iMac Pro vs 5K iMac - Worth the Price

Design Comparison: 5K iMac vs 8-Core iMac Pro

The design of both the 5K iMac and the 8-core iMac Pro has remained largely unchanged since their introduction in 2012. The only notable differences are a slight change in color and accessories, with the iPro variant coming with bigger vents in the back and two extra USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, as well as a faster 10Gigabit Ethernet port and a 1080p FaceTime camera. Up front, both iMacs feature identical displays with a resolution of 5120 x 2880, 500 nits of brightness, and the same P3 color gamut for accurate punchy colors.

We personally love the screen on the new iMacs, finding it to be vibrant, bright, and perfect for coloring in post. However, one thing to note is that the speakers on the iPro are significantly louder than those on the regular 5K iMac. While neither speaker system is exceptional, the iPro's sound is fuller and more pleasing out of the box.

Moving on to performance, our top-of-the-line 5K iMac boasts a 4.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 40 GB of RAM (which we upgraded ourselves), and the Radeon Pro 580 graphics with 8 GB of VRAM and 500 GB of SSD storage. In contrast, the base model 8-core iMac Pro features a 3.2 GHz Intel Xeon W processor, 32 GB of RAM, a built-in one terabyte SSD, and the Radeon Pro Vega 56 with 8 GB of VRAM.

When it comes to benchmarking, the iPro takes the lead in several tests. According to Geekbench, the iPro finished quicker than the 5K iMac, with single core scores of 4372 compared to 5675, and multi-core scores of 33,719 versus 19,806. Additionally, Blackmagic Speed Shop's video editing test showed that the iPro handled 8K footage better than the 5K iMac.

However, it's worth noting that while the iPro may excel in certain tests, the 5K iMac is a more affordable option with a price difference of almost $2,000. With our base model 8-core iMac Pro costing around $5000 and our upgraded 5K iMac coming in at roughly $3050, the latter offers significantly better value for money.

Ultimately, the choice between these two machines comes down to your specific needs as a creative professional. If you're looking for a computer that will grow with you over the next few years and can handle more demanding tasks like editing 8K videos or running large After Effects files, the 8-core iMac Pro is the clear winner. With its extra boost in performance, this machine will save you time rendering, exporting, and overall improve your workflow.

On the other hand, if budget is a concern and you're looking for a top-of-the-line computer without breaking the bank, the 5K iMac offers some impressive features and performance at an affordable price.