Which 27'' iMac for my needs?

[gulfbeach47]

<p>Apple is replacing my 24' iMac with a new 27'' I'm not computer savvy and have not kept up with the changes to the iMac since I got my 24 inch in 2009.<br />I don't do gaming. Strictly photo editing and normal computer needs. In the future I may watch a movie online or hook up to a hd flat-screen (if possible) down the road. Currently using CS5. I also have Lightroom 2 but have not installed it yet.<br /><br />They are offering me the:<br /> <strong>27-inch: 3.1GHz</strong><br /><strong> 3.1GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5</strong><br /><strong> 2560 x 1440 resolution</strong><br /><strong> 4GB (two 2GB) memory</strong><br /><strong> 1TB Serial ATA Drive </strong><br /><strong> AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 1GB</strong><br /> <br /><strong>The Apple adviser told me that he thought this would be plenty for my needs.</strong> He said he that he has the same machine and he did upgrade from <strong>1TB Serial ATA Drive to 2TB Serial ATA Drive [Add $150.00] </strong><br /><br />He also mentioned adding memory, at least in the future. Would additional memory make much difference at this time? I think I currently have 2.47 GB of memory left in the 24'' iMac.<br /><strong>Here is a link with upgrade options-</strong> http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC814LL/A<br /><br />I remember reading about Snow leopard issues with CS5. Has that been taken care of?<br />Thanks in advance for your help.<br /><br /></p>

[cjk]

<p>Dear John, <br>

Highest priority for photo editing is RAM. I would go with a minimum of 8GB, 16GB if you can afford it. I think this is really key. <br>

2nd priority would be CPU: An Intel Quad-Core i7 would also speed up operations.<br>

3rd priority would be Hard Drive: Hard drive up to 2TB. Unless your current HD is bursting at the seams, you can always upgrade the HD later on to a 2TB or add an external one.<br>

I have no issues with CS 5 on Snow Leopard nor on Lion. </p>

[charles_wood]

<p>Between my wife and I, we own three Macs and three PCs that we use in our business (landscape, nature, travel photography). RAM/memory is the key and the advice to go to 8 or 16 gigs is good. The i5 is probably adequate. You didn't indicate why Apple is replacing your 24" iMac but I assume that perhaps it was a warranty issue. If I had a choice rather than spend the money for the i7 processor, I would go with the i5 and upgrade the hard drive to a solid state drive (SSD) of at least 120 gigs for the OS and programs. I would add an external firewire or Thunderbolt hard drive.</p>

<p>CS5 is limited to 32 bit operation on a Mac. I have been using the new CS6 beta in the 64 bit mode and I let it operate recognizing 10 gigs of RAM. Combined with the SSD and 12 gigs of RAM on one of my Mac Pros, CS6 simply flies! Stitching operations that took 4-5 minutes before are completed in a 1/3 to half that time. </p>

<p>You will need Snow Leopard to use CS6. Once you try CS6 you will not want to go back to CS5.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

[michael mccann]

<p>"CS5 is limited to 32 bit operation on a Mac." This is most certainly not true.<br>

http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/optimize-performance-photoshop-cs4-cs5.html</p>

[patricklavoie]

<p>nope, not true. The main point about CS5 on Mac was exactly that; 64bit. Lightroom 3 also run 64bit.</p>

<p>1_perfect imac you are getting with those setting right now, the only thing i would add more ram for a total of 8gig MINIMUM. All the rest is more than perfect, since from what i can read you do this for fun not professionaly like me.. it is a already too much of a machine just for fun.. so the setup you have is perfectly OK.</p>

<p>I have CS5 and CS6 for more than a month (pre release beta) and i dont see anything major other than bigger brush size, and some cosmetic change.. what use to take me 20sec, still take me 20sec ; )</p>

<p>I have a 2010 Imac 27 i7 with 16gig of ram running Lion 10.7.3</p>

<p> </p>

[charles_wood]

<p>I stand corrected, sorry for the misinformation. I believe it was CS4 that was released in 64 bit version for PCs and remained 32 bit for a Mac.</p>

[matt_g3]

<p>John,<br>

I think the computer that Apple is offering will be great! The thing to remember is that it will likely be faster than what your are replacing. So if your old 24" was powerful enough for the job, then the new 27" will surely suffice (likely with leaps and bounds of improvements).<br>

<br /> When the apple employee suggested more "memory", he wasn't talking about storage space. He was talking about RAM. In a nutshell, RAM is what helps the computer accomplish tasks. In theory, more RAM means applications may run faster while doing things. This is especially true if you are a heavy Photoshop user. The nice thing about RAM is it can always be added later, without affecting any of the data on your computer. So if it doesn't feel right to take the plunge on more RAM now, you can easily add it later (it's also <em>really</em> easy to install yourself). Keep in mind Apple will charge you a lot for RAM. There are other resources where it can be purchased for MUCH less.<br>

<br /> Regarding the Hard Drive, this is all about storage. When you mention you have 2.47 GB of "memory" left, I am assuming you mean you only have 2.47 GB of storage capacity left on your current 24" iMac. This is NOT very much space. Here's what I would do, see how big the hard drive was in your old iMac and compare it to what comes standard in the new 27". Again, this will probably be a pretty big difference because computer storage has been getting larger over the past 4-5 years. If you are thinking of upgrading to a larger Hard Drive (like the 2TB suggested by the Apple employee), <em>do it now</em>. Do NOT wait until later. I'm not saying it's not possible, it is just a hassle (as a matter of fact Apple won't even do this for you). Why? Because in order to upgrade your hard drive later, it is necessary to take the computer apart, format the new drive and transfer all your data to the new drive (all while hoping nothing gets lost). If you're not computer savvy, don't count on upgrading hard drive later unless you want to pay someone for the labor.<br>

<br /> Summary:<br /> The new iMac will be awesome! If you're going to upgrade the hard drive, do it now. RAM is good, but can always be added later if you think you need a "speed boost". <br>

Oh yeah, and have fun!</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>CS5 Bridge is not 64 bit so when opening Raw and jpegs from this host app into ACR (a 64 bit plug-in) processing is in 32 bit after which I believe Photoshop operates in 64 bit but I may be wrong on that part.</p>

<p>If you open Raw and jpegs directly through Photoshop bypassing Bridge then it's all 64 bit processing which really means that Photoshop accesses more Ram than it used to before writing to hard drive scratch space. The only advantage of 64 bit is for processing lots of images at once much faster through Ram instead of offsetting processes writing to scratch space.</p>

<p>This Luminous Landscape thread I started...<br /> http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=63663.0<br /> finally cleared this up at least for me with this very helpful specific in <em><strong>Reply #3</strong> </em>from Jeff Schewe...</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>No, you misunderstand...you can still open Camera Raw hosted by Photoshop from within Bridge. Command O (assuming you haven't changed the prefs in Bridge) will open the image "hosted" by Photoshop not Bridge. If you do a Command R, then it'll open the image in Camera Raw hosted by Bridge...that way you can open and edit images from Bridge without having Photoshop even running. But when hosted by Bridge, it'll be the 32-bit binaries of ACR.<br /><br />Remember, both Bridge and Photoshop can host ACR...but that doesn't mean you CAN'T open images from Bridge into Photoshop. Check he ACR dlog, if "Done" is the highlighted button then it's being hosted by Bridge. If "Open" is the highlighted button then it's being hosted by Photoshop.</p>

</blockquote>

[gulfbeach47]

<p>Hi gang, Thanks for the feedback...But you were all supposed to say the same thing so it would be easier for me to decide (joke joke).<br>

<strong>Charles-</strong> I had a few issues with the 24'' since I first purchased it. It was my first Mac/Apple product, so I was not sure how fast it should of performed but it was kind of slow. A bit faster then the old Dell, but I was expecting more of a big difference. This past November I needed LCD replacement and some other small problems. A couple of weeks ago I needed LCD replaced again. When I got home it worked about 15 minutes, before the monitor got real hazy. I had the Apple patch but while it was being repaired, the technician also ran test and detected a trojan. He claims he removed it.<br>

I called Apple and they were super. We discussed the history of my unit and the tech instructed me to do a few test. After we finished he decided to offer me a swap out. I heard this is rare, but since I had a problem machine I guess it was the best solution. It certainly was for me:)</p>

<p><strong>Patrick & Matt-</strong> Earlier I said, I remember reading about Snow leopard issues with CS5. Has that been taken care of? I meant Lion issues with CS5. Have issues (if there were any) been resolved?<br>

If I install more memory from another supplier will I just have to install it and its ready to go, or will I need to make adjustments? How would this affect the apple warranty?<br>

I don't do professionally like some of you might do everyday. My business is small. Mainly family beach portraits, some pix for the magazines/newspapers now and then, plus my photo art. I want to make sure the photoshop operates smoothly and the Lightroom 2 (once I ever install it).<br>

Matt, yes I get a bit confused with memory & hard drive. I will go ahead and upgrade to 2TB Serial ATA Drive.</p>

<p>How do you folks like the apple mouse vs track pad for photo editing or do you use another brand mouse? I seem to have more control with the wired mouse over the magic mouse but have had wired mouse replaced 3 times. The ball or pointer eventually stops working. The magic mouse will zoom off the page when photo editing and other uses, but that could be user error. Have not tried the trackpad but have read a few comments that it was not user friendly for photo work.</p>

<p><strong>Ok, for now I am thinking of upgrading the Hard Drive to 2TB and upgrading to 8GB of non-Apple memory/RAM later if it saves me some money and will not cause issues with warranty or operation. I am terrible at making computer shopping decisions. Again, thanks for the help<br /></strong><br>

Just in case, here are the options again, so you don't have to look back at first post.- http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC814LL/A</p>

[patricklavoie]

<p><strong> I meant Lion issues with CS5. Have issues (if there were any) been resolved?</strong><br>

no issue for me, in fact i never had a issue with any system running any Photoshop version...</p>

<p><strong>If I install more memory from another supplier will I just have to install it and its ready to go, or will I need to make adjustments? How would this affect the apple warranty?</strong></p>

<p>shut down the mac, open the cover, pop the new ram, close the cover and restart. easy as 1-2-3</p>

<p><strong>I want to make sure the photoshop operates smoothly</strong></p>

<p>even withotu any other add ram, HD or else, your mac will run smooth and photoshop also for what you do im 300% sure.</p>

<p><strong> I want to make sure the photoshop operates smoothly and the Lightroom 2 (once I ever install it).</strong></p>

<p>not possible. you will need to upgrade to Lightroom 4.. Lr 2 wont run under Lion, or i meant Lion wont let a 32bit software run .. or something similar as for the explanation ; )</p>

<p><strong>How do you folks like the apple mouse vs track pad for photo editing</strong></p>

<p>neither.i use a wacom intuos and bamboo tablet since around 12 year or so.. wont ever go back to anything else. </p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<blockquote>

<p>I don't do professionally like some of you might do everyday. My business is small. Mainly family beach portraits, some pix for the magazines/newspapers now and then, plus my photo art. I want to make sure the photoshop operates smoothly and the Lightroom 2 (once I ever install it).</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Then its a simple solution. Buy what you want but load up on as much Ram as you can afford. It's all good with that level of work load. CS5 works just fine in Snow Leopard and quite stable and fast.</p>

<p>I have it installed on my 2010 Mac Mini but still use CS3 because there's a bit of a learning curve with all the new and improved CS5 features. I've been so used to the way things operate in CS3 but I'll eventually get around to using CS5 exclusively.</p>

[JRCrowe]

<p>I always recommend buying as much as you can afford. The more powerful the computer the longer it will last you. Your old computer will have to be recycled as will the new one. The longer you can hold on to it the fewer resources you will be using. An old saying in woodworking is when you build something make sure it will last at least as long as the tree took to grow.</p>

[gulfbeach47]

<p>Sorry for my delayed reply. My water heater went out (I'm on A roll) and I had to go into to town. Just got back on the computer to check in with you guys. I am worn out.<br>

<strong>Patrick-</strong> Thanks for the detailed answer. Of course you don't remember, but you and some other members were very helpful back when I was shopping for the iMac 24'' three years ago. I was even more clueless then:)<br>

<strong>John Crowe-</strong> When I bought the 24'' it was as much as I could afford. I figured I would have it for a few years and that is what I got, a few (3) years. I was hoping it would last me more then 3 years. For my purposes it does not sound like I need all that power, plus I started thinking about how there will probably be big changes in another 3 years or so and these machines will feel outdated. I think I will go with the upgrades mentioned earlier.<br>

Darn, I never got to use the Lightroom 2 on this iMac. </p>

[johne37179]

<p>I have 16 GB of RAM and every now and then feel that it is not enough when working with very large images. Things that challenge it are complex filters in CS5 and now CS6 and when stitching large (30 plus images) panoramas.</p>

[matt_g3]

<p>John -<br /><br /><strong>If I install more memory from another supplier will I just have to install it and its ready to go, or will I need to make adjustments? How would this affect the apple warranty?</strong><br>

<strong><br /></strong>As previously mentioned, it is really easy. Three screws, pop in the RAM, put the screws back and you're good to go. You don't even need a tiny screwdriver, it's a pretty normal phillips head. Heck, Apple even supplies instructions on how to do this (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1423#1). <br /><br />Adding 3rd party RAM (e.g. Crucial) doesn't really affect your warranty, it certainly won't void it. If you ever have an issue with the computer, Apple may ask you to remove the RAM if they feel it is causing an issue. Otherwise they don't really care.<br /><br /><strong>How do you folks like the apple mouse vs track pad for photo editing or do you use another brand mouse? <br /><br /></strong>This is going to be personal preference. A lot of Photoshop users like tablets, but it all depends on how you work. Even if you have a tablet, it's still recommended to have a mouse for "normal computing." I have both the Apple magic mouse and Apple magic trackpad. It's nice to be able to switch around as needed and sometimes this helps when spending hours in front of the computer. I seem to have more "control" with my mouse, but love the trackpad for "normal computing." If you decide to keep the wired mouse, make sure to clean it on a regular basis. The little ball doesn't break, they just get super clogged with stuff. Once every so often when you notice it's not scrolling as usual just clean it: unplug the mouse, put some rubbing alcohol on a lint free pad (or paper towel in worst case scenario) and lay it on a table, turn the mouse over and rub the ball on the alcohol (up, down, left right, circles, etc). Regular cleaning keeps these mice working for years.<br /><br />You'll always have your old trusty wired one if you don't like what you get with the new computer. Try both in the store and go with what you like most.<br /><br />Yay computers!<br />- Matt</p>

[Uhooru]

<p>It is more than adequate except as others have said, more ram helps. You can get ram from OWC, Corsair or a couple of other reputable dealers for much less than Apples ram. I would go with 16 GB and you won't' look back for quite a while. 8GB would be adequate to start with and may do the trick.</p>

[Uhooru]

<p>Would add, that you will love this over your 24" that's a great deal for you.</p>

[EricM]

<p>Are you able to get them to wait until after Ivy Bridge release, the next generation in Intel cpu's that are due soon?</p>