For the first time in my memory, ArchiCAD is at a point where it isn't in lockstep with Apple. Apple's latest offerings: Yosemite and the new iMac are incompatible with the Graphisoft brand.
There was a time when the graphics card was the thing - everything. When you bought a new computer you shopped for a graphics card, especially when you were buying a laptop.
This no longer seems to be the case as if I recall, Cinerender is a CPU based engine and ArchiCAD is multi-threaded. the CORE or number of CORES is this thing.
ArchiCAD cannot use a 5K monitor and is in fact crippled by the Texan amount of screen real estate it provides. As a consequence the new iMac doesn't seem like an option at all at this point.
But maybe that isn't an issue. Looking at the Apple store configurations it appears that the cost of a new Mac - on a "per core" basis - is a wash. Here in Canada the new iMac and the Mac Pro (with a 27" ArchiCAD compatible monitor) works out to roughly $1100 per core. Nothing scientific about that comparison, but the numbers add up to something that looks like that. In fact, you get two graphics cards with your Mac Pro, which makes it seem like the better deal. the better deal if you've got $2200 more in your pocket, that is.
If the graphics cards are not as important factor as they once were, can we see some benchmarks of ArchiCAD running on 4-core i7s versus the six, eight and 12-core Xeons.
The only reason I need anything on my desktop that isn't a tablet or smartphone these days is ArchiCAD. I think it's time for some clear and information rich documentation on what the Apple Platform and the Graphisoft platform have to do for each other.
Think Like a Spec Writer
AC4.55 through 27 / USA AC27-6000 USA
Rhino 8 Mac
MacOS 14.6.1
