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mrvo

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 16, 2018
81
18
Configuration:
27‑inch iMac
i9 3.6GHz
8GB RAM (upgraded with Timetec Hynix IC 32GB KIT(2x16GB))
Raedon Pro Vega 48
512GB SSD
Magic Trackpad 2, Magic Keyboard 2

IMG_4772.jpg

IMG_4793.jpg


I moved from a Touch Bar MacBook Pro to this setup, normally I do either light web dev (VirtualBox, Atom, CodeKit) or photo editing/design (Lightroom, Photoshop, Helicon Focus, Illustrator) with 20-30 Safari Tabs open. This thing just simply performs ADMIRABLY. Don't worry about heat, this combo runs very cool. Noise wise, if you don't fiddle with custom Fan Rules and stick with Apple's default Fan Rules, it will favor silence/higher temperatures and ramp up once in a while.

I've set a more gradual Fan Rules in iStat Menus (note that the sensor-based rule is set to CPU Proximity as CPU diode fluctuates too much):

When CPU Proximity is > 45 °C - 30% - 1650 RPM
When CPU Proximity is > 50 °C - 40% - 1800 RPM
When CPU Proximity is > 55 °C - 50% - 1950 RPM
When CPU Proximity is > 60 °C - 60% - 2100 RPM
When CPU Proximity is > 65 °C - 70% - 2250 RPM
When CPU Proximity is > 70 °C - 80% - 2400 RPM
When CPU Proximity is > 75 °C - 90% - 2550 RPM
When CPU Proximity is > 80 °C - 100% - 2700 RPM


Display Uniformity (roughly 120cd/m2 which is one level below half on Brightness indicator)
Display Uniforminity (White).png

Display Uniforminity (Gray).png

Display Uniforminity (Dark Gray).png


The following are stats and Puget Systems Benchmark results with stock Apple's thermal paste and custom Fan Rules shown as above.

The ambient temperature is 27 °C / 80 °F

Idle (stock Apple's thermal paste)

Ambient 27 C - Stock Paste Custom Fan Rules - Idle.png


Puget Systems Adobe Photoshop CC Benchmark 18.10 (running)

Ambient 27 C - Stock Paste Custom Fan Rules - Photoshop Benchmark 18.10 - Halfway.png


Puget Systems Adobe Photoshop CC Benchmark 18.10 (result)

Ambient 27 C - Stock Paste Custom Fan Rules - Photoshop Benchmark 18.10 - Result.png


Puget Systems Adobe After Effects CC Benchmark 0.51 (running)
Ambient 27 C - Stock Paste Custom Fan Rules - AE Benchmark 0.51 - Running.png


Puget Systems Adobe After Effects CC Benchmark 0.51 (result)
Ambient 27 C - Stock Paste Custom Fan Rules - AE Benchmark 0.51 - Result.png


To whoever that this may concern, the stepping of the i9-9900K as of June 2019 is "12".
 
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Can confirm all of it, also got the i9 with the Vega, added 32gb of Samsung memory for a total of 40 gb. 1tb SSD.

Just spent several hours of heavy duty photo editing in LR classic, photoshop and Nik 2 - that thing is a complete beast and dead quiet. The fan didn't even once spin up

I also got windows 10 installed via bootcamp and it's the same picture there - an hour of VR gaming over the Samsung Odyssey + headset at max quality and the fan was still inaudible. Thermal management-wise and speed-wise it's indistinguishable from the base IMac Pro, but costs a good 1800 dollars less

100% recommendation.
 
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