Just starting out... Best iMac Specs?

Wow...Isn't is funny how the Mac v's PC debate can send a thread through the stratosphere ! Use what you are comfortable with and works in your office/company. In my company we have both but personally I prefer the sexiness of the apple product and I am comfortable with Mac OS (Probably because I have been using apple for nearly 20 years)

@LJN1650 Back to your question....any iMac will get you started. If possible buy with SSD (which comes standard in most these days) and put as much extra ram as you can afford as apps are getting more memory hungry everyday. If you are going to be using this with large files get your self and external Thunderbolt or Firewire drive for storing your files and keep the internal drive as free as possible.
 
Wow...Isn't is funny how the Mac v's PC debate can send a thread through the stratosphere ! Use what you are comfortable with and works in your office/company. In my company we have both but personally I prefer the sexiness of the apple product and I am comfortable with Mac OS (Probably because I have been using apple for nearly 20 years)

@LJN1650 Back to your question....any iMac will get you started. If possible buy with SSD (which comes standard in most these days) and put as much extra ram as you can afford as apps are getting more memory hungry everyday. If you are going to be using this with large files get your self and external Thunderbolt or Firewire drive for storing your files and keep the internal drive as free as possible.

My earlier point exactly.

If there isn't already one, there should really be a Mac v PC thread to which all such discussions can be kept in, so not to deter or distract from the original question at hand. If not we will always be revisiting the same topic, having the same discussions at the slightest opportunity. We can then link and refer people to the Mac v PC thread for such open debates if people wish.

Who needs Batman v Superman eh? lol.
 
Wow...Isn't is funny how the Mac v's PC debate can send a thread through the stratosphere !


I find it's often a case of people defending their purchases, rather than defending a particular system. If you've paid £2000+ for a machine, chances are you'll defend that purchase (not the actual machine). On the other hand if you've spent £600 on parts to build your own PC that you've meticulously researched and optimised, you'll defend that decision instead.

It's exactly the same with consoles – Xbox One vs PS4? Whichever you bought (PS4) is probably the best one, right? Especially since nowadays consoles are very similar in terms of specs.

Hell, kids used to argue at school for whichever consoles their parents had bought them. SNES vs Megadrive? Nintendo vs Sega? They probably picked whichever they liked the aesthetic of, or whichever their friends had/were getting. But because they had a particular console, they argued for that one.

Anyway, let's solve it once and for all. Which is better – Mac or PC? There's only one way to find out…

39126171.jpg
 
I find it's often a case of people defending their purchases, rather than defending a particular system. If you've paid £2000+ for a machine, chances are you'll defend that purchase (not the actual machine). On the other hand if you've spent £600 on parts to build your own PC that you've meticulously researched and optimised, you'll defend that decision instead.

It's exactly the same with consoles – Xbox One vs PS4? Whichever you bought (PS4) is probably the best one, right? Especially since nowadays consoles are very similar in terms of specs.

Hell, kids used to argue at school for whichever consoles their parents had bought them. SNES vs Megadrive? Nintendo vs Sega? They probably picked whichever they liked the aesthetic of, or whichever their friends had/were getting. But because they had a particular console, they argued for that one.

Anyway, let's solve it once and for all. Which is better – Mac or PC? There's only one way to find out…

View attachment 4409
As a mac user of 6 years, I think it comes down to what you personally like. The only reason I went for mac was just because I fancied a change and they look tidy. I do sometimes wish I got a nice PC, because you can get more for your money and I seem to find you can get much more available software for the PC which you cant for apple. I do also find that apple suck you in to buying their products.
 
Once again there is a healthy debate going on here - there's no snide remarks or back biting.

There is no discussion going through the stratosphere.

I recommend computers to people on a daily basis. Usually students on a low income who cannot afford a Mac - yet they are willing to spend every last penny on a Mac - as it's perceived as the 'MUST HAVE' for graphic design.

There's healthy organised well-balanced advice being given here.

First question I always ask when someone says "What's the best Mac?" is usually - "Do you really need a Mac?"

There are plenty of legitimate reasons for needing a Mac. I'm not against recommending Macs. But I'd rather get to the bottom of the user needs.

What they usually really need is a computer - and they don't know which computer.
 
I find it's often a case of people defending their purchases, rather than defending a particular system. If you've paid £2000+ for a machine, chances are you'll defend that purchase (not the actual machine). On the other hand if you've spent £600 on parts to build your own PC that you've meticulously researched and optimised, you'll defend that decision instead.

It's exactly the same with consoles – Xbox One vs PS4? Whichever you bought (PS4) is probably the best one, right? Especially since nowadays consoles are very similar in terms of specs.

Hell, kids used to argue at school for whichever consoles their parents had bought them. SNES vs Megadrive? Nintendo vs Sega? They probably picked whichever they liked the aesthetic of, or whichever their friends had/were getting. But because they had a particular console, they argued for that one.

View attachment 4409

Hhmmm good point but what about people who have both? What about those over privileged kids that had both a SNES and a Megadrive or have both an Xbox One and a PS4?

They still often end up preferring one over the other. Again, it simply comes down to personal preference, especially when you are an experienced user of both Mac and PC.
 
Hhmmm good point but what about people who have both? What about those over privileged kids that had both a SNES and a Megadrive or have both an Xbox One and a PS4?

They still often end up preferring one over the other. Again, it simply comes down to personal preference, especially when you are an experienced user of both Mac and PC.

Yeah, exactly. I know a guy who owns both an Xbox One and PS4 and he says the Xbox is just gathering dust in the corner. He doesn't know why he prefers the PS4, he just does. A combination of aesthetic, the UI, controller feel perhaps.

Peer influence plays a part in a gamer's choice of console too. Generally you opt for whichever one your friends have so you can play together. People buy Apple products because they see others using them or their peers use them, and associate that with quality and desirability.

Given the choice I'd probably still pick a Mac over a PC simply because I prefer the way the OS looks and feels and I like having a self-contained unit for saving space. If I was on a budget then I'd probably opt for a PC since the final outcomes are identical and only my workflow is different. The issue with PCs is it tends to be quite confusing to an outsider who isn't spec-literate. You can have 3 PCs with the same specs and performance built from a myriad of part combinations.

Macs are uniform and you know that an iMac from Mid 2014 will be exactly the same as another Mid 2014 iMac in terms of hardware (with the exception of RAM upgrades perhaps). I'm not hardware-savvy though, like I suspect much of Apple's (consumer) client base, and I like knowing I can buy a machine that will work right out of the box following a simple on-boarding procedure. Yes, it's cheaper to build a PC, but that requires time and knowledge I don't have, so in essence I suppose I'm paying for convenience.

Remember Apple make consumer products, and consumers like peace of mind.
 
Therein lies half the battle. Most people don't know computers and if a part is confusing.

Is an i5 520m better than a i5 5200u

One would presume the 5200 is better because it has more numbers - it has to be more up to date - right?

I do agree that Apple make computers that are sturdy and reliable, you basically know what you're getting. The more money you spend the better your product.

But I oft browse the shelves of PC World and a computer that's crap is priced at £500 and a computer that's better is priced at £350.

Why? Probably because it's the last few in stock and they dropped the price. But the consumer goes for the £500 thinking it has to be the better one due to price.

However, they get home and it works fine for a few weeks then starts to slow down.

They then go out and spend £1500 on a Mac and proclaim it's the best thing ever! But had they spent that money plus the other £500 on a top of the range PC they wouldn't have this problem.

Apple really do rely on their consumer base being clueless - and they price their low range computers at high prices, and their high range computers at even higher prices.

Therefore the consumer knows that the high priced are better.

But with a PC and off the shelf computers - Dell vs Acer vs HP vs Lenovo vs Samsung - all priced differently, some priced lower as selling off stock etc. It's really difficult for the average joe to pick a PC that will work out of the box.

That's why when someone says I need a 'PC' or I need a 'Mac' - my first instinct is to ask 'What's your budget? and What are you doing?'

As said earlier most people want a computer.

Yes personal taste can come into it - and if someone was adamant they wanted a Mac I wouldn't talk them out of it.

But if someone is open to the idea of spending their money on a better computer for their needs - then I"ll recommend away.

For example this the most recent query I answered for a client

Mac
http://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnl...n_jtt_v_from_product=un_product_1#page_loaded

Pc for same price
http://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/7559-8045-Dell-Inspiron-15-7000_1856981.html

They wanted to play games (video card important) as well as work.


I come across these requests almost daily. For the last 10 years I've recommended computers, Mac and PCs, and I have never had a single person complain about what I choose for them based on their budget and their needs.
 
I'd like to give the average consumer far more credit than that. They may not know how to build a PC from scratch like I do, but I do think they are intelligent enough not to solely make a decision based on 'What costs more' and in turn think that automatically makes it better. Most people know the basics, and even those that may not understand certain specifications can work out things for themselves, if not do a quick Google search. Yes, some people just have cash to burn and buy things blindly, but the average consumer usually wants to get the best for their buck.

When it comes to video games, anyone would be foolish not to go for a PC. Even if it's just for the simple fact of the popular mass of games available to PC as opposed to Mac.

But if someone makes a thread asking for opinions on the best iMac specs, they have probably made the decision to go for a Mac and not a PC.

People like what they prefer or what they are used to at the end of the day. You can buy the best PC ever and save x-amount compared to a Mac, but that PC will no longer be the best in a years time, especially with everyday regular use. And yes, the same applies for the Mac, but they seem to have more longevity compared to a PC. It's also nice not having to worry about antivirus, software, malware software and whatnot.
 
I'd like to give the average consumer far more credit than that. They may not know how to build a PC from scratch like I do, but I do think they are intelligent enough not to solely make a decision based on 'What costs more' and in turn think that automatically makes it better. Most people know the basics, and even those that may not understand certain specifications can work out things for themselves, if not do a quick Google search. Yes, some people just have cash to burn and buy things blindly, but the average consumer usually wants to get the best for their buck.
I know plenty of people who have no idea about specs on a pc and go purely on things like 'its in fashion' and price. Also it doesn't help when most windows users buy from PCWorld... they sell bulk purchase rather than supplying decent pc's like specialists do. There are plenty of online pc specialists that make balanced spec systems for all fields but people still go to PCWorld which is half the problem, especially if they accept the 'half price' Norton offer (NEVER EVER DO THIS).

But if someone makes a thread asking for opinions on the best iMac specs, they have probably made the decision to go for a Mac and not a PC.
not necessarily the best option though, new 'designers' may 'default to macs' for graphic design due to the old viewpoint (old teachers/US based blogs which think apple are god) that macs were the best option for design, this isn't the case anymore, and you could also argue the 'designers are all hipsters who use apple' and windows users are more 'geeks' portrayed in tv/film media doesn't help remove that stereotype either. There is literally nothing on a mac that can't be done on windows and vice versa, although I will say engineering software like inventor and solidworks is rather limited for macs and most major software is cross compatible.
When the first 4k (sorry I will not use the term retina for a hidpi pc display) iMac came out I actually would have said get that over a similar priced windows machine (except for gaming) because it was actually better value, now though, especially at the lower end the pc is considerably better value. Considering there is now software (Apple made a huge show of this ages ago in OS-X when they added support) that can make use of the gpu (cuda/opencl)as well as the cpu to process data, like adobe, limiting yourself to just the built in intel gpu on an imac isn't always the best approach because you can often fit in a more powerful gpu in on windows which would speed certain things up.

People like what they prefer or what they are used to at the end of the day. You can buy the best PC ever and save x-amount compared to a Mac, but that PC will no longer be the best in a years time, especially with everyday regular use. And yes, the same applies for the Mac, but they seem to have more longevity compared to a PC. It's also nice not having to worry about antivirus, software, malware software and whatnot.
I'm not sure I agree with that either, I can get on a windows machine from 10 years ago and install windows 7/8 and maybe even windows 10 and run the latest version of software albeit in many cases slowly (software hasn't half got bloated in the last 10 years), if I go back that far on apple you've still got G5's being sold. Then there's the arbitrary cut of points on the OS for certain models which in most cases can still run the newest version if apple wrote 'drivers' to make them work which in some cases causes issues with software being no longer available etc. Now I'm not saying windows is perfect in this area either but because of the consistent architecture that has been on pc's there's arguably less issues.

And the old virus/malware argument, seriously I haven't had a virus or malware for ages, even my mum is the same after one simple instruction (if you don't know where it comes from don't open it), not saying there aren't issues out there but MS have made life a lot harder for 'bad things' to get onto your system, usually most issues are now down to things like browsers and plugins (java/flash/pdf) which had code which allowed a hacker in if they really wanted to, a bit like that code that could crash/reboot apple iOS if sent via a text. There's also iirc ransomware out there for mac os-x now.

Honestly the most annoying thing I've had with windows in the last 5 years is finding up to date drivers on some of my older hardware because the manufacturer decided not update their code to allow it to run on windows 10 without a little massaging... that's not MS fault, that's the company trying to sell more stuff.
 
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