Buying an 5K iMac

[Suffokation]

Hey LTT,

I have recently began contemplating purchasing an iMac 5K.

I would be purchasing the entry level configuration, with a 512GB PCI-E SSD.

My main reason behind this is that I am beginning grade 12 very soon and I intend on pursuing a future in professional music production alongside the business my parents work in. From reviews I have seen iMac's are far superior machines for music creation when compared to a windows machine. I plan on running a AXE FX2 through it, and whatever my buddies bring along to record with. My second option would be turning my current machine (see sig) into a Hacktinosh and just dual booting between the two when needed. Money isn't really a massive issue as I have recently purchased my first car and have been saving up for 3 months to afford this.

 

So, what do you guys reckon I should do? In depth answers are always preferred.

 

Okay guys, I have made my choice. I will be building a Hackintosh machine for $1500.

As music work doesn't require beefy hardware, it can take tremondrous amounts of times to render and add effects.

I am going to use an i7 4930k, a GT 730, 16GB of the cheapest DDR3 I can find and an Ultra-Wide LG display. (3440x1440)

[Tedster]

I'm not sure you'd really benefit from all those pixels, especially if you're not working with photos/videos.

[Suffokation]

I'm not sure you'd really benefit from all those pixels, especially if you're not working with photos/videos.

I had originally thought this aswell, but my schools Music room had a 1080P display and editing music on it was a nightmare. Having lots of digital effects boards was painful as they could only have 2 up at a time along with the actual software to edit it.

Do you think a 1440P iMac would be a better option?

[thekeemo]

When you buy apple you buy a brand and good looks

And for that amount of money.. Well you can get a great build and have money for 3 4k monitors

[Tedster]

I had originally thought this aswell, but my schools Music room had a 1080P display and editing music on it was a nightmare. Having lots of digital effects boards was painful as they could only have 2 up at a time along with the actual software to edit it.

Do you think a 1440P iMac would be a better option?

I personally don't understand how important resolution can be for music editing, but I'd imagine that 1440p would be the sweet spot.

 

When I was lucky enough to be part of a band that was professionally recording, we were working on a pre-2013 Mac Pro and 2 1080p displays just fine. But I wasn't paying that much attention to them and instead was watching my friends try to concentrate.

[Psykomantis00]

You could get a mac mini and a 4k monitor and save a lot of money if all you want is OSx and more screen real estate. I played with a 5k imac, it's neat but I'd never pay that price. 

[Norman_the_Owl]

Hackintosh and a few 4K displays would be better

[zlolslavez]

If you really want to then get it, built windows systems are obviously superior in specs for the same price, but if you don't want to deal with building it/lugging a desktop around along with a monitor, want the branding, or like Macs, then get the iMac. It's not neccisarily faster as that is more of a hardware thing rather than a OS thing.

[salecar3]

turn ir into hackintosh

[GarnetDevil]

Guys, before any more comment suggesting him turn his rig into a hackintosh: X99 and DDR4 doesn't support Hackintosh at the moment

 

But, he can buy a Mac Mini and connect it to his monitor, use Apple's music editing program, save tons of money -> maximum profit

[asim1999]

When you buy apple you buy a brand and good looks

And for that amount of money.. Well you can get a great build and have money for 3 4k monitors

Yeah, exactly, who needs 5K when 4K just got affordable?

[007agentHP]

i recommend not getting a 5k mac and just builfing a new pc for the same price that runs osx (hackintosh)

[thekeemo]

Yeah, exactly, who needs 5K when 4K just got affordable?

3x4k in this case

[asim1999]

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/NttF3C) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/NttF3C/by_merchant/)

 

Type|Item|Price

:----|:----|:----

**CPU** | [intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80648i75820k) | $389.99 @ Newegg 

**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master Nepton 280L 122.5 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rln28l20pkr1) | $111.57 @ Amazon 

**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte GA-X99-UD4 ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gax99ud4) | $239.98 @ Newegg 

**Memory** | [G.Skill Ripjaws Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2666 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f42666c15q16grr) | $194.79 @ Amazon 

**Storage** | [samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz75e250bam) | $133.98 @ OutletPC 

**Storage** | [Western Digital WD Black 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd4001faex) | $248.99 @ SuperBiiz 

**Video Card** | [XFX Radeon R9 295X2 8GB Core Edition Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-r9295x8qfa) | $659.99 @ Newegg 

**Case** | [Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/phanteks-case-phes614pbk) | $99.99 @ Amazon 

**Power Supply** | [EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 P2 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220p21000xr) | $159.99 @ NCIX US 

**Monitor** | [Acer B286HK ymjdpprz 60Hz 28.0" Monitor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/acer-monitor-umpb6aa003) | $488.98 @ Directron 

 | | **Total**

 | Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $2703.25

 | Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-24 10:57 EST-0500 |

 

How about this? I chose a Gigabyte motherboard so you could build a hackintosh

[GarnetDevil]

-snip-

Our OP already has a full build, getting another one is going to be insane, also please read my comment I've posted earlier

[asim1999]

3x4k in this case

Yeah, monitors are $400 in the US

[Suffokation]

 

-Snip-

I live in Australia mate.

And, apparently DDR4 X99 isn't feasible for Hackintosh at the moment.

[asim1999]

I live in Australia mate.

And, apparently DDR4 X99 isn't feasible for Hackintosh at the moment.

Well i saw software packages on the website that Slick showed when they did the hackintosh

[Suffokation]

Well i saw software packages on the website that Slick showed when they did the hackintosh

As did I.

I was curious aswell. I am pretty sure it is doable.

[Darel]

iMac superior in music creation over windows?? .. cmon... be real man.. it's the programs that make music.. not the damn iMac. Go ahead, if you want to waste money on apple... but dont think you'll be buying a superior machine... you're wrong all the way... that's the problem with apple, people dont think straight when it comes to apple...

[asim1999]

iMac superior in music creation over windows?? .. cmon... be real man.. it's the programs that make music.. not the damn iMac. Go ahead, if you want to waste money on apple... but dont think you'll be buying a superior machine... you're wrong all the way... that's the problem with apple, people dont think straight when it comes to apple...

True, his mac will lag due to the weak GPU

[NeatSquidYT]

When you buy apple you buy a brand and good looks

And for that amount of money.. Well you can get a great build and have money for 3 4k monitors

No it's not. Stop being a fanboy.

[NeatSquidYT]

True, his mac will lag due to the weak GPU

You don't need an amazing GPU for music creation.

[Suffokation]

iMac superior in music creation over windows?? .. cmon... be real man.. it's the programs that make music.. not the damn iMac. Go ahead, if you want to waste money on apple... but dont think you'll be buying a superior machine... you're wrong all the way... that's the problem with apple, people dont think straight when it comes to apple...

According to reviews I said.

I am not thinking much at all because this is a totally foreign subject to me.

But hey, condescend me. It's iahgt.

[asim1999]

You don't need an amazing GPU for music creation.

No, but when he wants to do some video work with his music, then the problems will start

And get an i7 desktop for music, hyperthreading will help