Testing the iMac 27 "2.7 GHz Quad Core i5 Part.I

The model tested is the entry level of the new iMac 27 "Thunderbolt, with its standard configuration. This machine has sold € 1649 i5 Core 2.7 GHz quad core "Sandy Bridge" (i5-2500S), 4 GB RAM, 1 TB hard drive at 7200 rpm and a new graphics card Radeon HD 6770M with 512 MB of RAM. Defining its beautiful screen has not moved with 2560x1440. The working surface is always as comfortable if not impressive for a piece.

The iMac lineup includes, at the base, four models: two 21.5 "(i5 Quad at 2.5 or 2.7 GHz) and two 27" (i5 Quad 2.7 GHz or 3.1 GHz). Performance processor reported here should therefore provide good clues about what we can expect from the 21.5 "high end. Because there are many common points with our machine: processor, memory allocation, hard disk and graphics card. If found the note that 27 "too high or if its dimensions alone are a constraint, we can always turn to the iMac just below. Which may also receive a Core i7 Quad 2.8 GHz if you really want to push performance (allow € 200). Core i7 has this and more on the i5 that supports Hyperthreading (eight cores logic with some applications) in addition to Turbo Boost available to all iMac (able with this machine, on tasks not taking advantage of multicore to push a temporary heart increments, up to 3.7 GHz maximum).

Performance:
In the standard tests, a mixture of consumer applications or not.

- Finder: zip archive of a file of 1.5 GB and 4500 elements.
- GarageBand '11: AAC encoding a 30-minute podcast.
- XLD: converting audio files from FLAC to AAC
- Photoshop CS4 and CS5 two scripts, one mainly composed of filters (DHT), the mixing filters and other common actions (RAT).
- IPhoto '11: export JPEG images.
- Aperture 3: export RAW images to JPEG.
- IMovie '11: 960x540 exports in a HD movie of 10 minutes.
- QuickTime X: export to iPhone format film obtained with iMovie.
- Handbrake: compression format file an iPhone HD 4.7 GB
- Blender 3D rendering of a file.
- Cinebench: measurement of an animation and an OpenGL 3D rendering.
- Starcraft 2: number of frames per second

(Cont.)