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2017 iMac (Radeon 580) vs. Custom PC (+Monitor)

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Go to solution Solved by acls86,

Well, I'm using the new 2017 5k iMac with i5 and radeon pro 580. I'm just a casual gamer, but I know what I would get with a high end gaming pc. My last one was i7 7700k and 1080ti.

I just could not give up the 5k screen and whats more important, MacOS. If this matters to you, you have no alternatives.

 

For gaming I bought an external USB 3.1 SSD (Samsung t3), installed Windows 10 and there we go. I can play anything on high and ultra with a resolution of 1440p, the 5k screen scales superb with 1440p. Temperature in AAA games are around 85°C on CPU and GPU. Fan is not audible on desktop use, in games you can clearly hear the air (wushhh) but nothing like a low quality fan noise.

 

So much less cables!

FGnOzhRn.JPG

Posted
10 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

well that 1080Ti is going to crush the Radeon Pro 580 (aka RX 580) 

 

Actually with this years 5K iMac you can upgrade the CPU and RAM yourself (it just requires time and skill)

 

I personally prefer macOS infinitely more over Windows however if you are planning on gaming a lot the PC might be the way to go, however the iMac can play games extremely well at 1440p in Bootcamp. 

 

The iMac also has the best screen on the market, a super fast SSD, and that Apple life style we fans know and love xD 

 

(also Thunderbolt 3 and USB C) suck it PC users!

Aaaand... Not cables everywhere for display and mouse. Just the power cable. Also, despite how much peeps complain about cooling, the case looks amazing. And you forgot to factor in an excellent set of speakers. We've got a few iMacs at my office, and the 2014 27" iMac 5K blows any other PC speakers out of the water. Only thing it's missing is a proper subwoofer. 

Intel HEDT and Server platform enthusiasts: Intel HEDT Xeon/i7 Megathread 

 

Main PC 

CPU: i9 7980XE @4.5GHz/1.22v/-2 AVX offset 

Cooler: EKWB Supremacy Block - custom loop w/360mm +280mm rads 

Motherboard: EVGA X299 Dark 

RAM:4x8GB HyperX Predator DDR4 @3200Mhz CL16 

GPU: Nvidia FE 2060 Super/Corsair HydroX 2070 FE block 

Storage:  1TB MP34 + 1TB 970 Evo + 500GB Atom30 + 250GB 960 Evo 

Optical Drives: LG WH14NS40 

PSU: EVGA 1600W T2 

Case & Fans: Corsair 750D Airflow - 3x Noctua iPPC NF-F12 + 4x Noctua iPPC NF-A14 PWM 

OS: Windows 11

 

Display: LG 27UK650-W (4K 60Hz IPS panel)

Mouse: EVGA X17

Keyboard: Corsair K55 RGB

 

Mobile/Work Devices: 2020 M1 MacBook Air (work computer) - iPhone 13 Pro Max - Apple Watch S3

 

Other Misc Devices: iPod Video (Gen 5.5E, 128GB SD card swap, running Rockbox), Nintendo Switch

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Posted
44 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Not cables everywhere for display and mouse.

Yeah, that is one thing I can't get over with iMacs, you legit only need 1 cable.......

Laptop: 2019 16" MacBook Pro i7, 512GB, 5300M 4GB, 16GB DDR4 | Phone: iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB | Wearables: Apple Watch SE | Car: 2007 Ford Taurus SE | CPU: R7 5700X | Mobo: ASRock B450M Pro4 | RAM: 32GB 3200 | GPU: ASRock RX 5700 8GB | Case: Apple PowerMac G5 | OS: Win 11 | Storage: 1TB Crucial P3 NVME SSD, 1TB PNY CS900, & 4TB WD Blue HDD | PSU: Be Quiet! Pure Power 11 600W | Display: LG 27GL83A-B 1440p @ 144Hz, Dell S2719DGF 1440p @144Hz | Cooling: Wraith Prism | Keyboard: G610 Orion Cherry MX Brown | Mouse: G305 | Audio: Audio Technica ATH-M50X & Blue Snowball | Server: 2018 Core i3 Mac mini, 128GB SSD, Intel UHD 630, 16GB DDR4 | Storage: OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad (6TB WD Blue HDD, 12TB Seagate Barracuda, 1TB Crucial SSD, 2TB Seagate Barracuda HDD)
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Posted
Just now, DrMacintosh said:

Yeah, that is one thing I can't get over with iMacs, you legit only need 1 cable.......

Unless you're like me and have a screen on either side of the 21.5" iMac you use for work. Though even for peripherals, you don't even need a dongle or anything. And most PCs don't have built in Bluetooth (as far as desktops go), so that's another add-on if you want that wireless life. I will admit the rear I/O is a pain to get to without scratching the case. 

Intel HEDT and Server platform enthusiasts: Intel HEDT Xeon/i7 Megathread 

 

Main PC 

CPU: i9 7980XE @4.5GHz/1.22v/-2 AVX offset 

Cooler: EKWB Supremacy Block - custom loop w/360mm +280mm rads 

Motherboard: EVGA X299 Dark 

RAM:4x8GB HyperX Predator DDR4 @3200Mhz CL16 

GPU: Nvidia FE 2060 Super/Corsair HydroX 2070 FE block 

Storage:  1TB MP34 + 1TB 970 Evo + 500GB Atom30 + 250GB 960 Evo 

Optical Drives: LG WH14NS40 

PSU: EVGA 1600W T2 

Case & Fans: Corsair 750D Airflow - 3x Noctua iPPC NF-F12 + 4x Noctua iPPC NF-A14 PWM 

OS: Windows 11

 

Display: LG 27UK650-W (4K 60Hz IPS panel)

Mouse: EVGA X17

Keyboard: Corsair K55 RGB

 

Mobile/Work Devices: 2020 M1 MacBook Air (work computer) - iPhone 13 Pro Max - Apple Watch S3

 

Other Misc Devices: iPod Video (Gen 5.5E, 128GB SD card swap, running Rockbox), Nintendo Switch

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Posted
1 minute ago, Zando Bob said:

I will admit the rear I/O is a pain to get to without scratching the case. 

There are a few adapters that hang in the front, it takes away from the look but its convenient. Most PCs don't have Thunderbolt 3 or more than one USB C port and no other Desktop PC has a built in SD card reader. 

Laptop: 2019 16" MacBook Pro i7, 512GB, 5300M 4GB, 16GB DDR4 | Phone: iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB | Wearables: Apple Watch SE | Car: 2007 Ford Taurus SE | CPU: R7 5700X | Mobo: ASRock B450M Pro4 | RAM: 32GB 3200 | GPU: ASRock RX 5700 8GB | Case: Apple PowerMac G5 | OS: Win 11 | Storage: 1TB Crucial P3 NVME SSD, 1TB PNY CS900, & 4TB WD Blue HDD | PSU: Be Quiet! Pure Power 11 600W | Display: LG 27GL83A-B 1440p @ 144Hz, Dell S2719DGF 1440p @144Hz | Cooling: Wraith Prism | Keyboard: G610 Orion Cherry MX Brown | Mouse: G305 | Audio: Audio Technica ATH-M50X & Blue Snowball | Server: 2018 Core i3 Mac mini, 128GB SSD, Intel UHD 630, 16GB DDR4 | Storage: OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad (6TB WD Blue HDD, 12TB Seagate Barracuda, 1TB Crucial SSD, 2TB Seagate Barracuda HDD)
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Posted
1 minute ago, DrMacintosh said:

There are a few adapters that hang in the front, it takes away from the look but its convenient. Most PCs don't have Thunderbolt 3 or more than one USB C port and no other Desktop PC has a built in SD card reader. 

And lost of the adapters look really nice as well (A coworker who does graphics design and IT stuff has a USB 3.0 one for his 2014 iMac 5K). Not to mention the screen, which is unmatched by anything other than the Dell 8K monitor and LG's Apple engineered UltraFine monitors. And the screen is massive. It looks way bigger than a normal 27" screen, and colors are awesome!

Intel HEDT and Server platform enthusiasts: Intel HEDT Xeon/i7 Megathread 

 

Main PC 

CPU: i9 7980XE @4.5GHz/1.22v/-2 AVX offset 

Cooler: EKWB Supremacy Block - custom loop w/360mm +280mm rads 

Motherboard: EVGA X299 Dark 

RAM:4x8GB HyperX Predator DDR4 @3200Mhz CL16 

GPU: Nvidia FE 2060 Super/Corsair HydroX 2070 FE block 

Storage:  1TB MP34 + 1TB 970 Evo + 500GB Atom30 + 250GB 960 Evo 

Optical Drives: LG WH14NS40 

PSU: EVGA 1600W T2 

Case & Fans: Corsair 750D Airflow - 3x Noctua iPPC NF-F12 + 4x Noctua iPPC NF-A14 PWM 

OS: Windows 11

 

Display: LG 27UK650-W (4K 60Hz IPS panel)

Mouse: EVGA X17

Keyboard: Corsair K55 RGB

 

Mobile/Work Devices: 2020 M1 MacBook Air (work computer) - iPhone 13 Pro Max - Apple Watch S3

 

Other Misc Devices: iPod Video (Gen 5.5E, 128GB SD card swap, running Rockbox), Nintendo Switch

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Posted
11 hours ago, JDE said:

BTW yes viruses on the Mac.

 

A lot slower performance, 580 won't do 4K.

A 580 is perfectly fine to drive a 5k display smoothly. It also works perfectly for 4K video rendering and other "pro" stuff like that. If you're talking about gaming in native 5K, then you have a point. 

ZamoRIG 2.0:

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 1700 @ 3.9GHz

Cooling: DeepCool Captain 240 RGB + 2x Corsair ML120 fans

Graphics Card: Gigabyte GTX 1070 G1 Gaming x2 

Motherboard: Asrock X370 Gaming K4 

RAM: 2x8GB DDR4 G Skill Ripjaws V Grey @ 2800MHz 

SSDs: 2xPatriot Ignite M.2 240GB

HDD: WD Black 1TB + WD Green 2TB

 PSU: Corsair RM750

Case: Corsair Carbide 400C

ZamoRIG “Portable”:

Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 @ 4GHz

Cooling: Corsair H80i 

Graphics Card: Gigabyte GTX 1070 G1 Gaming 

Motherboard: Gigabyte AB350N Gaming WiFi

RAM: 1x16GB DDR4 Corsair Vengance  @ 2400MHz 

SSD: Patriot Ignite M.2 240GB 

HDD: 2TB 2.5” Seagate HDD 

PSU: Corsair TX650M 

Case: Siverstone SG13

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Posted
15 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Yeah thats not happening. We have already hit the diminishing returns area of resolution. 

Did you not read all of it where I said it was a big if?

 

A lot of things were told " that's not happening" and yet they happened.

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