Apple 27" iMac with Retina 5K Display (Late 2014) B&H

Status
Not open for further replies.
Great price! Please be aware that there are zero returns, aside from DOA, on opened computers at B&H. Great company and I use them quite a bit but make sure you want said computer prior to opening that seal.
 
Wish i had a use for one, love my mac air ... maybe a massive discount on a new gen mac air *hint hint*
 
that screen is absolutely incredible, and glossy too! Really go look at it in person.. This is a steal.. but it's also an apple.
 
tungt88 said:
Great deal for anyone who needs Apple :)
Click to expand...

I had one a couple years back and ran Parallels or something like it. Windows ran flawlessly on it. For $1699 this is an absolute steal for anyone, not just Apple lovers.
 
Fudge...I really want to jump on this deal! Been looking for a way to get an new laptop and a 5K iMac, deals like this would help me get there. Timing of it doesn't help with the pocket book though!
 
Grentz said:
You're kidding right? This is a heck of a deal if you look at the specs. No matter if you are PC or Apple.
Click to expand...

After my experience with a MBP retina for 1 yr+(work lappy so used A LOT) I'd say if it works without weird problems great. But for me, the frequent crashes when plugging in DP monitor AND random crashes beside that made me decide that it's not worth the headaches. If it were for use at home, yeah, but for work with the above happening? Hell no.
 
chrnochime said:
After my experience with a MBP retina for 1 yr+(work lappy so used A LOT) I'd say if it works without weird problems great. But for me, the frequent crashes when plugging in DP monitor AND random crashes beside that made me decide that it's not worth the headaches. If it were for use at home, yeah, but for work with the above happening? Hell no.
Click to expand...

I would say that your experience was anything but common. (Also anecdotal but) I've been using a pair of Macs full time for work since 2008 and personally long before that. I also use a DP monitor that toggles between a Mac Pro and a PC and nothing ever crashes as a result. Of course anything can crash, but I honestly can't remember the last time on either machine.
 
2GB of VRAM for a 5k display. That is not high performance at all.

Minus the display, you can build a PC that will smoke this thing for around $1200-$1300.. I just built one a few weeks ago for $1000 (used old video card), but it included 2x 4TB HGST drives and a Samsung 850 PRO SSD, and 16GB of RAM.

You are paying for the Apple logo and the display... That is all.
 
cyclone3d said:
2GB of VRAM for a 5k display. That is not high performance at all.

Minus the display, you can build a PC that will smoke this thing for around $1200-$1300.. I just built one a few weeks ago for $1000 (used old video card), but it included 2x 4TB HGST drives and a Samsung 850 PRO SSD, and 16GB of RAM.

You are paying for the Apple logo and the display... That is all.
Click to expand...


you are completely missing the point.....the DISPLAY!!!!
 
cyclone3d said:
2GB of VRAM for a 5k display. That is not high performance at all.

Minus the display, you can build a PC that will smoke this thing for around $1200-$1300.. I just built one a few weeks ago for $1000 (used old video card), but it included 2x 4TB HGST drives and a Samsung 850 PRO SSD, and 16GB of RAM.

You are paying for the Apple logo and the display... That is all.
Click to expand...

lol the computer is CHEAPER than any other 5k display.
 
cyclone3d said:
2GB of VRAM for a 5k display. That is not high performance at all.

Minus the display, you can build a PC that will smoke this thing for around $1200-$1300.. I just built one a few weeks ago for $1000 (used old video card), but it included 2x 4TB HGST drives and a Samsung 850 PRO SSD, and 16GB of RAM.

You are paying for the Apple logo and the display... That is all.
Click to expand...


Minus the display? That's like saying "minus the engine, you can build an ultralight that will smoke an F-15." That's a $2200 display by itself, and the whole reason somebody would buy the computer in the first place.

I'd be the first to say that Apple has been jerking customers around a little too much as of late (e.g. outdated hardware, progressive lack of upgradeability so customers pay for their ridiculously priced RAM, SSD, CPU upgrades, and don't even get me started on what they've done to OS X), but this iMac is an exception.

Heck, It's tempting to purchase one of these, sell the CPU, Hard Drive, RAM, Logic Board, Apple Keyboard and Mouse (which do indeed have a downright stupid premium attached to them), and get yourself a 5K display for < $1000.
 
clownshoes said:
Minus the display? That's like saying "minus the engine, you can build an ultralight that will smoke an F-15." That's a $2200 display by itself, and the whole reason somebody would buy the computer in the first place.

I'd be the first to say that Apple has been jerking customers around a little too much as of late (e.g. outdated hardware, progressive lack of upgradeability so customers pay for their ridiculously priced RAM, SSD, CPU upgrades, and don't even get me started on what they've done to OS X), but this iMac is an exception.

Heck, It's tempting to purchase one of these, sell the CPU, Hard Drive, RAM, Logic Board, Apple Keyboard and Mouse (which do indeed have a downright stupid premium attached to them), and get yourself a 5K display for < $1000.
Click to expand...

It is pointless with a 2GB video card though. Sure, it is good for an Apple, but that isn't saying much.

And it is an AIO. Can you upgrade the CPU or the video card? If not, then it is a waste. But that is pretty much Apple's business model.

To sell stuff that will be thrown in the trash in a couple years when it is no longer fast enough and have the customer buy a new overpriced disposable system.
 
Trimlock said:
lol the computer is CHEAPER than any other 5k display.
Click to expand...

You can't use it as a display for a different computer, so that is a moot point.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592

If all you want to do is display 5k content, then sure.. but if you want a computer that will be able to actually push good FPS on a 5k screen then you are out of luck.

If it had 8GB of VRAM, then sure, but with 2GB, it is just lame.
 
cyclone3d said:
You can't use it as a display for a different computer, so that is a moot point.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592

If all you want to do is display 5k content, then sure.. but if you want a computer that will be able to actually push good FPS on a 5k screen then you are out of luck.

If it had 8GB of VRAM, then sure, but with 2GB, it is just lame.
Click to expand...

I have one of these at work. There are no "FPS issues." I can push "good FPS" just fine in every application I've thrown at it, including mastering 4K video. You're getting a 5K display and a fine workstation to go with it for $1700. If you are one of those people who plays the latest games on your work computer, this isn't the one for you.
 
CEpeep said:
I have one of these at work. There are no "FPS issues." I can push "good FPS" just fine in every application I've thrown at it, including mastering 4K video. You're getting a 5K display and a fine workstation to go with it for $1700. If you are one of those people who plays the latest games on your work computer, this isn't the one for you.
Click to expand...

That's all you can use this for, though... a workstation. Also note that it only comes with 8GB ram by default, and can be upgraded to 32GB maximum. You're basically buying a nice (well horribly high PPI imo; 27 in 1440p at its native scaling is hard enough on the eyes) monitor with a half-decent computer attached. The problem is that the computer is almost entirely inflexible. Not to mention, what exactly can it be used as a workstation for? Probably not rendering. Mastering video or doing Adobe? Maybe.

To give you an idea, this is the GPU that's on this by default:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-R9-M290X.108643.0.html
As you can see, it's weaker than GTX 760. The 760 can't even drive many modern games at 1080p. This monitor is 5k. Let that sink in for a second. Yes, I realize that you don't have to drive it at 5k, but what the heck's the point?

This is essentially a very pretty 5k web browsing and maybe color work/video editing station. If that's what you want, then that's fine, I guess. The thing is, you're mostly entirely paying for the monitor, but the monitor (afaik) can't be attached to anything else. This is a pretty cold deal to me (and I would venture to say most individuals on this site). I guess maybe for people with very specific needs, it works. Personally I would buy an expensive gaming laptop with an IPS screen (or a high refresh rate TN) of any resolution at or above 1080p over this thing in a heartbeat. At least I can take it places, and it would still suffice for almost every need. Alternatively, building a desktop computer that would surpass this... is not terribly difficult. Sure, you couldn't match the monitor, but I don't know if I would even want a 5k monitor at 27 inches.
 
Last edited:
StoleMyOwnCar said:
That's all you can use this for, though... a workstation.
Click to expand...

Yes. That's what it is.

StoleMyOwnCar said:
Personally I would buy an expensive gaming laptop with an IPS screen (or a high refresh rate TN) of any resolution at or above 1080p over this thing in a heartbeat.
Click to expand...

StoleMyOwnCar said:
I don't know if I would even want a 5k monitor at 27 inches.
Click to expand...

Fascinating. Tell us more about how you are not in the market for this product at all, don't even really understand the consumer it's aimed at, and how that makes it a bad deal. Clearly it's not for you. This does not affect the fact that this is an excellent deal for this product.

That fact that you linked to some PC gaming benchmarks in a thread about a Mac is telling enough. It's not for playing games. If you want to play games, and you want to play them at 5K, the idea that you could do that for anything close to $1700 is ridiculous to begin with.
 
CEpeep said:
Yes. That's what it is.

Fascinating. Tell us more about how you are not in the market for this product at all, don't even really understand the consumer it's aimed at, and how that makes it a bad deal. Clearly it's not for you. This does not affect the fact that this is an excellent deal for this product.

That fact that you linked to some PC gaming benchmarks in a thread about a Mac is telling enough. It's not for playing games. If you want to play games, and you want to play them at 5K, the idea that you could do that for anything close to $1700 is ridiculous to begin with.
Click to expand...

None of what you said makes my points any less relevant. Saying "it's a workstation" doesn't magically make all of its downsides disappear. You're beginning to sound like a zealot.

We're not on some graphics design or video editing web site. We're on a computer enthusiast forum. The computer part of this monitor is far from enthusiast, and it's a terrible deal for anyone not looking for something for graphic design/video editing. It doesn't even rank as a great workstation computer (i5? 8GB ram stock? Crappy card for rendering? No SSD for faster database prototyping? etc.). It's essentially a nice monitor with a (unremovable) crappy desktop backend. Even as far as the monitor goes... it's just an okay deal.

If that's exactly what you need (it appears to be for you), then it's a good deal. From every other perspective, it's generally a pretty bad one. Could I build something for less than that, that would exceed it (monitor and all)? No. But I wouldn't be terribly far off, while having a hell of a lot more flexibility:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FqJrZL
 
Last edited:
StoleMyOwnCar said:
None of what you said make my points any less relevant.
Click to expand...

The points you raised were already of low relevance to the thread without me needing to help out.

Is that PC you posted parts for supposed to be equivalent somehow? There's no warranty service without taking the whole damn thing apart (you can walk into an Apple store and get an immediate replacement for this device if anything fails). There's no OS included, whereas the iMac already includes an OS and some of the software you'll be using, including an office suite. For work, I'll take a 1TB Fusion Drive over a 250GB SSD any day; anything that needs to live on the SSD portion will find its way there on its own and I don't want to have to rely on external storage for my local data. The iMac also arrives completely assembled and ready to use out of the box the moment it arrives, your PC requires assembly. I enjoy putting a nice built together, but I still don't consider my time free.

These aren't even the same thing, and the fact that the homebuilt still costs more only underscores the value of the deal Kyle posted.

Is the iMac aimed at a different type of consumer than would traditionally come to this forum? Yes. Does that do anything to diminish the value of the deal? No.
 
CEpeep said:
The points you raised were already of low relevance to the thread without me needing to help out.
Click to expand...

So many supporting arguments here. :rolleyes: With your next post, you'll likely solidify your spot on my blacklist.

Is that PC you posted parts for supposed to be equivalent somehow? There's no warranty service without taking the whole damn thing apart (you can walk into an Apple store and get an immediate replacement for this device if anything fails). There's no OS included, whereas the iMac already includes an OS and some of the software you'll be using, including an office suite. For work, I'll take a 1TB Fusion Drive over a 250GB SSD any day; anything that needs to live on the SSD portion will find its way there on its own and I don't want to have to rely on external storage for my local data. The iMac also arrives completely assembled and ready to use out of the box the moment it arrives, your PC requires assembly. I enjoy putting a nice built together, but I still don't consider my time free.
Click to expand...

First of all, this is horribly subjective on your part; most of these "advantages" are not advantages at all (the only point you really have is time taken). Second, you don't have to "take the whole thing apart" to get warranty. It's more like every individual part has its own warranty in a prebuilt. So if there is one part that does not work, you only return that whole thing. I would reply more to this paragraph, but this is all just really inane, subjective drivel.

I also find the "walk into Apple store" bit kind of funny. Would they really honor this? FYI:
eth3ton said:
Great price! Please be aware that there are zero returns, aside from DOA, on opened computers at B&H. Great company and I use them quite a bit but make sure you want said computer prior to opening that seal.
Click to expand...

Meanwhile every computer part you use to build a computer can be returned to most places for roughly any reason after opening. And they also have a longer warranty than this thing:
Limited 1-Year Warranty
Click to expand...
Oh boy, 1 year limited warranty on a high end 1.7k system? Dang, that makes me feel good.

These aren't even the same thing, and the fact that the homebuilt still costs more only underscores the value of the deal Kyle posted.
Click to expand...

It doesn't underscore anything. It costs about 90$ (~180$ for OS; considering the price bracket, that's a mere 10-12% or so) more for having much more flexibility (and hell the GPU is better, too). Your points are really beginning to fall apart.

Is the iMac aimed at a different type of consumer than would traditionally come to this forum? Yes. Does that do anything to diminish the value of the deal? No.
Click to expand...

Yes it does. Because a deal is only good depending on the perspective. I already said for anyone with your specific needs, it's a good deal. For anyone else, it's a terrible one. You and your application are not the only things that exist in this universe. There are a lot of people posting in this thread acting like it's a great deal all around. It's not. In fact for most individuals on this forum, it is again a "meh" deal. At best. The topic title is simply for a prebuilt PC. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. For what it is, it is at best mediocre.
 
StoleMyOwnCar said:
None of what you said makes my points any less relevant. Saying "it's a workstation" doesn't magically make all of its downsides disappear. You're beginning to sound like a zealot.
Click to expand...

When you start responding to a deals thread about an AIO with a list of PC parts, you've missed the point and are doing nothing but thread crapping.
 
brentsg said:
When you start responding to a deals thread about an AIO with a list of PC parts, you've missed the point and are doing nothing but thread crapping.
Click to expand...

What exactly is the point? Pray tell. Remarking that a "Hot" deal might not be a "Hot" deal? Okay, yeah. That makes sense. There are plenty of other topics in this section with people challenging the "Hot"ness of deals. So why is this challenge so different? Because it's a prebuilt workstation? Explain. I understand the issue of time spent building, but time has to be weighed against the downsides of the prebuilt. This one has more downsides than most, because many prebuilts are at least upgradable.
 
StoleMyOwnCar said:
With your next post, you'll likely solidify your spot on my blacklist.
Click to expand...

You should have done that 2 or 3 posts ago and saved yourself the time if that's your preferred method for coping with disagreement on a public forum. It should be more than obvious to anyone reading the thread that you never would have purchased this product under any circumstances anyway and are now just arguing for the sake of arguing. If blacklisting me will calm you down, go for it. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than Valium.
 
cyclone3d said:
It is pointless with a 2GB video card though. Sure, it is good for an Apple, but that isn't saying much.

And it is an AIO. Can you upgrade the CPU or the video card? If not, then it is a waste. But that is pretty much Apple's business model.

To sell stuff that will be thrown in the trash in a couple years when it is no longer fast enough and have the customer buy a new overpriced disposable system.
Click to expand...

It really depends on what you use it for (the GPU is sufficient if you aren't doing any strenuous graphical work / gaming at the native resolution).

You actually can upgrade the CPU, memory and hard drive, but the GPU is soldered to the logic board (the iMac uses a mobile GPU).

As I said though, I agree with you regarding Apple in general. I do believe the "Apple premium" was justified to a certain extent in the past though. Apple products actually were IMO higher quality, lasted quite a bit longer, and OS X was more reliable than alternatives. Over the last few years however, Apple has progressively cut out the things that separated their products from the rest, while maintaining that same premium (e.g. you can't even replace the battery in an Apple computer anymore).
 
CEpeep said:
You should have done that 2 or 3 posts ago and saved yourself the time if that's your preferred method for coping with disagreement on a public forum. It should be more than obvious to anyone reading the thread that you never would have purchased this product under any circumstances anyway and are now just arguing for the sake of arguing. If blacklisting me will calm you down, go for it. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than Valium.
Click to expand...

I don't blacklist people for disagreement. I blacklist people for the way they argue their points. Essentially your entire performance in this topic thus far has been about dismissing any and all arguments against the value this product simply because it belongs in a certain set of categories and is a good value for a very select group of people. Which is something I admitted a long time back. It's getting really annoying. I've been pointing out flaws with it that make it a bad deal "in general". People in this thread are acting like it's a good deal overall just because of the 5k display. I'm raising points to the alternative. You're the one that's essentially arguing against me by repeatedly raising a very certain use case scenario (which I have again admitted exists) where this is a good deal. I'm stating that, due to its specs, it cannot be used to good capacity in many other scenarios but yours. Even as a workstation, it's pretty lackluster depending on your needs.
 
StoleMyOwnCar said:
What exactly is the point? Pray tell. Remarking that a "Hot" deal might not be a "Hot" deal? Okay, yeah. That makes sense. There are plenty of other topics in this section with people challenging the "Hot"ness of deals. So why is this challenge so different? Because it's a prebuilt workstation? Explain. I understand the issue of time spent building, but time has to be weighed against the downsides of the prebuilt. This one has more downsides than most, because many prebuilts are at least upgradable.
Click to expand...

Used iMac normal price - $2299

Sale B&H Price - $1699

Price difference - $600

Discount % - 26.1

Is that well-explained enough for you? How is it not a hot deal when compared to what current going prices are?

Do you shit on speaker sale threads too by recommending Parts Express DIY kits for "cheaper" so you can "customize the audio to your uttermost desire" ? How is what you are doing any different?

Also...

That's a $2200 display by itself, and the whole reason somebody would buy the computer in the first place.
Click to expand...

#hallefuckingllujah one of you guys got it! Ever think that some creative professionals want a 5k display and nothing else out there currently provides that at this price point?

This machine comes with a 5k display
A 5k display that currently sells for $1300
A 5k display targeted at creative professionals

<repeat until it sinks in>

Apple targets niche areas of computing - you're not in it with this one. Get over it.

Anything else?
 
phillyboy said:
Used iMac normal price - $2299

Sale B&H Price - $1699

Price difference - $600

Discount % - 26.1

Is that well-explained enough for you? How is it not a hot deal when compared to what current going prices are?
Click to expand...

I never said it wasn't a good deal for EXACTLY what it was, and anyone who needed it for exactly such a purpose.. The problem is the competing options that have superiority in multiple areas.

Do you shit on speaker sale threads too by recommending Parts Express DIY kits for "cheaper" so you can "customize the audio to your uttermost desire" ? How is what you are doing any different?
Click to expand...

This is a trash analogy. DIY speakers are much more complicated to build than DIY computers, and they're a much more arcane art. Furthermore, the differences between speakers is difficult to measure on any objective scale without expensive test gear. Computers are a totally different ball park.

#hallefuckingllujah one of you guys got it! Ever think that some creative professionals want a 5k display and nothing else out there currently provides that at this price point?
Click to expand...

Umm... yeah. For exactly 79-189$ less than a competing Windows upgradable computer, you get a relatively locked down Mac. I guess if you need one with a certain set of parts for EXACTLY 1699... which is something I never really argued against... it's a good deal. Your point?

This machine comes with a 5k display
A 5k display that currently sells for $1300
A 5k display targeted at creative professionals
Click to expand...

The price of the display alone is irrelevant. It's chained to the desktop hardware. You can't just use this as a display.

<repeat until it sinks in>

Apple targets niche areas of computing - you're not in it with this one. Get over it.
Click to expand...

There's nothing to get over for anyone except you, considering your tone.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top