Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

I use the 21 inch; should have bought the 27 inch.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Best $300.00 you ever spent! There are no indications that computers are getting smaller, don't try to start a fad. The ability to add RAM is very important in photography and your files aren't going to get smaller. Digital photography is going to expand no matter which format is used. Now, you still have 6 days left, grab that D810 and a favorite lens and celebrate the new computer. The 27" screen will be a constant reminder of how powerful your new iMac is, the RAM will prove it. Spend the money and enjoy the results.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I would go with the 27inch. I bought the 27" IMac for that reason, the ability to add RAM. The Retina screen is very nice.

Hollifax Loc: France

Check out Apple refurbished. They rebuild and guarantee them. That might soften the blow of the extra $300.

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Absolutely 27".... Whats that saying "real estate is an investment, not a burden"

Chris Hall Loc: Burgess Hill, West Sussex, UK

27" every time! I've never regretted buying mine. :)

CookieRahll Loc: Brasher Falls,NY

27 always, good eyes or bad, love my iMAC 27. Go for it...

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

27” for sure!! No question

larryim Loc: Ohio

I am sure that you have already made up your mind from the previous answers, but I am going to chime in as well. I have the 21 inch and regret not having purchased the 27 inch just to be able to add ram. The 27 inch for only $300 more makes this a “no brainer”. Buy it today!!

spraguead Loc: Boston, MA

I'll give my two cents with some shared experiences.

My main system is a Macbook Pro. I have 16gb RAM and for most instances it is adequate. If I need to work on video or large image files I also have MacPro tower, but the only time I've had to use it was when working on some large image files for trade show graphics (800gb photoshop files) So 16gb of RAM is a great place to start. In fact, there are other parts of your system to concentrate on to insure good performance.

Other things to consider for system speed and work flow:

• Consider upgrading to the i7 processor. It makes a big difference. I'd go for the cheaper of the i7 options, but where this is only offered on the 27" machine, it's kind of a double hit on the cost.

• The upgrades to SSD drives are nice, but very expensive doing it through Apple, so stick with the standard option there and get an external drive(s) for keeping your work files on. When you set up that drive, you can partition it so you can assign 250gb to photoshop scratch disc. I use a 2TB RAID with an additional 2TB slower drive that automatically backs up the RAID. The RAID is overkill for personal use, I have mine set up to be shared as it holds client files for the office. You could get a 2 or 4TB Thunderbolt drive, and then a cheaper drive of the same size for constant backup. This keeps your main hard drive nice and clean and running fast. I'd recommend this step which ever main machine you opt for.

• You say you have a second 27"monitor. Have you talked to anybody at apple about running that off the iMac as a second screen? Once again, I run a second large monitor of my MacBook, but I found that it really requires the best video card available. I went with the upgrade from Apple, but my AppleCare expires in June and I'll be putting in an even better third party card as I get a lot of errors and video memory problems under certain conditions. Once again, my usage is a bit extreme, but consider the upgrade to save time and aggravation. But, this option once again is only available on the 27" machine.

Well, that's my two cents on how to spend YOUR money. Which ever way you go, it will be great. Always nice to get a new machine, and you won't really be looking to upgrade for a while. And I know a service that upgrades non-upgradable Apple machines. It's possible, but best left to the pros and done after warranty period is over as it will negate the AppleCare agreement.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Make the switch! I had a 21” that went south after years of service. I was intending to replace it with another 21, but my wife convinced me to go to the 27--was she ever right! You may not think the inches will make a difference, but if you do any post-processing, you’ll see a tremendous difference. You won’t ever be sorry if you go to the big one.

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

27"

ccklone

Hey Now,

Get the 5K 27”, it will be worth it. My old iMac is a 24” HD and the difference is noticeable.

—
Finest kind,
Chris

Dr J Loc: NE Florida

27”

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

It's the 2nd 27" that counts ;)