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Do you wish you had a macbook instead?

DoNoHarm

DoNoHarm

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 8, 2008
1,138
46
Maine
Hello Everyone,

I'm a MBP user. I just got one of the 2.66 ghz 15" unibodies. While it's an amazing machine, I find myself debating whether it may make more sense to get the low end 27" imac plus an ipad. I would have a huge screen on the desk and something much more portable with the ipad. Sometimes though, I use the MBP around the house, like watching hulu while I cook or something. I won't be able to watch hulu on the new ipad since it doesen't support flash.:(

Are any of you wishing you went with a macbook pro instead of the imac? Did any of you conversely go from the mbp and love the new imac?
 
I think the laptop screen might steam up less than the iMac when watching Hulu while one cooks.
I'd steer clear of the iPad even if it had flash – it's too easy to inadvertently place a hot saucepan on it.
 
Until very recently, iMacs are basically large Macbook(Pro)s that do not have a battery, in terms of components and overall performance. When I mated my Powerbook G4 with a aluminum iMac, I found myself constantly going back to the Powerbook even when I'm at home because it is portable, even when the intel-based iMac was so much more powerful.
I finally found the perfectly set-up when I sold both the iMac and Powerbook, and got a Macbook Pro and a large (26") external display. It is perfect because it has most (if not all) of the performance of an iMac, can be connected to a display bigger than any iMacs at the time, and is portable when I needed to leave my desk.
Just get a 30" display, hook it up to your MBP and you'll be happier than ever.
 
DoNoHarm said:
Hello Everyone,

I'm a MBP user. I just got one of the 2.66 ghz 15" unibodies. While it's an amazing machine, I find myself debating whether it may make more sense to get the low end 27" imac plus an ipad. I would have a huge screen on the desk and something much more portable with the ipad. Sometimes though, I use the MBP around the house, like watching hulu while I cook or something. I won't be able to watch hulu on the new ipad since it doesen't support flash.:(

Are any of you wishing you went with a macbook pro instead of the imac? Did any of you conversely go from the mbp and love the new imac?
Click to expand...

I actually got 3 consecutive failing iMac and have ended up now with a basic macbook as a final solution by apple (and they gave me a sweet deal!).
I love the macbook!
 
IMHO computing nirvana is having a desktop, laptop, and, well, iPhone.

In reality, what we actually need, and where, depends on what we need to do.

These days my only desktop is at work, a brand-new 27" i7 iMac. At home I tend to work (and not work) on the sofa, so it's either the MBP or MBA. Everywhere else, I've got my iPhone.
 
I too also have both the 15" unibody MBP and the new 27" iMac that I received in the mail ups today. I have been enjoying it. I really just like having the experience of everything apple. I enjoy all of apples products and use them when I can. Since it's Just my woman and I under 1 roof we both use the 27". When I'm upstairs in the bedroom in bed or something I'll use my MBP or 3GS to surf the web. Music etc etc.
It all depends on if you would put both to use. I know I do.
 
Sometimes I wish I would've bought a laptop + external monitor and KB&mouse but on the other hand, I need the portability like few times a year and IMO iMac is portable enough to satisfy my need (like when I go to summer cottage for a month). I used to have an Acer laptop but it sat on my table 99% of its time so iMac was no brainer for me
 
I have both and I will probably get an Ipad or similar device for the coffee table

The ipad is great for casual browsing but that is about it.

If something similar came out with flash and looked as nice I would probably buy it instead.
 
I like alot of power and a big screen so until 6 months or so ago I aways opted for a desktop Mac. I work in IT so I always had a work issued PC laptop even though I had no desire to use it at home because I can't stand Windows XP. I bought a Unibody 2.8GHZ MBP about 6 months ago and absolutely love it. Best laptop I have every used in 20+ years of laptops bar none. IMHO even if you only occasionally need portability the combination of a MBP and external display is unbeatable for flexibility.
 
I went from iMacs to a MacBook. Given the hohum low end iMacs you're better off getting a Macbook and an external display.
 
My wife has a Macbook Pro, and I have an i5 iMac. I vastly prefer using my computer instead of hers.

I like the keyboard (I got the numeric pad one) and the fact that I can change its distance from my body without having the screen move as well. I type up close, slide it some after a while, and type farther away. It's more comfortable for me to be able to move around some, I guess.

I also like the 27" monitor, its clarity, and the screen real estate that it affords. I can have an entire webpage side by side with an entire page of a Word document; both are legible, and I can move easily from task to task. When I try this on a laptop things get too dinky for me to see clearly.

I also like the Magic Mouse much, much better than any touchpad I've ever used. Same functionality for scrolling pretty much, but I like clicking the mouse better than mashing that little button on the iMac (which, if I'm working with the MB in my lap, mashes all that laptop heat down harder onto my legs--ooooooh, laptop heat...but not the good kind ;) ).

I like the speakers better on the iMac (though I like my headphones better).

My wife likes her laptop, and I like my iMac. These are just some of my preferences, but you may reach the same conclusions.

BTW, I don't find the iPad too appealing.
 
I've got both (27" iMac and 13" MacBook) and while I wouldn't want to be without either, if I had to choose I'd keep the iMac. Reasons are many:
  • Superior ergonomics for more restful long computer sessions
  • Larger display (and I have an additional monitor attached!) with more pixels and IPS technology as opposed to TN. Intel iMacs have always used IPS except for the entry level 20" Aluminum models. MacBook/MacBook Pros have always used TN
  • I most often work at my desk or have an alternate desktop system available so most of the time I don't really need portability. However the "alternate desktops" are Windows machines.
  • iMacs have faster hard drives, usually faster display cards, and usually faster processors.
 
talmy said:
I've got both (27" iMac and 13" MacBook) and while I wouldn't want to be without either, if I had to choose I'd keep the iMac. Reasons are many:
  • Superior ergonomics for more restful long computer sessions
  • Larger display (and I have an additional monitor attached!) with more pixels and IPS technology as opposed to TN. Intel iMacs have always used IPS except for the entry level 20" Aluminum models. MacBook/MacBook Pros have always used TN
  • I most often work at my desk or have an alternate desktop system available so most of the time I don't really need portability. However the "alternate desktops" are Windows machines.
  • iMacs have faster hard drives, usually faster display cards, and usually faster processors.
Click to expand...

which one would you say is noisier?
 
DoNoHarm said:
which one would you say is noisier?
Click to expand...

In my experience, the laptop by far. Both are quiet when you aren't doing anything intensive, but when you push them, my laptop gets nearly as noisy as an Xbox 360 while the iMac just has a slightly louder hum.
 
DoNoHarm said:
which one would you say is noisier?
Click to expand...

I have a 17" MBP (late 2006) and an iMac i7. I love them both. If I'm really pushing the envelope on the MBP you can hear the fans but its not that bad. I've run 10 movies (small screens) at the same time as a test on the iMac and it never got hot enough to make any fan noise. The hard drive (western digital 1TB) is as quiet as a church mouse. My MBP has been on for the past 15 1/2 hours in constant use and the CPU and GPU are 127 and 124 degrees F. The fans are at 2004 and 1992rpm and no noticeable fan noise.
 
I could not use a MacBookPro instead just due to the Screen Resolution. I love my bigger resolutions when working with apps. Makes things like working with photos and videos a lot easier. Just my opinion. I actually bought a 13" MacBook Pro and returned it because of this. Couldn't get use to it.
 
i was a long time macbook pro user. actually had mbp 15 non unibody. then i got a 13 macbook unibody, then a 13 macbook pro unibody, then a 15 macbook pro unibody, then a 17" macbook pro unibody 2.8 with a 500gb hd 8gb of ram and a 160gb intel ssd. i sold that one on ebay for 2750 and went out and bought an imac 27" i7 and a desk and a chair all for the price of the 17" the screen on the imac is sick and the 17" seemed like a dwarf in the apple store. i like to play poker online in bed and that is the only thing i miss on the imac. the screen for photoshop is killer. i love this machine to death!
 
I have a 17" unibody and wanted the 27" iMac. My unibody spends 90% of its life hooked up to a external monitor and keyboard. I was going to buy the iMac and sell my unibody. Unfortunately I went through three iMacs all with various problems. I decide to just wait a few months and let apple fix the issues.

At this point though I have decided just to keep my current set up permanently. Its nice to have my laptop for the 10% when I travel outside the office and my Laptop is still plenty capable for what I use it for, mostly Adobe and Office apps. Although I miss the 8GB of ram in the iMac (I have 4)
 
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