Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Which 512gb SSD 27" iMac? Base, mid, high?

I was undecided about what to get and went back and forth for weeks. I ordered with the education discount. I finally decided and ordered on the 19th. The headphones showed up on the 21st. The iMac shipped on the 20th and will be here on the 27th.

I do some photo editing with C1 and an older version of PS and it might get used for some video editing. I do keep a lot of safari windows and tabs open as well as programs. Getting 32gb of extra RAM from B&H.

First decision was 512 SSD or 1TB SSD. How many times have I had to move files off of my main drive because the 512 SSD in my MBP wouldn't hold them? I looked at the cost difference between a fast external drive and the upgrade to 1TB SSD ($360 diff between 512 and 1TB). Decided that down the road I'd be very happy that I chose the 1TB.

Next decision was i7. Would be nice but really not needed and I'd prefer a quieter machine, so no i7.

Last decision was base, mid or high. Price difference between the base and high was only $332. That's a no brainer. I don't know what's down the road but a faster video card with 8gb ram instead of 4gb plus the faster processor is well worth the extra $332.

Yes I spent $700 more then I "needed" to but I was going to spend at least $2200 on an iMac. For $2900 I think I got a much more "future proof" computer. Not that it's going to last longer but my use of it could change making the higher spec machine more desired. Plus computers don't go obsolete nearly as fast as they use too.
 
I went with the midrange (7600) i5 system. This seemed to make the most sense. Will probably never need the firepower of the high end. Compared with the low end i5, the main attractions of the 7600 to me were the slightly better GPU and the ability to use more than 32 GB of RAM - might be useful down the road.
 
colodane said:
I went with the midrange (7600) i5 system. This seemed to make the most sense. Will probably never need the firepower of the high end. Compared with the low end i5, the main attractions of the 7600 to me were the slightly better GPU and the ability to use more than 32 GB of RAM - might be useful down the road.
Click to expand...
The base 27" model runs 64 GB just fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Foxglove9 and robertpetry
I think base model with 256GB SSD should be fine for OP. Sure you can spend extra $200 more and get 512 SSD, but he will need external drive anyway to cover what he has on Dropbox. So unless going for 1 or 2 TB fusion, why not just go for 256GB?

I use macbook air with 128GB SSD from 2012 as main and yeah I had to delete some large movie files and move them into external drives over the years (I have 4 over the years: 500GB SSD,2TB USB HDD,500GB & 250GB firewire HDDs), but still keeping the main 30% empty. Unless one has to edit large source files directly and frequently, I don't see the problem.

Basically I move most of large movie files into 2-3 backup external drives (double or triple backing up in process) in case main or any of external drive fails and only keeping a few frequently used files in main - even those are also backed up in each external drive. The only annoying thing would be having to mount/dismount drives. None of my external drives (oldest one is from 2002) have failed.

I've also looked into things and as a non-professional video editor myself, the base model with 256GB SSD (plus RAM upgrades later) should be fine for 5-7 years at least (for me). No need to keep adding $200 this, $300 that IMO. If you have extra cash, spend it by all means, of course. But the base model with 256GB SSD is the best bang for the buck and save $$ now for a future computer down the road.
 
Last edited:
passingapple said:
I think base model with 256GB SSD should be fine for OP. Sure you can spend extra $200 more and get 512 SSD, but he will need external drive anyway to cover what he has on Dropbox. So unless going for 1 or 2 TB fusion, why not just go for 256GB?

I use macbook air with 128GB SSD from 2012 as main and yeah I had to delete some large movie files and move them into external drives over the years (I have 4 over the years: 500GB SSD,2TB USB HDD,500GB & 250GB firewire HDDs), but still keeping the main 30% empty. Unless one has to edit large source files directly and frequently, I don't see the problem.

Basically I move most of large movie files into 2-3 backup external drives (double or triple backing up in process) in case main or any of external drive fails and only keeping a few frequently used files in main - even those are also backed up in each external drive. The only annoying thing would be having to mount/dismount drives. None of my external drives (oldest one is from 2002) have failed.

I've also looked into things and as a non-professional video editor myself, the base model with 256GB SSD (plus RAM upgrades later) should be fine for 5-7 years at least (for me). No need to keep adding $200 this, $300 that IMO. If you have extra cash, spend it by all means, of course. But the base model with 256GB SSD is the best bang for the buck and save $$ now for a future computer down the road.
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1500939388][/doublepost]I am trying decide b/t the 256gb and 512gb. The main goal is to have your os and apps on the ssd and your media on an external. I could not afford a ssd to hold all my videos and pic etc. so what will the 512 go give me? I could use that extra $ to get FCP
 
Tjmckay4 said:
Which one did you end up getting Sam?
Click to expand...

I still have not pulled the trigger on an iMac yet because I have been really intrigued by the new iPad Pros (plan on picking up a 10.5" cellular in the next couple of weeks). The portability and Affinity photo / photo editing with the Apple Pencil just seem like too much fun. If the Files app is really what I am hoping for in iOS 11 than I really think it could be a great tool for me. My current iMac can still handle anything th iPad cannot for the time being.

But after a bunch of research, YouTube videos, and reading the forums I have pretty much decided the entry level 27" iMac w/512GB will be more than sufficient for my needs. Will probably wait and see the Black Friday deals near the end of the year before buying.
 
Finally ordered my iMac! Base model with 512gb to replace my 2011 27".

I ordered the 512gb rather than the 256gb as even without trying my boot drive files and user data (library, ipad backups, lightroom library, google drive synced files and dropbox working files) only left me with 78gb. As in my original post, I've got lots of photo/video files in dropbox. Having the extra space will allow me to selectively sync the content and transition the files over to an external drive.

To me the extra A$287 for the mid for a slightly better GPU wasn't worth it. I was thinking that I might do some 4k video editing in iMovie but I don't even feel the need to do it now (or the time!). Just watching the 4k files is enough. I will still need extra $ to buy an extra 16gb RAM.

Thanks everyone so much for your help/advice, especially passingapple who cemented my decision to get the base model.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: snowtrooper1966, Foxglove9, sam2428 and 1 other person
Tjmckay4 said:
Finally ordered my iMac! Base model with 512gb to replace my 2011 27".

I ordered the 512gb rather than the 256gb as even without trying my boot drive files and user data (library, ipad backups, lightroom library, google drive synced files and dropbox working files) only left me with 78gb. As in my original post, I've got lots of photo/video files in dropbox. Having the extra space will allow me to selectively sync the content and transition the files over to an external drive.

To me the extra A$287 for the mid for a slightly better GPU wasn't worth it. I was thinking that I might do some 4k video editing in iMovie but I don't even feel the need to do it now (or the time!). Just watching the 4k files is enough. I will still need extra $ to buy an extra 16gb RAM.

Thanks everyone so much for your help/advice, especially passingapple who cemented my decision to get the base model.
Click to expand...

Congrats! Report back and let us know your thoughts and how you like it for ur needs!
 
Just to add for reference, I've talked to Apple customer rep and it's about 50GB for pre-installed stuff (80GB if includes FCP and Logic pro). So it's a factor to consider when deciding the storage option.

I'd planned to get 256GB SSD for myself, but ended up paying $200 more and going with 512GB. Still quite not sure if I made the right decision for myself...but I remembered that while I've used my current MBA 2012 with 128GB SSD quite efficiently by keeping all music/movie files off the main and not having any big additional software installed, my former main (mac pro 2008) had 320GB HD. Thinking having extra 80-100GB of space could be helpful for a stationary, at the last min went with 512GB SSD.

Maybe 200GB could've been still a plenty for me; I could've deleted some pre-installed stuff like pages/numbers/GarageBand and further increased the free space. And certainly I would feel better spending less if and when a newer imac model (some even with a new design, like the rumored refresh next year) comes out subsequent years, but oh well. If I were to order tomorrow, I might order 256GB instead, that's how I am going back 'n forth on this. :)

Unless it's a professional video editor who needs that extra CPU/GPU "now" for his/her work, for example - not some vague notion of 'hey I could use it in a year or two' -, I still think it'd be a way to go to not overspend now and just get a new one in 4-8 years' time. Assuming money is a big factor in decision making for new imac purchase, no reason to try needlessly spending $600-1500 (30-70% of base model price) for some obscure future proofing. It'd be a major pain to try to sell super heavy imac in 1-3 years to recoup some $$ while going for a new one unless you are in a college town or something. it's not a iphone or even macbook. 27" imac is probably the heaviest product Apple sells today. Anyway a base model in 4 years will most likely faster and better than mid/maxed spec model now, 100% in 6+ years, no question.
 
I am in the process of having to replace my mid-2011 27" iMac i7 CPU. For me it was all about the CPU at the time, and still may be. SSD is a consideration but size not so much an issue as I run external storage for all files and such. Internal is just for the OS and apps that must reside there.

If not for an act if God ( lightning ) I would keep on rocking my mid-2011 iMac ....... hell my old 24" iMac is still chugging right along.
 
Yeah my Mac pro 2008 still turns on and works just fine, but is slow for my liking. Probably its 2GB RAM has to do a lot with it, lol. It was working fine for semi professional-level music stuff back in 2008-2010 btw, which was why I had that. Could've spent $200-500 to boost RAM a couple of years ago, but didn't.

Heck, my powerbook G4 2004 still worked, for that matter. But realistically I see no reason to keep hoarding these stuff, so just dropped the powerbook to Apple store earlier this year for recycling. Might need to the same for Mac pro at some point. I actually spent some dough on RAM upgrade for that powerbook (user upgradable) back in the days, lol. Don't think it helped that much.

I don't know if it is just me, but 6-7 years is a plenty use for a computer around $2000 (i.e. NOT decked up Mac pro) for me. They will work 'cos I take care of them, but you get forced to compromise exponentially. I am not some granny (no offense intended) and need an ancient computer mostly good for excel/word - as chrome/safari gets irritably slow if kept up with updates and one should keep up with them for security reasons for internet - just taking up a space. :)

Anyway the consensus is that base spec for 27" model is no slotch, both CPU/GPU.
 
Last edited:
Just get an external HD for your file storage and keep OS and apps on the SSD. Will be a cheaper option.

Tjmckay4 said:
Yeah, I'm beginning to think that the base model will suit my needs the best.

The top model with the 512gb is too much for me (A$3301) and the difference between the base and mid is minimal. Plus I save near on A$300 going for the base over the mid (A$2865 vs A$3152). Hell, I may even go for the 256gb in the base saving another $278 (A$2587)

512gb or 256gb, I still have the issue trying to deal with 785gb in Dropbox.
Click to expand...
 
trsblader said:
In my opinion, forget the idea of "future proofing." The biggest factor to how long your machine works for you will be how much your workflow changes, and if it doesn't change in the future you can waste a lot of money now and not get anything from it. If you suddenly go full movie producer on us, a max'd out iMac today will be thrown away in a couple years vs someone who just watches YouTube and that never changes.
Click to expand...

I completely disagree with this thinking.
I just sold my 1.12TB Fusion drive late 2012 MacMini for $650 in just about 5 minutes of listing it on eBay, and that was key factor in allowing me to upgrade the 2017 27" 4.2GHz 580 to 1TB SSD vs the 512/3TB Fusion options I was considering.
 
Last edited:
based model if you are not planning to upgrade to i7700k. If graphic is really important to u, wait for High Sierra and use eGPU. These AMD GPU are all crappy anyway. IMHO
 
  • Like
Reactions: trsblader
snowtrooper1966 said:
I completely disagree with this thinking.
I just sold my 1.12TB Fusion drive late 2012 MacMini for $650 in just about 5 minutes of listing it on eBay, and that was key factor in allowing me to upgrade the 2017 27" 4.2GHz 580 to 1TB SSD vs the 512/3TB Fusion options I was considering.
Click to expand...

I don't get how that "completely disagrees" with what I said. If anything, selling a 2012 Mac Mini with a fusion drive that quickly would agree with not future proofing. If your workflow increased such that the Mac Mini was no longer sufficient, then again that would agree with what I said. If you upgraded to a top of the line iMac for no reason other than because you had the money to waste, that too agrees with what I said lol.
 
Just buy the high-end as you can't upgrade later. If need be save a bit longer to get it. It will help the resale value too for when you get the next one.
 
trsblader said:
I don't get how that "completely disagrees" with what I said. If anything, selling a 2012 Mac Mini with a fusion drive that quickly would agree with not future proofing. If your workflow increased such that the Mac Mini was no longer sufficient, then again that would agree with what I said. If you upgraded to a top of the line iMac for no reason other than because you had the money to waste, that too agrees with what I said lol.
Click to expand...

LOL
The late 2012 Mini was the 1st Mac that the Fusion was offered with. As my 1st Mac desktop, I had no frame of reference, so did not know how it would impact my workflow.
All I knew at the time was our aging windows desktop was a boat anchor, and after watching that years Apple event, the newly announced Fusion was a "shinny" I wanted.

For the 2017 580 / 4.2GHz / 40GB RAM / 1TB SSD / 4TB Thunderbolt 3 external spinner purchase I just made, we had a specific budget, and I spent to the limit of that budget.
Likely overspeced for current needs, but anticipate having this iMac as long as we had the Mini, and specifically made decisions to future proof.....
 
For the mid and high, with CTO, the only difference would be the graphics card.

So I would go with mid and put the extra money on the ram. If you need a better graphics card down the road, you can always use eGPU.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Falcon80 and trsblader
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back