Is buying an Apple iMac w/ M395X+32GB RAM+1TB FLASH STORAGE+4.0GHz I7 an overkill? I plan to edit videos with some photoshop. I want to keep this computer for a long time too. I'm sick go buying a new pc every 2 years. Will the performance and speed keep up over the long run? Please provide feedback if you have this setup. or should I be waiting for the upgraded iMacs and buy it in a similar spec?
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Apple iMac w/ M395X+32GB RAM+1TB FLASH STORAGE
- Thread starter brandonnnnnnn
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That would be a Beast! But why not wait a few more weeks for an announcement and then decide. It may only save you some cash.
Another way to save is on the flash memory. Apple charges a lot on both memory upgrades and flash upgrades. For the prices of the 1TB flash option you can put a lot of money into an external raid enclosure (even with SSDs).
For example, the upgrade from 256GB flash to 1TB flash is $700.
For $700 you can get:
- OWC Thunderbay 4 mini $350
- 2 X Crucial MX300 SSDs @750GB for ~$350.
Hopefully the price of flash upgrades comes down in the next release and then it might make more sense...
Apple's SSD are much faster than other consumer SSDs, so it isn't a waste of money.
They will be releasing new iMacs in October so I would recommend to wait until then if you're spending that much money.
I just had one on order too that I cancelled (m395, 512ssd, was debating processor).
They will be releasing new iMacs in October so I would recommend to wait until then if you're spending that much money.
I just had one on order too that I cancelled (m395, 512ssd, was debating processor).
That is true. The internal SSDs in the current iMac tops out ~2000MB/s. While the OWC Thunderbay 4 with consumer SSDs would top out ~1300MB/s.
I suspect the price of a 1TB upgrade will drop substantially in the update as Apple just did for the iPad Pro. It wouldn't surprise me if they offer a 2TB all flash option as well. Of all the components the price of flash has changed the most over the last year.
Based on the current prices I'd opt for a 512GB flash drive and quality external thunderbolt enclosure. Hopefully that choice changes to 1TB with the update...
If you want a computer for longevity then a PC tower where you can upgrade and add components will always last longer. The iMac is basically a sealed unit with upgrades difficult and expensive and the mobile graphics cards are weaker more expensive and just about impossible to upgrade in any meaningful way.
Don't get me wrong they are great machines and they are powerful but if you have issues with always needing the latest tech for what you do they are not the way to go long term.
Don't get me wrong they are great machines and they are powerful but if you have issues with always needing the latest tech for what you do they are not the way to go long term.
so basically you change everything but the tower?an imac can last 5 years so i dont know a tower pc will last a lot longer without changing almost everything
That is a great configuration, though as others stated, get the ram elsewhere. The 27" iMac has upgradeable ram (at least for now)
This is the configuration I have and it's eminently powerful. I went with a refurb unit so I saved a fair bit over "new".
There would be cost saving benefits from upgrading as required. So if you need a faster video card you can just replace that without replacing the monitor, processor, storage, power supply, case, RAM, etc etc.
Even if some new processor comes out that requires a new socket you can utilizes most everything else less processor and motherboard.
With a Mac you'll need to replace everything if you want to upgrade anything. Luckily they maintain a relatively high resale compared to their PC counterparts.
Its impossible to beat a custom built tower in longevity due to its upgradability.
Can't wait until the next iMac.
Apple will soldered memory and hard drive and super glued the iMac shut.
If it breaks after the warranty, you simply throw it way and buy another one because it's 100% non-serviceable.
You better be wrong on this. If the new iMac actually turns out to be a worse buy than the current iMac, I'm going to be mad!
Well no you could build a tower with far better graphics and any chipset you wanted and blow an iMac out of the water spec wise for the same price (minus a 5k screen of course) and that will give you a faster computer for longer.
The OP gives no reasons for their PC's slowing down, so it could be a multitude of things, but is probably just a lack of care, and lack of housekeeping over time and not hardware related at all.
Of course OS X seems to need far less babying to stay fast than Windows so it can be perceived that a Mac lasts longer but that's got nothing to do with the hardware you are using.
That's the trend Apple is moving too. I see no reason for them to reverse course.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not supporting that, in fact I hate the notion that they made it very difficult to open up the macs. I'd rather a slightly thicker iMac but something that can easily be opened up. iMacs are not laptops that you lug around, and so there's no reason to make them paper thin imo
Well there is a reason - to keep with Apple's current design aesthetic of maximum thinness. An iMac looks like a current Apple product in part due to how thin it is. It impacts practicality, to be sure, but enough of the market who buy them accept that for the design aesthetic.
So now that it's already the thinnest it can possibly be... where do they have to go now? thick?
The thing is they don't need to be very much thicker to also be much more functional.
I'd love to see an iMac where the bottom of it has 4 user accessible 2.5" drive bays, along with maintaining the user upgrade-able RAM. If you want thin, you could still use 9.5mm drives instead of 15mm. Even 15mm would be pretty dang thin.
The current edge is 5mm, you could leave the edges that thin, just make the bottom a little thicker.
I don't mind just replacing the machine when it comes time for a CPU/VideoCard upgrade since those are a major cost component and the resale value is excellent.
It could also simplify the order process no need to have 1TB/2TB/3TB options. They all come without HDDs. You just choose the size of the onboard SSD.
It would be like having the functionality of an iMac with an OWC Thunderbay 4 mini, without having an external thunderbolt box. Such an iMac would be very popular with Pros, a lot of which currently use a 5K iMac with TB Raid enclosure.
The best way to do this would be to introduce it as a new product the "iMac Pro."
- Core i7-7700K
- Dual AMD RX 480
- TB3/USB 3.1
- Internal SSD Options from 512 GB to 2TB
- 4 x 2.5" SATA drive bays.
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They can thin the bezel. They can thin the chin. Maybe they can even thin the price.
That would mean they would thin their bank account and I think that's where they draw the lineThey can thin the bezel. They can thin the chin. Maybe they can even thin the price.
If you want something that last a long time, I wouldn't buy any All in One machines, iMacs or otherwise. That is, if you are a tinkerer. But if you want something that doesn't always work, but you got the cash to buy workarounds and get someone else to do it, then yes, go for it. All machines have a Time to Obsolescence date, and iMac AIO machines in particular. When you hit that date, even if you knew how to open her up and change the HDD or GPU or what ever, you may not quite have the right double sided tape to put her back together at least not from Apple.
On the flip side, there are folks on this forum with 5-6 year old iMacs that seem to still be working for them.
The biggest risk of an iMac will be repair costs after the warranty run out. But iMacs in general appear to be well-built, which is why there are ones still chugging along 5-6 years on.
I tend to swap em out at 2 years because I find resale is a bit better with a year left on the warranty (buyers are not as worried about being stuck with an intermittent problem that does not crop up until after the warranty is over if they only have 3-6 months left at purchase), but at the moment, I think I might just try and push this one to be one of those 5-6 year models since it is just so beastly.
The biggest risk of an iMac will be repair costs after the warranty run out. But iMacs in general appear to be well-built, which is why there are ones still chugging along 5-6 years on.
I tend to swap em out at 2 years because I find resale is a bit better with a year left on the warranty (buyers are not as worried about being stuck with an intermittent problem that does not crop up until after the warranty is over if they only have 3-6 months left at purchase), but at the moment, I think I might just try and push this one to be one of those 5-6 year models since it is just so beastly.
I support you 100%.but at the moment, I think I might just try and push this one to be one of those 5-6 year models since it is just so beastly.
That machine is, by any definition, a beast. Certainly no immediate need to upgrade, simply because Apple updates the line.
I do have this exact set up, I bought it back in May. Money wasn't an issue thats why I went for the best I could get, because like you I also have longevity in mind. My previous iMac was a mid 2007 20" iMac which didnt have a spec anywhere near as good as this one, however this mac still lasted me for 9 years before I swapped it out for the new one albeit it being a bit slow in the later years. It's still going too, the optical drive failed (which I believe was quite common) and I did update the HD to a 1TB but that was it over a 9yr period. I sold it on to a work colleague for £175, which paid for the 32GB of 3rd party RAM I put in my new machine.
So in answer to your question, this spec machine will stand the test of time, no problem
I have this exact iMac as well. I got mine back around March. It has been an excellent machine. I opted for the new magic keyboard and the new magic track pad and had another unused original Magic Mouse that I use with it as well. I don't like the new magic mouse because while it is charging you can't use it.
It is an excellent machine. However it is nearing a year old in it's current design form. I'd be hesitant to purchase one brand new at this time for full price. Unlike the base or one tier up models you can't buy this one at Best Buy on sale. I expect a new iMac model will be released either the last quarter this year or the first next year.
It is an excellent machine. However it is nearing a year old in it's current design form. I'd be hesitant to purchase one brand new at this time for full price. Unlike the base or one tier up models you can't buy this one at Best Buy on sale. I expect a new iMac model will be released either the last quarter this year or the first next year.