Benchmark Tests
Register Hardware’s current testing methodology for Mac computers is to instal 64-bit Microsoft Windows 7 natively (remember, you can dual-boot a Mac) and run our standard PC tests. When I last did this on one of Apple’s previous range of 27in quad-core iMacs, it turned out to be the fastest PC I had ever tested.
PCMark Vantage Results
Longer bars are better
Results for this latest 27in iMac are outstanding too. One exception is HDD performance, which simply confirms every benchmark of Mac computers since 1984: they always seem to have slow hard disks. Just don’t think about swapping it out for your own, since Apple’s firmware will cause the new hard disk to spin at maximum, cause the Apple Hardware Test to fail and slice your knackers off. OK, your knackers are probably safe but Apple never designed its iMacs to be user-serviceable, and now it’s official.
The creative option?
Verdict
The new 27in iMac might be great fun but is it really worth £1,600+? That kind of money could buy you a damn hot 3D games machine, a pretty decent workstation, a touchscreen marvel… or even a mid-range MacBook Pro. But factor in the beautiful screen, superb performance, top-quality input devices and (let’s face it) minimal support downtime, this 27in 3.1GHz iMac is the ideal affordable workstation for the creative professional. Frankly, if you’re in the market for a home computer, forget it – it’s too good for you. ®
Many thanks to Square Group for the loan of the review unit.
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Apple iMac 27in
COMMENTS
"although the company still insists on including a Firewire 800 port. What is it for?"
for FW800 devices, as simple as that. there are plenty of external harddrives with FW800 interface, yes it's much faster than usb
Need something to match the curtains - buy a Mac
Unfortunately my curtains are made of beige plastic.
wrong demographic
Its a WORKSTATION, not generic PC, and comes with an $800-1K 1440v IPS panel. You're paying a $4-500 premium for a screen with high resolution, not just extra inches. Add a similar screen to any generic $1100 SB PC equivalent and it costs more than this iMac. You can barely build this machine from parts on NewEgg and save more than $200 off the retail price, and sacrifice TB and a slew of options in the process.
I don't own one. I'm a Windows and Unix systems analyst by trade, and have custom built my own rigs for 20 years. Still, this machine interests me greatly. For the price point, it has everything i want and more (including that screen). If all you want is 1080p content and web browsing, then you want a $600 PC and generic 24-27" screen, not this machine, so don;t buy this machine. I'm looking for something with 16GB RAM (that won't cost $1K extra to get to using 8GB chips, this has 4 RAM slots), with SSD and HDD internally and a slew of high speed external drive ports. I have eyes on a new storage chassis to replace an aging eSATA Multitap chassis, and TB fits that bill, and still lets me add my 2 existing 24" displays to the side of that 27" monster. I can not buy a tower from any major retailer, plus that 27" or similar screen, for less. Factor in that the iMac 27's from 2 years ago still clear $1K easy on ebay, some $1500, means I could replace this iMac every 2 years with a newer better one for less than I average spending overhauling out-of-warranty custom towers, and without all the hassle. Plus, it will run OS X, Windows 7, and Linux (and all at the same time if I want) which can not be done on any generic PC at all.
Slight technical flaw with that
Your link is for a MONITOR only, you still need a system unit to go with that. Going to the Dell site and matching as close as I can to the iMac (XPS 8300, i5 @3.1GHz, Radion 6870 graphics, 6GB of RAM, 1.5TB HDD, wireless keyboard and mouse, WiFi & Bluetooth adaptors, Windows 7 ultimate) I get a bill of £1084, plus your £677 monitor that takes you to about £1760.
What was that about the PC being cheaper? How were you going to hide the system box and all the cables (and reduce the noise)?
