With the 2017 release of iMac, we are going to have a faster, brighter and far more powerful machine as compared to what we already had. The new iMac will feature the speediest Kaby Lake processor and comes with USB-C ports alongside quicker storage. But do you really need this Mac or should wait for something with better graphics, greater memory and even better processing power? If you can wait by the end of the year, you can be able grab an even better iMac Pro that is expected to release this December. Below we have given a sort of iMac and iMac Pro comparison to help you decide which of them is better.
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iMac vs iMac Pro Comparison
Here we have compared the two devices on different accounts in the bid to portray the real picture in front of you. Take a look at our iMac Pro comparison with iMac and decide for yourself which one you are going to choose. Here are some of our comparison points.
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Better Graphics Or Advanced Graphics?
The 21.5” iMac features Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640. And, it is upgradable to Radeon Pro 555 alongside 2GB VRAM or you can also opt for Radeon Pro 560 alongside 4GB VR RAM. Though the graphics in 21.5” iMac 2017 are just fine, you won’t be able to play heavy graphics games or render those 3D graphics. The device works perfectly fine only if you want to browse internet, play games with decent graphics or watch some YouTube videos.
When it comes to 27” iMac, the standard device is available with Radeon Pro 570 having 4GB VRAM. IF you want to upgrade, you can go for Radeon Pro 575 having 4GB VRAM as well as Radeon Pro 580 having 8GB VRAM. It gets as bigger and even better when it comes to offering support for VR gaming, faster processing and offering ability to deal with really heavy gaming experience. You’ll have improved lag and latency and there won’t be any issues with getting MMORPG on. This option works perfectly for complex video and music editing projects, 3D graphics rendering, and app building.
When it comes to iMac Pro, it supports the speediest Radeon Pro Vega graphics processor which is thrice as fast as older iMac GPU. The new iMac will also offer support for double-wide graphics cards. And, if you are looking to have more power hungry graphics experience such as 3D editing, VR gaming, etc. then you can have all that on iMac Pro with its greater frame rates. Vega is capable of fetching data at almost 4000GB/sec. You get as much power as you need to make your own VR completely from scratch.
So, it all depends on what you want to achieve with your iMac. If you are a basic internet user and a music fan who doesn’t get into anything complex then you might want to go with the current model of iMac but for heavy graphics editing and similar stuff you’d be better off with 27” iMac. However, if you need to work on 3D models, graphics-loaded games, or render VR maps, then iMac Pro is surely what you need. It will definitely be the best choice you can make.
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Quad-Core Or 18 Cores?
If you talk about 21.5” iMac, you will have low end dual-core 2.3 GHz processors which you can upgrade to quad-core options having 4.2Ghz with Turbo Boost capabilities.
When it comes to 27” iMac, you get 3.4 GHz quad-core processor which you can upgrade to 4.5 GHz Turbo Boost.
Now for iMac Pro comparison with the above machines, your Pro iMac can have a maximum of 18-core Xeon Processor featuring Turbo Boost 4.5 GHz and 42 MB cache at max which allows you to perform detailed rendering like animating rainfall in 3D city environment with impeccable speed and smoothness.
If you’re a fan of editing apps like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, and want to enjoy a seamless Mac experience then 27” iMac is the best choice for you right now. However, if you are looking forward to rendering big files, putting together synthwave soundtracks all from scratch, 4K video editing, or making those graphics-heavy games, then stay in your tracks and wait until December and then go for iMac Pro.
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Big Memory Or Massive Memory?
The memory for iMacs starts with 8GB in 21.5” model which can’t be upgraded once the iMac is purchased. However, the max you can get in that model is 64GB having 2400 MHz DDR4 memory. Besides, you get 4 SO-DIMM slots as well which you can also upgrade after buying your Mac.
But iMac Pro leaves it way behind with its 128 GB memory that turns out to be wonderful when it comes to rendering those massive 3D graphics. Even if you want to test several environments at once, iMac Pro is definitely the best. You can also max it out with 4TB all-flash storage at most which allows you to take control over your HD projects without having to slow the speed down.
If all you need is to run several productivity applications concurrently alongside editing your videos using Final Cut Pro and listening to Apple Music in background then iMac 2017 would be good enough for your needs. However, if you are planning to build and test your full-scale animation graphics models in 3D or test quite a few apps for cross-platform compatibility in one go then you should definitely wait for the iMac Pro expected this December.
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32 Million Px or 44 Million Px?
All the 2017 iMac models feature a couple of Thunderbolt 3 ports, also known as USB-C ports, that allow you to have data transfer at the rate of 40GB/sec. In latest iMac model, you also get 4 USB-A ports, standard Ethernet port, 3.5 mm headphone jack and SD card reader. With 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, you can be able to add a single 5K display or a couple of 4K displays for 32 million Px at most across the workstation.
In iMac Pro, you will get 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, 4 USB-A ports, 3.5 mm headphone jack, 10GB Ethernet port and SD card reader all together. Only those Thunderbolt ports of iMac Pro will allow you to be able to connect a couple of RAID systems as well as 2 5K displays at once and this makes up for 44 million Px across the workstation.
So, we’d say if you are not that crazy about having all those pixels and may not need to add those 5K displays externally then iMac would do for you. But if your needs are not fulfilled by 32 million pixels and you might need to add further 5K monitors for additional display then waiting for iMac Pro is definitely worth it.
Making The Call – Which One To Buy?
So, here we highlight the conclusion of all above discussion for you to quickly make the call as to which iMac you should go with. Get through these quick points.
- If you are in search of a Mac with ever advanced graphics then you should definitely wait for iMac Pro to release this December. However, if you have normal-to-heavy graphics needs and only for gaming purposes then you can go with either of 21.5” or 27” iMac right away.
- If a quad-core processor is not going to be enough for fulfilling your computing needs then it’s definitely worth waiting for iMac pro that is expected to come with 18-cores but if quad-core is enough for you then head with your purchase of a current iMac model.
- If memory is a priority for you and you need it at max for rendering those 3D graphics in real-time and test a few VR games together then we’d definitely go with the iMac Pro model. However, if you are an average Mac user and just want to open a dozen of Safari tabs and run a few productivity apps then iMac would do for you.
- Finally, if your normal usage of iMac requires you to connect a couple of additional 5K displays then wait for December release of iMac Pro but if you don’t need anything like that for your routine work then you should stick to current iMac – even that allows for a couple of 4K displays together or a single 5K additional display.
So, here we’ll conclude our discussion and it’s up to you to evaluate your needs precisely and decide what exactly would be best for fulfilling the requirements of your routine chores. Just keep in mind this iMac Pro comparison with the other devices to decide better.