iMac Pro Buying Advice. iMac 27 2017 - i5 or i7 or maybe iMac Pro?

[helloineedhelp]

Hello Guys,

I am this week going to buy a new iMac 27 inch model for professional use.
I use Lightroom and Apple Photos. 1-5 hours sessions in Lightroom.
I do it everyday to every other day. Sometimes more and sometimes less.

I do Jewelry photography. Not shooting RAW, only JPEG (4-5 GB images.)

I do not do any video.

- I use it to Brush, increase colors etc. Sharpness and so on. - Pretty basic stuff
- Then exporting them out from Lr into a Map on the desktop.

Today i use a 2014 Macbook Pro
- 2.2 GHz
- intel i7
- 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
- Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB

Worked amazing for long time, still works great.. Need a 27 inch Imac, both for power and visual looks.

Talked to different people on what to buy but everybody says totally different.

There are 3x models i have been looking for.

- Mid lvl i5 with 512 ssd, 32 gb ram (upgrading them ofc on my own after).
- Mid lvl i7 with 512 ssd, 32 gb ram (upgrading them ofc on my own after).
- iMac Pro

The one concern i have is that i have read a lot about the i7 2017 fans going on for simple things, like in Lr and so on and if that is a real problem that option goes away right away. Can't buy a computer that sounds like that.

I need a good one, that will last for a long time. Something that i could easily sell in the future.

What is your guys honest opinions?

Any advice would mean a lot!

 

[Glmnet1]

It might be a good idea to wait for WWDC. It's in 2 months and it's possible we will see new iMac then.

Since you care about the noise level and don't need the very best specs I'd say the base or mid level i5 would be good choices. 512 SSD is a good idea and so is upgrading the RAM manually. iMac Pro would be overkill IMO.

 

[sputnikBA]

Read this thread.

If you can wait for 2 months, wait.

 

[helloineedhelp]

It might be a good idea to wait for WWDC. It's in 2 months and it's possible we will see new iMac then.

Since you care about the noise level and don't need the very best specs I'd say the base or mid level i5 would be good choices. 512 SSD is a good idea and so is upgrading the RAM manually. iMac Pro would be overkill IMO.

2 months seems like forever when you have decided to buy something.. But then again smart.

But, is it a big chance that there will be a new iMac 27 again this year? They just upgraded everything on the new 2017 model?

But, if i would go with the iMac Pro. Would that still destroy the ''maybe coming iMac 27 2018' or will those now be similar and the iMac Pro would not be that superior anymore?

Read this thread.

If you can wait for 2 months, wait.

I see many people saying this.

 

[Glmnet1]

2 months seems like forever when you have decided to buy something.. But then again smart.

But, is it a big chance that there will be a new iMac 27 again this year? They just upgraded everything on the new 2017 model?

But, if i would go with the iMac Pro. Would that still destroy the ''maybe coming iMac 27 2018' or will those now be similar and the iMac Pro would not be that superior anymore?



I see many people saying this.

Apple usually updates its lineup a few months after adequate CPUs are released and the new generation from Intel has already started to be released so I believe there's a good chance they will refresh the iMac this year, I'd say either June or October. Those new CPUs are a considerable upgrade over the current ones. I'm personally waiting for them because I think it'll be worth it but if you don't want to wait no one is stopping you!

Yes it would because the iMac Pro was release very recently but don't buy it just because you don't want to wait. The 2017 are still a much better value for your needs than the iMac Pro.

 

[helloineedhelp]

Apple usually updates its lineup a few months after adequate CPUs are released and the new generation from Intel has already started to be released so I believe there's a good chance they will refresh the iMac this year, I'd say either June or October. Those new CPUs are a considerable upgrade over the current ones. I'm personally waiting for them because I think it'll be worth it but if you don't want to wait no one is stopping you!

Yes it would because the iMac Pro was release very recently but don't buy it just because you don't want to wait. The 2017 are still a much better value for your needs than the iMac Pro.

Totally understand. So you really think the upgrade from 2017 models to the 'maybe 2018' will be that big of a difference?

What about price. U think the prices will stay the same?

 

[mar58]

There are 3x models i have been looking for.

- Mid lvl i5 with 512 ssd, 32 gb ram (upgrading them ofc on my own after).
- Mid lvl i7 with 512 ssd, 32 gb ram (upgrading them ofc on my own after).
- iMac Pro


I have that exact first option. 3.5 i5 / 512 SSD / 32GB ram and like you I don't do video but plenty of photo editing using various editing software and I'll tell you I have absolutely no regrets having chose this configuration. For what I do anything more (and more expensive) would have been a waste.....at least for me. I suppose the more expensive options would be somewhat faster but in all honesty I just don't think I'd notice. It's definitely faster than my previous iMac and as I don't make a living with the thing it's not like 10/15/20 seconds affects any kind of payday for me. Also worth mentioning is that it Never gets the least bit hot (it always feels like room temp when I place my hand on it) and I've yet to hear the fans rev up even when dealing with RAW files. My previous 2010 or 2011 (don't remember) was a i7 with a self installed SSD and there were times I actually worried about it because it got so hot, and I never came close to pushing it to it's limits which was one of the reasons I knew I didn't need anything more than what I bought this time. So I don't know what else to say except that I couldn't be happier with mine. Oh and I guess since I won't have to ask as much for it when, or if, I decide to sell it that it may be a little easier to offload.

I suppose there's maybe some value in waiting to see what comes down the road but this configuration shows up on Apple's refurbished site (where I bought mine) from time to time for a nice little savings. I saved a little over $500 tax included, when I upped the Ram myself, off a brand new one. But with Applecare I don't think the cost of a brand new one is worth it. Just my .02 cents.

 

[Glmnet1]

Totally understand. So you really think the upgrade from 2017 models to the 'maybe 2018' will be that big of a difference?

What about price. U think the prices will stay the same?

I don't know, the CPUs suitable for the iMac are all 6 cores and the benchmarks for them are quite good. Other than that no one knows what they are going to come up with.

No one know their prices either but you would surely get better value for what you pay.

 

[helloineedhelp]

There are 3x models i have been looking for.

- Mid lvl i5 with 512 ssd, 32 gb ram (upgrading them ofc on my own after).
- Mid lvl i7 with 512 ssd, 32 gb ram (upgrading them ofc on my own after).
- iMac Pro


I have that exact first option. 3.5 i5 / 512 SSD / 32GB ram and like you I don't do video but plenty of photo editing using various editing software and I'll tell you I have absolutely no regrets having chose this configuration. For what I do anything more (and more expensive) would have been a waste.....at least for me. I suppose the more expensive options would be somewhat faster but in all honesty I just don't think I'd notice. It's definitely faster than my previous iMac and as I don't make a living with the thing it's not like 10/15/20 seconds affects any kind of payday for me. Also worth mentioning is that it Never gets the least bit hot (it always feels like room temp when I place my hand on it) and I've yet to hear the fans rev up even when dealing with RAW files. My previous 2010 or 2011 (don't remember) was a i7 with an self installed SSD and there were times I actually worried about it because it got so hot, and I never came close to pushing it to it's limits which was one of the reasons I knew I didn't need anything more than what I bought this time. So I don't know what else to say except that I couldn't be happier with mine. Oh and I guess since I won't have to ask as much for it when, or if, I decide to sell it that it may be a little easier to offload.

I suppose there's maybe some value in waiting to see what comes down the road but this configuration shows up on Apple's refurbished site (where I bought mine) from time to time for a nice little savings. I saved a little over $500 tax included, when I upped the Ram myself, off a brand new one. But with Applecare I don't think the cost of a brand new one is worth it. Just my .02 cents.

Thanks for telling me this.

I have one problem, i live in Sweden. Which makes everything expensive.

Here is what the prices are in Sweden..

- i5 with 512 ssd, and 8gb ram = 3274$
- i7 with 512 ssd, and 8gb ram = 3700$
- iMac Pro = 6800$
[doublepost=1522963825][/doublepost]My Macbook Pro works great today still, but the Lightroom and so on is a bit laggy.

Iv'e found this as a temporary solution, would this be a good one still? And is it a good deal?

- iMac 5k, Late 2014
- 3.5 GHz intel Core i5
- 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
- 1 TB Fusiondrive
- AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2 GB

Price 1000-1200$.

Remember that i have this today,

Today i use a 2014 Macbook Pro
- 2.2 GHz
- intel i7
- 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
- Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB

 

[mpe]

I just upgraded my 5k iMac 2015 (i5 3.3 GHz quad-core, M395, 32GB RAM) to iMac Pro (base model 3.2 GHz 8core, Vega56, 32GB RAM).

It might sound like a big jump. Leaving aside batch imports/exports, which are indeed much faster, the practical difference in normal editing stuff I do (culling pictures, exposure compensation, cloning, curves, sharpening, lens corrections) is negligible. It is only during batch operations where I notice any difference.

If you feel Lightroom is laggy, it might not be the computer. That software is just laggy by design.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Your needs sound pretty similar to mine (though I shoot in 20MP RAW), and I went with the base 27" iMac 5K, with the Core i5 and 256GB SSD. I've been quite happy with it, and so far after a couple months, I've never heard the fan spin up. I did add more RAM myself to get to 16GB. I don't feel the memory pressure in LR or anything.

As for the 2018 iMac, I agree that the CPU will likely see a jump to 6 core, but unless Apple switches to nVidia, the current AMD cards are about the best they can do. The only alternative is if they maybe use the Kaby Lake G chips, with have Vega graphics and HBM.

You might check Apple's refurb section for what you're wanting. You'll save a few hundred bucks and the iMac is like new with full warranty and AppleCare eligible. You will have to check pretty often, as inventory sells quickly.

 

[Glmnet1]

As for the 2018 iMac, I agree that the CPU will likely see a jump to 6 core, but unless Apple switches to nVidia, the current AMD cards are about the best they can do. The only alternative is if they maybe use the Kaby Lake G chips, with have Vega graphics and HBM.

I would really like to see nVidia graphics in the iMac but I don't see it happening any time soon...

Wouldn't the G chips be a good step back? I guess it's possible but they'd need to reduce the price at the same time.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

I do Jewelry photography. Not shooting RAW, only JPEG (4-5 GB images.)

I assume you meant to say 4-5MB images and not images that are 4-5GB in size, correct? (Just checking because working with image files measured in GBs would change my opinion on what you should get.)

Based on what you listed, the iMac Pro is complete overkill unless you simply want one for the cool factor.

I would wait until at least the first week in June to see if Apple releases updated iMacs with Intel's newly released processor. If you cannot wait 9 weeks, then I would get a 2017 27" iMac with an i7, 512 GB SSD, 8 GB of RAM, and max out the Graphics. Then upgrade the RAM to 32GB on your own.

Since your current MBP handles your workload quite well, you could always pick up a 4K monitor and an external keyboard/mouse and continue to utilize your MBP. This is a very inexpensive option and a good way to carry you for the foreseeable future.

 

[Cool Pup]

For your case, the mid-level i5 is more than adequate considering you don't edit video. Any and all of those models would do what you want excellently, so you really can't lose. Waiting for the refresh is always going to be smart in tech because there will always be new updates every year or so, but if you want to buy now, there probably won't be anything in the upcoming refresh that would stick out as noticeably better for what your needs are.

In short, do what you think is best for your needs! But all of what you mentioned as options will likely serve you very well considering your workflow doesn't need to render 4K video at optimal speed and processing power. Image processing and manipulation can be done on many machines at a much lower price, but the iMac screen is optimal for it so I see why you're choosing between iMacs, all things considered.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I would really like to see nVidia graphics in the iMac but I don't see it happening any time soon...

Wouldn't the G chips be a good step back? I guess it's possible but they'd need to reduce the price at the same time.

Hard to say, they use Vega graphics with HBM memory. Not near as fast as desktop Vega, but they would be a major step up over Intel Iris Pro graphics. I could see Apple using these in the lower tiers at least.

 

[helloineedhelp]

I assume you meant to say 4-5MB images and not images that are 4-5GB in size, correct? (Just checking because working with image files measured in GBs would change my opinion on what you should get.)

Based on what you listed, the iMac Pro is complete overkill unless you simply want one for the cool factor.

I would wait until at least the first week in June to see if Apple releases updated iMacs with Intel's newly released processor. If you cannot wait 9 weeks, then I would get a 2017 27" iMac with an i7, 512 GB SSD, 8 GB of RAM, and max out the Graphics. Then upgrade the RAM to 32GB on your own.

Since your current MBP handles your workload quite well, you could always pick up a 4K monitor and an external keyboard/mouse and continue to utilize your MBP. This is a very inexpensive option and a good way to carry you for the foreseeable future.

Iv'e found this as a temporary solution, would this be a good one still? And is it a good deal?

- iMac 5k, Late 2014
- 3.5 GHz intel Core i5
- 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
- 1 TB Fusiondrive
- AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2 GB

Price 1000-1200$.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"The one concern i have is that i have read a lot about the i7 2017 fans going on for simple things, like in Lr and so on and if that is a real problem that option goes away right away. Can't buy a computer that sounds like that."

Then my advice is -- DON'T buy the i7 iMac, or you may end up a very unhappy customer.

I'd suggest the "midrange" model iMac instead.
It's the "best blend" between power and silence.
The 3.5ghz model should do.
Get 8gb of RAM (standard configuration), then add more later but ONLY if you find that you need it.
I'd suggest special ordering through Apple's "build to order" page to get an SSD.
A 512gb SSD should be fine, or even 256gb (you can supplement it with external USB3 storage).

Remember that to get an SSD in a new iMac, you MUST order through "build to order".
Yes, it's an inconvenience. But worth the wait.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

Iv'e found this as a temporary solution, would this be a good one still? And is it a good deal?

- iMac 5k, Late 2014
- 3.5 GHz intel Core i5
- 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
- 1 TB Fusiondrive
- AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2 GB

Price 1000-1200$.

Personally, I would pass on that one due to the Fusion Drive and lower-end graphics. I recently upgraded to the iMac Pro and when doing so, I priced out my existing late-2014 iMac, i7 4Ghz, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and top-spec GPU....and it was selling for $1,600. I gave it to a family member instead. But the point is you can get a lot more computer for just a few hundred more if you shop around.

The 512 GB SSD is something you really want to target and is a very significant upgrade.

 

[1050792]

I won't be writing a huge block of text like most here, instead I'll give you a true opinion based on the 3 machines you were looking for.
Based on your usage you won't need more than this, and you don't even need to upgrade the RAM, and you save a lot of money.
- Mid lvl i5 with 512 ssd, 32 gb ram (upgrading them ofc on my own after).

 

[Platifuss]

I bought the midrange i5 (3.5 GH, 575 Graphics, 512 SSD) in December mainly for Lightroom and some gaming (Civilization 6) and it is fast and (LR) quiet.

 

[helloineedhelp]

I bought the base iMac Pro, however from what i am used to on the Macbook Pro and Imac 27 5K i actually feel like the Pro version is slower than the 5K...? Start up, programs etc.

Is this normal? Or is there something wrong with the iMac Pro i just bought?

I thought the iMac Pro would have been noticable faster than the 5K 2017.

 

[AlexMaximus]

I bought the base iMac Pro, however from what i am used to on the Macbook Pro and Imac 27 5K i actually feel like the Pro version is slower than the 5K...? Start up, programs etc.

Is this normal? Or is there something wrong with the iMac Pro i just bought?

I thought the iMac Pro would have been noticable faster than the 5K 2017.

Ohhh you lucky one !!!
You will not regret your purchase ever. The iMac Pro is the best machine out there at the moment.
And no, a standard iMac is absolutely not faster. However, notice since the iMac Pro is still very new, software drivers are in a medium state and have not matured to its full capacity. On top of that your SSD is a dual raid system, so you pay with a full second boot delay for a substantial speed increase in every day operation, once booted up.
You will be super happy, I wish an iMac Pro would make sense for myself.

 

[helloineedhelp]

However, notice since the iMac Pro is still very new, software drivers are in a medium state and have not matured to its full capacity..

Is this something that can be updated by apple that i would just click install??

Like, if they figure ways to improve speed etc? Would that bee something that i could also then update and take advantage of via an update/install on my new imac pro?

 

[burgman]

Ohhh you lucky one !!!
You will not regret your purchase ever. The iMac Pro is the best machine out there at the moment.
And no, a standard iMac is absolutely not faster. However, notice since the iMac Pro is still very new, software drivers are in a medium state and have not matured to its full capacity. On top of that your SSD is a dual raid system, so you pay with a full second boot delay for a substantial speed increase in every day operation, once booted up.
You will be super happy, I wish an iMac Pro would make sense for myself.

In single thread workflow it is slower, it is pretty though. To the OP it’s complete overkill for your usage and in the next IMac update you might be really disappointed. Others suggested you wait, you chose not to, others suggested particular configurations working as you do. Again you chose not to follow their advice, that’s all good it is your money.

 

[helloineedhelp]

In single thread workflow it is slower, it is pretty though. To the OP it’s complete overkill for your usage and in the next IMac update you might be really disappointed. Others suggested you wait, you chose not to, others suggested particular configurations working as you do. Again you chose not to follow their advice, that’s all good it is your money.

Next iMac update? Are u meaning that the new iMac 2018 would beat the current iMac Pro? Or be close to?