iMac config for Photo Editing

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Level 6

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iMac config for Photo Editing

I currently use a Win7 i5/8g ram desktop and Windows Photo Gallery as my program. Editing is limited to auto correction and crops, file sizes are 3-10M per pic. I also occasionally use Netflix. MS Outlook is always running minimized and I browse the Internet 6-8 tabs open. Am not a gamer.

Bearing in mind that I am completely new to the Mac ecosystem, have the following questions re: iMac 27

1) How much RAM would you recommend?

2) Which graphics card

3) ATA, Fusion Drive or Flash?

4) i5 or i7?

5) Magic mouse or Trackpad ?

Home use only i.e. I won't be a making a living off it. Nevertheless seeking a pleasant experience without unecessary costs.

Look forward to your comments.

Posted on Sep 29, 2013 12:02 AM

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Answer 1

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mende1

Level 10

93,538 points

Sep 29, 2013 12:07 AM in response to hcsitas

1. The 27-inch iMac comes with 8 GB of RAM, which should be enough for most users. I recommend you to get the Mac with 8 GB of RAM, and if you need more, buy it at OWC or Crucial.

2. Any GPU included with a 27-inch iMac will work, so the basic GPU should work correctly. If you want more performance, go for the high-end iMac.

3. If read and write speed is important, consider Fusion Drive or flash storage. If not, save money and go for the HDD, and store your data onto an external disk. Fusion Drive and flash storage will improve read and write speed a lot.

4. Any of them will work, but the i7 processor will provide you better performance with heavy apps.

5. If you want the iMac for photo editing, get the Magic Mouse. The Magic Trackpad is designed for Mac OS X gestures, and you may not like it

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