Opinion on Apple iMac for Image editing SPEC: 3.06GHz (Core 2 Duo), 24", 4GB 800Mhz DDR2, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 512MB

CyberMurning on 21/09/2014 - 21:33
Last edited 22/09/2014 - 10:19

I might be able to get the above from family member for cheap price but not sure if it is good enough (powerful enough?) for:
* HDR image editing
* basic photos management,
* Lightroom (not full Photoshop)
* plus, since i am a window user, can i install win 8.1 on this machine?
* can i use this for another 3 years or more?

Model is imac8,1, 2008 build, max ram is 8gb (now only 4gb), bus speed 1.07ghz, harddisk 500gb
Max display is 1920*1200

full spec (with some upgrade as above)
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2…

thanks.

Computing

Comments

  • Woodyg22 on 21/09/2014 - 21:43
    +1

    Depending on how 'cheap' you are getting this and you only want it to install windows on it, why not build a windows machine?

  • ozhunter on 21/09/2014 - 21:44
    +1

    How cheap? Then again it's still probably not worth it. It might just frustrate you. How old is your current computer?

  • ProspectiveDarkness on 21/09/2014 - 21:49
    +1

    My first reaction would be a resounding no, but I guess it depends on the price and what your expectations are.

  • CyberMurning on 21/09/2014 - 22:00

    thanks guys…. the price is $300-350.
    put the price a side, this is also about convenience not having to return this to their house (its long story but it is currently stuck at our house)

    • why not build windows machine = i have window laptop now (15", old core 2 duo) and not really need a desktop at the moment….
    • to be honest i like the big monitor with bright colours, and i assume apple products are good for image editing…
    • no keyboard but one magic apple mouse.

    so, the conclusion is, the machine will be too slow and difficult to install window on? never used mac before, only ipad and iphone but now switch to android.

    • scrimshaw on 21/09/2014 - 22:23
      +3

      and i assume apple products are good for image editing…

      The differences were on the software side, not the hardware. The workflow and UI is different, which is often why you hear polarized opinions from PC and Mac users and with people each preferring their most-used platform, since OSX and Windows run slightly different flavours of Adobe sw. And there was also Aperture (mac only software).

      The display is also not IPS, but TFT, so you won't get the wide viewing angles you get with IPS.

  • ammark19xx on 22/09/2014 - 01:21
    +1

    By the looks of the specs it'll be fine for lightroom. It could get a bit laggy, but if you wanted something current gen, then you'd have to spend $700+.

    I got tired of running Lightroom and Photoshop off my AMD A6 laptop and built myself what would be a good 2013 PC, and then hackintoshed it. The workflow in OSX is sligtly smoother, but not very different from Windows. More than that for working with multiple layers in PS CS6, the i5-4670k with the 1600MHz 8GB DDR3 is very powerful and capable. So, if you're not photoshopping and have some patience, I think your prospective iMac looks fine.

    And yes, you can use bootcamp to run windows 7 as dual boot. Just not sure if Win 8.1 UEFI booting will work as well off bootcamp.

  • Daabido on 22/09/2014 - 07:34
    +1

    That would be a good price, but I couldn't comment on the software side.

    I'm running a mid 2007 24" and will keep running it while it supports the latest OS X, which it will for Yosemite.

    For just general stuff C2D still functions nicely. Just max out the RAM at least. Moving to 6GB (not officially supported) from 4GB made a big difference.

  • ethereal88 on 22/09/2014 - 07:47

    A $50 Haswell Celeron is faster than that old Core 2 junk by at least ~10% and uses half the power. Its obsolete. Take $300, add another $300 and get a proper Windows box. Its already 6yrs old, another 3 nope. Flash heavy sites on the internet will bog down on that.

    • johnno07 on 22/09/2014 - 08:23
      +2

      It is useless to tell someone that a computer that costs twice as much is better. Totally useless. Flash? First of all Flash is becoming increasingly uncommon, and second - no it won't "bog down on that".

      • ESEMCE on 22/09/2014 - 08:50
        +1

        But he's right..
        OP should just look at buying a Decent monitor to plug into his existing Core2Duo Laptop.
        Total waste buying another machine (with comparable specs)

        • johnno07 on 22/09/2014 - 09:05
          +1

          Depends on the actual specs of the laptop - I'd guess they were worse than the iMac on offer, given their similar vintage, and the fact that the OP actually wants to upgrade to it. You could be right though.

        • CyberMurning on 22/09/2014 - 09:20

          its old acer extensa 5635z, 2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo T4200 CPU, 4GB of RAM and an internal Intel GMA4500M 64MB graphics chip. definitely not happy with the speed of my laptop to do batch HDR merging.

        • scrimshaw on 22/09/2014 - 15:20

          I had a look on eBay and spotted some sellers selling old Dell Optiplexes (Sandy Bridge vintage, so my guess is that they are around 3 years old)

          Optiplex 990

          Optiplex 790

          Both are configured with Core i5 2400 and 4GB of RAM.

      • ethereal88 on 22/09/2014 - 15:08

        @johnno07

        It will. Core 2 is ancient. Move on already. The cheapest Celeron is faster. Seriously. The architectural changes till now have been massive.

  • mrmarkau67 on 22/09/2014 - 13:25
    +1

    The thing about these iMacs is great resale value. Buy it, try Windows 8.1* on it, and if its unsatisfactory, sell it.

    • Note I specified Windows 8.1 - that's because default Windows 8.1 licences are transferable to a new box if you need it.

    The iMac would benefit big time from an SSD. I'd try that before I bought extra RAM for it.

    • ethereal88 on 22/09/2014 - 15:08

      A modern SSD to an old crippled SATA II mobo from 2008. In a Mac of all upgrades. GREAT IDEA.

  • CyberMurning on 22/09/2014 - 20:30

    ok. i will not buy the imac. i also like the freedom to upgrade the components inside, so pc is better.

    • ammark19xx on 22/09/2014 - 21:08
      +1

      You mentioned batch HDR merging. PC is the way to go. Make sure it's an i5, the extra cache vs the i3 helps a lot. And if you hackintosh it and try CS6 for mac, you'll LOVE it! It's freaking smooth on my rig when it compiles the final 32 bit TIF Go for it!

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