What Is The Best Imac Pro Configuration For A Graphic Designer ?

[amcliz]

I'm an old school graphic designer and I'm looking to upgrade to the new iMac Pro as I just feel it delivers on all my current and possible future needs. I have always been a MacPro user, but I just feel as the world has moved on, primarily with video and more specifically 4K video editing production, the specs of the MacPro will actually far exceed my needs... and even though I have always purchased a MacPro for its expandability... realistically all I have ever done in reality with all my MacPro's was to manually update the RAM myself... I never updated the startup drive or the video card... ever... so I feel I could wait for the new MacPro but I know in my heart and soul that it will far exceed my needs and that the cost along with a new standalone monitor will be crazy money.

So if I was to go with the new iMac Pro... what would be the configuration you would recommend.

I currently have a MacPro 12 Core (Mid 2010) with a 512GB SSD drive (only OS and app on that drive) plus 64GB RAM plus an ATI Radeon HD 5870 with 1 GB RAM. I also have QTY 3 x 3TB Internal Drives. I use a Firewire 800 enabled Drobo S for all my backup... that has QTY 5 x 3TB Drives. I also use a 27" Apple Cinema LED Display (not Thunderbolt Version).

My gut configuration preference would be for:-

• 3.0GHz 10-core Intel Xeon W processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz
• 64GB 2666MHz DDR4 ECC memory
• 1TB SSD
• Radeon Pro Vega 64 with 16GB of HBM2 memory
• Magic Mouse 2 + Magic Trackpad 2 - Space Grey
• Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad - British - Space Grey
• AppleCare Protection Plan for iMac

The main key production apps that I use on a daily basis are:-

• Chrome
• Airmail
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Bridge
• Adobe Lightroom
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Acrobat
• Quark Xpress 2017
• Parallels

My graphic design involves logo design, brochure design, PowerPoint design, large format print design, large format signage design, some light video editing with 1080p footage from Family Holidays etc.

Is anyone in a similar professional production situation to me and what did you go with or what configuration are you thinking of running with. I have never had to worry about this before with the modular MacPro just having these upgradable elements.... but as this iMac Pro is more of a fixed unit, I just wanna be sure I purchase a new system that not only does me for the next 1-3 years.... but possibly the next 7-8 years just as my current MacPro workhorse has done for me... as being 23 years in business for myself... that MacPro (2010) was the best decision and purchase I ever made.

Any comment or suggestions most welcome...

 

[Satcomer]

Your best upgrades might be an SSD plug into your current 2010 Mac Pro! I would go to MacSales.com and go to the menu item "My upgrades" and put in your 2010 model. If you could hang on until late spring apple said they would be upgrading the currently TrashCan Mac Pro to a new Mac Pro model (that you could put in cards into it, according to rumors) and then upgrade on the new model!