Hey guys,I want to buy an iMac, as I'm getting a bit fed up with laptops. No, there is no choice: it'll be an iMac, simply because I want to use Mac OS X legally. And indeed, FSX is not the main use, but it'd be very nice if I could run it okay while having multiple addons installed, such as the PMDG 747, REX, and various Aerosoft airports. The problem now is: what iMac is best? The link below shows an overview of all iMacs:http://www.apple.com/nl/imac/specs.htmlScroll down to see a comparison chart. I have been thinking about the 27" iMac, the one most to the right. I get an educational discount, so it

I don't think it's possible to play FSX on mac. Even if you can, I doubt that addons will work. FSX was made for windows by microsoft. They're going to make they're game for their own OS, not another OS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Camp_(software) :(

I don't think it's possible to play FSX on mac. Even if you can, I doubt that addons will work. FSX was made for windows by microsoft. They're going to make they're game for their own OS, not another OS.

Still requires windows to be installed.

A PC of course!Please do not fall pray to the elitist I like using a small amount of programs slower crowd.It's just not healthy for your Flight Simulator addiction!

Sigh -.- I had so hoped it wouldn't amount to me having to defend my choice. Me choosing an iMac is not debatable, okay? I want to use Mac OS X because I prefer it above Windows. You may think differently - that's fine. I do not want to have a Mac vs Windows debate. I only would like to know what iMac hardware is the best for using FSX, without having to spend the most cash. So I'm thinking of questions like: Will an i5 do, or should I have an i7? That sort of stuff.

Still requires windows to be installed.

I know, I have been running both FS2004, FSX and 90% of my games using Boot Camp with Windows XP SP3 installed. Having Windows is not a problem. Having a PC is the problem, because it means I can not use Mac OS X for my university and all other non-gaming stuff.Philip Manhart: I have no idea what you are talking about. I specifically said I will buy a Mac. I have done so for the past 10 years and have used Macs longer than that. I use them longer than I use Windows and am perfectly content with their performance. As I said, FSX is not all I'm going to do: it'll be my main working computer too, and as I said again, I want Mac OS X for my work stuff because I prefer it. My choice has nothing to do with being elitist or whatever and I don't see myself as "elitist" because I use Macs. Nor do I run programs slower than you guys. Using Mac OS X with slower hardware tends to grant me the same performance in programs (NOT GAMES) as a better-equipped Windows machine.But please, lets not start a debate about why one should use Mac or Windows, or why I should get a custom built PC or whatever. I chose an iMac and I need objective advice on its hardware. Hardware only, nothing more. Those that can post without starting about "Ugh, it's an iMac!", please do so, I really need your kind advice!

i5 @ 3.6GHz is a better choice than i7 @ 2.93GHz. Pick the 1GB HD 5750 (1GB should prevent OOM errors)4GB of ram is more than enough for FSXjust my 2 cents

So, I can have my new iMac for about 1900 euros, which is good. Takes off 400 euros of my earlier estimate. Thanks for the advice!More opinions are still welcomed heartily :(

And why is a 3.6GHz dual core i5 better than a 2.93 quad core i7? Look at the specs. The only quad cores on offer is a 2.8GHz i5 quad or a 2.93GHz i7 quad.

And why is a 3.6GHz dual core i5 better than a 2.93 quad core i7? Look at the specs. The only quad cores on offer is a 2.8GHz i5 quad or a 2.93GHz i7 quad.

Yeah you are right, I see now that the 3,6 GHz indeed is a dual core, not a quad core, so I'm not sure how that one would be better than the 2,8 GHz i5 quad. It'd make more sense then to get the right-most iMac with the i5 quad, no?

Same here, I assumed it was a quad I5. My badI'm still not sure the I7 is better for FSX though. The I5 must be the 680 Clarkdale. I'll do some research

Yeah you are right. Go for the right most iMac. That's the quad. I would recommend you upgrade to the i7 but you don't have to. 4GB ram is plenty and the 1GB graphics should be used.

Thanks to you both, some valuable insight there. As it's now, the iMac to buy will cost about 1879 Euros. That's a lot, I'll have to see what I'll do, but at least I know what's coming.Dario: I'll wait for the results of your research, I'm curious what comes out of it. Thanks anyway for taking the trouble!

no problem Benwell, with turbo there's not much difference in clock speed: the i7 reaches 3.6 and the i5 3.8GHz. It's a no brainer, the I7 should perform better, so if money is not a issue, I agree with Chris: go with the I7http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=48504&code=I5-680http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=48499

Money is kind of an issue. Taking the i7 Means a 168 Euro increase, meaning an end-price higher than 2000 Euro... I'll see what I'll do, but thanks again for taking the trouble. Now I know more.Using the site you linkes to, I have come up with the i5 that is in the right most iMac: http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=48496...pec-codes=SLBRPI myself really don't see the big difference between the i5 and i7, honestly. For the i5 I see 4 threads less, and there is no hyperthreading technology. And the i7 in the iMac will be 0.13 GHz faster... is the difference between these two processors really that great that it's worth to go for the i7? So, these are the two I'm talking about:http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=48496...pec-codes=SLBRPhttp://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=48499