MBP vs iMac

[moey2k2001]

Heya

I need helping on finding the right gear.
MBP vs iMac 27” please

I am a Musician/DJ/Producer. Sometimes I do for fun Videos and Photos...

My initial thought was to get an iMac 27” with the following setup doing an upgrade on the SSD (512gb) and Ram (8GB).

• 4,2 GHz Quad‑Core Intel Core i7 Prozessor der 7. Generation (Turbo Boost bis zu 4,5 GHz)

• 32 GB 2400 MHz DDR4

• 1 TB SSD

• Radeon Pro 580 mit 8 GB Videospeicher

The cost would be around €4000.


The Idea was to get a high-end device to bear for a few years.

After a a little thought, I am wondering if I were to get the MBP, could I also be able to operate it for a few years? The question is, if I were to use it for DJing, Liveperformances and Producing, would it be enough? 13” vs 15”.

Plus, is the 16GB Ram enough on the MBPros?

Would I be able to use it and power an external TV/Screen or two units without any latency?

Or should I wait a few months and do you think in Summer there will be any new releases?

Any tips appreciated please.

 

[dark_skies]

Your post is puzzling ... the use of a desktop vs. laptop could be quite different. If you are even considering using it out of the home / office, you'll want a laptop. But I encourage you to "think different" as Apple would say - you can get a lot for 4000.

1) if you really want a setup at home, and plan to make videos and/or store lots of music, perhaps you would be served better by a lower-end model. Do you need 4+ GHz? Consider lower performance and larger storage ... 1 TB won't last as long as you think. I have a prior gen iMac (2016) and am putting video on external drives because the 1 TB drive is now full. My 2-3 year old iMac will probably last forever; I'll likely replace it in 1-2 years with the expected new Mac Pro when I start doing 4K content creation - videos. But that isn't certain either, as I hear you can edit 4k video today with the prior generation (mine) iMac.

2) If you want to Also have capability outside of home/office, do you need a MBP? I hate (hate!) the USB-C form of the new MBPs and the required dongles, adapters and such. Fortunately, there is the Macbook Air, which still has a full set of ports (including SDXC slot, which I will use for viewing video and DSLR stills). Even *more* fortunately, there are "mostly believable" rumors that the MacBook Air will be updated in 2Q 2018, i.e. between now and June. You can get a very capable MacBook Air (now or a few months for now) for not much money. And if you don't need a new one, you can get a good one (1.8 GHz 512 GB SSD) for under $1000 US.

So maybe you can have both?

 

[moey2k2001]

Your post is puzzling ... the use of a desktop vs. laptop could be quite different. If you are even considering using it out of the home / office, you'll want a laptop. But I encourage you to "think different" as Apple would say - you can get a lot for 4000.

1) if you really want a setup at home, and plan to make videos and/or store lots of music, perhaps you would be served better by a lower-end model. Do you need 4+ GHz? Consider lower performance and larger storage ... 1 TB won't last as long as you think. I have a prior gen iMac (2016) and am putting video on external drives because the 1 TB drive is now full. My 2-3 year old iMac will probably last forever; I'll likely replace it in 1-2 years with the expected new Mac Pro when I start doing 4K content creation - videos. But that isn't certain either, as I hear you can edit 4k video today with the prior generation (mine) iMac.

2) If you want to Also have capability outside of home/office, do you need a MBP? I hate (hate!) the USB-C form of the new MBPs and the required dongles, adapters and such. Fortunately, there is the Macbook Air, which still has a full set of ports (including SDXC slot, which I will use for viewing video and DSLR stills). Even *more* fortunately, there are "mostly believable" rumors that the MacBook Air will be updated in 2Q 2018, i.e. between now and June. You can get a very capable MacBook Air (now or a few months for now) for not much money. And if you don't need a new one, you can get a good one (1.8 GHz 512 GB SSD) for under $1000 US.

So maybe you can have both?

I guess I want a machine to last me quiet a few years. Yes I do work portable and at home.

I was thinking instead of getting an iMac, maybe the MBPro can be just as equal as the iMac or you think not?

What did catch my attention is exactly what you mentioned, the dongle/dock...
BUT that can be easily fixed with a good docking station I guess that woudl stay on my desk...

Plus the MBPro doesnt havemore than 16GB Ram. The question is, is the 16 GB "enough" to use and power music equipment and 1-2 screens AND have it in use for 3-5 years?

???????help????????????

 

[960design]

Or should I wait a few months and do you think in Summer there will be any new releases?

Never wait for something... just get what you need when you need it.

The 27" iMac is great to work with. I would only recommend getting 16GB Vs 8GB of RAM, as videos and photo editing will certainly hit memory pressure with only 8G running. This will cause swapping, while the SSD certainly hides much of this, it will still be felt.

Completely different beast is the MBPr. Just get the 15". The 13" will crowd all of the live performance apps making clicking on stuff 'while in the flow' more difficult. Again 16GB of RAM is recommended for future proofing.

Anything you purchase today, will rock for the next three years, work for the next five years and only then begin feeling long in the tooth. I keep my stuff for three years, sell them and use the money to purchase a new top spec'd device. The buy back at three years is quite high. That way I keep top end equipment for about half the normal cost.

 

[moey2k2001]

Never wait for something... just get what you need when you need it......

If I wouldn’ wait then it’d be foolish of me... Patience is key. I’d love to go with MacMini but that machine is long dead and a pity to purchase in 2018 unless it is upgraded...

I would love to have an iMac but since it would be in the studio and I were there only 1-3x a week, it got me thinking. Why spend so much money when the machine is “just” used roughly 2 days...

For the studio I would get a docking station and 1-2 screens and voila!

If I get a MBPro, wouldn’t it be equivalent?
Is this a good idea?


Thanks

 

[dark_skies]

If I get a MBPro, wouldn’t it be equivalent?
Is this a good idea?
Thanks

The MBP is more than powerful enough to do most things, including music/video editing/production. I think 16 GB RAM is the most it can take right now but I think (?) that's enough for most uses. You could get an external display for not much money - to hook up at home (and a separate keyboard if you preferred). Then you could also use it on the road.

The same is true of a MacBook Air, by the way - it would drive a second display as well.

As far as the MBA or Mini, both are rumored to get updated this year - possibly by June.

Brian

 

[moey2k2001]

The MBP is more than powerful enough to do most things, including music/video editing/production. I think 16 GB RAM is the most it can take right now but I think (?) that's enough for most uses. You could get an external display for not much money - to hook up at home (and a separate keyboard if you preferred). Then you could also use it on the road.

The same is true of a MacBook Air, by the way - it would drive a second display as well.

As far as the MBA or Mini, both are rumored to get updated this year - possibly by June.

Brian

I have the 11” Air and sadly not enough power for music production... Software glitches...

Well that was kinda my initial plan. I am just a bit bothered, is the 16GB Ram really enough? (Yes its the max...)

The MBP 15” is bulky but still a nice feature to take with me...

If I were to use the MBP as a “desktop”, would it make a difference wether I use a TV vs display?

 

[dark_skies]

TV can be tricky - you probably need HDMI out - don't think the MBA does that without an adapter, but adapters for either the MBA or MBP could drive it. You want to check the specs to see what size monitor/TV it can drive. MBP is a beast and can drive multiple 4k monitors/TVs. And no, modern LCD/LED TVs can be driven by the MBP without a problem, assuming they take HDMI input for high-res output from the Mac. Details on what the MBP can do ...

https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/

Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:

• Up to two displays with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors
• Up to four displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors
• Up to four displays with 3840-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors

Thunderbolt 3 digital video output

• Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
• VGA, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 2 output supported using adapters (sold separately)

 

[moey2k2001]

TV can be tricky - you probably need HDMI out - don't think the MBA does that without an adapter, but adapters for either the MBA or MBP could drive it. You want to check the specs to see what size monitor/TV it can drive. MBP is a beast and can drive multiple 4k monitors/TVs. And no, modern LCD/LED TVs can be driven by the MBP without a problem, assuming they take HDMI input for high-res output from the Mac. Details on what the MBP can do ...

https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/

Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:

• Up to two displays with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors
• Up to four displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors
• Up to four displays with 3840-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors

Thunderbolt 3 digital video output

• Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
• VGA, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 2 output supported using adapters (sold separately)

Tell me please, So why is a screen or tv better? I haven’t understood the difference of „screens“.

 

[jeyf]

either machine you get 1TB is too small a drive

stay away from the MBP, it is not getting good street reviews.

 

[moey2k2001]

either machine you get 1TB is too small a drive

stay away from the MBP, it is not getting good street reviews.

How so. Please elaborate. You‘re the first to NOT recommend a MBP....

 

[dark_skies]

Tell me please, So why is a screen or tv better? I haven’t understood the difference of „screens“.

As long as you're talking about a modern LCD/LED TV, it should be fine. But you want to make sure you get the highest quality picture, which may be through HDMI (out from MBP, in to TV).