The Imac dilemma

[Josh Bass]

My bad. Didn't see that the first time for some reason. I will check it out. Thanks.

[Josh Bass]

Ok. I see the downside...you dont get to select the upgrade options when you go refurb. So it would have to already have the maxed out processor etc. if thats what you wanted. Also you would have to know what those options were for older models. Anyone know where you can find that info?

[Paul Elertson]

Originally Posted by Josh Bass

Ok. I see the downside...you dont get to select the upgrade options when you go refurb. So it would have to already have the maxed out processor etc. if thats what you wanted. Also you would have to know what those options were for older models. Anyone know where you can find that info?

correct.
here is your info on the mid 2011 model options.
iMac (21.5-inch and 27-inch, Mid 2011) - Technical Specifications

[John Forsythe]

The real problem with the new iMacs is that there is no FW800 and you cannot open them up and upgrade the harddrive yourself. In fact, there is no space to add a 2nd HD. Basically Apple just said forget it to people who wanted a MacPro "Light" by purchasing a 27.5" iMac and then refitting it.

I had been thinking about one but after these revelations about its insides I have stopped considering it. It will become a white elephant.

[Josh Bass]

Thanks for the info on the mid-2011s. I'll know what to look out for now.

[David W. Jones]

Originally Posted by John Forsythe

The real problem with the new iMacs is that there is no FW800 and you cannot open them up and upgrade the harddrive yourself. In fact, there is no space to add a 2nd HD. Basically Apple just said FU to people who wanted a MacPro "Light" by purchasing a 27.5" iMac and then refitting it.

I had been thinking about one but after these revelations about its insides I have stopped considering it. It will become a white elephant.

I don't know about the white elephant comment. As far as not being able to add a second internal hard drive goes, that doesn't really bother me, as I can add an ultra fast RAID via Thunderbolt port for as much fast storage as needed. And FireWire can also be added via Thunderbolt port. And at this point I'm perfectly happy with my choice of the 3TB internal hard drive I ordered it with. By the time they make an SSD large enough as well as cost effective that I would want to change the drive, it will also likely be time to buy a new computer by then.

[Mark Kenfield]

Changing the HDD directly shouldn't be impossibly hard, you mainly just remove the screen to get access to it - it's replacing the optical drive in the older iMacs with a 2nd HDD that requires disassembling practically the entire computer (which is what most of the videos on youtube are demonstrating).

[Josh Bass]

So these new ones have SSD drives instead of. . .um. . .spinning drives? Are these stable? I used to read how solid state drives were prone to spontaneous failure.

And I've read elsewhere that this fusion drive something something is super fast, worth upgrading to, makes all your stuff faster (not just certain applications).

Are these options on the mid-2011 or only the newest ones?

[David W. Jones]

It is my understanding that the Fusion drive automatically transfers apps and files located on the hard drive portion of the Fusion drive which are used most into the Flash area of the drive.

I ordered mine with just the 3TB spinning HD rather than the Fusion drive or SSD. Solid state drives are still too small and costly for my taste. By the time they start selling large low cost SSDs it will be time to buy a new computer. I will be adding a very fast thunderbolt RAID which will help to alleviate the biggest bottle neck which is media read/write times. And I'm really looking forward to editing with dual 27" monitors. :)

[Paul Elertson]

Originally Posted by Josh Bass

So these new ones have SSD drives instead of. . .um. . .spinning drives? Are these stable? I used to read how solid state drives were prone to spontaneous failure.

The new ones have this option, yes.

Originally Posted by Josh Bass

And I've read elsewhere that this fusion drive something something is super fast, worth upgrading to, makes all your stuff faster (not just certain applications).

Are these options on the mid-2011 or only the newest ones?

The fushion drives were not available until this newest model, however SSD were available in older models. As Dave stated, as long you have a thunderbolt port, you have expandability to faster SSD drives regardless of what is inside the machine.


Josh, What are you using now and what is your budget? If you need to save some money, you can go the same route I did. If you have some cash to spare, you can go the way David did. I recommend getting the best processor you can afford, and pick your other battles from there on where to save money.

[Josh Bass]

Right now I'm on my '08 Imac. when I got the machine, I did so as sort of an "experiment" (it was my first mac), so didn't spec it out fully, etc.

Now of course I'm integrated/stuck in the Apple world, so I'd want to go whole hog, BUT not whole hog enough to get a Mac Pro because I edit for pay only occasionally (also do my own personal projects), and do not work with the super high end formats/resolutions (RED, etc.) and do not see that changing.

Could I get the latest and greatest fully specced out right this second? Yes. Should I, instead of getting a Mid-2011 that might be nearly as good? That's what I'm trying to decide.

My instinct is to get best processor, Max out RAM, max out graphics card, etc. So what if right now nothing I have takes advantage of all that stuff? That doesn't mean it won't in a year or two.

I'm shamefully unfamiliar with the whole RAID thing, period. I'm still old school. . .main HD for programs/project files (in FCP, etc.), external firewire HD for media, storage, backup. So not sure what advantages are of RAID vs. SSD vs plain ol' spinny spinny drive.

[David W. Jones]

Well spending $300 on Thunderbolt cables flat out sucks!

[Brian Murphy]

Well, I have read this thread with great interest, I need to buy a new box and I am not thrilled with the Apple offerings and I own 8 Macs currently. The Mac pro is coming...so is...whats his name again? I run two suites and one has two esata towers with 8 drives in each. The box runs a RocketRaid and a BlackMagic DeckLink Studio card. I have lots of "stock' on the arrays and often need to run stuff in and out from as early as SD betacam and later HDV so I need the flexibility in the I/O of the box. As much as I would love to have a sleek new iMac it would mean that I have to invest a ton in new peripherals and cables and what ever else to make my system work. The iMac might be fine for some but more and more I am leaning towards moving my systems over to the "other"OS and going with Avid or Premiere. It seems its that or a Hackintosh.

[Josh Bass]

Did i just read the new imacs dont have a freakin disc drive? As in nowhere to insert dvds or burn them from? That is just...wow.

[David W. Jones]

I ordered a USB SuperDrive with mine.

The only time I really use one now is when loading software from disc.