Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
Get the one that's going to be easier to expand & upgrade as it gets older. On 11/25/2015 1:38 PM, Bryan Jacoby wrote: I am thinking of buying a new 27" iMac, one of the standard configurations (so I can get a discount this weekend). I'm looking at the base and middle option. The differences are: AMD M380 vs. M390 graphics 1 TB 7200 RPM HD vs. 1 TB fusion drive $200 Photo editing (lightroom) is probably the heaviest lifting the machine will do. I know that Lr can use the GPU but I haven't been able to find much information about the difference between the M380 and M390. Now that the SSD component of the fusion drive is only 24 GB I'm not sure how much of an advantage that is over the straight HD. If I get the straight HD I will almost certainly use an external Thunderbolt SSD for most things, and use the internal drive for photo + music libraries. If I get the fusion drive, maybe that will be fast enough on its own, I'm not sure. If it's not and I still end up with the external SSD boot drive, I'm wondering if the fusion drive will actually be worse for photo and music libraries since it is presumably a 5400 RPM drive. (I guess, for the price of the middle M390 + 1 TB fusion drive model + external Thunderbolt SSD, I could get the top standard configuration with M395 + 2 TB fusion drive + slightly faster processor. The 2 TB fusion drive has 128 GB of flash. I'm just not sure how that would perform compared to an SSD boot drive). Thanks for any advice. -- Science - Questions we may never find answers for. Religion - Answers we must never question. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
> You can swap in RAM. I have 32 gig in my iMac 27 5k. Installed half of it > after purchase. Yeah, you can on the 27", just not on the 21.5" models. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
You can swap in RAM. I have 32 gig in my iMac 27 5k. Installed half of it after purchase. Paul via phone > On Nov 25, 2015, at 7:25 PM, Larry Colen wrote: > > > > Bryan Jacoby wrote: >> Thank you, Steve and Paul. I think in the end I will get the "top" >> standard configuration with the M395, 2 TB fusion drive (and upgrade >> the RAM myself of course, probably to 24 GB). Thunderbolt external > > Double check that you can upgrade the RAM. Probably still doable on iMacs, > not still doable on macbooks. > >> drives/enclosures/docks aren't cheap, and I am slightly unhappy with >> the idea of an external boot drive on an "all-in-one." The upgrade >> path will be the option to, in a couple of years, replace the fusion >> drive with a big internal SSD (when those are less expensive and the >> machine is old enough that I'm not afraid of breaking it). > > Also check on how doable it is to replace the hard drives. > > One advantage of the newer iMacs is that they can be used as displays when > they obsolete out. Godfrey convinced me that I'd be better off going with a > mac mini and an external display a year or so ago, although it turns out that > my mini won't work with two high definition displays, kind of annoying > because I like to have both a horizontal and a vertical display, when working. > > >> >> >>> On Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 6:08 PM, Paul Stenquist >>> wrote: >>> Hi Bryan, >>> I have the IMac27 Retina 5K with the Radeon R9 M395 graphics chip, 2 gigs >>> of VRAM, the i7 4 ghz processor and 32 gigs of RAM. I don’t have anything >>> to compare it to, but it’s very efficient. I do a lot of PhotoShop work on >>> 1 gig+ scans of 6x7 negs, and the machine never hesitates. i can do >>> gaussian blurs and rotations in near real time. And a long burn-in session >>> will result in only 10 seconds or so of down time. I opted for the 3 >>> terabyte fusion drive, which comes with a 128 gig SSD. I find that it >>> tracks my work flow very well and brings up current projects and current >>> folders almost instantly. A 1.5 gig image file saves in a couple of seconds. >>> >>> Paul On Nov 25, 2015, at 5:27 PM, steve harley wrote: brief answer: my hunch is the graphics chip difference won't matter much because the VRAM matters more — and both have 2GB; i would personally greatly prefer an external SSD to a Fusion Drive; however choose carefully — most Thunderbolt solutions will use a SATA drive, whereas PCIe is a lot faster with the right SSD > On 2015-11-25 11:38 , Bryan Jacoby wrote: > I am thinking of buying a new 27" iMac, one of the standard > configurations (so I can get a discount this weekend). I'm looking at > the base and middle option. The differences are: > > AMD M380 vs. M390 graphics > 1 TB 7200 RPM HD vs. 1 TB fusion drive > $200 > > Photo editing (lightroom) is probably the heaviest lifting the machine > will do. I know that Lr can use the GPU but I haven't been able to > find much information about the difference between the M380 and M390. > > Now that the SSD component of the fusion drive is only 24 GB I'm not > sure how much of an advantage that is over the straight HD. If I get > the straight HD I will almost certainly use an external Thunderbolt > SSD for most things, and use the internal drive for photo + music > libraries. If I get the fusion drive, maybe that will be fast enough > on its own, I'm not sure. If it's not and I still end up with the > external SSD boot drive, I'm wondering if the fusion drive will > actually be worse for photo and music libraries since it is presumably > a 5400 RPM drive. > > (I guess, for the price of the middle M390 + 1 TB fusion drive model + > external Thunderbolt SSD, I could get the top standard configuration > with M395 + 2 TB fusion drive + slightly faster processor. The 2 TB > fusion drive has 128 GB of flash. I'm just not sure how that would > perform compared to an SSD boot drive). > > Thanks for any advice. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> PDML@pdml.net >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. > > -- > Larry Colen l...@red4est.com (postbox on min4est) > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the li
Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
One advantage of the newer iMacs is that they can be used as displays when they obsolete out. This is no longer true, unfortunately. "Note: iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) and later iMac models can't be used as Target Display Mode displays." https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592 Probably for the same reasons Apple can't make a 5k retina monitor for use with MacBook Pros... Thunderbolt 2 doesn't have enough bandwidth to do it. You'll need Thunderbolt 3 on both computer and monitor for it. - Peter -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
On Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 7:25 PM, Larry Colen wrote: > One advantage of the newer iMacs is that they can be used as displays when > they obsolete out. This is no longer true, unfortunately. "Note: iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) and later iMac models can't be used as Target Display Mode displays." https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592 -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
Bryan Jacoby wrote: Thank you, Steve and Paul. I think in the end I will get the "top" standard configuration with the M395, 2 TB fusion drive (and upgrade the RAM myself of course, probably to 24 GB). Thunderbolt external Double check that you can upgrade the RAM. Probably still doable on iMacs, not still doable on macbooks. drives/enclosures/docks aren't cheap, and I am slightly unhappy with the idea of an external boot drive on an "all-in-one." The upgrade path will be the option to, in a couple of years, replace the fusion drive with a big internal SSD (when those are less expensive and the machine is old enough that I'm not afraid of breaking it). Also check on how doable it is to replace the hard drives. One advantage of the newer iMacs is that they can be used as displays when they obsolete out. Godfrey convinced me that I'd be better off going with a mac mini and an external display a year or so ago, although it turns out that my mini won't work with two high definition displays, kind of annoying because I like to have both a horizontal and a vertical display, when working. On Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 6:08 PM, Paul Stenquist wrote: Hi Bryan, I have the IMac27 Retina 5K with the Radeon R9 M395 graphics chip, 2 gigs of VRAM, the i7 4 ghz processor and 32 gigs of RAM. I don’t have anything to compare it to, but it’s very efficient. I do a lot of PhotoShop work on 1 gig+ scans of 6x7 negs, and the machine never hesitates. i can do gaussian blurs and rotations in near real time. And a long burn-in session will result in only 10 seconds or so of down time. I opted for the 3 terabyte fusion drive, which comes with a 128 gig SSD. I find that it tracks my work flow very well and brings up current projects and current folders almost instantly. A 1.5 gig image file saves in a couple of seconds. Paul On Nov 25, 2015, at 5:27 PM, steve harley wrote: brief answer: my hunch is the graphics chip difference won't matter much because the VRAM matters more — and both have 2GB; i would personally greatly prefer an external SSD to a Fusion Drive; however choose carefully — most Thunderbolt solutions will use a SATA drive, whereas PCIe is a lot faster with the right SSD On 2015-11-25 11:38 , Bryan Jacoby wrote: I am thinking of buying a new 27" iMac, one of the standard configurations (so I can get a discount this weekend). I'm looking at the base and middle option. The differences are: AMD M380 vs. M390 graphics 1 TB 7200 RPM HD vs. 1 TB fusion drive $200 Photo editing (lightroom) is probably the heaviest lifting the machine will do. I know that Lr can use the GPU but I haven't been able to find much information about the difference between the M380 and M390. Now that the SSD component of the fusion drive is only 24 GB I'm not sure how much of an advantage that is over the straight HD. If I get the straight HD I will almost certainly use an external Thunderbolt SSD for most things, and use the internal drive for photo + music libraries. If I get the fusion drive, maybe that will be fast enough on its own, I'm not sure. If it's not and I still end up with the external SSD boot drive, I'm wondering if the fusion drive will actually be worse for photo and music libraries since it is presumably a 5400 RPM drive. (I guess, for the price of the middle M390 + 1 TB fusion drive model + external Thunderbolt SSD, I could get the top standard configuration with M395 + 2 TB fusion drive + slightly faster processor. The 2 TB fusion drive has 128 GB of flash. I'm just not sure how that would perform compared to an SSD boot drive). Thanks for any advice. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- Larry Colen l...@red4est.com (postbox on min4est) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
Thank you, Steve and Paul. I think in the end I will get the "top" standard configuration with the M395, 2 TB fusion drive (and upgrade the RAM myself of course, probably to 24 GB). Thunderbolt external drives/enclosures/docks aren't cheap, and I am slightly unhappy with the idea of an external boot drive on an "all-in-one." The upgrade path will be the option to, in a couple of years, replace the fusion drive with a big internal SSD (when those are less expensive and the machine is old enough that I'm not afraid of breaking it). On Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 6:08 PM, Paul Stenquist wrote: > Hi Bryan, > I have the IMac27 Retina 5K with the Radeon R9 M395 graphics chip, 2 gigs of > VRAM, the i7 4 ghz processor and 32 gigs of RAM. I don’t have anything to > compare it to, but it’s very efficient. I do a lot of PhotoShop work on 1 > gig+ scans of 6x7 negs, and the machine never hesitates. i can do gaussian > blurs and rotations in near real time. And a long burn-in session will result > in only 10 seconds or so of down time. I opted for the 3 terabyte fusion > drive, which comes with a 128 gig SSD. I find that it tracks my work flow > very well and brings up current projects and current folders almost > instantly. A 1.5 gig image file saves in a couple of seconds. > > Paul >> On Nov 25, 2015, at 5:27 PM, steve harley wrote: >> >> brief answer: my hunch is the graphics chip difference won't matter much >> because the VRAM matters more — and both have 2GB; i would personally >> greatly prefer an external SSD to a Fusion Drive; however choose carefully — >> most Thunderbolt solutions will use a SATA drive, whereas PCIe is a lot >> faster with the right SSD >> >> On 2015-11-25 11:38 , Bryan Jacoby wrote: >>> I am thinking of buying a new 27" iMac, one of the standard >>> configurations (so I can get a discount this weekend). I'm looking at >>> the base and middle option. The differences are: >>> >>> AMD M380 vs. M390 graphics >>> 1 TB 7200 RPM HD vs. 1 TB fusion drive >>> $200 >>> >>> Photo editing (lightroom) is probably the heaviest lifting the machine >>> will do. I know that Lr can use the GPU but I haven't been able to >>> find much information about the difference between the M380 and M390. >>> >>> Now that the SSD component of the fusion drive is only 24 GB I'm not >>> sure how much of an advantage that is over the straight HD. If I get >>> the straight HD I will almost certainly use an external Thunderbolt >>> SSD for most things, and use the internal drive for photo + music >>> libraries. If I get the fusion drive, maybe that will be fast enough >>> on its own, I'm not sure. If it's not and I still end up with the >>> external SSD boot drive, I'm wondering if the fusion drive will >>> actually be worse for photo and music libraries since it is presumably >>> a 5400 RPM drive. >>> >>> (I guess, for the price of the middle M390 + 1 TB fusion drive model + >>> external Thunderbolt SSD, I could get the top standard configuration >>> with M395 + 2 TB fusion drive + slightly faster processor. The 2 TB >>> fusion drive has 128 GB of flash. I'm just not sure how that would >>> perform compared to an SSD boot drive). >>> >>> Thanks for any advice. >>> >> >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> PDML@pdml.net >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
Hi Bryan, I have the IMac27 Retina 5K with the Radeon R9 M395 graphics chip, 2 gigs of VRAM, the i7 4 ghz processor and 32 gigs of RAM. I don’t have anything to compare it to, but it’s very efficient. I do a lot of PhotoShop work on 1 gig+ scans of 6x7 negs, and the machine never hesitates. i can do gaussian blurs and rotations in near real time. And a long burn-in session will result in only 10 seconds or so of down time. I opted for the 3 terabyte fusion drive, which comes with a 128 gig SSD. I find that it tracks my work flow very well and brings up current projects and current folders almost instantly. A 1.5 gig image file saves in a couple of seconds. Paul > On Nov 25, 2015, at 5:27 PM, steve harley wrote: > > brief answer: my hunch is the graphics chip difference won't matter much > because the VRAM matters more — and both have 2GB; i would personally greatly > prefer an external SSD to a Fusion Drive; however choose carefully — most > Thunderbolt solutions will use a SATA drive, whereas PCIe is a lot faster > with the right SSD > > On 2015-11-25 11:38 , Bryan Jacoby wrote: >> I am thinking of buying a new 27" iMac, one of the standard >> configurations (so I can get a discount this weekend). I'm looking at >> the base and middle option. The differences are: >> >> AMD M380 vs. M390 graphics >> 1 TB 7200 RPM HD vs. 1 TB fusion drive >> $200 >> >> Photo editing (lightroom) is probably the heaviest lifting the machine >> will do. I know that Lr can use the GPU but I haven't been able to >> find much information about the difference between the M380 and M390. >> >> Now that the SSD component of the fusion drive is only 24 GB I'm not >> sure how much of an advantage that is over the straight HD. If I get >> the straight HD I will almost certainly use an external Thunderbolt >> SSD for most things, and use the internal drive for photo + music >> libraries. If I get the fusion drive, maybe that will be fast enough >> on its own, I'm not sure. If it's not and I still end up with the >> external SSD boot drive, I'm wondering if the fusion drive will >> actually be worse for photo and music libraries since it is presumably >> a 5400 RPM drive. >> >> (I guess, for the price of the middle M390 + 1 TB fusion drive model + >> external Thunderbolt SSD, I could get the top standard configuration >> with M395 + 2 TB fusion drive + slightly faster processor. The 2 TB >> fusion drive has 128 GB of flash. I'm just not sure how that would >> perform compared to an SSD boot drive). >> >> Thanks for any advice. >> > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
brief answer: my hunch is the graphics chip difference won't matter much because the VRAM matters more — and both have 2GB; i would personally greatly prefer an external SSD to a Fusion Drive; however choose carefully — most Thunderbolt solutions will use a SATA drive, whereas PCIe is a lot faster with the right SSD On 2015-11-25 11:38 , Bryan Jacoby wrote: I am thinking of buying a new 27" iMac, one of the standard configurations (so I can get a discount this weekend). I'm looking at the base and middle option. The differences are: AMD M380 vs. M390 graphics 1 TB 7200 RPM HD vs. 1 TB fusion drive $200 Photo editing (lightroom) is probably the heaviest lifting the machine will do. I know that Lr can use the GPU but I haven't been able to find much information about the difference between the M380 and M390. Now that the SSD component of the fusion drive is only 24 GB I'm not sure how much of an advantage that is over the straight HD. If I get the straight HD I will almost certainly use an external Thunderbolt SSD for most things, and use the internal drive for photo + music libraries. If I get the fusion drive, maybe that will be fast enough on its own, I'm not sure. If it's not and I still end up with the external SSD boot drive, I'm wondering if the fusion drive will actually be worse for photo and music libraries since it is presumably a 5400 RPM drive. (I guess, for the price of the middle M390 + 1 TB fusion drive model + external Thunderbolt SSD, I could get the top standard configuration with M395 + 2 TB fusion drive + slightly faster processor. The 2 TB fusion drive has 128 GB of flash. I'm just not sure how that would perform compared to an SSD boot drive). Thanks for any advice. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
New iMac 5K: M380 vs. M390 graphics
I am thinking of buying a new 27" iMac, one of the standard configurations (so I can get a discount this weekend). I'm looking at the base and middle option. The differences are: AMD M380 vs. M390 graphics 1 TB 7200 RPM HD vs. 1 TB fusion drive $200 Photo editing (lightroom) is probably the heaviest lifting the machine will do. I know that Lr can use the GPU but I haven't been able to find much information about the difference between the M380 and M390. Now that the SSD component of the fusion drive is only 24 GB I'm not sure how much of an advantage that is over the straight HD. If I get the straight HD I will almost certainly use an external Thunderbolt SSD for most things, and use the internal drive for photo + music libraries. If I get the fusion drive, maybe that will be fast enough on its own, I'm not sure. If it's not and I still end up with the external SSD boot drive, I'm wondering if the fusion drive will actually be worse for photo and music libraries since it is presumably a 5400 RPM drive. (I guess, for the price of the middle M390 + 1 TB fusion drive model + external Thunderbolt SSD, I could get the top standard configuration with M395 + 2 TB fusion drive + slightly faster processor. The 2 TB fusion drive has 128 GB of flash. I'm just not sure how that would perform compared to an SSD boot drive). Thanks for any advice. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
