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Which iMac?

C

corpustle

Hello all you lovely people!

I had a quick look on the search and found some useful things but nothing relating specifically to my question which is simply... Which iMac do i buy?

I've just started doing more freelance work and am looking to get an editing system that will be able to handle a fairly steady workload but i'm not really an 'editor' so i really just want something that i can hone my FCP and AE skills and maybe build a few basic websites and such with.

I had a little internal debate about whether to get a macbook or an iMac but decided that the desktop unit would probably suit my needs more appropriately (unless you disagree).

So i'm not really looking to spend more than £1400 and have very little knowledge of what impact the different specs will actually have on my workflow so some help would be much appreciated. I almost nailed it down to between the:

Apple iMac Core i3 3.2 GHz
3.2GHz Intel Core i3 Processor – 4GB Memory DDR3 (2x2GB) – 1TB hard drive1 – 8x double-layer SuperDrive – ATI Radeon HD 5670 with 512MB Graphics – 2560-by-1440 resolution…
£1386

and

Apple iMac Core i3 3.2 GHz
3.20GHz Intel Core i3 – 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB – 1TB Serial ATA Drive – ATI Radeon HD 5670 512MB GDDR3 SDRAM – 8x double-layer SuperDrive – Apple Wireless…
£1245

So as i said,i don't know much about this. Would there be a vast improvement in the first one to the 2nd for my £141 or would i be better getting the cheaper machine and spending the money on more ram? OR should i be looking at a different machine all together? Would the cheapest iMac do the trick? Do i need the most expensive? And most finally, is there any upgrades that i simply must have?

Sorry for the rambling, long winded nature of this post but all help will be HUGELY appreciated!

Cheers,
Jonny
 
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Pardon me for asking, but I feel I have to. Why a mac?

If you've already decided you definitely want a mac for some reason, then I'll rest my case and leave it up to the mac gurus here to answer your question.

If not, I highly recommend building a computer yourself, choosing every part yourself, thereby saving a lot of money for a computer that's better, because it's way more tweakable when you need upgrades later on.

Don't let Apple's marketing fool you: There is NOTHING a mac can do that another computer can't. Except run Final Cut or Logic. For which there are alternatives.

I don't mean to be rude to people who use macs, please don't be offended. I just feel the moral obligation sometimes to point out that Apple = marketing mumbo jumbo. Sorry. :)
 
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Possibly not, I wanted a Mac because its what i've been using for about a year now as its what my business partner uses and we collaborate on most projects. I just assumed for compatibility reasons it would be easier. I may be wrong.
 
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It might be easier, but you can get a much better PC system for £400 (!) cheaper - is it really worth spending that much more just to save some possible compatibility issues? With a Mac you are paying for a brand name, which is daylight robbery.

My advice is go to any decent shop in the UK and buy a copy of Custom PC. Look at the hardware guides which they update every month and then source the parts yourself. Take those parts to a store to have them build it if you don't feel like you want to do it yourself.

I can help with spec if you decide to go this route.
 
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These people don't know what they're talking about. You simply can't get the same spec'ed PC cheaper than the iMac. The iMac's display alone would cost about £400 because it's using IPS technology. The iMac also comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse, built in wi-fi, OS X, tons of free software - iPhoto, iMovie etc.
 
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Save even more and go PC w/ Ubuntu Linux, then ALL software is free. Cinelerra, FFMPEG, Cinepaint, Synfig, Blender, Krita, Gimp & Audacity is all I need. You will have the flexibility and be able to share

I understand Im in the minority here, but w/ creativity and FOSS there is much that can be done
 
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Grand Upper said:
Correct, you can get a much better one.
Click to expand...

And by building your own pc from scratch, you get to know about what's actually in your computer. So indeed, we have no idea what we're talking about.

In all honesty though, if you're collaborating with other mac users, then it might not be a bad idea to consider getting a mac yourself, depending on whether or not you will be collaborating with these people often. That's actually a very good reason to consider it, because working on a project cross-platform is asking for trouble, if you ask me. Also, if you're a mac user and you're used to the UI / like it, then of course it's not a bad choice either.

Just trying to help, not start a mac vs windows vs linux flamefest.

EDIT: Plus, I second IndieBudget. :)
 
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Grand Upper said:
Plenty of workarounds for this if needed.
Click to expand...

Having other software options isn't really a workaround.

I really thought ITers were above the MAC USERS ARE ALL BRAINWASHED bollocks, but apparently not. Never mind, eh?

I don't see why personal preference has to take a backseat to cost… yes, a Mac may be slightly more expensive than a PC (Windows or Linux) of equivalent spec, but I'd never suggest someone buy a house with a location they hated just because it was slightly cheaper. Or would they, too, have been conned by the seller into buying something they only thought they preferred?

If the DSLR revolution has taught us anything, it's that tech specs aren't everything, and while I'd rather use a modern PC than 10-year-old Mac, spending less doesn't always mean you get a better deal.
 
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It always turns into a PC vs. Mac debate, doesn’t it?

At one time us Mac users were thought of as blind zealots. Now
there is a PC user backlash. You guys are sounding a lot like we
did in the late 90’s. No one answers the question - everyone
tell him to use a PC.

corpustle, the £141 difference between the two machines you
mention is so slight I can’t imagine you regretting saving (or
spending) the money. In fact, based only on the specs you post
here, I can’t see any difference.

Get the £1,386 one and start editing. You don't need any upgrades.
You don't need any work-arounds.

Since your business partner is currently using a Mac, what was
his suggestion between the two?
 
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chilipie said:
Having other software options isn't really a workaround.
Click to expand...

Huh? Who said anything about other software? I know many editors who use FCP on their PC's. Sure, it's not beginner stuff to setup (requires OS modding), but if you want it you can have it. Sorry you weren't aware.

chilipie said:
..spending less doesn't always mean you get a better deal
Click to expand...

On what planet does a better system for less money = not a better deal? Enlighten us.
 
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Grand Upper said:
On what planet does a better system for less money = not a better deal? Enlighten us.
Click to expand...
My entire post production is Mac. When I'm looking to upgrade
it's a better deal to spend more money to buy a Mac than to
spend less money and have to integrate a completely different
operating system into what I already have.

When I was getting started learning Final Cut was more
advantageous to me. So spending more money for a Mac was
a better deal than spending less on a PC.

And "better" is relative. You feel that the PC is a better system
and it might be. But I am unfamiliar with it so on my planet
spending more for what you feel is a lesser system is a better
deal.

We don't live on different planets - we have different needs.
 
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Grand Upper said:
Huh? Who said anything about other software? I know many editors who use FCP on their PC's. Sure, it's not beginner stuff to setup (requires OS modding), but if you want it you can have it. Sorry you weren't aware.
Click to expand...
I'm well aware of Hackintoshes and the OSx86 project etc., thank you. I'd consider myself a technically-minded person, and have built and upgraded PCs in the past, and while some of the projects I've seen have been very interesting, I think using a totally unsupported system as a production machine is foolish.

On what planet does a better system for less money = not a better deal? Enlighten us.
Click to expand...
Well, there's our point of difference - better to you means higher specification; to me it means suiting my style of working, doing what I want it to more efficiently, and being more enjoyable to use. I'm quite happy to accept that you're better off using Windows, but on what planet does spending a little more to get something that you're happier with make you worse off?
 
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"In all honesty though, if you're collaborating with other mac users, then it might not be a bad idea to consider getting a mac yourself".

That's the main reason I am going Mac on my next purchase (this is an IT guy who works on PCs all day long). My editor, as well as most of the other editors I know, all use Mac. It just simplifies things (like being able to read the hard drives that have all my backup footage on them).
 
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chilipie,

I'm giggling over here. Two posts in a row, both of us saying
almost the same thing and just about the same time. Maybe
us Mas users are still ALL BRAINWASHED bollocks.

But it's pretty clear that PC users are catching up. It seems
to really bother PC users that there are those out there who
prefer a different machine.
 
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It's not relative at all, though. It's very black and white; some components are better than others. I don't understand how using more expensive, inferior hardware can be justified because it 'enhances workflow' or 'makes you happier'.

A custom built PC will perform better than a new iMac at a fraction of the cost. Those are facts. Just because you are more comfortable with something doesn't mean it's better. You just have to adapt, imo.

I do accept the point that if you don't want the hassle of workarounds or you work with other people using Macs, then I'd go for that option because in this industry, time seems to be very important. That is worth paying extra for.

Also, I apologize for my elitest tone. I've not had the best of days! xx
 
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