IMac Build Advice Please

cardboardmike

I have done as much research as I can on purchasing an IMac. I'm in a position to buy one in the next month. I was looking at the following:

21.5-inch: 2.7GHz

Specifications
2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz
8GB (two 4GB) memory
1TB hard drive1
Intel Iris Pro Graphics
Dispatched:
In Stock
Free Delivery
€1,349.00


Which is better to upgrade :
1. 16GB RAM or 2. Upgrade Hard Drive to 1TB Fusion Drive

I'm trying to future proof now. Don't need for gaming.

Is this a more viable option than MacMini and Monitor ? Any pluses for MacMini.

Any views form people in the know please ? I will be buying either of the above, just not sure if the upgrades are worth the extra cost, budget is 1800 in total due to very generous voucher won at work.

Thanks

Zcott

To be honest, the best one would be to get an SSD instead of a fusion drive or a 1tb drive. The RAM is fairly easily upgraded at a later date but the SSD isn't easily.

cardboardmike

Thanks for your reply:

Here are the build options on the Apple Site: Do you recommend 256GB Flash Storage [+ €200.00] rather than 1TB Fusion Drive [+ €200.00] ?


Storage
Configure your iMac with a large Serial ATA hard drive. Or choose flash storage for greater performance. Or get the best of both worlds and select Fusion Drive.

About Serial ATA Hard Drives
Serial ATA hard drives offer high capacity to store your apps, files and digital media.

About Flash Storage
For maximum performance, you can configure your iMac with 256GB or 512GB of flash storage instead of a traditional hard drive. Flash storage delivers up to 5x the performance of a traditional drive* — speed you’ll notice when you start up your iMac, launch an app or browse your photo library.

About Fusion Drive
Fusion Drive combines 128GB of super-fast flash storage with a traditional hard drive. And now it’s up to 50 per cent faster than before.** It automatically and dynamically moves frequently used files to flash for quicker access. With Fusion Drive in your iMac, booting, copying files and importing photos are faster. Over time, as the system learns how you work, Fusion Drive makes your Mac experience even better. All while letting you store your digital life on a traditional, roomy hard drive.



1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
1TB Fusion Drive [+ €200.00]
256GB Flash Storage [+ €200.00] - do you mean this one ?
512GB Flash Storage [+ €500.00]

Creamy Goodness

Zcott wrote: »

To be honest, the best one would be to get an SSD instead of a fusion drive or a 1tb drive. The RAM is fairly easily upgraded at a later date but the SSD isn't easily.

only in the 27" is the ram easy to install yourself, it's a _bit_ - no actually scratch that - incredibly difficult in the 21.5".

cardboardmike

Saw that, was going to upgrade the RAM as well

BrendanD

I would go for the ram/processor upgrade, the only way you can upgrade the ram is to take the screen off and that's not easy.
you can always add an external HD.
I have a 2012 mac mini vey happy with that and was planning to upgrade this year , but on the new mini you cant upgrade the ram yourself as its soldered on to the mb.

shanec1928

Zcott wrote: »

To be honest, the best one would be to get an SSD instead of a fusion drive or a 1tb drive. The RAM is fairly easily upgraded at a later date but the SSD isn't easily.

Pretty sure ram is soldered on them now.

BrendanD

shanec1928 wrote: »

Pretty sure ram is soldered on them now.

that's only on the entry level 1.4 ghz model.
If you look on the apple site you can see that on that model there's no option to upgrade the memory.