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MBP 3,1 GHz vs iMac 4,2 GHz

M

moey2k2001

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 4, 2011
155
4
Quick question please.

How do the proccessors compare to each other

MBP 3,1 GHz Quad‑Core Intel Core i7 vs the iMac 4,2 GHz Quad‑Core Intel Core i7

(how would I feel the difference in performance? I am not sure to measure or find out the difference...)

MBP 3,1 GHz Quad‑Core Intel Core i7 vs iMac 3,8 GHz Quad‑Core Intel Core i5

in terms of performance, speed and so on....

use for music production, live performance and a "little" of video/photo.....

thanks.
 
MBP 3,1 GHz -> iMac 4,2 GHz is 20-25% faster based on benchmarks

MBP 3,1 GHz -> iMac 3.8 GHz is 20-25% faster for single threaded applications and about the same for multithreaded applications.

I don't think performance between those machines is the first thing to be concerned about. Based on your usage you would be fine with any of them. In fact I think you should consider the cheaper models of MBP or iMac, unless money is no problem.

You first have to think about if you need the mobility of the MBP or not. It seems like you do (live performance), in which case go for the MBP. Else go for the iMac, you'll get more for your money.
 
u posted on both 20-25% faster.

how to understand the difference single vs multithread?

sorry to be a pain in the ***...

its just a lot of money and I want to make sure to make the "best" choice...
well money is an issue obvioulsy but i can bare around 5000 and want to get the best for my money.

suppose i get the 3.8... which is an i5. would it last me long "enough", per se 3 years give or take.
or would i be better off with the i7 and would it performancewise last me even longer?
[doublepost=1520537605][/doublepost]I am just concerned wether it would pay off to get a MBP.... considering the speed and ram...
 
The iMac is faster, obviously. The question which one will last longer doesn't make much sense. Its same gen CPU and both will become obsolete at approximately the same time. Meaning: if the one is too slow to be useful with contemporary software, the other one will be too slow as well. The main difference is that the iMac will be able to do the same amount of work faster (how much faster depends on what you do and can't be answered in general terms, you'd need to benchmark your specific use case).

If you need to be mobile, get the laptop. If you don't need mobility, get the iMac. If you are being paid for output (and not per hour) and a significant time of your workflow is spent waiting for the computer to be done with a task, get the fastest CPU you can afford (10% increase of processing speed can very well translate to 1% more orders completed, which is probably a substantial increase in revenue). Otherwise, don't bother with CPU upgrades at all, especially if you want to save money.
 
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You'd need to know what year and model of each Mac you are considering specifically, as that info would allow you to figure out which Intel CPU is in each. Generally speaking the iMac has CPUs of higher TDP (65W vs 41W), so the iMac CPU will have more thermal headroom to operate at higher clocks than the MBP. In everyday casual use, you wouldn't notice, so the "feel" between the two would depend on how much you need the maximum capability of the CPU. What would you be upgrading from?
 
With all the thermal throttling that occurs on the CPU, I would recommend against purchasing the highest end MBP. Much better to put the savings toward a larger SSD
 
Darmok N Jalad said:
You'd need to know what year and model of each Mac you are considering specifically, as that info would allow you to figure out which Intel CPU is in each. Generally speaking the iMac has CPUs of higher TDP (65W vs 41W), so the iMac CPU will have more thermal headroom to operate at higher clocks than the MBP. In everyday casual use, you wouldn't notice, so the "feel" between the two would depend on how much you need the maximum capability of the CPU. What would you be upgrading from?
Click to expand...
At the current state upgrading from a dead Imac 2010.... that was used almost everyday for atleast 10 hrs...
[doublepost=1520574222][/doublepost]
drewsof07 said:
With all the thermal throttling that occurs on the CPU, I would recommend against purchasing the highest end MBP. Much better to put the savings toward a larger SSD
Click to expand...

Even with 16GB Ram on the MBP... the question that bothers me, are the 16GB „enough“? Since there is no upgrade possibility!

Well hatever I get, I will definitely get 1TB SSD
 
It's hard for us to tell you if 16GB is enough. As we don't know the programs u r using. The best would be if you check activity monitor for CPU and memory usage and tell us pressure and swap.

If ur iMac is dead and you can't check, if RAM is full a CPU upgrade doesn't help anything.

But as others have said more bang for the buck is the iMac. And here u can upgrade ram by yourself.

You can always buy any machine from Apple and test it for 14days and give it back.

Don't forget to buy AppleCare for the MBP cos of keyboard issues
 
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maerz001 said:
It's hard for us to tell you if 16GB is enough. As we don't know the programs u r using. The best would be if you check activity monitor for CPU and memory usage and tell us pressure and swap.

If ur iMac is dead and you can't check, if RAM is full a CPU upgrade doesn't help anything.

But as others have said more bang for the buck is the iMac. And here u can upgrade ram by yourself.

You can always buy any machine from Apple and test it for 14days and give it back.

Don't forget to buy AppleCare for the MBP cos of keyboard issues
Click to expand...

Okay now u got my attention... keyboard issues? So then no thanks! What issues?

And now that I am at it... IF i do spend 5000 on an iMac, I might aswell add a few more and get an iMac Pro???
 
moey2k2001 said:
I am in Europe... sale yon such ting here :(
Click to expand...

Huh, no such thing? I'm currently in Europe too and I got a killer deal on a MacBook Pro. Plus then I get to take another 20% VAT off the top of the already heavily discounted product for a staggering overall deal.

Perhaps I can be of some help. Which country are you in and are you an EU citizen?
 
Crunch said:
Huh, no such thing? I'm currently in Europe too and I got a killer deal on a MacBook Pro. Plus then I get to take another 20% VAT off the top of the already heavily discounted product for a staggering overall deal.

Perhaps I can be of some help. Which country are you in and are you an EU citizen?
Click to expand...

Yap. Yap. in Vienna :)
 
I would also appreciate a tip. It is not that far from Czechia (West Bohemia for me) to Regensburg or I wouldn't mind making a trip to Wien if I saved some money. :) I suppose that Prague is not "good enough" for such a deal as we don't have Apple Store here...
 
apple store opened a while ago but they are more expensive than everyone else in vienna.
 
just wanted to mention that i ordered the imac pro from cyberport
its a german company. they have the imac pro on "sale".

PLUS, I took 3 yrs insurance on top that covers theft and other damages... which is a great deal in my opinion. i got the imac for a good deal for 4900 by talking to them. on top of that i took the insurance which would cost me 430 extra. i got an extra -90 on the whole thing. so i think its a good deal.

5200€ for imac pro + insurance for 3yrs.

i had to think twice about the insurance but my music studio is in the cellar and if i do ever get robbed than i would at least get something in return with the insurance i guess.
 
moey2k2001 said:
just wanted to mention that i ordered the imac pro from cyberport
its a german company. they have the imac pro on "sale".

PLUS, I took 3 yrs insurance on top that covers theft and other damages... which is a great deal in my opinion.
Click to expand...

No it isn't, you can do the same on fast and mobile MBPro 2017 3.1 plus if you want to work outdoors, you do not have to pull a 100m power extension cable with you :D

You can always extend your guarantee by third companies, and it will be cheaper.
 
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LogiLink said:
No it isn't, you can do the same on fast and mobile MBPro 2017 3.1 plus if you want to work outdoors, you do not have to pull a 100m power extension cable with you :D

You can always extend your guarantee by third companies, and it will be cheaper.
Click to expand...


To be honest, no device is 100% perfect. Apple's policy and methods changed a lot throughout the years.

Oh well, MBPro does seem to have a few issues. Like no Ram upgrade... Which bother me a lot. iMac Pro is upgradeable...
The touch bar is "old school", with the technology of today, they should have implemented a better quality/resolution in my opinion.

You are right about portability and I really wanted a portable device but the price tag in my opinion is just as high as an imac Pro if I were to "pimp" it and then buy a set of external 5k screens I would easily reach 5000€...

Paying in 2 days and picking it up =P

PS It will stay in the studio I guess haha
 
moey2k2001 said:
To be honest, no device is 100% perfect. Apple's policy and methods changed a lot throughout the years.

Oh well, MBPro does seem to have a few issues. Like no Ram upgrade... Which bother me a lot. iMac Pro is upgradeable...
The touch bar is "old school", with the technology of today, they should have implemented a better quality/resolution in my opinion.

You are right about portability and I really wanted a portable device but the price tag in my opinion is just as high as an imac Pro if I were to "pimp" it and then buy a set of external 5k screens I would easily reach 5000€...

Paying in 2 days and picking it up =P

PS It will stay in the studio I guess haha
Click to expand...

Congrats on your purchase, and yes, Cyberport is a good place to buy your electronics. Your English is very good, so if you happen to be a non-EU citizen, they're also set up for the VAT refund. In Austria, that's a whopping 20% and with Cyberport you get the full 20%, unlike with the folks from Global Blue Tax Free shopping. They take their own (generous) cut.
 
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Crunch said:
Congrats on your purchase, and yes, Cyberport is a good place to buy your electronics. Your English is very good, so if you happen to be a non-EU citizen, they're also set up for the VAT refund. In Austria, that's a whopping 20% and with Cyberport you get the full 20%, unlike with the folks from Global Blue Tax Free shopping. They take their own (generous) cut.
Click to expand...


what kind of ID do you need to get no tax? and its done right when you buy it?
 
Crunch said:
Congrats on your purchase, and yes, Cyberport is a good place to buy your electronics. Your English is very good, so if you happen to be a non-EU citizen, they're also set up for the VAT refund. In Austria, that's a whopping 20% and with Cyberport you get the full 20%, unlike with the folks from Global Blue Tax Free shopping. They take their own (generous) cut.
Click to expand...

yes my english is good :p
NYorker.. haha

Na won't get no tax back. work and live her. i have a company license but I don't do no vat refunds. a bit complicated.
its a weird license and you get to choose wether or not you want to "tax" your bills. if you don't tax, you don't get tax back.

sadly the roughly 800€ vat down the drain....


theprophe said:
what kind of ID do you need to get no tax? and its done right when you buy it?
Click to expand...

you need your companies tax id usually.
 
moey2k2001 said:
yes my english is good :p
NYorker.. haha

Na won't get no tax back. work and live her. i have a company license but I don't do no vat refunds. a bit complicated.
its a weird license and you get to choose wether or not you want to "tax" your bills. if you don't tax, you don't get tax back.

sadly the roughly 800€ vat down the drain....




you need your companies tax id usually.
Click to expand...

Ahhh... NYC? Or NYS? haha...see, I knew it!

No, it has nothing to do with any license or ID (well, except for your non-EU passport) and no, it is not done at the point of purchase. And it's more like 1,000 euros you'd be looking at getting back...

But here's the good news, you can still do it. Download the tax-free form from Cyberport (just google it) and then follow the instructions. Itemize the VAT out as instructed and next time you head overseas, present the form and the invoice, along with your passport and boarding pass to the nice man at the customs office at the airport, after clearing security and usually after your passport is checked.

The customs office is often empty, because very few people know about this, and the people in there could usually care less about seeing your export and just stamp your form. Then, you simply fax/email Cyberport the stamped form and they credit the amount of 1,000 euros back to your method of payment.

It ain't complicated, you don't need no license, and it's better than any other tax back scheme through an income tax deduction. I mean, what accountant is going to get you 1000 euros back on a 5000 euro purchase? Only the folks at your friendly neighborhood Crunch Tax Free office. :D

If you're like me and have an active disdain for most any government and its theft bureaus... oops, I mean taxation schemes...oops I mean taxation "services"...such as our own: the unbelievably far-reaching (as well as over-reaching) IRS, then you will not hesitate to do what you can...for yourself!
 
Crunch said:
Ahhh... NYC? Or NYS? haha...see, I knew it!

No, it has nothing to do with any license or ID (well, except for your non-EU passport) and no, it is not done at the point of purchase. And it's more like 1,000 euros you'd be looking at getting back...

But here's the good news, you can still do it. Download the tax-free form from Cyberport (just google it) and then follow the instructions. Itemize the VAT out as instructed and next time you head overseas, present the form and the invoice, along with your passport and boarding pass to the nice man at the customs office at the airport, after clearing security and usually after your passport is checked.

The customs office is often empty, because very few people know about this, and the people in there could usually care less about seeing your export and just stamp your form. Then, you simply fax/email Cyberport the stamped form and they credit the amount of 1,000 euros back to your method of payment.

It ain't complicated, you don't need no license, and it's better than any other tax back scheme through an income tax deduction. I mean, what accountant is going to get you 1000 euros back on a 5000 euro purchase? Only the folks at your friendly neighborhood Crunch Tax Free office. :D

If you're like me and have an active disdain for most any government and its theft bureaus... oops, I mean taxation schemes...oops I mean taxation "services"...such as our own: the unbelievably far-reaching (as well as over-reaching) IRS, then you will not hesitate to do what you can...for yourself!
Click to expand...


Yes, NYC • BKLYN

Yeah in my case it is kinda complicated.
I live & work here.
Indefinite remain in EU...
I actually do have an accountant that does all that **** for me. But like I said I can’t be asking back taxes since i live here... even if i woild leave the country for holiday and i would get the money back. At some point they will figure it out and ask for it back...
 
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