Help me decide between these two iMac 27!

[Flekoun]

Hello, I decided to buy new iMac 27 and I have 2 options. Either 2019 base iMac 27 or the previous version high end iMac 27 (2017?) which is 90$ cheaper.

Specs are

2019 iMac 27

• 3,0GHz 6core Intel Core i5 eight generation
• Turbo Boost up to 4,1 GHz
• 8 GB 2666MHz memory DDR4
• 1TB Fusion Drive
• Radeon Pro 570X with 4 GB memory GDDR5
• 2x Thunderbolt 3
• Retina 5K P3 display 5120 × 2880

Previous generation iMac 27 (2017?) ( 90$ cheaper )

• 3,8GHz quadcore Intel Core i5
• Turbo Boost up to 4.2GHz
• 8GB 2400MHz memory
• 2TB Fusion Drive
• Radeon Pro 580 se 8GB memory
• 2 x Thunderbolt 3
• Retina 5K 5120x2880 P3 display

What would you choose? The older Mac has better GPU? 580 vs 570X? But has worse CPU? It also has better HDD. 2TB probably with 128GB Flash vs 1TB with 32GB Flash?

Any ideas?

 

[Starfia]

Ooh, that's worth spending a moment to think over, presuming they're both new – I would say that really comes down to detailed preference. If you plan to keep what you buy as long as possible, I'd say the longevity of both might about match. And you can upgrade neither the processor nor the graphics card easily.

I'm not sure I'd say the older one has a "worse" CPU either; six cores is useful for apps that use them. It's the first situation I can think of where the older Mac might win for me.

 

[Flekoun]

Ooh, that's worth spending a moment to think over, presuming they're both new – I would say that really comes down to detailed preference. If you plan to keep what you buy as long as possible, I'd say the longevity of both might about match. And you can upgrade neither the processor nor the graphics card easily.

I'm not sure I'd say the older one has a "worse" CPU either; six cores is useful for apps that use them. It's the first situation I can think of where the older Mac might win for me.

Thanks for your opinion! Yes, they are both brand new.

 

[petsk]

2019 iMac 27 is faster and will be supported longer.

Add an external Samsung X5 SSD and boot from it as soon as you can afford it.

 

[ZipZap]

Hello, I decided to buy new iMac 27 and I have 2 options. Either 2019 base iMac 27 or the previous version high end iMac 27 (2017?) which is 90$ cheaper.

Specs are

2019 iMac 27

• 3,0GHz 6core Intel Core i5 eight generation
• Turbo Boost up to 4,1 GHz
• 8 GB 2666MHz memory DDR4
• 1TB Fusion Drive
• Radeon Pro 570X with 4 GB memory GDDR5
• 2x Thunderbolt 3
• Retina 5K P3 display 5120 × 2880

Previous generation iMac 27 (2017?) ( 90$ cheaper )

• 3,8GHz quadcore Intel Core i5
• Turbo Boost up to 4.2GHz
• 8GB 2400MHz memory
• 2TB Fusion Drive
• Radeon Pro 580 se 8GB memory
• 2 x Thunderbolt 3
• Retina 5K 5120x2880 P3 display

What would you choose? The older Mac has better GPU? 580 vs 570X? But has worse CPU? It also has better HDD. 2TB probably with 128GB Flash vs 1TB with 32GB Flash?

Any ideas?

Have you reviewed the Apple Refurb site? I only buy this way. Maybe you can find something better. Also, you have not mentioned the intended use of the machine.

 

[Flekoun]

Have you reviewed the Apple Refurb site? I only buy this way. Maybe you can find something better. Also, you have not mentioned the intended use of the machine.

There is no official Apple store where I live. Therefore no refubs for us :/ I plan to use the iMac for game development (mostly 2D , some 3D) and occasional light gaming.

 

[RUGERMAN]

There is no official Apple store where I live. Therefore no refubs for us :/ I plan to use the iMac for game development (mostly 2D , some 3D) and occasional light gaming.

"NO REFURBS FOR US" Apple ships to your door, no problem.

 

[Flekoun]

"NO REFURBS FOR US" Apple ships to your door, no problem.

No this is not easily possible in EU. You need a mailbox in country of purchase. So If I want to order form different state I need a physical address there for delivery. Yes, we have Apple website in our language in our country to deliver to my door, but no refubs there.

 

[bpeeps]

"NO REFURBS FOR US" Apple ships to your door, no problem.

That's not how the refurb store works... Yeesh, why do people give such bad advice here.

 

[Fishrrman]

You haven't told us where in the world you are. That helps.

If I had to make a choice between the two computers you presented, I would choose the 2017.

Even though it's the earlier design, it has a 2tb fusion drive which will perform better over time, faster CPU, and the graphics look better, too.

 

[TheIntruder]

Close call. Here in the U.S., they can be both bought for the same $1599 price as well (though one retailer had a price mistake and sold the 2019 for $1299 a couple days ago).

On balance, the 2017 is better -- more/better storage, better graphics.

The CPUs are roughly equal in single core tasks, at least according to Geekbench, but the i5-8500 in the 2019 has two additional cores vs the i5-7600K and pulls ahead in multi-core tasks. That's really the only performance advantage that the 2019 has in this comparison.

The 7600K is a 95W processor, so it can run hotter than the 8500, but I don't recall it being as much of a concern vs. the i7-7700K option in the 2017.