Having trouble deciding what to get.

[Runqen]

In really Having trouble deciding what to get, so im reaching out to the community in hope for enlightenment.

What i do on my comp:
Play world of Warcraft
Use the included apps in osx
Convert some movies
Run windows using parallels/vmware

Why im considering iMac retina:
Gorgeous computer
Amazing screen
Decent specs

What worries me:
Im unsure about just how much i would benefit from the great 5k screen. I mean, i dont take highres photos nor will be able to use it using gaming.
Also, i am not sure about how it will work when im converting movies, playing wow and Having one virtual OS on at the same time.
Im not doing it all at the same time that often but i dont want the computer to sack down completely when i do.

So, i wonder if im better of with a maxed out mac mini for nog and wAit for the mac pro update, wgenever that comes.
I already have a screen, mice and all already.

 

[con19m31]

Up to you of course, but my 2 cents: Get 2012 quad mini, 256 SSD, 16G RAM.

I personally don't want to pay that much for the fancy screen - if money is no object though, then get what you really want.

 

[philipma1957]

In really Having trouble deciding what to get, so im reaching out to the community in hope for enlightenment.

What i do on my comp:
Play world of Warcraft
Use the included apps in osx
Convert some movies
Run windows using parallels/vmware

Why im considering iMac retina:
Gorgeous computer
Amazing screen
Decent specs

What worries me:
Im unsure about just how much i would benefit from the great 5k screen. I mean, i dont take highres photos nor will be able to use it using gaming.
Also, i am not sure about how it will work when im converting movies, playing wow and Having one virtual OS on at the same time.
Im not doing it all at the same time that often but i dont want the computer to sack down completely when i do.

So, i wonder if im better of with a maxed out mac mini for nog and wAit for the mac pro update, wgenever that comes.
I already have a screen, mice and all already.

you sir are a person that apple does not have a truly good fit for.

I would say an imac but not the 5k model maybe this one

http://store.apple.com/us/product/G0PG4LL/A/refurbished-27-inch-imac-35ghz-quad-core-Intel-Core-i7

to me the one above fits your needs better then the retina. it is cheaper you can add after market ram. you can add apple care in 10- 11 months


below the retina is much more it needs the bigger fusion to equal my pick it need the bigger gpu. it need the 300 dollar cpu option. so you need to spend 3149 to be better then my pick which is only 2299


http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/imac-retina?product=MF886LL/A&step=config

if you buy the stock retina the gpu has 2gb memory a 5k screen for gaming will want more

if you buy my pick it comes with the 4gb ram memory and a very good gpu the 780m

I had a 4k 27 inch it is a really good screen.

and there is a strong chance the retina first model will work poorly the 27inch first out in 2009 had huger yellowing issues.

 

[Runqen]

Thanks for the answers.

Yes, i too feel that i don't truly fit in anywhere in apple's product line at this moment.

I want and need some of both worlds (gaming & work) i suppose.

I can't buy a refurbished I'm afraid, since i live in Sweden and our apple store doesn't have that option.

If I'm going to get the retina iMac I'm going to max it out, so i'll have the 4gb of gpu, pci hdd and 32gb of ram.

How do you think that World of Warcraft would work on the mac mini? Again, i gotta buy one new since we don't have the refurb option here.
Would it work at all?

Buying a mini now to simply be able to use a computer and then wait and hope that apple releases a nMP, iMac or something that really fits me sounds like a plan.

But, that could be a long, looooong wait. Even if they upgrade the nMP (for example) so that it fits me perfectly i still don't have any screen to get with it. I don't want to buy the apple display since it's kinda outdated (compared to what's being released today) and i don't want to get any ugly dell/sharp/samsung monitor either.

I feel like i am a very picky man in a very bad situation.

A iMac with the option to add external gpu similar to the way you can add external HDD's, would be king for me!

Hmm, back to thinking and not being able to decide.

 

[T5BRICK]

to me the one above fits your needs better then the retina. it is cheaper you can add after market ram.

I may be mistaken, but it sounds like you're saying that you can't add aftermarket RAM to the iMac retina. You surely can upgrade the RAM.

 

[philipma1957]

I may be mistaken, but it sounds like you're saying that you can't add aftermarket RAM to the iMac retina. You surely can upgrade the RAM.

no not at all sorry if I am not clear. I wrote that the refurbished deal was better for the op. since he gets a machine that would do all of his tasks.

in both cases each machine has 8gb ram and in both cases he could do aftermarket upgrades of the ram.

but the refurbished gpu has its own ram 4gb

the retina's stock gpu has 2gb ram

this ram is gpu ram and must be built into the installed machine at the factory.
he wants to game. and a retina at 5k and only 2gb ram will now game well thus he must add on the upgraded gpu with 4gb ram.

So for him to do well with a retina with his need at the least he needs to add on the upgraded gpu which cost more.

I have used both gpus the one in the refurbished iMac will do much better with the extra ram in it.

All of the above is gpu ram not the normal ram .

 

[T5BRICK]

no not at all sorry if I am not clear. I wrote that the refurbished deal was better for the op. since he gets a machine that would do all of his tasks.

in both cases each machine has 8gb ram and in both cases he could do aftermarket upgrades of the ram.

but the refurbished gpu has its own ram 4gb

the retina's stock gpu has 2gb ram

this ram is gpu ram and must be built into the installed machine at the factory.
he wants to game. and a retina at 5k and only 2gb ram will now game well thus he must add on the upgraded gpu with 4gb ram.

So for him to do well with a retina with his need at the least he needs to add on the upgraded gpu which cost more.

I have used both gpus the one in the refurbished iMac will do much better with the extra ram in it.

All of the above is gpu ram not the normal ram .

Yes, I understand that the GPU and VRAM aren't upgradeable in either model. Unfortunately it sounds like refurbished isn't an option for the OP.

OP, I would go with the retina iMac and choose the upgraded GPU. If you want a different storage configuration, I'd upgrade that too. The system RAM can be upgrade later if needed, so I'd hold off on that. I don't think I'd spend the extra on the CPU upgrade, but I'd have to look into that one more.

 

[majkom]

hey, is windows finally optimised for retina like screens? if not, that may be quite a problem for OP

btw: paying so much for retina with so little usage... but, it is yours money, not mine

 

[ElectronGuru]

Download Display Menu from the App Store on your current mac and set it to a value one quarter resolution (half horz / half vert). Then move back from the screen a bit and play with your favorite apps. Do you love the crispness given to all the interface elements?

If yes, get the 5k iMac
If no, get the mini

 

[philipma1957]

hey, is windows finally optimised for retina like screens? if not, that may be quite a problem for OP

btw: paying so much for retina with so little usage... but, it is yours money, not mine

op should not buy a retina period. he does not need a retina screen

the 4k screens are fine for him. he is better off with the older iMacs I do not know if he has access to an apple store in his country. but this iMac I picked as a refurbished can be purchased new. from an apple store price is 2699

the retina would need to be about 3149 . It may be a better machine may not since no one knows how the 5k works yet. so if he wants all mac the older model is better.

 

[Poochi]

get a PC of real gaming

and whatever mac for everything else.

 

[philipma1957]

get a PC of real gaming

and whatever mac for everything else.

I do your method. I have 3 mac minis and 1 killer pc. my quad core mini runs windows 7 ultimate. my pc runs windows 7 ultimate.

So if I want to crosstalk from machine to machine I can do so.