Is the iMac 5K overpriced? iMac 5k vs Windows setup price showdown

[ANewFace]

I was thinking, supposedly Apple PCs are becoming more price competitive these days. So I set out to see if the Retina 5K iMac was overpriced, so I build about the closest PC possible running Windows. I was copying the configuration of the iMac with a 4790K, 16gb of RAM, a 500gb flash SSD, and a M295X GPU. So here's the parts I chose.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($324.88 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.75 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Asus Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($138.99 @ NCIX US) 

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($119.54 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($194.99 @ Amazon) 

Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 290X 8GB Vapor-X Video Card  ($448.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Case: Corsair 450D ATX Mid Tower Case  ($97.99 @ Newegg) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ NCIX US) 

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($87.89 @ OutletPC) 

Monitor: Dell UP2715K 60Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($1979.99 @ Adorama) 

Total: $3488.00

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-02 17:27 EDT-0400

 

Now we needed the closest possible things, so I got a 4790K, the cheapest 16gb kit of RAM I have ever seen, and a R9 290X 8GB from Sapphire. We also needed a 5K screen for this, you have to remember a display is factored into the price of the iMac, so Dell had our only option. And I went and did some nice little touches like a 212 evo and a Corsair 450D, because the iMac has some nice looks so I wanted our PC to look somewhat good. Now it is possible to cut this price down a tad, by getting something like a cheaper motherboard, or case, or no cooling,  but I feel that this is pretty well setup.

 

     To the conclusion, the Price of the iMac in this config is $3499, my setup is $3488. Now my setup will preform better do to the better cooling of the CPU, and better GPU, but you have to say that there is not much of a price premium. They spent money to get that form factor, and to build it (plus they include a mouse and keyboard. So if you ask me I would say that it is not overpriced, it is right in line of slightly over it's windows equivalent. So guys what do you think about Apple and their prices let me know.

[Guest]

It haz a 5K moniteur so................ wait what?

 

Yeah. (OS X sucks anyway)

[minibois]

You also have a better screen than the iMac, since the iMac display is only 8-bit (colors) and the actual Dell screen is 10-bit.

Yeah, it's kinda overpriced, but compared to other Apple products not so much tbh

[brownninja97]

Now consider that you could have gotten a cheaper case, a cheaper psu, a cheaper motherboard and the cooler isnt really needed unless you want to overclock. That should shave some money off for next to no performance loss.

[ANewFace]

You also have a better screen than the iMac, since the iMac display is only 8-bit (colors) and the actual Dell screen is 10-bit.

Yeah, it's kinda overpriced, but compared to other Apple products not so much tbh

Like I said slightly, but it's at the point where I wouldn't feel bad to spend that price 

[ANewFace]

Now consider that you could have gotten a cheaper case, a cheaper psu, a cheaper motherboard and the cooler isnt really needed unless you want to overclock. That should shave some money off for next to no performance loss.

I mentioned that

[Swndlr]

It haz a 5K moniteur so................ wait what?

 

Yeah. (OS X sucks anyway)

osx doesnt suck, first of all

and secondly, it really isnt too far overpriced, yeh sure its a 5K monitor, but the computer kinda comes with that........

 

and ffs half the people that reply to this thread and going to comment with the mindset of a gaming machine, people need to take their heads out of their asses and realize, different people use different machines for different purposes

 

they also have different likes, and different budgets...

[AlexWJD]

If I can't afford it is is overpriced

 

Edit: /s

[Norman_the_Owl]

We've know this for a while, it's pretty cheap for what it is

[minibois]

Like I said slightly, but it's at the point where I wouldn't feel bad to spend that price 

I still would feel bad

 

osx doesnt suck, first of all

and secondly, it really isnt too far overpriced, yeh sure its a 5K monitor, but the computer kinda comes with that........

 

and ffs half the people that reply to this thread and going to comment with the mindset of a gaming machine, people need to take their heads out of their asses and realize, different people use different machines for different purposes

OSX sucks IMO ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

And I'm not talking gaming, but just really for everything...

It just feel so slow and, this is hard to explain, it feels like everything takes so much effort to get done. I dont think Adobe stuff is better on OSX vs. Windows.

I did make a reply without gaming in mind, because:

a. you dont want OSX for gaming.

b. you dont want a Mac for gaming, because multiple other reasons.

 

But you have to keep in mind this panel 'only' has 8-bit colors and the Dell panel has 10-bit panel.

You can't really compare them like that.

[hak4fun]

Eh.... there 5k imac isn't horribly overpriced.... But take there macbook pro. A 2.5ghz i5, 4gb of RAM and a 500GB HDD is 1.5k.

 

then go over to lenovo, and pickup a Y50 touch and get a  i7-4710HQ, 16GB of 1600mhz RAM, gtx960M, and a 512GB SSD for about the same price.

 

Now you do have to take in build quality. The macpro is sexy, and it is built well. I don't know much about the Y50 but lenovo does pretty well with looks, and quality. but... 2x maybe more performance for the same price? I think I will take something that is ugly but functional.

[Swndlr]

I still would feel bad

 

OSX sucks IMO ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

And I'm not talking gaming, but just really for everything...

It just feel so slow and, this is hard to explain, it feels like everything takes so much effort to get done. I dont think Adobe stuff is better on OSX vs. Windows.

I did make a reply without gaming in mind, because:

a. you dont want OSX for gaming.

b. you dont want a Mac for gaming, because multiple other reasons.

 

But you have to keep in mind this panel 'only' has 8-bit colors and the Dell panel has 10-bit panel.

You can't really compare them like that.

the dell monitor itself costs as much as the imac, without the computer...

[minibois]

the dell monitor itself costs as much as the imac, without the computer...

The Dell monitor is 1990 USD and the base iMac is 2500 USD.

That's an iMac with an i5 rather than an i7 (that adds 250 USD), with 8GB RAM (going to 16GB at Apple's site adds 200 USD) and the GPU is an R9 M290X, rather than R9 M295X. The M290X 'only' has 2GB VRAM and the M295X has 4GB VRAM. (which adds 250 USD).

So... Dell screen: 1.990 USD.

iMac:  3.329 USD

That's a 1339 USD difference, with which you can make a beast PC that does not thermal throttle as much as that iMac does.

It might not be as overpriced as many other Apple products, but it certainly does feel very overpriced.

 

EDIT: OP included the Dell monitor in his build by the way.

[MiracleMan]

Comparasions like this always ingore one major thing: Warrenty.

Especially if you use the PC for work having warrenty on the entire system compared to every part alone is a huge advantage if you rely on the system and is worth a lot.

[Redsun20]

Lets just put it this way. All Macs are overpriced.

[Fgtfv567]

I heard the M295X GPU is as powerful as a R9 280, so yours is more powerful

[KirbyTech]

Now consider that you could have gotten a cheaper case, a cheaper psu, a cheaper motherboard and the cooler isnt really needed unless you want to overclock. That should shave some money off for next to no performance loss.

While you could go with the cheapest, when doing a cross platform comparison, I think it is best to do average or most popular price for products. The parts he listed are very much in line with that, some are a little over the top by $10 or so. Nothing major,but the only thing that does make the value close is the screen. And well, that still is fair it should also be noted that if you went with a slightly lower res screen you could save a crap ton and avoid massive scaling issues.

[JLCitadel]

I'd say it's priced a little higher than i'd feel comfortable spending on it. If it was say.. $2,999.99 or something close, It'd be perfect. I'm glad they're starting to be a little more reasonable.

[MLGNOSCOPEHEADSHOTGETREKT]

For gaming yes.For Content creation No.

[KemoKa]

I don't want my computer thermal throttling for ANY reason, and with the abysmal cooling on the iMac, it just doesn't do it for me. and why would you put a K part in there when it has no OC support, let alone the necessary VRM system to do it in the first place

[thekeemo]

the mobile 290x is NOWHERE near the desktop 290x

[Geekazoid]

Yeah. (OS X sucks anyway)

It only sucks if one hasn't used it correctly. I personally like it myself, but this is subjective.

[thekeemo]

also the 290x Tri-X is about $140 cheaper..

[Geekazoid]

If I can't afford it is is overpriced

Seriously :huh:? LOL

I don't want my computer thermal throttling for ANY reason, and with the abysmal cooling on the iMac, it just doesn't do it for me. and why would you put a K part in there when it has no OC support, let alone the necessary VRM system to do it in the first place

He put the i7 4790K CPU in there because, if you go and have a look yourself, the 5K iMac does actually use the i7 4790K. Ridiculous? Yeah, I know, but I think Apple did that just so they could have a 5K iMac running @ 4GHz on the CPU. It is a waste in my humble opinion.

[ANewFace]

also the 290x Tri-X is about $140 cheaper..

I know but we need the 8GB of VRAM, we are driving a 5K screen