iMac5K (2017)

• 4 Ghz i7
• 32GB Memory

This presents as an 8 core system.

The new system:

Model Name: iMac Pro

• Model Identifier: iMacPro1,1
• Processor Name: Intel Xeon W
• Processor Speed: 2.3 GHz
• Number of Processors: 1
• Total Number of Cores: 18
• L2 Cache (per Core): 1 MB
• L3 Cache: 24.8 MB
• Memory: 128 GB
• Boot ROM Version: 15.16.6059.0.0,0

Presents as 18 cores and has significantly more memory at 128GB. I set out to do a couple of tests that I could measure and then sum up how the two systems feel.

Blender Render (Cycles)

Old iMac 5K 1:16:41 H:M:S
IMac Pro 15:58 H:M:S

Cheetah 3D Render

Old iMac 5K 28167 S
iMac Pro 12082 S

Conclusions

So, Blender has a 5 times speed up and Cheetah3D has just over twice. I checked the activity monitor and both were using pretty much all the CPU.

The installation of the iMac Pro was painful, many painful. In the background the audio and Lacie RAID drivers were disabled. The trouble is that Lacie didn't write the drivers so it's not obvious which drivers should be enabled. I basically re-installed all the audio and RAID drivers and got to thinking that the Thunderbolt 3-2 adapters didn't work because the Lacie and Focusrite kit are Thunderbolt 1. Five hours of forum hunting later and all was running.

In truth I'm underwhelmed with the performance improvements compared to the three year difference and the eye-watering £10K price tag.

What is useful though is the ability to comfortably run other programs whilst Blender/Cheetah3D/Fusion/Resolve are thrashing through renders.

Of note is that the Radeon card supports the RadeonProRender plugin for blender, this can offload the render work to the graphics card. However you need to be aware that materials used by the Cycles render engine don't work with ProRender, and that the tool that converts between the two silently barfs on stuff like hair. I run the app from the terminal so that I can see the debug messages - this led me to changing enough materials to get the renders going.

It can even run FCPx and Blender (whilst rendering an animation). My guess is that this is a function of memory as well as the number of available cores.

So, perhaps the real joy of ownership is that the editing/grading interface is more responsive.

In the meantime, I've been looking at the cost of online render farms, which for me will work out at 3$ per frame -- so that's another ouch moment.

will this setup handle raw (red raw from scarlet-x) edit and full res playback in premiere pro cc or fcpx ? anybody using same or similiar setup ?

thank you

Apple® today updated iMac® with fourth generation Intel quad-core processors, new graphics, next generation Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage options. The updated iMac brings the latest technology to the stunningly thin design and gorgeous display of the world's leading all-in-one desktop.

"Inside its ultra-thin aluminum enclosure, the new iMac has the latest Intel processors, faster graphics, next generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage."

"iMac continues to be the example that proves how beautiful, fast and fun a desktop computer can be," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Inside its ultra-thin aluminum enclosure, the new iMac has the latest Intel processors, faster graphics, next generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage."

The entry-level 21.5-inch iMac features a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and new Iris Pro graphics for unprecedented levels of integrated graphics performance. The high-end 21.5-inch model and both 27-inch models feature quad-core Intel Core i5 processors up to 3.4 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce 700 series graphics with twice the video memory and up to 40 percent faster performance than the previous generation.* Customers looking for the ultimate in performance can upgrade to quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 3.5 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M series graphics with up to 4GB of video memory.

iMac now supports next generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi. When connected to an 802.11ac base station, iMac delivers wireless performance that is up to three times faster than the previous generation.

The updated iMac now features support for PCIe-based flash storage that makes Fusion Drive and all-flash storage options up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation.* The popular Fusion Drive option combines the large storage capacity of a hard drive with the high performance of flash to deliver shorter boot times and faster access to apps and files. Customers can configure their iMac with a 1TB or 3TB Fusion Drive, and all-flash storage options are now available in configurations up to 1TB.

iMac comes standard with 8GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive, and customers can choose to configure their iMac with up to 32GB of memory and up to a 3TB hard drive. iMac also comes with two Thunderbolt and four USB 3.0 ports for connecting to external storage and other high performance peripherals.

Continuing Apple's commitment to energy efficiency and the environment, iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves an EPEAT Gold rating.** iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac includes PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, and uses highly recyclable materials and material-efficient packaging designs.

iMac ships with OS X® Mountain Lion, bringing Messages, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay® Mirroring, Dictation, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper to your Mac®. With iCloud® built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to keep your content up to date across your Mac, iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch®.

Pricing & Availability

The new iMac is available today through the Apple Online Store - http://www.apple.com.

• The 21.5-inch iMac is available with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz and Intel Iris Pro for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US);
• with a 2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US).
• The 27-inch iMac is available with a 3.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 755M for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US);
• with a 3.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US).

Check more at http://www.apple.com/imac

Price: Mac2sell suggests the after market price for this unit is $1,640. That's a little steep, but I'm looking to get between $1,400 and $1,500 OBO + shipping (usually under $50 within North America. Overseas things get pricey real quick).

Specs: -OSX Lion 10.7.4 -2.8ghz i5 Quadcore Processor -16GB of RAM -1TB Hard Drive -ATI Radeon HD 5750 graphics card w/1GB RAM -Bluetooth, 802.11g/n WiFi, FaceTime Camera -Wireless Keyboard, and Magic Mouse -Original Box and Packaging included

Please feel free to message with any questions and for more pictures.

Preferably pay through Paypal of course.