Purchasing an iMac

[Gangster]

I want to purchase an iMac. I'm aware of the conference on 12th September. First I am going to buy one to test out the mac OS (base model from store).

From a Intel 3570K (~6 years old) would the base model iMac be an upgrade at all? They're both quad core. I believe the base cpu for the iMac of 3.4ghz is the i5-7500? I'm trying to compare numbers.

Also, do I need an anti-virus on the iMac?

 

[LiE]

What will you be using it for? The CPU will be faster on the iMac, but depending on what you do on your machine you may not feel any difference.

You won't need an anti virus, unless you download from dodgy websites.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#iMac

Do not buy, should be updated by the end of the year. Should be getting 6 core CPU's.

 

[Gangster]

What will you be using it for? The CPU will be faster on the iMac, but depending on what you do on your machine you may not feel any difference.

You won't need an anti virus, unless you download from dodgy websites.

General work, occasional use of photoshop and video editing (might look into getting final cut). I just want it to be snappy should I venture into it later on. I'd like to buy it and last me around 5-6 years or so.

Plan is 256GB SSD and then an external drive (Samsung T5) in addition as I just want everything to be snappy. I'd prefer it to be as cheap as possible, but, don't mind it if I can make a relatively cheap upgrade to get large performance (for example, changing from a HDD to SSD in Windows was probably the best thing ever in terms of upgrade).

Re 'wait' I think I am willing to wait until the 12th... if nothing announced I got to get it. Been 'waiting' for a good while now... you mention 'should'... what about if its Feb 2019 and there is still nothing?

Coming from Windows, are you 100% sure I do not need an anti-virus? No dodgy websites what so ever but I want to be sure everything is as secure as possible for peace of mind.

Thanks

 

[Shoeyuk]

I’d hold off if you can as it’s rumered to be upgraded to coffee lake processors

 

[CorrectHorseBattery]

Bad idea to buy

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Re 'wait' I think I am willing to wait until the 12th... if nothing announced I got to get it. Been 'waiting' for a good while now... you mention 'should'... what about if its Feb 2019 and there is still nothing?

There will be nothing announced on the 12th, that will be all iOS stuff. My money is a quiet update in early October ready for the 'holiday' season.

Updates are well over due so I wouldn't be buying it. Normally the difference on a small spec bump is negligible but this time the CPU update is quite significant going from 4 to 6 cores.

 

[Feek]

Coming from Windows, are you 100% sure I do not need an anti-virus? No dodgy websites what so ever but I want to be sure everything is as secure as possible for peace of mind.

Every now and then (maybe every couple of years), I install whatever is currently considered "the best AV software" at the time onto my Mac and run a full and thorough scan. It's never found anything. I do go to some dodgy websites but I have never had any sign of anything nasty happen to me and I've been using Macs for over ten years now. I've not got my head in the sand, I know there is some malicious software out there but it's a lot of common sense.

 

[LiE]

You really want to wait for the 8th gen CPU refresh, especially as it's imminent.

 

[Gangster]

Hmmm I've been waiting so long to get one!

So you think the update will be that big of a difference? Do the base prices stay the same? (Currently £1,749 | £1,949 and £2,249) I know they've got the beats promotion that ends on 3rd October? Perhaps that's a sign of an update?

 

[Feek]

If you're just buying a base model to check out the OS then get it now. You'll have fourteen days to decide if you like it or not and then you can return it and wait for the new models to be released.

 

[Gangster]

Just a thought, is the base 15’’ Macbook faster than the iMac? Coming from PC I would’ve thought the iMac has more power due to you paying for portability? Still the case here? Or I’d it is faster, is that because the MacBook Pro has just had an update where as the iMac is waiting for one (and will be much faster when it has its update?)

 

[Jimbeam3678]

Also, do I need an anti-virus on the iMac?

Every now and then (maybe every couple of years), I install whatever is currently considered "the best AV software" at the time onto my Mac and run a full and thorough scan. It's never found anything. I do go to some dodgy websites but I have never had any sign of anything nasty happen to me and I've been using Macs for over ten years now. I've not got my head in the sand, I know there is some malicious software out there but it's a lot of common sense.

As always Feek, I have to disagree with you on this subject. I think the advice you're giving out isn't great, of course you should have AV on any computer. Yes the Mac is far less likely to be compromised but why wouldn't you have one installed? Sophos is free and is widely regarded as one of the best out there.

Yes it is "common sense" but what's common sense to you might not be common sense to others! Along with these sort of things are changing all the time as various malicious loop holes get shut down others are found.

 

[MacRS4]

My concern about not running AV on my Mac stuff is passing along Windows based malware to others - I.e. no effect on my setup, but potentially damaging to others?

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Just a thought, is the base 15’’ Macbook faster than the iMac? Coming from PC I would’ve thought the iMac has more power due to you paying for portability? Still the case here? Or I’d it is faster, is that because the MacBook Pro has just had an update where as the iMac is waiting for one (and will be much faster when it has its update?)

'It depends'

I think either way in a single threaded workload the iMac will beat a MBP.

A heavily threaded workload could go either way, you are comparing 4 cores @ 3.6 or 6 cores @ 2.2, I would have thought the iMac would win out but I couldn't be certain.

The iMac has a far superior GPU to the MBP but the MPB will probably 'feel' faster due to having full SSD storage.

The base MBP is also £600 more expensive.

My concern about not running AV on my Mac stuff is passing along Windows based malware to others - I.e. no effect on my setup, but potentially damaging to others?

That wouldn't be an issue, how would it pass on to windows based machines without infecting the Mac? To pass it on your Mac would naturally need to be infected for the virus to be active.

I can honestly say I haven't been running additional AV for years, both Windows and Mac's baked in protection is fairly decent nowadays and updated regularly, nor do I stray outside of the trusted parts of the internet. Also the protections built into browsers like Chrome are reasonable. If you follow good practice, AV software is largely irreverent. Even if my machine was infected I could format, reinstall and download my data from the cloud in about 2.5 hours.

Home users are rarely targeted these days, much more money is to be made by targeting corporate entities. Outbreaks like wanacry only happen because big companies are running out of date vulnrable software (like Windows XP) and are incredibly slow to roll out fixes and updates. Hardly any home users were effected because of things like Windows 10 automatic update, it was patched long before the virus infected its first machine.

 

[MagicBoy]

As always Feek, I have to disagree with you on this subject.

I agree with Feek, and disagree with you. 12 years, zero problems. I occasionally install Sophos and give it a quick scan. No need to run anything 24x7, unless an exploit hits the news and isn't quickly patched.

 

[LiE]

I think it's possible the iMac refresh will come in October. One reason I think this is because the current back to school offer (free beats headphones) runs until 02/10. I can't see Apple running the back to school promo along side a refreshed iMac.

I don't think we will hear anything in the keynote, the MBPs were refreshed outside of a keynote.

 

[Jimbeam3678]

I agree with Feek, and disagree with you. 12 years, zero problems. I occasionally install Sophos and give it a quick scan. No need to run anything 24x7, unless an exploit hits the news and isn't quickly patched.

Thats like saying you haven't locked your door in 12 years and not had a problem What I don't get is what have you got to lose running an AV? They are so lightweight now its seems stupid not to.

 

[MagicBoy]

Thats like saying you haven't locked your door in 12 years and not had a problem What I don't get is what have you got to lose running an AV? They are so lightweight now its seems stupid not to.

You seem to be under the impression the mac OS is completely unprotected against Malware out of the box. It's not. Mac OS has XProtect and Gatekeeper which are basically the (well hidden) equivalent of Windows Defender. I can count on one hand the number of times Apple have issue out of band updates for XProtect.

There's no need for third party AV if you're sensible on the internet and don't download hax0red war3z.

 

[Jimbeam3678]

You seem to be under the impression the mac OS is completely unprotected against Malware out of the box. It's not. Mac OS has XProtect and Gatekeeper which are basically the (well hidden) equivalent of Windows Defender. I can count on one hand the number of times Apple have issue out of band updates for XProtect.

There's no need for third party AV if you're sensible on the internet and don't download hax0red war3z.

I'm well aware what runs on MacOS just as I am on Windows. Still fail to understand what adding another layer of security could possibly be a bad thing or not needed Security is all about a layer approach after all

Each to there own, my original point was advising people new to MacOS that AV isn't needed without understanding their experience and usage of computers is not the best advice to be giving out.