Author Topic: i5 Vs. i7  (Read 6812 times)

Offline Vijay

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i5 Vs. i7
« on: July 05, 2010, 12:26:14 PM »
Hey guys.

I'm thinking of getting a new Mac, either an iMac or a MacBook Pro. I was wondering if there was any advantage in getting the i7 version. Anybody know? I do RAW photo editing in Lightroom/Photoshop.

Thank you! smile.gif

Offline Xairbusdriver

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2010, 01:48:34 PM »
Well...7 is bigger than 5! So, it must be better, right! laughhard.gif Sometimes, size does matter, assuming it means faster computing...

All I know is what I've read and I don't remember half of that! blush-anim-cl.gif I'll leave the informative posts to others. I will say, I have a very difficult time using my wife's 15" MBP when I'm used to sitting in front of my 24" iMac! Her screen is ~¼ the size of mine and it must use about 110 dpi making everything much smaller... inspect.gif On the other hand, the MBP is a lot easier to take to a meeting...or even another room! rofl.gif

Sounds like things are moving along nicely for you! Don't be such a stranger! laugh.gif
« Last Edit: July 05, 2010, 01:49:35 PM by Xairbusdriver »
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Offline Texas Mac Man

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Offline tacit

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2010, 07:16:35 PM »
Put most simply: a core i7 is a faster processor than a core i5. It's kind of like a 386 vs. a 486, or a G4 vs. a G5--it's a more sophisticated processor.

My general advice when buying a new computer is to always buy the best system you can afford; it will serve you better in the future and last you longer.
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Offline MamaMoose

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2010, 03:24:59 AM »
I second tacit's comment. I just bough a 17" MBP with an i7 processor, 8 GB of RAM,  and 500GB of  solid state memory. I see three places where the system is much speedier: the i7 processor, the 8 GB of RAM, and the SSD. For the latter, there is no extra delay as unlike a mechanical hard drive there is no delay due to finite rotational speed.

It was extremely spendy! I am writing this from my jail cell where I am awaiting trial for robbing a bank to pay for the MBP laugh.gif  I hope the judge is a Mac user.

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Offline krissel

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2010, 03:38:27 AM »
Well Tom, at least your jailer is kind enough to let you use your Mac while behind bars.  smile.gif

Hope you don't have to explain your TS username to your cellmate.  toothgrin.gif


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Offline Vijay

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2010, 12:22:18 PM »
Xairbusdriver:  eek2.gif   wacko.gif   toothgrin.gif

Texas Mac Man: Thank you.  smile.gif

tacit: WOW! Just what I expected! Thank you.  smile.gif

MamaMoose: I can afford the i7 and the 8 GB of RAM but the SSD is out of reach for me. The 500 GB 7200 RPM HD should do. Have fun with your Mac.  smile.gif

krissel: Hello!  smile.gif

Offline Jack W

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2010, 05:25:06 PM »
Vijay,

I was almost ready to order a new iMac 27" i5.

Then I started reading this thread. Now, maybe, I'll order an i7. Boy, would that be sweet!

I got the $ and you can't take it with you.

Quite a bump in speed from .933 monocore to 2.8GHz quad core. Screamin' mimi!!!

 Just another reason to procrastinate.

  I already have (2) 1TB Hitachis in Macally USB2-FW-eSATA enclosures just  hankerin' to get spinning.

Oh, well. I'll be out of town the last week in July, then home pretty regularly after that.

That'll give me time to ponder the final decision, and give Apple a little time to update the iMac line. ???
And maybe iLife or iWorks or both will be bumped up to a new version? toothgrin.gif . . . . . Dream on . . . . .

Hey, do you think that Apple will start supporting and providing eSATA ports? Maybe in the new iMac line? WOW.gif

I don't want much, do I? Hey, it ain't illegal to dream!

Decisions, decisions. Meanwhile my QS 2002 933 is humming along just fine with Tiger 10.4.11.

- Jack
« Last Edit: July 07, 2010, 05:25:39 PM by Jack W »
Good to be Here.

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Offline krissel

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2010, 02:23:34 AM »
Hi Vijay!  salute.gif


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Offline Vijay

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2010, 01:30:55 PM »
Jack W: The i7 is just $200 more. It would be 8 cores with 4 physical and 4 virtual. Is Apple refreshing their older Macs this July?

Offline Jack W

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« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2010, 03:41:17 PM »
QUOTE(Vijay @ Jul 8 2010, 02:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Jack W: The i7 is just $200 more. It would be 8 cores with 4 physical and 4 virtual. Is Apple refreshing their older Macs this July?

Just guessing and hoping! It don't hurt to speculate!
Good to be Here.

My Macs: 2010 27" alum iMac 2.8GHz, Snow Leopard 10.6.8/Mavericks 10.9.5, 4GB SDRAM (Workhorse),
13” Late 2010 MacBook Pro 2.4GHz, 10.6.8, 2GB SDRAM,
(2) External HD - Firewire/USB Macally Enclosures  with 1TB Hitachi Drives,
Time Machine external drive - ditto above - 1/2 TimeMac

Offline krissel

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #11 on: July 09, 2010, 01:25:06 AM »
Here's a site that considers the update timing of Apple products.  It guesses that the iMac may be updated "soon", which may mean sometime this fall. The Pro towers are long overdue. The MacBookPros were just updated in April so I don't think they will get any improvements.

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/


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Offline Vijay

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #12 on: July 10, 2010, 07:06:53 AM »
Jack W: Oh yeah!  toothgrin.gif

krissel: Thanks!  smile.gif

Offline Vijay

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2010, 08:41:51 PM »
QUOTE(Jack W @ Jul 8 2010, 03:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
That'll give me time to ponder the final decision, and give Apple a little time to update the iMac line. ???


Looks like your dream became reality! biggrin.gif http://www.apple.com/imac/

Offline krissel

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i5 Vs. i7
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2010, 12:05:47 AM »
OK, so Jack and Vijay, are either of you going to give yourself a treat?  smile.gif


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