later. Thing is, I have been without a computer for almost six weeks now since my dell laptop died due to a Microsoft update (furious - don't get me started) and I am in need of a computer asap as I am imminently about to start on a new site.

You can't upgrade the RAM on the iMac's? No? I presume that's why you suggest the MP.

Stainless_Steel

You can upgrade RAM in iMacs no problem.

But the Mac Pro allows easy HD changes and more importantly PCIe cards.

DualFrontDiscs

I bought the i7 Quad Core 2.8Ghz 8Gb RAM.

Lovely machine.

DFD.