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Quick Help! Can't decide between 27" iMacs

R

rsted222

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 12, 2011
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Last edited:
Either will be fine but the new one only has a 24GB SSD portion so not nearly as fast for some things.

Also the new one has a far nicer screen for colourr gamut etc.

Only you can decide performance wise they'll be much the same, with the 2014 slightly faster due to better SSD size and the 2015 with a better screen.
 
In terms of performance the 2014 is better. However, if you need the wider color spectrum then the 2015 model is the best.

Can you say a little more about what you want to know and use case and so on?
 
Thanks guys. My use is internet and photoshop for mostly art reproduction.
 
I would suggest the 2014 model because of the bigger SSD and overall faster hardware.
 
Tough call. But for photoshop, can you scrape together a few hundred more for this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1190439-REG/apple_mk482ll_a_27_imac_with_retina.html because that is what you really should have. Better graphics card, better screen, solid fusion drive.

Although the fusion in the 2015 model has less NVRAM, you can always add external SSDs when you have the cash/need. I think it also depends on how serious your photoshop work is. The wider color gamut is nice, but probably not essential and if a couple hundred dollars is that crucial, then the 2014 makes sense there....

rsted222 said:
The late 2014 appears to have a better fushion drive and is cheaper.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1086734-REG/apple_mf886ll_a_27_imac_with_retina.html

The current one has skylake and new magic mouse/keyboard.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1190403-REG/apple_mk472ll_a_27_imac_with_retina.html

I need to buy TODAY, so I can overnight and get on Wed.

Please, help a man out!!! I'm stuck.
Click to expand...
 
I really appreciate the advice. I'll probably pull the trigger soon...leaning towards the 2014 version.
 
By the way, is the magic keyboard and mouse 2 much of an upgrade? I don't hate batteries.
 
I'm still deciding the exact same thing. My usage will be on the light side though, just want something that'll last through a bunch of upgrade cycles. I may make a trip to B&H and see if they'll throw in a freebie or two to coax me to buy one or the other. I already checked them out at the Apple store where they only have the current models on display. The one lacking the fusion drive was actually a little pokey opening up apps like Excel and Word, slower than my 10 year old iMac with an SSD installed. That was a definite no-go, so only a fusion drive will work for me.

Color gamut means little for me, Skylake would be nice, except that Apple doesn't make use of the latest features of the processor. Still, not sure which way to go.

It's a bad day to go though. That store is busy enough on a regular day, nevermind 3 days before the holiday, except being orthodox Jews, they are open on Christmas Day like it was any other.
 
zacster said:
I'm still deciding the exact same thing. My usage will be on the light side though, just want something that'll last through a bunch of upgrade cycles. I may make a trip to B&H and see if they'll throw in a freebie or two to coax me to buy one or the other. I already checked them out at the Apple store where they only have the current models on display. The one lacking the fusion drive was actually a little pokey opening up apps like Excel and Word, slower than my 10 year old iMac with an SSD installed. That was a definite no-go, so only a fusion drive will work for me.

Color gamut means little for me, Skylake would be nice, except that Apple doesn't make use of the latest features of the processor. Still, not sure which way to go.

It's a bad day to go though. That store is busy enough on a regular day, nevermind 3 days before the holiday, except being orthodox Jews, they are open on Christmas Day like it was any other.
Click to expand...

I'm with you still. I just decided to hold off another day on the decision. Bugger!!
 
Yea, I went to B&H on my way home, but decided to wait. I think I'm going to just get the latest and greatest, otherwise I'll be second guessing myself. I'll probably go with the 2tb fusion drive just to get the 128gb of flash, and I'll never run out of space. My current mac has a 128gb SSD and it still isn't full, but that may be self aware usage. I know not to store 2gb 24/96 music files, photos, etc.. on it. Those go on my external drive.
 
OP, get what works for you. I capitulated and purchased B&H's Deal Zone deal of a 2013 27" iMac with Apple Care (yeah, I know reverse psychology girl, but everything else was too expensive for me right now.)

Outside of the expected slowness (from spinner HDD), this machine is great.
 
rsted222 said:
I'm with you still. I just decided to hold off another day on the decision. Bugger!!
Click to expand...
I'd get the new one, because what I've read (and experienced) that the skylake chips have a tendency to run cooler. I'm between 32 and 40c

Either one will work great, I say just pull the trigger. Btw, you may see some of those instant savings evaporate once Christmas comes and goes, so delaying may in the end cost you more.
 
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My current iMac is making the decision for me. It has frozen twice in the last day. This happens a lot in the summer because it overheats, but once it cools in the fall it has been fine. Of course, it was 72 here in NYC yesterday, and going up into the 60s today. That's still cooler than where it would freeze before.

And now I'm seeing another summer artifact, single pixel wide lines on my screen. I still have the fan that I use in the summer to cool it off pointing at it, maybe I'll turn it on...
 
kazmac said:
OP, get what works for you. I capitulated and purchased B&H's Deal Zone deal of a 2013 27" iMac with Apple Care (yeah, I know reverse psychology girl, but everything else was too expensive for me right now.)

Outside of the expected slowness (from spinner HDD), this machine is great.
Click to expand...

I have the same machine and I love it.
 
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I'm writing this on my brand new 27" machine. Holy crap is this thing fast. And the video is downright gorgeous. Even my wife is impressed. 3.3ghz, 2tb Fusion, M395/2gb gpu, 8gb. Completely stock from the Apple store.

Got the education discount too, since I have 3 kids in college. They should give me a mercy discount too for that!
 
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Well that didn't Last long. I did the El Capitan patch update and now all I get is a black screen. Apple support said to bring it back. That's a pita because I took the subway to get it and this sucka is heavy. This isn't an iPhone.
 
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