Should I buy the new iMac?

[daanodinot]

I currently have the 2015 4K iMac with integrated graphics. I'm generally happy with it, but I'd like to utilize my Steam library a bit more. Would the new iMac with Radeon Pro 580 be a good upgrade for me?

I currently don't need a laptop, but when I need one in the future, the 12" MacBook will probably make a great combo with the iMac.

However! The other option I'm considering is ditching the iMac, and buying a 13" MacBook Pro instead. With an eGPU, I could connect a high-end NVIDIA card for gaming and still manage only one Mac. The problem is that I'd have have an external box and a non-Apple display. So aesthetically, it would be less pleasing. A minor inconvenience would be the lack of legacy ports.

What do you think is the best option?

 

[fokmik]

from a iGPU to a 580 it is huge difference, so the answer is yes. It is even a big difference between iGPU and the 560 also from 21.5"

 

[statik13]

What kind of resale can you get for the 4k iMac? I think that would be the kicker for me...

 

[Alx9876]

Look on eBay for a general idea of how much your 4k iMac will sell for.

 

[keithdoc]

I'm making a similar move from non-4K 2013 iMac, because so many of my Steam titles simply won't do much on it. Just placed my order for retina 21" iMac with radeon 560.

Finally a fusion drive and non-integrated graphics. I think they got the message - though there is NO option for 2T or 3T fusion drive ;(

Hopefully, this will keep me from jumping on the 1st run of the Pro iMacs (although they look pretty awesome).

 

[daanodinot]

I'm making a similar move from non-4K 2013 iMac, because so many of my Steam titles simply won't do much on it. Just placed my order for retina 21" iMac with radeon 560.

Finally a fusion drive and non-integrated graphics. I think they got the message - though there is NO option for 2T or 3T fusion drive ;(

Hopefully, this will keep me from jumping on the 1st run of the Pro iMacs (although they look pretty awesome).

Are you sure you're not going to go for the 5K iMac with Radeon Pro 580?

I wouldn't even consider the iMac Pro, unless you have $5000 burning in your pocket. And even then, you're buying very expensive components (Xeon processors, ECC memory) that you don't need AT ALL for gaming.

 

[koyoot]

If anyone is asking about Radeon Pro 580 performance here is a helpful link to a youtube video:

Second one is a link to Blender announcement of improvements on AMD GPUs and comparison between GTX 1060 using CUDA, and RX 480 using OpenCL in Blender:
https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Source/Render/Cycles/OpenCL

Radeon Pro 580 uses the same GPU as RX 480, but with slightly lower core clocks: 1200 MHz vs 1266 MHz.

 

[daanodinot]

If anyone is asking about Radeon Pro 580 performance here is a helpful link to a youtube video:

Second one is a link to Blender announcement of improvements on AMD GPUs and comparison between GTX 1060 using CUDA, and RX 480 using OpenCL in Blender:
https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Source/Render/Cycles/OpenCL

Radeon Pro 580 uses the same GPU as RX 480, but with slightly lower core clocks: 1200 MHz vs 1266 MHz.

Hmm... the RX 480 seems to be worse than the GTX 1060 according to these benchmarks:

http://videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

 

[koyoot]

Hmm... the RX 480 seems to be worse than the GTX 1060 according to these benchmarks:

http://videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

Why do you use worst benchmark on the internet as a point of view? Everybody knows that Passmark GPU benchmark is... CPU bound test, to much worse degree than Cinebench.

Secondly. The tests in the links are based on real world situations(editing, transcoding files, etc). Passmark only gives you score screen. Which one is more "realistic"?

Edit: In Passmark Quadro GP100 is Worse than Titan Xp. I genuinely suggest putting the Passmark in the trash as a point of view. There is absolutely NO WAY in the world that GP100, with its new architecture, and CUDA cores that have much higher throughput to be slower than Titan Xp. NO WAY.

 

[daanodinot]

Why do you use worst benchmark on the internet as a point of view? Everybody knows that Passmark GPU benchmark is... CPU bound test, to much worse degree than Cinebench.

Secondly. The tests in the links are based on real world situations(editing, transcoding files, etc). Passmark only gives you score screen. Which one is more "realistic"?

No need to be defensive about it. I was just confused why the result differ, and I'm not knowledgable at all about this subject. I'll ignore the Passmark GPU benchmarks in that case.

 

[koyoot]

No need to be defensive about it. I was just confused why the result differ, and I'm not knowledgable at all about this subject. I'll ignore the Passmark GPU benchmarks in that case.

Let me show you something more on this matter.

This is very specific, scientific engineering benchmark:

Compare Quadro P6000(Titan Xp) and P100(Quadro GP100) performance levels. SINGLE Quadro GP100 is as fast as TWO Titan Xp's .
And then go back to PassMark scores, and compare scores for both GPUs. Questions?

 

[daanodinot]

Let me show you something more on this matter.

This is very specific, scientific engineering benchmark:

Compare Quadro P6000(Titan Xp) and P100(Quadro GP100) performance levels. SINGLE Quadro GP100 is as fast as TWO Titan Xp's .
And then go back to PassMark scores, and compare scores for both GPUs. Questions?

Do you know a similar chart with the RX 480 included?

 

[koyoot]

Do you know a similar chart with the RX 480 included?

You already got comparisons to GTX 1070 and GTX 1060. From both GPUs RX 480 appear to be faster in most video editing tools.

 

[Glideslope]

I'm making a similar move from non-4K 2013 iMac, because so many of my Steam titles simply won't do much on it. Just placed my order for retina 21" iMac with radeon 560.

Finally a fusion drive and non-integrated graphics. I think they got the message - though there is NO option for 2T or 3T fusion drive ;(

Hopefully, this will keep me from jumping on the 1st run of the Pro iMacs (although they look pretty awesome).

You'll be fine. The 21.5" is very popular amongst the population. Remember the forum you're in. Not everyone needs a 27". Serious gamers use a Win Box. Not a Mac. I'm putting away a 2008 MP for the new iMac. When the 2017 is 5-6 years old it will go in the basement vault. Could care less about resale. No need for a new box every 2 years. But, that's just me.