iMac 5K vs Mac Pro: Phase One Capture One Pro Raw to High Quality JPEG

2014-11-05 • SEND FEEDBACK •
Related: 2013 Mac Pro, 4K and 5K display, computer display, GPU, iMac, iMac 5K, Mac Pro, Macs, Phase One, Phase One Capture One, SSD, video tech

PhaseOne Capture One Pro 8.0.1

iMac 5K 4.0 GHz, 32GB, 1TB SSD, AMD Radeon R9 M295X 4GB GDDR5 -versus-
2013 Mac Pro 3.3 GHz 8-core, 64GB, 1TB SSD, D700

The two machines tested here are the fastest possible models for this type of work (as of late 2014).

Batch conversion of RAW to JPEG

The Mac Pro has dual D700 GPUs and CaptureOne Pro is one of the few programs to use both GPUs.

PhaseOne CaptureOne Pro hardware acceleration

Yet the results are astonishing: less than a year after the debut of the Mac Pro with the fastest dual GPU option, the 4-core iMac easily beats the dual D700 GPU 2013 Mac Pro. Note that the GPU-intensive Unigine Valley benchmark also shows the iMac coming out on top. Where is the “pro” in Mac Pro?

Can Apple’s 2013 Mac Pro be that marginal only a year after its bug-ridden and all but useless and unused dual GPU strategy debuted? Right from the start, it was MPG’s view that dual GPUs showed poor design judgment, because a second CPU or SSD slot would have been far more useful for the vast majority of users. The hype was there in abundance for dual GPUs, but the value has never materialized. And now the iMac shows fastest possible Mac Pro to be a runner-up.

Convert 128 Nikon D800 36MP NEF to max-Quality JPEG
iMac 5K 4 GHz Radeon M295X vs 2013 Mac Pro 3.3 GHz 8-core D700