New iMac for editing 4K

[thefilmaddictJAM]

Hi Everyone,

I've been looking at the new iMacs for adobe premiere pro editing. I want to be able to edit 4K. I want to spend $2000, which would get me the computer below... Do you think it will handle 4K or do I need to spend more money? See option 2.

OPTION 1:

Retina 5K Display

3.1GHz 6-Core Processor with Turbo Boost up to 4.3GHz

1TB Storage

3.1GHz 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor

Turbo Boost up to 4.3GHz

8GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory, configurable up to 64GB

1TB Fusion Drive1

Radeon Pro 575X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory

Two Thunderbolt 3 ports

Retina 5K 5120-by-2880 P3 display

PRICE: $1999.

Note: I would install 32GB of RAM later ($219 OWC Memory for 32GB).

OPTION 2:

Same as above, but would add this for $500 more:

3.6GHz 8-core 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz

PRICE: $2,499.

Note: I would install 32GB of RAM later ($219 OWC Memory for 32GB).

Thanks! Just looking for the least expensive solution that can handle my 4K needs.

[Moderator note: moved to best forum.]

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi thefilmaddictJAM,

Big Mac head, eh? Me too. I am looking forward to the announcement for the next gen Mac Pro. I have no idea when it will come out, but that would weigh into my decision. It would also depend on how well you're getting by on your current system.

I would go with the most powerful machine you could buy and that has some measure of expandability. RAM you can add. VRAM can even now be added via the EGPU. You can buy some pretty fast storage for Thunderbolt these days. Your CPUs on the iMac, however, are the non-upgradable thing, so I'd go for the best CPUs you can afford (and let the rest of the chips fall where they may). So, the i9s. $500 is not that much more if you are a pro editor using an iMac for video editing. You should be able to make that amount back in a single day of work. The CPUs will save you much more time than that, I'd wager.

Good discussion, though. I wish you luck in your decision.

Regards,
Kevin

[thefilmaddictJAM]

Thanks, Kevin.  That makes a lo of sense.  I currently own a 2011 iMac and it doesn't handle 4k very well.  At work, I have an iMac pro 10 core 3 GHz with 128 GB RAM.  It does pretty well.  Just seeing if the iMacs are fast enough and affordable enough to handle 4k.  Sounds like you like my option 2.

I am sure that new Mac pros will be nice, but I doubt they will be affordable compared to the new iMacs.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Look into a supported EGPU. I think that will really boost your workflow with those i9s. Best of luck!

BTW, Apple is in my blood. Cupertino is my home town. I remember when Apple at 1 Infinite Loop was an apricot drying yard, "Mariani's." The new HQ was also in my backyard, it was mainly cherry orchards and then it became a big Hewlett Packard complex next to "Calabazas Creek" where we rode bikes after school. My family home is a stone's throw from there. I got to work on FCP at Apple in a building I used to walk by every day on the way to high school, "Tandem Computers." I've owned mainly Apple computers since I started with computers. My first Apple experience was on a Mac Plus, and I saw an audio waveform on a Mac SE in the late 80s. I couldn't believe it! Awesome! 

Kevin

[thefilmaddictJAM]

I not familiar with an EGPU.  Is it an external device that I can use with the imacs I mentioned above?  Do you have a link?  On my work computer, I use an AJA io4k to deliver video to monitors.  I don't think I would need that for my home system.

[thefilmaddictJAM]

That's awesome your history with apple.