Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Nonentity

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2007
90
15
Both the iMac and MB were purchased in Nov '07, 20" iMac 2,4 GHZ, 3gb Ram 320 gb hdd, and the MB is a 2.0 Ghz, 2gb ram, 80gb hard drive with a Combo drive. I originally bought them due to needing a decent machine and screen size for editing video (the iMac) and also something that i could use out and about (the MB). However, I'm finishing my final Year of University, and when i move back home, i'll have no room for the iMac. Thus it would be sitting in it's box losing money. I Figure that if i sell both now i'd get around £600 each (thats around $1800) I'd then use this to purchase one of the new MBP.
My main concern is how well the new MPB stacks up to the iMac with regards to performance (video Editing, encoding etc). I also know that i'm going to really miss the iMac, especially the screen size and how amazing it is to use, but if it means i save a little bit of money then it won't bother me too much.

So my questions are:
Do i go ahead with this?

Would i lose alot of money if i waited till July to sell them?

What's the current problems (if any), with the MBP?

Thanks for any help,

Nons
 

wywern209

macrumors 65832
Sep 7, 2008
1,503
0
do you rly want to know?
well, i suppose u could sell them, but for the nice screen size, u might just want to get a new imac instead of amacbook pro. or u might just go with a new MBP. either way is good.
 

ditzy

macrumors 68000
Sep 28, 2007
1,719
180
If you have no room for the iMac and it wont get used you might as well.
 

Yanwoo

macrumors regular
Aug 6, 2006
110
5
I just did this and have no regrets whatsoever.

I had a 20" 2.16ghz 3gb white imac and a black macbook 2.2ghz 4gb. Under the premise I can only ever use one machine at a time :)D), figured it was a waste having both. Better to get a 15" Macbook Pro and an additional 24" screen for when I needed more space.

My new uni 15" macbook pro is more powerful and faster than either of these 2 - and I love the feel and build quality.

Have sacrificed some portability - although I expect to get a cheap netbook a bit later this year for keeping with me.
 

Scottsdale

Suspended
Sep 19, 2008
4,473
283
U.S.A.
I used to have a Windows desktop and a Black MacBook. I sold them both and went to a MacBook Air in April of 07. At the time, I tried to run Windows virtually but was not happy with Parallels. So, I used a Windows notebook two days per month when had to run an app on Windows for a client. Last year, I finally moved from the two computers completely to one. I sold both the MBP, and the Windows notebook, and bought a brand new unibody MB. I am running Windows via Boot Camp one day per month and I use it as a Mac the rest of the time. Even though it's a MacBook, it is great. I have an external display for when I want to use it as a "desktop workstation" and I just use it as a notebook the majority of the time.

Having one computer is a lot easier than trying to keep docs current and sharing files between two computers. Even if is two Macs you have, is not easy. Slightly different scenarios, but a MB or a MBP (or even a MBA) can become just like a "desktop" machine by plugging in an external monitor.

In fact, I am hopeful to upgrade to a MBA as my one computer solution soon. With the Nvidia graphics being able to drive up to a 30" external display, it really makes even the MBA become a "desktop" DUAL solution when needed. I love the portability of the MBA.

So whether you go with the MB or the MBP, I think you will be happy with a one computer system. And the new unibody aluminum is a solidly built wonderful system; these new Mac notebooks are awesome! Makes the old MBPs seem like scraps of aluminum glued together versus now a solid piece of aluminum. Much more solid!

Good luck whichever route you go.
 

Nonentity

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2007
90
15
Thanks for the replies all!

I Know that i will definitely have to get rid of the iMac at some point, and selling both and purchasing a MBP will definitely happen.
Do i sell now? or Sell in June? (and risk losing money due to a refresh of the iMac line?)

Thanks again,

Nons
 

muldul

macrumors 6502
Apr 21, 2008
439
0
West Sussex, England, UK
Macs are generally great at retaining their value, still, it is safer to sell it sooner for more money. When do you move out of uni (if you haven't already)? i would sell it just before you move out, so you can get the most use out of it, whilst getting fair deal on it.
 

yoak

macrumors 68000
Oct 4, 2004
1,672
203
Oslo, Norway
I sold my 2.16 24" imac to get a MBP as I needed an express card slot on my laptop to offload HD footage from My Sony EX camera on location.
I got the "classic" MBP 2.5 with 4GB RAM as the unibody didn´t ship to Norway in time for a shoot I was doing.

When it comes to video editing (XDCAM HD and HDV) my old iMac felt faster than this laptop. I don´t have any numbers to prove it though.
(I mostly keep my media files on an external HD connected with FW800)

I miss my iMac and it´s great screen, but I also felt it "too much" to have 2 Macs at home.
 

aaquib

macrumors 65816
Sep 11, 2007
1,496
1
Toronto, Canada
By waiting till June, you're risking losing some value on the iMac because it's extremely likely that they WILL be refreshed before then.
 

kamo

macrumors member
Mar 21, 2008
34
0
I think the MBP 17" is not a portable computer for two reasons:

1. it's too big

2. it's too beautiful. my unibody sits on my desk in my office and will never move from that position until I sell it.

Have you thought about a 13" macbook? It has (almost) the same graphics as the MBP and it is actually portable size. And a lot cheaper.
 

xhambonex

macrumors 6502a
Apr 17, 2008
655
0
I think the MBP 17" is not a portable computer for two reasons:

1. it's too big

2. it's too beautiful. my unibody sits on my desk in my office and will never move from that position until I sell it.

Have you thought about a 13" macbook? It has (almost) the same graphics as the MBP and it is actually portable size. And a lot cheaper.

well no offense but false the mb would be outperformed by any MBP for video editing and encoding anyday. I lug my 15 around every day for atleast a mile a day and its not an issue. The 17 is obviously bigger but its not that bad to carry. The only thing that would make me want the 17" is the matte option otherwise 15 is the perfect size.
 

Nonentity

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2007
90
15
Well my iMac had been sold, I got almost as much as i originally paid for it. Thus, my new 15" MBP will be here in the next two weeks! Once it is I can sell my Macbook and continue as normal.

Should i use migration assistant or my time machine backup to setup my new machine?

Thanks for the replies,

Nons
 

Scottsdale

Suspended
Sep 19, 2008
4,473
283
U.S.A.
Well my iMac had been sold, I got almost as much as i originally paid for it. Thus, my new 15" MBP will be here in the next two weeks! Once it is I can sell my Macbook and continue as normal.

Should i use migration assistant or my time machine backup to setup my new machine?

Thanks for the replies,

Nons

Congratulations on your purchase. What an awesome Mac you will have.

I originally used the migration assistant. I wasn't happy when finished - it may have been in my head, but it just didn't seem that it was running quickly. Plus, I had a lot of "tools" or "fun" apps that I didn't need; the application folder was loaded with non-necessary apps. I ended up re-installing from all disks. I am very pleased with speed of all once I had installed all freshly. I had everything completely compact and in its pure form. What is better than a fresh install of OS X Leopard, iWork, iLife, Adobe CS4, and Office (and a couple other bare essentials)? Installing small non-premium apps only as needed.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.