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A Sneaky Feeling…
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[Daniel McClintock] “In essence, the results indicated that the new iMac is faster than the current low-end MacPro.”
Not entirely true. It was faster on one test and not on the multicore (a really important thing). Also, a reasonably configured 5K iMac isn’t cheap. The $2500 model isn’t going to cut it. I’d have to look again, but I saw it as $4,500 once it’s equipped. That’s more than a base MacPro, but you still need a monitor for the MacPro.
Don’t underestimate the multicore side of things…
Mitch Ives
Insight Productions Corp.“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” – Winston Churchill
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[Walter Soyka] “Should I assume from your statement you’d spec only the 4-core new Mac Pro with dual D700s? Save money with no performance downside?”
I’ve in fact tested it with FCP and Motion, yes. The difference—also given a healthy amount of RAM for each machine—in the overall performance is in fact nominal between all three models. Single digit percentage at best, but also non-scientific. Would I spec the lowest one for general use? No, since that’s not all I do either.
If it were a dedicated FCP suite, heck yeah.
[Mitch Ives] “I’d have to look again, but I saw it as $4,500 once it’s equipped.”
No idea what you’re putting together there, but in my book it’s more like $2,749.00 for max GPU, plus less than $200 for a total of 24GB of RAM. The RAM obviously NOT from Apple.
– RK
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Deutsch? Hier gibt es ein umfassendes FCP X Training für dich! -
[Robin S. Kurz] “I’ve in fact tested it with FCP and Motion, yes. The difference—also given a healthy amount of RAM for each machine—in the overall performance is in fact nominal between all three models. Single digit percentage at best, but also non-scientific. Would I spec the lowest one for general use? No, since that’s not all I do either. If it were a dedicated FCP suite, heck yeah.”
I would love to hear more about your tests. Every anecdote seems to yield a different conclusion, so I think understanding the context is very important. I believe your results, but I’d like to understand the boundaries.
Does a “dedicated FCP suite” ever use After Effects? RED media? Transcode media? Output multiple encodes for differing deliverable formats?
Once you toss out tasks like that, is a nMP still the best choice, or would an iMac do the job just as well for less money still?
Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive | RenderBreak [blog] | Profile [LinkedIn] -
I really can’t see NOT getting an i7. Double the virtual cores via hyperthreading if I remember correctly. And I’m not sure if the i5 does accelerated h264 compression or not.
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[Robin S. Kurz] “I’ve in fact tested it with FCP and Motion, yes. The difference—also given a healthy amount of RAM for each machine—in the overall performance is in fact nominal between all three models. Single digit percentage at best, but also non-scientific. Would I spec the lowest one for general use? No, since that’s not all I do either. “
I’d have to call BS on this. There were a boatload of tests done on the nMP when it came out and there were noticeable differences in speed between the 4, 6 and 8 core models. The 12 was a case of diminishing returns. We tested the 4 and the 8, and went with the 8 as there IS a major difference on many of the things we do. If what you say no one would buy anything but a stripped 4 core.
BTW, put in a boatload of ram (like 64GB)… that’s really made Motion a dream and it allows FCP X to crank.
[Robin S. Kurz] “[Mitch Ives] “I’d have to look again, but I saw it as $4,500 once it’s equipped.”
No idea what you’re putting together there, but in my book it’s more like $2,749.00 for max GPU, plus less than $200 for a total of 24GB of RAM. The RAM obviously NOT from Apple.”
Go on their website and set the machine up like you’re serious about this business. Get the faster processor, get the 32GB of ram, dump the gimmicky fusion drive and get a 1TB SSD (huge speed difference), get the 295 graphics card with double the ram… you’re at $4,399.
I love it when people compare stripped models to higher end nMP’s… not much point.
Mitch Ives
Insight Productions Corp.“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” – Winston Churchill
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Don’t forget to add the cost of a 27″ 5k display to the nMP price you’re comparing the iMac to.
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[Bret Williams] “Don’t forget to add the cost of a 27″ 5k display to the nMP price you’re comparing the iMac to.”
I believe my original post said that…
The iMac is cheaper… no argument there. The question that’s being bantered is how much cheaper… and is it really comparable to the nMP?
The answer is no… not on the intensive stuff… but as Walter pointed out, if Apple had made the nMP a dual processor then the answer could have been “hell no”…
Mitch Ives
Insight Productions Corp.“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” – Winston Churchill
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