New Mac choices...help!

EvenBowl075 · 2 Dec 2011 at 20:23

Hi folks

Looking for some advice on a new Mac. I've been really distracted by a severe case of the "oooo shiny" so I'm looking for some real world advice/help!

I am looking for a system that I can use for photo editing (Photoshop, Lightroom working with RAW files), some video editing (previously been using Premiere Pro CS5) and bits of web design. Out of all of it I do photo work the most, video editing is small side projects (time lapse films, promotional videos for local charities, short films of less than 10 mins).

I was previously using a PC but it wasn't up to the job. I have been using Macs for the last few years but ended up buying a PC as I needed something to edit on in a hurry and on the cheap, turned out to be quite a mistake!

I am very tempted by the 27" iMac 3.4GHz i7 but its a lot of money for a system and I'm wondering if it will be severe overkill. I was also tempted by the Mac Mini 2.0 GHz i7 but read in a couple of places that its lacking a bit in power. Will the lower end iMacs carry enough grunt to be able to do the work I need? A Mac Pro would be really nice but thats even more money and I would have to go second hand, and it probably is serious overkill.

Anyone here have any experience of these systems in regards to photo and video work? I feel like I'm kinda running around in circles and have blown my own mind with too much reading!

Thanks

EvenBowl075 · 4 Dec 2011 at 17:37

Righty ho, iMac it is.

Interesting advice on the SSD. Hadn't really thought about them much as I have just installed one in a mates PC and its pretty terrible to be honest, made no difference whatsoever.

Its something I will consider for the Mac though but I might go about installing one myself once the warranty has run out or something as they seem hellish expensive bought direct from Apple.

Thanks folks

EvenBowl075 · 5 Dec 2011 at 22:15

How much difference would an SSD make to the performance of the i7 mini? Or is it the dedicated graphics that make the difference there?

Popped into the Apple shop in Newcastle today for a look at the 27" iMacs, they were lovely. Im currently using a 24" monitor so the iMac doesn't seem too much bigger, but I will be keeping the 24 so might struggle for desk space with the two. But the smaller iMacs did seem noticably smaller..hmmm

EvenBowl075 · 13 Dec 2011 at 11:56

Thanks for the info folks

I've come into some money over the last few days and as a result I am reconsidering my options.

At the moment its down to the iMac i7 3.4GHz 27" or the 8 core Mac Pro. I have two new video projects coming up involving a lot of editing in HD which is swaying me towards the Mac Pro, coupled with the instant expandability (I have the HDD from my old system which I need to get all my work off). But its a lot more expensive and I would need a monitor (although the glossy iMac screen is not a favorite of mine).

How do the Mac Pros perform with video editing? My old PC (AMD 4 core, 12GB RAM) really struggled even with a short timelapse video using small 5MP files. If it can beat that then I'll be happy!

EvenBowl075 · 13 Dec 2011 at 12:35

Ah, hadn't spotted that. They don't seem too enthusiastic over the iMacs either.

Starting to think going back to a PC is the only option as I need a new editing system before Christmas

Bugger