Caporegime
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 77,263
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- Wish i was in a Ramen Shop Counter
I am in the market for a new machine, the machine is not a gaming machine but it needs to be a powerful one that will last 3 years. It is a machine for photo editing work first and foremost, general admin and web machine second.
Original and current plan is still getting the latest iMac when it is released, spec it up to the hilts so it lasts 3 years, like my current one which has been with me for the past 3 and a half years. I am driven by economics as much as anything else so this is what this thread is for.
One thing need to be clear, I do not upgrade my machine in between (except RAM for increase), I do not overclock, mostly because I hate it, and I find it cost and time inefficient, partly because I wait so long between upgrades by the time I do it I practically need a whole new one anyway. I like a machine to work for me, I don't have time to work out how to water cool, overclock etc. It's basically turn on and go. The time of tinkering is over.
Now the requirements.
1 - Monitor
27", IPS or better, glossy screen. Basically as good if not better than the Apple iMac screen.
2 - CPU
i7 or best bang for buck, I plan to spec i7 in the iMac.
3 - GFX
Best bang for buck, no games needed but due to the new shift in Photoshop's algorithm it has shifted a lot of the processing to the GPU so a fast GPU will now required. 680M?
4 - Miscellaneous
RAM - lots and lots of it, I am thinking 16G minimum, 32G if possible (or at later date, iMac can be upgraded to 32G by user)
Speed - It will be SSD/Hybrid this time round, I want quick response when flicking through photo library with minimal rendering time between photos that are 23 mega pixels (30mb). Will be speccing Hybrid in the iMac.
Noise - or the lack of it, it should at iMac quiet or close to it. Any kind of large jet sound is out.
Other - will need other parts such as new mouse, keyboard and the ability to dual monitor (only need 1 for now)
Cost? The whole thing at or close to £2k/£2.2k including OS.
Note - I can get HE discount with the iMac so that is 14% off the Apple price with 3 years Applecare.
Can a windows machine be competitive with the above criteria?
Many thanks in advance
Original and current plan is still getting the latest iMac when it is released, spec it up to the hilts so it lasts 3 years, like my current one which has been with me for the past 3 and a half years. I am driven by economics as much as anything else so this is what this thread is for.
One thing need to be clear, I do not upgrade my machine in between (except RAM for increase), I do not overclock, mostly because I hate it, and I find it cost and time inefficient, partly because I wait so long between upgrades by the time I do it I practically need a whole new one anyway. I like a machine to work for me, I don't have time to work out how to water cool, overclock etc. It's basically turn on and go. The time of tinkering is over.
Now the requirements.
1 - Monitor
27", IPS or better, glossy screen. Basically as good if not better than the Apple iMac screen.
2 - CPU
i7 or best bang for buck, I plan to spec i7 in the iMac.
3 - GFX
Best bang for buck, no games needed but due to the new shift in Photoshop's algorithm it has shifted a lot of the processing to the GPU so a fast GPU will now required. 680M?
4 - Miscellaneous
RAM - lots and lots of it, I am thinking 16G minimum, 32G if possible (or at later date, iMac can be upgraded to 32G by user)
Speed - It will be SSD/Hybrid this time round, I want quick response when flicking through photo library with minimal rendering time between photos that are 23 mega pixels (30mb). Will be speccing Hybrid in the iMac.
Noise - or the lack of it, it should at iMac quiet or close to it. Any kind of large jet sound is out.
Other - will need other parts such as new mouse, keyboard and the ability to dual monitor (only need 1 for now)
Cost? The whole thing at or close to £2k/£2.2k including OS.
Note - I can get HE discount with the iMac so that is 14% off the Apple price with 3 years Applecare.
Can a windows machine be competitive with the above criteria?
Many thanks in advance
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