iMac 24" 9400m or GT120

[imben123]

Hey,

I know this topic has been talked to death however I would like some advise specific to my case.

I want to buy my first mac so I am hoping to be impressed. I need to decide between the £1055 2.66GHz imac with the 9400m or the £1319 2.93GHz imac with GT 120 (in the UK with education discount)
Is it worth the money is the question - also I have the money for the cheaper one and would have to save for another 2 months to have enough for the 2.93GHz imac.

I am not a gamer. But I have a digital camera capable of HD video and would like to edit this in iMovie. Also I want to be able to do screen recording and export it in HD.
What would you suggest.

Thanks so much in advance
Ben

 

[MacMini2009]

The 24in iMac 2.66GHz with the 9400M is good enough for what you said.

 

[paulbeattie87]

Don't really know anything about the 9400M, should be getting one soon in a MacBook Pro I plan on purchasing.

As for the iMac I have the 2.93GHz and it is fantastic, I owned last years 2.8Ghz model and this is so much faster it's crazy. I wouldn't have thought such a small upgrade in specification would make the difference it did. No idea whether I tax the GT120 I have inside mine or not.

When I used iMovie on a GMA950 it seemed to be more taxing on the CPU rather than the GPU, whether that was because the GPU was so weak it couldn't handle it all and the CPU had to get involved I don't know.

If you're really strapped for cash and want your iMac now go for the cheaper one, I'm sure the GPU inside it will be OK. I know it's one of the better built in GPU's available. Just enjoy it, don't forget the 3 year AppleCare with a UK HED purchase!

 

[bry223]

I would go with the GT120 because I think it will be Open CL compatible when snow leopard hits, as the 9400m or any IGP won't be.

 

[JamesGorman]

I would go with the GT120 because I think it will be Open CL compatible when snow leopard hits, as the 9400m or any IGP won't be.

Please do your research before you make such a bold statement. The 9400M is most defiantly going to be compatible with Open CL. Dont let that interfere with your choice of which GPU to get. All current apple GPU's are and will continue to be Open CL compatible.

EDIT: With that being said. Id say, if money is not a factor, go for the GT120. It will future proof your machine a bit, and if you decide to game or do anything more graphic intensive you will be happier with your choice. If you decide to go with the 9400M, than you will be limited to what you can do in 1-2 years and beyond. The 9400M is a great GPU and is greatly underrated. It can handle most apps and current games at medium settings. The GT120 will just give you that lil bit of extra power.

 

[Whackintosh]

Please do your research before you make such a bold statement. The 9400M is most defiantly going to be compatible with Open CL. Dont let that interfere with your choice of which GPU to get. All current apple GPU's are and will continue to be Open CL compatible.

EDIT: With that being said. Id say, if money is not a factor, go for the GT120. It will future proof your machine a bit, and if you decide to game or do anything more graphic intensive you will be happier with your choice. If you decide to go with the 9400M, than you will be limited to what you can do in 1-2 years and beyond. The 9400M is a great GPU and is greatly underrated. It can handle most apps and current games at medium settings. The GT120 will just give you that lil bit of extra power.

On the flipside, wouldn't the cooler running 9400 likely mean a longer lasting HDD that won't fail prematurely from overheating?

 

[paulbeattie87]

On the flipside, wouldn't the cooler running 9400 likely mean a longer lasting HDD that won't fail prematurely from overheating?

Nope separate parts of the machine, the GPU in an iMac sits at the very bottom just above the Apple logo. The hard drive sits just towards the top of the screen right in the middle. They are run by separate cooling systems as well. In the 2009 iMac Apple has raised the minimum HDD fan speed from 1200 to 1600. That has made a difference to the HDD temps, ok they still sit at 50c but thats better than the 2008 models!

 

[opera57]

Personally I think you will be fine with the 9400m as you aren't going to doing anything which will stress the graphics as such.. saying that, the 9400m is actually quite a capable graphics chip!

 

[zmttoxics]

9400m. Save the pennies. The Gt120 is really just a 9500, not much difference. Video work is mostly CPU work anyways.

 

[silentnite]

I would say If your looking to save a few dollars and who isn't these days. You would do just fine with the 24" 9400M Imac.

I use the 13" Mac pro and I was unsure about the 9400M but have changed my mind now after using it. The 9400M is great & very stable. I did a lot of research before making this purchase and will say from what I read the 9400 is compatible with open CL and will be just fine with the release of Snow Leopard.

Do not be scared off you can't go wrong which ever way you decide to go. Good luck!

 

[JamesGorman]

9400m. Save the pennies. The Gt120 is really just a 9500, not much difference. Video work is mostly CPU work anyways.

There actually is quite a substantial difference. Dont forget were comparing an integrated GPU, the 9400M, to a dedicated graphics card, the GT120. Any dedicated card will be much much better than an integrated GPU.


IMHO, I think apple should have put the same 9600GT M that is in the macbook pro's in the base imac. It would be just the right mix. It would save people money who didn't need the GT120 or GT130, and It would give them a great graphics solution that would allow them to run most current games and apps at pretty high settings. It would also offer a fair bit of future proofing.