Hello all. I am currently a PC user and am wanting to make the switch to a new iMac now that they have been refreshed. I don't do any online gaming or video editing, but I do some occasional photo editing in photoshop along with the usual web surfing, email and word document production. I really like the 27" model but can't decide which processor to go for. I realize the i5 is much cheaper, but I don't want to have to buy a new computer in another 2 years. I'm also undecided where to buy the iMac. Best Buy has a great sale right now and I prefer their no interest financing over Apple's. I also have gift cards for both places. To make a long story short, I can get a 27" 3.1 i5 at Best Buy for $1825 plus get the Reward Zone dollars. I can get the same machine at Apple for $1750. I could upgrade to a i7 at Apple for a total of $1950. Is the i7 worth $125? Is there anything else I should be concerned with. Thanks for the help!
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i7 in new iMac worth it?
- Thread starter MNRXguy
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Pfffft! A Core2Duo Mac Mini will do that, mate...
... which means, "Hell, no. Don't pay for the i7". In case that wasn't clear.
i7 is a bit faster. For 125$, I would go for it. I'm assuming your Photoshop work is more than just fooling around. For that, any iMac would be fine.
I suppose it all depends on how much $125 is 'to you'. I wouldn't spend it, because I can't foresee any circumstances under which I'd use the extra power. I'd be pissing away cash on a distant, distant prospect of ever seeing anything for my money.
But, hey. If you're loaded? Go for it. And buy me one, too...
But, hey. If you're loaded? Go for it. And buy me one, too...
You'd not be making a mistake by not going for i7. For your needs it'd not be a huge difference at all. Go for the i5, it'll be sufficient.
I just bought the base model 21.5" with the 2.5 Ghz i5 and it has all kinds of speed and power so I doubt you would need anything more then the 3.1 Ghz i5 because it would have even more then this one.
I do 10X the work you plan on doing on an almost 4 year old 2.4 Core2Duo.
Any i5 chip would be like heaven to me.
Any i5 chip would be like heaven to me.
Even the base 27" iMac is fine then. It's not like the i5 can't do those tasks. It will do them fine but the i7 might be few seconds faster. Nothing revolutionary and if money is an issue, then save as much as you can.