Desktop Computer - Advice needed.

[KellyJ]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if you could give me some much needed advice.

I'm looking into investing in a new desktop computer and monitor this year, after having mine for about 9 years now. Mine has been really good but it's just too slow now for what I need.

Only problem is, I don't know where to start.

I'll be using it for all the post processing of my images, so a good amount of space would be great but I'm unsure of what else I need to look for and what a good budget would be. Any advice on what specs I should be looking out for would be fantastic.

I won't be using it for anything other than photo and video processing, as I don't play games and don't watch movies/tv through my PC.

 

[neil_g]

For photo and video work, without going too mad on price, id suggest something like..

http://www.novatech.co.uk/pc/range/novatechblacknti35.html (price exc OS)

is that a comfortable budget, less/more?

 

[RacingSnake]

multi-core (fast) CPU is a must IMO.
So an i5 minimum, or a good i7 processor if you want to make it last a good few years.
8GB RAM minimum, and then what ever hard drives you want, minimum 1TB, but I'd be going for 2.
Get the 'best' graphics card on the list, as that's where you'll see the benefits in your editing.
And a HD screen of course.

Are you looking to get one built? or an off the shelf PC-world style? or online somewhere like Dell?

 

[DavidW]

Prepare for the flood of people telling you to get a Mac. But you don't need to spend a great deal, see if you can find a bargain windows 7 pc, as the new win 8 is hard to work with. The basics: A multi core processor at least 2ghz, lots of ram, around 8gb for HD video. For handling raw files and video a solid state hard drive (SSD) for super quick image and video loading should do the trick. More processing speed and large graphics memory would be needed if you intend on doing a lot of PP.

Key peripherals would be a nice big monitor with high contrast to view your images. Buying a monitor colour calibrator is a must, otherwise your images will look different on screen to your prints. May want to consider dual monitors if you are handling a lot of images.

 

[neil_g]

one thing i guess we should probably clear up, when you say "video processing".. are we talking of youtube/facebook vids of the dog or full 1080 projects?

that'll have a large baring on spec and price.

 

[KellyJ]

For photo and video work, without going too mad on price, id suggest something like..

http://www.novatech.co.uk/pc/range/novatechblacknti35.html (price exc OS)

is that a comfortable budget, less/more?

Yes, that's the kind of money I'd have expected to be saving so that's great. Thanks

multi-core (fast) CPU is a must IMO.
So an i5 minimum, or a good i7 processor if you want to make it last a good few years.
8GB RAM minimum, and then what ever hard drives you want, minimum 1TB, but I'd be going for 2.
Get the 'best' graphics card on the list, as that's where you'll see the benefits in your editing.
And a HD screen of course.

Are you looking to get one built? or an off the shelf PC-world style? or online somewhere like Dell?

In terms of getting one built, where would I begin with something like that? I'm guessing that's the better option but for someone with no clue like myself is this a difficult/pricier option?

Prepare for the flood of people telling you to get a Mac. But you don't need to spend a great deal, see if you can find a bargain windows 7 pc, as the new win 8 is hard to work with. The basics: A multi core processor at least 2ghz, lots of ram, around 8gb for HD video. For handling raw files and video a solid state hard drive (SSD) for super quick image and video loading should do the trick. More processing speed and large graphics memory would be needed if you intend on doing a lot of PP.

Key peripherals would be a nice big monitor with high contrast to view your images. Buying a monitor colour calibrator is a must, otherwise your images will look different on screen to your prints. May want to consider dual monitors if you are handling a lot of images.

Thankyou, this is really helpful.

one thing i guess we should probably clear up, when you say "video processing".. are we talking of youtube/facebook vids of the dog or full 1080 projects?

that'll have a large baring on spec and price.

Full 1080 projects yes, I don't use my PC for much other than business and I don't have a dog

 

[neil_g]

Yes, that's the kind of money I'd have expected to be saving so that's great. Thanks

Full 1080 projects yes, I don't use my PC for much other than business and I don't have a dog

in that case that spec should be pretty capable, especially if your present machine is 9 years old..

the i5 are very good processors, theyre very similarly performing to some i7 when encoding video. 16gb memory is probably going to be the sweet spot for price. the graphics card is entry level but again not bad for the price, anything much better could add £150 upwards to the price. SSD essential these days at this spec (plus it wont make any difference for photo work).

just remember when you spec the OS, the windows 7 home edition will only support up to 16gb so if you ever upgrade youll need to change that again. may be worth going straight to windows 7 pro if you think youll increase your memory (it has a 192gb limit..).

 

[Jesstar]

The support package might be a consideration for you too - especially if you went the route of getting something built. There are thousands of companies who will build something bespoke (including local PC shops in the high street), but the after sales support will vary. So depends a bit how confident you are.

I've used Overclockers a lot for components (and found them very good) and they will also build a system with a warranty. See this page for eg, bearing in mind the specific things others have already mentioned: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=43&catid=2385&subid=1798.

Alternatively, whilst you probably won't get quite as much in terms of technical specification (e.g. not all "8GB RAM" is equal, in the same way that not all 2 litre cars are equal) if you went with the likes of Dell I would guess that they excel at support - and the speed difference of very high quality components versus average is probably unnoticeable really.

 

[neil_g]

for the record, Novatech are fantastic

 

[KellyJ]

Ahhh Thankyou, I need to save all this info.. it's all really helpful. Cheers.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

mac mini and a dell monitor to suit your taste are simply amazing combo

 

[Craig1912]

I bought one from Palicomp 3 years ago, built to order, decent components and you can pick and choose stuff like RAM and SSD.


http://www.palicomp.co.uk/cheap-pcs-from-a-229/intel-home/office-pcs/phoenix-i5-storm/prod_348.html

 

[petersmart]

If you're encoding video then it is the speed of the machine which will be the main thing to keep in mind.

Personally unless playing high end games I wouldn't worry about a graphics card - I would spend the money saved on a better and faster CPU.

I have a self build i7 PC which will quite happily play Blu-Ray films on my monitor using the on board graphics and I also copy and encode DVDs to X-Vid (for my own use only) to play on my TV.

My build is:

Intel i7 3770 3.4GHz Quad Core

Asrock B75-PRO3-M Motherboard with 16Gb RAM

Samsung 128GB 830 SSD SATA

Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200 RPM SATA3 HDD

750 watt PSU.

DVD and Blu-Ray re-writers.

Backup is taken care of with several 2Tb Sata 2 external HDDs

Since I am using XP Pro as the OS I also have a 12GB RAMDISK to utilise the unused portion of the RAM which XP doesn't use.

When doing a lot of work where the HDD is used a lot of the time then the SSD in conjunction with the RAMDISK cannot be beaten for speed.

And transferring files from the RAMDISK or SSD to the Sata 3 HDD is also extremely fast.

In all this the limiting factor in recoding any film is the speed of the CPU.

.

 

[RacingSnake]

Yes, that's the kind of money I'd have expected to be saving so that's great. Thanks

Remember that machine doesn't include peripherals, so factor in another couple of hundred for a decent monitor.

 

[PJ S]

Get a Mac - no seriously, get a Mac.
If video editing is your thing, you want a Mac as doing your videos with iMovie will be a cinch.
Not knowing your exact budget, but guessing with the Novotech price, plus OS, plus decent size monitor, you're looking to be in the ballpark of £1000-1100.

If we presume you'll be holding onto this one for another 9 years, then what I'm about to say is a tad moot, but if you were looking to upgrade in 3 years time, then for a similar outlay on a pre-owned iMac 27", you'll get more for the Mac than you will that PC, to fund the upgrade.

If you want to buy new, and maybe a 21.5", then if you have a family member at school, you can get the Educational discount price, and at University, they can order through the Uni access channel, and receive a greater discount.

If the pre-owned Mac has Snow Leopard (OS X.6) then for £20 you can update to Mountain Lion (OS X.8) via the App Store. This OS update price seems to be here to stay rather than reverting to the old £100, which was still cheaper than Windows ME-XP-Vista, since there's no disc or packaging & transport costs.

Any licences you have for Windows software, assuming you're on XP or even Vista, may be transferable to the Mac version, if they have one - but in the event you're starting from scratch, there's a lot of very good and relatively cheap software from Apple and 3rd parties.

Maybe go in to your nearest PCWorld/Currys and have a good look and play with their display Macs. Certainly won't find a more elegant solution to your desktop computer, that's for sure, and quieter, not to mention taking up less space and power.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Desktops-AllinOnes-/171957/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=27"+iMac

 

[mid_gen]

Sorry, I forgot you can't edit video on Windows! What a load of guff.

Don't get me wrong, iMacs are nicely engineered bits of consumer electronics. But if you want a versatile, value for money workstation that will last, buy a desktop PC. Your pretty iScreen starts to look much less elegant when you have external drives and cables littering the desk.

 

[PJ S]

I just love the way people read things and make up their own interpretations of what was stated!
Did I say Windows CAN'T be used for editing videos?
Have you ever actually used a modern day Mac or just looked at them from afar?

"Nicely engineered consumer electronics vs value for money workstation that'll last" - no need to answer the last question there, this statement alone gives me all I need to know about your usage of and logic employed when it comes to anything Mac related.

As for desk cluttering - maybe, but then again with no tower underneath there should be free space there to put unsightly external backup solutions.

 

[arad85]

Have you ever actually used a modern day Mac or just looked at them from afar?

Every time I've played, I've wanted to smash the mouse/touchpad through the screen I get so frustrated with it, but that's just me.

The problem with your suggestion (if I understand it correctly) is that buying a 3 year old Mac will give you something significantly slower than the Novatech i5 (which can probably be overclocked fairly easily given it's a -K suffix processor and Z77 board).

BTW: I'd prefer an overclocked i5 to a stock quad core i7 any day of the week (hyperthreading doesn't actually give you that much extra vs more cores - about 10% quicker on video encoding, which you can get back by upping the clock by 10%).

If you do overclock, you would probably want a better heatsink which Novatech may well be able to do for you.

 

[mid_gen]

I just love the way people read things and make up their own interpretations of what was stated!
Did I say Windows CAN'T be used for editing videos?
Have you ever actually used a modern day Mac or just looked at them from afar?

"Nicely engineered consumer electronics vs value for money workstation that'll last" - no need to answer the last question there, this statement alone gives me all I need to know about your usage of and logic employed when it comes to anything Mac related.

As for desk cluttering - maybe, but then again with no tower underneath there should be free space there to put unsightly external backup solutions.

You opened by saying that the OP should get a Mac because it has iMovie...that's weak. There are plenty of good video editing tools on PC.

I've got a Macbook Pro and a couple of iPads kicking around, as well various Windows machines, I'm a believer in using the right tool to meet the requirements (should do, I'm a systems architect). If you want a future proof box that will last, a desktop PC is the right choice. An all-in-one, be it Apple, Lenovo, Dell or whatever, is not a good option.

 

[PJ S]

Every time I've played, I've wanted to smash the mouse/touchpad through the screen I get so frustrated with it, but that's just me.

The problem with your suggestion (if I understand it correctly) is that buying a 3 year old Mac will give you something significantly slower than the Novatech i5 (which can probably be overclocked fairly easily given it's a -K suffix processor and Z77 board).

Can't comment on your rage against an inanimate object that many people seem to manage to use fine, esp the touchpad which is acknowledged as the best on any laptop.
Aside from that, I never suggested anything about a 3 yo machine - just a 21.5" or 27" iMac which can be had for on or a bit over budget, bearing in mind the greater percentage of value being retained a few years down the line.
Macs are widely known and acknowledged for keeping more of their value, especially if looked after on the laptop side - so the true cost of ownership pans out to be similar or less than the cheaper Windows PC option.
It's been that way for nigh on a decade, and then there's the customer service aspect, which I've not even mentioned, until now.

With respect to the OP, for someone with 9 yo hardware, I suspect your calls for OC'ing the i5 will fall on deaf ears - one with that age of hardware doesn't strike me as someone wanting to fanny about with timings and voltage settings, let alone delve into the BIOS to begin with.
They want something that works every time they turn it on/wake it from sleep.

Everyone else has thrown in their tuppence worth of advice and whatnot on the Windows side, all I've done is suggest the OP considers looking at an alternative option previously unmentioned other than a glib comment further up.

 

[neil_g]

now now ladies, lets not get the nice thread locked.

 

[PJ S]

You opened by saying that the OP should get a Mac because it has iMovie...that's weak. There are plenty of good video editing tools on PC.

I've got a Macbook Pro and a couple of iPads kicking around, as well various Windows machines, I'm a believer in using the right tool to meet the requirements (should do, I'm a systems architect). If you want a future proof box that will last, a desktop PC is the right choice. An all-in-one, be it Apple, Lenovo, Dell or whatever, is not a good option.

Funny, I've been a Mac user since 2001 (PowerBook Titanium) and subsequent iMacs to a 2 yo 21.5", still going very strong with 8GB RAM
I can't get my head around this futureproofing and an iMac not being a good option.
Perhaps with your systems architecture experience you can explain to a lowly engineer where I've been going wrong all these years?
Actually, scrub that - don't bother. I've no time for anyone using an appeal to authority to shore up their position!

 

[arad85]

Aside from that, I never suggested anything about a 3 yo machine

I read:

If we presume you'll be holding onto this one for another 9 years, then what I'm about to say is a tad moot, but if you were looking to upgrade in 3 years time, then for a similar outlay on a pre-owned iMac 27", you'll get more for the Mac than you will that PC, to fund the upgrade.

As meaning buying something a few years old now and selling it later, which I don't think is a good option - in fact if I were doing a lot of video editing, I'd want the fastest machine I could get my hands on... Looking on e-bay at the buy-it-now prices (which may not be realistic, but it's the best I can do in the amount of time I want to spend looking), around £1000 gets you an i3 27" iMac, which is going to be pants compared to the Novatech machine Neil linked to. Or are you suggesting spending more on the machine?

Can't comment on your rage against an inanimate object that many people seem to manage to use fine, esp the touchpad which is acknowledged as the best on any laptop.

It's the UI that I find backwards - especially the window menu being at the top of the screen, rather than attached to the window. That and the fact I like buttons, not touch areas and gestures on the mouse.....

With respect to the OP, for someone with 9 yo hardware, I suspect your calls for OC'ing the i5 will fall on deaf ears - one with that age of hardware doesn't strike me as someone wanting to fanny about with timings and voltage settings, let alone delve into the BIOS to begin with.

The latest processors are dead easy to overclock. Drop into the BIOS, change the maximum turbo multiplier to something in the low 40's, save and exit.

They want something that works every time they turn it on/wake it from sleep.

Yes, and so do I - I don't get your point.....

 

[arad85]

I can't get my head around this futureproofing and an iMac not being a good option.

Simply put (for your lowly engineer status ) if you want to change anything about the machine spec. you have to either add it as an external peripheral or swap the whole unit. With a PC, the modularity is there from the start. Extra disk, no problem - just pop one in the chassis etc....

My next machine upgrade (possibly a Haswell based device) will consist of a new motherboard and processor - I'll probably be able to reuse the memory from the current board so it will be a couple of hundred £ and that's if I don't sell my current board/processor (i7-2600K).

Maintenance is also a whole lot easier and cheaper. I've had a graphics card go bad on me - simple swapout, plus I can do it without having to take it to an Apple repair shop.

 

[PJ S]

Simply put (for your lowly engineer status )

I was being facetious - of course I understand the point of a tower-based desktop, but they stopped having any appeal for me back in the mid '00s - as nice as the Mac Pros are.

 

[PJ S]

As meaning buying something a few years old now and selling it later, which I don't think is a good option - in fact if I were doing a lot of video editing, I'd want the fastest machine I could get my hands on... Looking on e-bay at the buy-it-now prices (which may not be realistic, but it's the best I can do in the amount of time I want to spend looking), around £1000 gets you an i3 27" iMac, which is going to be pants compared to the Novatech machine Neil linked to. Or are you suggesting spending more on the machine?

No specific budget has been put forward by the OP, but based on general considerations, £1000-1100 seems appropriate by the time an OS and monitor of decent size and quality is added.
As I pointed out previously, if the OP knows a university attending family member or sibling, then the discount available to such students will make a brand new current 27" with 2.9 GHz quad-core i7 pretty much fit that amount.
There are a few with no BIN being bid on with an i5 - if pre-owned was the only option.

 

[arad85]

As I pointed out previously, if the OP knows a university attending family member or sibling, then the discount available to such students will make a brand new current 27" with 2.9 GHz quad-core i7 pretty much fit that amount.

From what I can see, the discount is 15%, which takes a 27" i5 @ 2.9 to £1275.... + AppleCare (you would be seriously mad to spend this much on something so integrated and difficult to fix and not buy AppleCare) Or am I missing something here?

 

[PJ S]

Yes, missing the fact Applecare can be purchased within the first 12 months, not strictly at the same time as the computer.
Applecare aside, Apple has to abide by the same Sale of Goods Act all resellers do, so I'd argue (especially as I've never had Applecare on any of my Macs) that it was even considered a necessity.

Pricewise - yeah, my mental arithmetic let me down there. Still, slight increase in budget translates to higher value in 3 years time if the OP decides to upgrade, and if like the current PC, 9 years on, the extra £100 or so will be long forgotten about.

 

[MarcM]

Apple's HE discount includes a 3 year warranty. No real need for Apple Care.

 

[mid_gen]

Desktop PCs can be upgraded to your heart's content to last, laptops and all-in-ones limit your options. This is a fact, and this thread is not a Mac vs PC argument, as much as you are trying to turn it into one! Lighten up.

 

[PJ S]

I hope you're not insinuating me with that comment?
All I did was point out an iMac is an alternate option, with a very good provided video editing application.
Others, inc yourself, then decided to derail the thread by decrying that it wasn't an option because you can't change the graphics card or add extra drives.

Has either you or aard85 even asked the OP if she's technically minded or already has an external backup solution? No - you're far too busy trying to score points on whose advice is better, with upgradability and overclocking.
Some advice, when you don't even ask if those are traits Kelly might even be remotely interested in.

If you'd read my original post, you'd see I never commented on an iMac being her only solution, but one that might better suit her needs, especially if she may have an iPhone or would use iTunes (possibly a better experience than for some Windows users), with a view to extending that to Apple TV, and/or Sonos for audio around the house.

With that all said, I'm done with pointing out the frigging obvious to idiots who can't read properly, and decide to make up their own view of what was said - http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=5271221&postcount=17


@ Kelly - assuming you're still bothering to read your thread, best of luck with whichever system and platform you ultimately decide to splash the cash on.

 

[arad85]

I hope you're not insinuating me with that comment?
All I did was point out an iMac is an alternate option, with a very good provided video editing application.
Others, inc yourself, then decided to derail the thread by decrying that it wasn't an option because you can't change the graphics card or add extra drives.

Are you sure about that? Until the last couple of posts from you and MarcM, I wasn't sure what you were actually suggesting was bought - it wasn't clear from the first few posts you made and how much you were expecting it to cost. The extra posts about upgraded graphics cards etc. were more of a side discussion that people buying a Mac should have a view on (even if it is "I don't care") because you are spending a significant chunk of money on a computer here, and clarification on the 3 year warranty with educational products is good information.....

If you'd read my original post, you'd see I never commented on an iMac being her only solution, but one that might better suit her needs, especially if she may have an iPhone or would use iTunes (possibly a better experience than for some Windows users), with a view to extending that to Apple TV, and/or Sonos for audio around the house.

If you read your original post you'll see it can also come across as "buy a Mac because you can use iMovie". And you never mentioned iTunes, Sonos, AppleTV until now. Did you ask Kelley if she wanted to use iMovie - perhaps she already has Premiere Pro given she already has had a PC for several years. And, in that case, the choice of graphics card may well be a significant influence as you can accelerate a lot of Premiere Pro through the graphics card.

With that all said, I'm done with pointing out the frigging obvious to idiots who can't read properly, and decide to make up their own view of what was said - http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=5271221&postcount=17

 

[PJ S]

Are you sure about that? Until the last couple of posts from you and MarcM, I wasn't sure what you were actually suggesting was bought ...... and clarification on the 3 year warranty with educational products is good information.

You know how your mother used to tell you that you were "spezchul", well she was absolutely spot on.
Only your specialness could fail to comprehend what was written, especially as it contained a link for the OP to check current prices on that well known auction site.
3 yr warranty inc with Higher Education purchases as standard is good to know, must've been a relatively recent change.

If you read your original post you'll see it can also come across as "buy a Mac because you can use iMovie". And you never mentioned iTunes, Sonos, AppleTV until now. Did you ask Kelley if she wanted to use iMovie - perhaps she already has Premiere Pro given she already has had a PC for several years. And, in that case, the choice of graphics card may well be a significant influence as you can accelerate a lot of Premiere Pro through the graphics card.

Again your specialness shines through in abundance - how in hell's name you're extrapolating that from what was written, I will NEVER know.
I guess I'm just not as spezchul.....ho hum.

As for Premiere Pro on a 9 yo machine, with no indication of either it or more powerful GC's having been installed - yeah I can see that really being the case. Clutching at straws much?
Either way, licence can be transferred (I've already pointed this out!) and it's moot about whether the bestest ever i5 overclocked to the nth power or a slightly less powerful i5 in a more efficient OS/Application is the way to go, since both will be so much quicker than what Kelly is currently used to.

Regarding iTunes, etc - those are aspects I've mentioned that, as having proposed an iMac, Kelly might be interested in as future purchases due to the synergy/better integration/design.
Don't see the point of your raising that for special mention - but then no-one else has thought beyond the box enclosure as things she might want to do with her edited videos, photos, movies she may rent/purchase as downloadable content.
I'm just giving her options and things to think of she may've forgotten or not even thought of, even if it does cost a bit more upfront, initially.

Nah, much worse than that. Toys scattered everywhere, pram on its side, and the previously half-full potty now being worn by the dog as a hard hat.
BF3 wishes it had carnage and destruction on this scale!

 

[arad85]

You know how your mother used to tell you that you were "spezchul", well she was absolutely spot on.
Only your specialness could fail to comprehend what was written, especially as it contained a link for the OP to check current prices on that well known auction site.
3 yr warranty inc with Higher Education purchases as standard is good to know, must've been a relatively recent change.

Yes, I'm special. I'm also very precious and nearly always right So sue me

The link you posted was for a search on e-bay for '27" iMac' which could mean anything from core 2 duo upwards which would be entirely unsuitable. You also seemed to be suggesting buying second hand (hence the link to ebay) without much guidance as to what to buy and throwing in a section on resale value.

Personally, I think your first post comes over as "just buy an iMac and use iMovie, you'll be fine". But then that could just be my super-dooper specialness coming through

Again your specialness shines through in abundance - how in hell's name you're extrapolating that from what was written, I will NEVER know.

Well, I clearly wasn't the only one - as mid_gen also read it in the same way I did. Now either we're both as special as each other (which, I admit, is quite possible) or perhaps your post was both confusing and didn't add anything apart from a touch of "Macs are great!"....

Regarding iTunes, etc - those are aspects I've mentioned that, as having proposed an iMac, Kelly might be interested in as future purchases due to the synergy/better integration/design.
Don't see the point of your raising that for special mention -

Because your sentence made it sound like it was originally mentioned as a good reason to buy a Mac, which it wasn't.

but then no-one else has thought beyond the box enclosure as things she might want to do with her edited videos, photos, movies she may rent/purchase as downloadable content.

Or burn a DVD perhaps..... Oh, sorry, extra box on the new iMacs - don't forget to budget for that.

Nah, much worse than that. Toys scattered everywhere, pram on its side, and the previously half-full potty now being worn by the dog as a hard hat.

Ewww... you & your dog stink.....

Darren: If you're reading this, I'm playing nicely - honest......

 

[neil_g]

wow.. lol

 

[Marc]

wow.. lol

Wow indeed.

The bickering stops here please.

 

[Steve T]

Ahhh Thankyou, I need to save all this info.. it's all really helpful. Cheers.

 

[KellyJ]

I'm too damn scared to post in here now, and my head has been literally fried haha.

Where to even begin,
I don't need iMovie. Yes I know my machine is an ancient 9 years old but I already have professional video and photo processing software, and would ideally like to upgrade so I can use them to their true potential. Right now everything runs so slow that a 5 minute task takes 30 minutes to get through, and time is not something I have a lot of anymore.
I don't use iTunes, I like having hard copies of music, I have a blackberry not an iPhone because I despise touch screen and as already explained in my first post I don't use my PC for watching TV, so considering those are redundant.. would a Mac really be that much better for me than a desktop PC? Considering I'd have to spend the time trying to transfer all of my software licenses, if that's possible.. and I've heard the new iMac's don't even have CD/DVD drives, is that true of all iMac's or just recent as I obviously need to burn DVD's for my clients if they ask for a slideshow? Maybe I'm reading the posts wrong, but I'm unsure of what you're suggesting the iMac is better for other than those things.

 

[arad85]

would a Mac really be that much better for me than a desktop PC?

No. Everything you have said why you prefer a PC is 100% valid, there appear to be some who can't quite get their head around the fact that people think this way (I'm the same as you by the way...).

If you use a recent version of Premiere Pro, you can get a LOT of speedup if you have a good graphics card. For nearly everything else, a good CPU is what's needed.

To be honest, with all the bol.. stuff that has been posted here, the machine Neil posted in post #2 or 3 is probably where you want to be. Don't forget the base price is without OS, and you need a monitor, but that Novatech with a top of the range i5 will be streets ahead of where you currently are.

 

[stupar]

Kelly have a look at chilli blast. They will build a desktop to your spec, you just choose the components on their website.
Worth a look even if just for price comparison.
Having it built for you may cost a big more but you are guaranteed a working machine.

Self builds come in cheaper and it's a very rewarding experience building your own desktop.
That said you can run into issues and if you're not sure what to do then it can be daunting.

I would probably opt for a ready built. When you do get your new machine don't be afraid to get your hands dirty both with hardware swapping/fitting/tuning, it is very straightforward forward.

Neil and Andy are very helpful guys with a wealth of knowledge.
They helped me spec components recently for an i5 build for my mate.
Comically too I was supposed to build it for him and set it up. Instead he did it all and he's a complete noob when it comes to pc building.

Don't be afraid to ask more questions here.