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No-one thinking of the environment here? All this sending back and forth and for what? Because you made some decisions you are regretting now? Nothing wrong with the machine, just keep it.
 
I mean... just be happy with your 10 core dude!!! I know I will be this Friday when mine arrives. 😀

Here's a more recent video that talks about thermals... Seems to be no worries from this guy!

It's a beautiful machine, that's for sure! Enjoy your 10 core when it gets there. Some people aren't nitpicky like me - I feel like I will literally obsess about this for the next year.
 
No-one thinking of the environment here? All this sending back and forth and for what? Because you made some decisions you are regretting now? Nothing wrong with the machine, just keep it.
That's actually a very good point. Although if I bring it back, I will be bringing it to the Apple store so the impact on my end is minimal. I'm just having them send an additional unit, which is presumably being sent with a lot of other units as well. Still an impact, to be fair.
 
You don't need the 10 core. Honestly man, very very few people are actually going to have it pay for itself. That 400 extra dollars is a lot of money, heck that's a iPhone SE.

Buy the 8 core. If it arrives before the return window closes on the 10 core then who cares, you managed just fine without it for a while, you'll be fine with a few gap days.
This is a good way of looking at it. and it's actually $540 more than I should pay, not $400 - $360 cpu and $180 accidental ram purchase. (education discount) I appreciate you breaking it down like that!
 
So far there are 9 in favor of returning it, and 5 in favor of keeping it. I appreciate everyone's advice!
 
No-one thinking of the environment here? All this sending back and forth and for what? Because you made some decisions you are regretting now? Nothing wrong with the machine, just keep it.
The minor blip caused by the FedEx guy stopping at his house from a delivery down the street is insignificant.

I’m all for monitoring one’s environmental impact but isn’t one of the times to be concerned about it.
 
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I’m all for monitoring one’s environmental impact but isn’t one of the times to be concerned about it.

Apparently you are not. It's like saying: I have nothing against black people, but...

But don't worry. I'm not perfect in this regard neither. Just trying to raise some awareness and in this instance there really is no justifiable reason to send it back.
 
Apparently you are not. It's like saying: I have nothing against black people, but...

But don't worry. I'm not perfect in this regard neither. Just trying to raise some awareness and in this instance there really is no justifiable reason to send it back.
It’s nothing at all like that but ok. I’m not going to argue this stupid point anymore with someone who’d compare casual racism to the use of .03 gallons of gas.
 
The whole purpose of the Apple 14 day return period is to give their customers the comfort to try a product out without risk, questions, or guilt. It is Apple's business decision, and the cost of this is incorporated in their pricing.
You are quite entitled, and should, thoroughly try it out for the full 14 days, and if are not totally comfortable you have made the correct decision get another one. This is the deal Apple made with you.
 
Hey all,

Received my 10-core i9 with 5700XT GPU, 64gb user installed RAM, about a week ago.

It's a lovely machine, but I'm wondering if the community thinks that the 8-core might have roughly as good performance while having lower thermals, or if you think the thermals might be the same?

When playing Fortnite on Epic 3d resolution and some other settings a bit low, I stay at 60 FPS and the temps reach on average around 80-84 deg celsius. I recently spotted them dipping to high 70s sustained. Fans are not too loud. I'm not using this Mac primarily to game, but I do like to take some time off of work and school once in a while for a few hours per week to do some light gaming. I use it mainly for software development, user interface design and I also want to use it to learn Blender.

I've financed it with the Apple Card which is awesome, comes out to about $300 per month total. I accidentally ordered 16gb RAM and tried to change it but Apple support said it was too late to change my order about a day after I placed it. I didn't cancel so I'm essentially paying $15/month for the extra RAM that I'm not even using, and another $30 per month for the 10-core CPU.

Should I go through the hassle of returning this and waiting three weeks to get the 8-core? I have a backup 15 inch 2017 MacBook Pro which can get my work done in the meantime but it has the popping noise problem of the thermally-expanded body, alongside the broken butterfly keyboard (which I use a magic keyboard for).

Thank you for your feedback,

Highlypaid

I suspect that having financed the thing is what is really eating at you because you are already looking for ways to reduce that monthly bill on the horizon. Had you not financed the thing, you'd probably have spent less than what you will end up spending on the downgraded version with it financed. And have to wait another 3 weeks to get it... 3 more weeks on that computer that soo desperately needed to be replaced only a short while ago... or did it?
 
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I suspect that having financed the thing is what is really eating at you because you are already looking for ways to reduce that monthly bill on the horizon. Had you not financed the thing, you'd probably have spent less than what you will end up spending on the downgraded version with it financed. And have to wait another 3 weeks to get it... 3 more weeks on that computer that soo desperately needed to be replaced only a short while ago... or did it?
Apple Card financing is 0% for 12 months. I took that deal too. It’s stupid not to, IMHO. Let apple float me a no interest loan for 12 months? Sure, why not! This isn’t an option or a wise choice for everyone but I’ve used my credit cards for years to get free perks - I just pay them all off before accruing even a penny in interest.
 
I suspect that having financed the thing is what is really eating at you because you are already looking for ways to reduce that monthly bill on the horizon. Had you not financed the thing, you'd probably have spent less than what you will end up spending on the downgraded version with it financed. And have to wait another 3 weeks to get it... 3 more weeks on that computer that soo desperately needed to be replaced only a short while ago... or did it?
The apple financing is zero interest, excepting for the sales tax (if sales tax is applicable). At least in the U.S.
A great deal. But you still get those nasty monthly bills to remind you every month how much you spent!
 
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The apple financing is zero interest, excepting for the sales tax (if sales tax is applicable). At least in the U.S.
A great deal. But you still get those nasty monthly bills to remind you every month how much you spent!
Indeed, it is a great deal!!
 
Indeed, it is a great deal!!
Thank you every
Apple Card financing is 0% for 12 months. I took that deal too. It’s stupid not to, IMHO. Let apple float me a no interest loan for 12 months? Sure, why not! This isn’t an option or a wise choice for everyone but I’ve used my credit cards for years to get free perks - I just pay them all off before accruing even a penny in interest.
Agreed. Thank you and everyone for your advice.

So my wife was really sad when I told her I was returning it. She wants me to have the top of the line iMac and it makes her happy to see it, so she insisted that I not return it and she will pay $75/month tomake up for the additional cost, and as a deposit for when I sell it to her once I upgrade again.

Win/win? :D
 
Thank you every

Agreed. Thank you and everyone for your advice.

So my wife was really sad when I told her I was returning it. She wants me to have the top of the line iMac and it makes her happy to see it, so she insisted that I not return it and she will pay $75/month tomake up for the additional cost, and as a deposit for when I sell it to her once I upgrade again.

Win/win? :D
What a kind wife! I have a computer that’s far more than I need but it’s glorious. You should have one too if your SO approves. 👍🏼
 
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So my wife was really sad when I told her I was returning it. She wants me to have the top of the line iMac and it makes her happy to see it, so she insisted that I not return it and she will pay $75/month tomake up for the additional cost, and as a deposit for when I sell it to her once I upgrade again.

Win/win? :D
Wow, your wife sounds like a really amazing person and spouse.

I think the hardest part about it is some of those tests people have run, showing that the i7 comes out ahead in certain instances (single thread performance) while the i9 comes out ahead in others (mostly multicore performance, but only when you're using an application that can utilize 9 or 10 cores - which is apparently rare). I am generally of the "upgrade less often and buy the best that you can" mindset, but this generation makes it tough, because the i7 actually seems like the superior performer for most people.

I'd be in favor of returning your current system since it's debatable whether the i7 or i9 is truly "top of the line" (except for price and Intel's hierarchical categorization), but if it would make your wife sad, then the choice is obvious: keep it.
 
Wow, your wife sounds like a really amazing person and spouse.

I think the hardest part about it is some of those tests people have run, showing that the i7 comes out ahead in certain instances (single thread performance) while the i9 comes out ahead in others (mostly multicore performance, but only when you're using an application that can utilize 9 or 10 cores - which is apparently rare). I am generally of the "upgrade less often and buy the best that you can" mindset, but this generation makes it tough, because the i7 actually seems like the superior performer for most people.

I'd be in favor of returning your current system since it's debatable whether the i7 or i9 is truly "top of the line" (except for price and Intel's hierarchical categorization), but if it would make your wife sad, then the choice is obvious: keep it.

I agree, the 10-core i9 occupies the same die surface area as the 8-cores of the i7. It's basic physics to assume the i7 will run more economically, perhaps last longer and perform a better average clock speed, as is now proven in numerous benchmarks.

I wonder if using the i9 in conjunction with a baseline GPU would be the smart move, for things like audio production. That being said I'm heavily leaning to the i7 for audio and graphic design work.
 
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I agree, the 10-core i9 occupies the same die surface area as the 8-cores of the i7. It's basic physics to assume the i7 will run more economically, perhaps last longer and perform a better average clock speed, as is now proven in numerous benchmarks.


Both the i7 and i9 seem to have very similar thermal and power requirements under load. White is an 2020 i7 and Black is a 2020 i9 both running cinebench.
 

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I really fail to see the point of this discussion. 10 core > 8 core. Period. That is why the 10 core exists and costs more money. Now, if you think the better performance you get with 10 core is not worth $400, that a whole other discussion. Sure, if you want to save a few bucks, this might be an upgrade many people should skip. But don't rationalize that the 8 core performs better than a 10 core. It doesn't. Better stick to "I ain't paying $400 for x% better performance". That is much better argument.
 
i7 on the left?

Correct the Left (white) is someones i7 and the Right (Black) is my i9 both are running Cinebench. They both use very similar amounts of power and have similar temps, I am not sure the argument that the i7 will last longer or is more economical is correct and since they are both less than a few weeks old no one can do anything better than guess.
 
Correct the Left (white) is someones i7 and the Right (Black) is my i9 both are running Cinebench. They both use very similar amounts of power and have similar temps, I am not sure the argument that the i7 will last longer or is more economical is correct and since they are both less than a few weeks old no one can do anything better than guess.

I see your point. My assertion it will run more economically is based on the i9 being a bespoke chip designed to fit the same silicon die as previous 8-cores, and this years i7 8-core. The i7 seems to hold a higher average clock speed which is great for certain applications, such as audio production. I don’t think the i7 will necessarily last longer, it’s possible, but I do think the i9 feels like a fudge with regards to it occupying the same surface area as the i7, this could be said for numerous decisions by Apple, such as only having 2 Thunderbolt ports. Combined with the 5700XT the thermal constraints of the iMac chassis will truly be tested by some users. Still a great machine I will be owning
 
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