iMac 27 - i5 vs i7 heat/noise/power

[costabunny]

So my quest for making a choice is getting closer. I am almost 100% that an iMac 27 is my target, (not quite discounted the MP but lack of remote without extra is actually a big factor).

I would prefer the internal HDD bays and such forth, but I've had a MP before and as I have some ext FW its not a deal buster. The imac looks stunning, has simplicity and a nice big screen.

My only real questions are (with it being on top of the desk); what's the noise and heat like for the i5 and i7 models? I'd like to get thoughts on both.

For my uses an i5 has enough oomph, but the i7 would be nice (just speed up those transcodes etc).

Is there a huge difference in the power draw on these machines (I have a 1200VA UPS).

I know there are hints of a MP refresh coming and luckily I won't be buying for a month or so (unless my tax return arrives sooner), so I have the advantage of seeing what comes.

Little background: I have a 24" screen spare for a MP so having the system without in built is not a worry. I have three HDD's of stuff currently in 1xUSB and 2xFW400. I would add a FW800 desktank should I go for the iMac.

 

[TMRaven]

The i5 750 lynnfield and i7 860 lynnfield have the same tdp rating of 95watts, so I doubt there's any difference in actual power and temperature-- the lynnfields underclock significantly on their own when not put to hard use anyways. Just think of the i5 750 as a handicapped i7 860, where the only differnces are intel disabled hyperthreading and lowered its clock multiplier (20x133mhz compared to 21x133 mhz of i7). (When both are underclocked for lesser use, their clocks go down to about 1.2ghz)


The new iMacs are probably the quietest and coolest iMacs yet released. The unibody aluminum shell and wider formfactor with larger fans and heatsinks make it so. I can't hear my i7 at all, compared to my old G5 iMac, and idle temperatures for cpu and hdd never get above 45c.

 

[costabunny]

Well that statement about it being quiet and the info on the chips suggests I'll stump up extra groats for the i7 version.

Only possible cog in this plan is whatever happens next week now :S

mind you having the iMac I could run my samsung T240 as a second screen (I have a mini-dp to dvi adapter spare)....

but then again with that screen real estate I may choose to keep my workspace clean (I didn't feel the need for running a second screen on my old MP while I had a 30" attached)..

 

[Hellhammer]

i7 actually runs cooler when under load

So no difference in that