buying bto 2015 imac 27" i7 retina for 4k edit-thoughts?

R

robfilms

Veteran
i'm ready to move to my next edit machine, a 2015 apple 27" i7 retina imac/4.0/4gb graphics card.

barefeats has suggested these imacs are as fast as several versions of mac pro for many edit tasks.

http://barefeats.com/imac5k13.html

http://barefeats.com/imac5k18.html

i'm looking to use as fcpx workstation.

it also must be able to handle the occasional premiere pro project.

i am also hoping it will work well enough for basic color correction using resolve.

i'm not going to build and maintain a hackintosh.

it is just outside my skill level.

i'm not sure the 6-core/d500 trashcan is a "better" machine on a value basis.

i'm posting since many others have been faced with a similar problem.

any and all thoughts are appreciated.

be well.

rob
smalltalk.productions
 
Yeah trashcan mac would be a bad idea anyway unless you buy used given the cpu is 3 generations old... And that makes it very easy for imacs with newer cpus and gpu to compete.

There is also an interesting market for used silver mac pro 5,1 towers which maxed out with 12 3.46ghz cores scores speeds about the same as a 12core 2.7ghz trashcan which is about twice as fast as the maxed out iMac and much easier to upgrade though lacks Thunderbolt. Basically about twice the speed for half the price, though obviously the imac has a screen...
 
any thoughts on the 3tb fusion drive vs the 512 ssd?

the idea of the 512mb ssd is appealing but since all the fcpx footage will reside on external drives via thunderbolt (and probably in a raid configuration), i'm wondering if i "lose" that much speed while gaining "plenty" of storage.

be well.

rob
smalltalk.productions
 
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You might have a look at the 1TB SSD replacement drives from Other World Computing.
I installed one in my iMac to hold it over till next year as my budget was all used up on the F65.
I have been real happy with the performance.
 
Having edited both on PC in the past and now a 27" iMac (mine is the late 2012, non retina version), I highly recommend it - and am certain the retina screen only improves upon work horse editing workstation. While I started with Premiere and it ran fine - I now prefer FCPX and it runs flawlessly of course - as well as my few trips into Resolve. Add a 4tb or bigger t-bolt storage and you're off & running... (I'm having no issues with UHD/4k footage and still using Tbolt 1 drives) I went with the fusion drive internally... probably would do smaller than the 3tb one I got next time - since all projects and footage reside on externals. Boot up time doesn't allow for a sip of coffee hardly...my biggest complaint really.

For what you are talking about - "normal" editing work, I'm not sure what the trash can offers that's worth any extra $. And now I also sort of wonder how I once enjoyed tinkering with PC's and researching graphics cards, etc.
 
credit card in hand.

going with 3tb fusion.

am now looking at thunderbolt raid enclosures.

i guess i'm done with esata and fw800 cables.

what is a good source for thunderbolt cables?

wow, sweaty palms ;-)

woo woo, another mac.

ymmv

be well.

rob
smalltalk.productions
 
robfilms said:
credit card in hand.

going with 3tb fusion.

am now looking at thunderbolt raid enclosures.

i guess i'm done with esata and fw800 cables.

what is a good source for thunderbolt cables?

wow, sweaty palms ;-)

woo woo, another mac.

ymmv

be well.

rob
smalltalk.productions
Click to expand...


You may find you miss that internal SSD. I have the maxed out 5k iMac. Best decision I made was going SSD internally. Externally I used a thunderbolt 2 raid filled with Samsung 2TB Pro SSDs. Very snappy.
 
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