Next iMac advice please

I have

iMac 24"
2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 256 MB

Due to not liking the 27", I think its too overpowering, daft I know, but I occasionally use one in the office and really don't get on with it. I have a iMac 24" at home and like it with a Del 21.5" next to it as a second screen and it works well in FCPx or what I need but workflow speed is getting frustrating at times

I an seriously considering the following as it must be far better than I have now for workflow speed.

iMac 21.5"
3.1GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM -2X8GB
512GB Flash Storage
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 1GB GDDR5

Most of my video work is done on a JCV GY HM600, max 35mbps, records in MOV format so I get instant import into FCPx with no waiting and several GoPro cameras, GoPro needs post processing and takes time and while the old iMac works well, it does slow my workflow down at times when importing and rendering files. Its mostly all hobby video so i am not talking speed to save production time and money, more speed to save waiting all the time when its rendering.

Is anyone using the new iMac spec above and how are they getting on. Would I be better spending more for the 27" spec and living with the big screen. Will there really be big improvements over speed. Is it really worth the £900 extra I will have to pay for the spec below.

iMac 27"
3.5GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
32GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4X8GB
512GB Flash Storage
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4GB GDDR5

Cheers

I just ordered an iMac which will be delivered Saturday. I did a compromise.
I can't imagine anyone not wanting the extra screen size to see more of the "timeline" and a larger viewer window. Plus the 27" is the only model with user upgradable RAM.
So I got the 27 with the 3.5 processor.

You can save some money (if you get the 27) by getting the base RAM and adding more yourself. I got 8gb with the iMac but am adding 16 more. My end cost will be about the same as getting 16gb from Apple but I will have 24.

You can also save by getting smaller flash storage. My old computer is a 2008 MacPro with a 256 gb SSD as a boot drive. I just don't put Events or Projects on the SSD and have my iTunes, iPhoto, and Aperture libraries on another drive as well. I have 100gb of it free at the moment.

You're going to have to get some kind of external storage anyway for media drives. I got the 1TB fusion, which saves even more. And I'm getting an external Thunderbolt box that will hold my existing drives.

I also got the 2GB video card, not the 4GB. I don't think I'll regret this. I don't plan to go beyond HD (in fact, I deliver to Vimeo and standard def DVD so actually still shoot about half the time in 720p), so I put the money saved there into more RAM.

So, yes, I think the difference is worth it, but the difference doesn't have to be as great as you have specced it out.

I assume you know about barefeats.com for speed testing of i7 vs. i5…

It's always hard to decide though - but fun!

Cheers for the input, I didn't look at it that way, but they are very valid points you have made.

I too mostly shoot in 720, prefer the higher frame rates of both the JVC and GoPros and I do use external drives for all my storage so it makes sense to look at it the way you have. I also completely forgot that I can upgrade the memory myself and slightly cheaper than normal as well as our company has a Crucial account.

The 27" makes more sense now you have added a few valid points that I did not even consider, I think I will still go for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4GB GDDR5 because I can't upgrade that part.

My only decider is Fusion or SSD, 1GB Fusion and 256GB SSD are the same cost I will have to some reading to do now and I like the idea of extra storage

So rather than £2900, I am now looking at £2200 + £80 for an extra 16GB or £160 for 32GB

Guess I owe you a drink...

Yes, my camera is the Canon XF100, so I shoot at 720p60fps a lot.

I probably should have gotten the GTX 780 and it's probably best that you do that. But, I was running out of budget, the 775 is still twice the video ram that I currently have, and if it gets that bad I'll pass this iMac to my wife in a couple of years and go again

Glad to help - next time you're in eastern Tennessee, I'll take that drink!