To Buy Or Not To Buy
Is an iMac a good choice for pro apps?
iMac (Late 2009)
i7 quad core 2.88 ghz8 mg RAM
ATI 4850
This configuration approx. $2400
Rob’s Rating 9/10
As someone who edits video and composes music for a living, I usually turn to Mac Pros when buying a computer. But lately, working in a home office, I found the constant hum of my old computer (dual core G5) was causing grief for recording and I also wanted to get a bigger monitor. When tallying up the cost of a new Mac Pro, the various upgrades, and a 30” monitor, it was simply too expensive for me to justify the purchase. I was going to wait for some mana from heaven and suffer through the glacial speed of my Mac Pro, when I heard a rumour (at MacRumours!) that a new quad-core iMac might be coming out. When this new iMac was finally announced in October it seemed to answer all my needs, and yet I was still leery. Would it also be too loud, would it have enough power for my needs?
After two weeks of working on this iMac I have to say it has surpassed my expectations. As everyone mentions, the screen is big, bright, and has excellent definition. It’s the first time I don’t feel cramped on the FCP 7 and Logic 9 timelines (I still have a second screen for other windows though, so can’t speak to using it as a single monitor set-up.) The screen is truly amazing for displaying HD footage, I notice details that simply weren’t there before. Some people have expressed concern that the screen is too reflective. I have not found this to be a problem. If the screen is filled with an image that is primarily black you will see some reflection, but for me that is rarely the case.
The computer is very fast. On my sad old Mac Pro (rest in pieces) I could barely work in Logic without straining the processor. Now I barely touch the processing power despite the number of tracks and effects I throw at it. I’m sure I’ll hit the wall at some point, but now I feel gloriously free. And in terms of video editing, while no computer will ever be fast enough in regard to rendering (until it’s instantaneous!) I have certainly cut hours off my work week due to the speed of this iMac.
Many people complain about upgrade prospects and lack of ports on an iMac. I have to say I never really upgraded my Mac Pro aside from some RAM and an extra internal hard drive, so has never been a great concern of mine. I use three external firewire drives for editing (4 TB daisy-chained) and have had no problems with the iMac - editing flows along without a stutter. I did purchase a hub with some extra HD and USB ports, and that has solved my additional needs. Hooking up a second monitor (20” cinema display) also went without a hitch, aside from having to purchase the extra cable. I find the 4850 video card to be very fast and am truly blown away by how much faster web pages now load, external videos play, and even streaming games like WOW run.
This iMac is virtually silent and I can now record only a few feet away from it, something that was impossible with my Mac Pro. This makes the process of recording a joy, to be able to reach the computer so easily while recording.
An added bonus has been the Magic Mouse. While I do miss the extra buttons I had on my previous mouse, I LOVE the finger scrolling. With a simple swipe of one finger across the mouse you can scroll through timelines effortlessly. It’s a wonderful thing to experience. I also find the form factor excellent.
As for the keyboard, I ordered a full keyboard (no extra cost) so can’t speak to the small wireless one that you get by default.
So, if you use pro apps but can’t afford a Mac Pro (or need something that runs quietly) and were wondering if this computer would serve your needs, I would say a resounding “yes”. The only caveat being if you need more than 16 MG of RAM, or expansion slots it won’t suit your needs.
PROS:
• Great design, solidly constructed.
• The quad-core is relatively fast.
• Excellent screen.
• Quiet.
• Great price for an all-in-one computer.
CONS:
• Lack of ports - one more Firewire would have been great!
• Magic Mouse software is minimal. I am really looking forward to when they expand the gestures you can assign commands to.
Rob Thompson 22/11/09
