How much high powered traveling do you do for your work? If a lot then get the high end laptop, if not then get the more powerful iMac.
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iMac 27" vs. MBP + Thunderbolt Display
- Thread starter hulk2012
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Yes, just setup screensharing on iMac 27. While in target display mode (the MacBookAir using iMac27 as monitor), you can launch screensharing app and connect back to the iMac 27's desktop to interact with it temporarily for monitoring a job, a render, etc.
Customers First
I have the combination of 27" display and Macbook Pro.
I have not read much of the other comments but it seems important to answer a few questions. Firstly, the size of the display is obviously important when actually doing the graphic design. If I could have bought an anti-glare 27" cinema display I would not have thought twice however, it is not an option and is a pain having everything behind me reflecting off the glass.
The iMac is truly very powerful but I also love the macbook Pro - OWC offer a 16 gig upgrade of ram which the pro will take full advantage of. Don't get the retina display 'tho, it will use a lot of CPU and you want that for your graphics tools PLUS the ram and HDD are not upgradable.
Specs aside, how important is it to show your graphics to your clients?
I take it you want the portability of the macbook pro for customer liaison, presentations etc. If that is the case then I cannot recommend the mac book pro any higher in combination with the 27" cinema display. In that package you will have the best of both worlds - portability and power. If you just want power then I would direct you to the iMac.
Cheers
I have the combination of 27" display and Macbook Pro.
I have not read much of the other comments but it seems important to answer a few questions. Firstly, the size of the display is obviously important when actually doing the graphic design. If I could have bought an anti-glare 27" cinema display I would not have thought twice however, it is not an option and is a pain having everything behind me reflecting off the glass.
The iMac is truly very powerful but I also love the macbook Pro - OWC offer a 16 gig upgrade of ram which the pro will take full advantage of. Don't get the retina display 'tho, it will use a lot of CPU and you want that for your graphics tools PLUS the ram and HDD are not upgradable.
Specs aside, how important is it to show your graphics to your clients?
I take it you want the portability of the macbook pro for customer liaison, presentations etc. If that is the case then I cannot recommend the mac book pro any higher in combination with the 27" cinema display. In that package you will have the best of both worlds - portability and power. If you just want power then I would direct you to the iMac.
Cheers
I pretty much second everything mysterkarl said, apart from the anti-glare screen.
(It's worth noting that the new displays – when they arrive, hopefully in Nov/Dec when the new iMacs drop – will almost certainly be using the same 'glossy, but with 75% less reflection' panels as the new iMacs, making them close to perfect, price notwithstanding.)
I work in a digital/design agency and have both a MBP and an 21" iMac both due for upgrade. I have a Samsung IPS 24" 1920*1080 screen hooked up to the iMac. I'm in the process of updating my kit and, while I will be sticking with the MBP + iMac set-up, the one crucial piece of kit is the MBP.
The MBP is absolutely essential given the amount of off-site – or simply away-from-desk – meetings/presentations. (Yes, you can present from an iPad, but you sometimes need more grunt/flexibility to work during those times afk.)
Similarly, when we have freelancers work with us, most often we prefer them to work from our office, at least to start with. It allows for quicker, more direct communication while trust and expectation is being built.
While we have external monitors that they can hook up to, as independents/freelancers we do expect them to have their own work machine. On the rare occasions that a freelancer has turned up without their own laptop, it raises flags about their level of preparedness and professionalism, immediately tainting the early impression they make.
– Just a thought.
If you never expect to (read: have made the absolute decision to never) be working or presenting away from your home/office – in the time until your next kit upgrade (which could be years) – then you'll be fine with the iMac and no portable.
Otherwise, give yourself the flexibility. The MBPs offer plenty of power to use as a primary work machine and drive a couple of additional large monitors. Grab a keyboard and mouse and use the MBP in clamshell mode when at home.
Best of both worlds.
If you're looking to keep costs down, consider getting a lower-specced Core i5 13" MBP and topping up with 3rd-party RAM (at least 8GB, but 16GB will certainly cover most needs for the life of the machine) and a 256GB SSD for your boot drive/apps/work folders – possibly in addition to the built-in HDD.
You'll get very respectable performance for $100s/£100s less than more highly specced out-of-the-box models – certainly enough to handle RAM hungry graphic design software such as Adobe CS, etc… and some chunky work files.
Even if you can stretch to a higher-specced model, the money would still most likely be better spent on maxing out a 'low-end' Core i5 with 3rd-party RAM/SSD upgrades as opposed to spending it on a chip-speed increase or even a step up to an i7 with HDD.)
Re: Retina display MacBook Pros.
3rd-party SSD upgrades are available.
(It's worth noting that the new displays – when they arrive, hopefully in Nov/Dec when the new iMacs drop – will almost certainly be using the same 'glossy, but with 75% less reflection' panels as the new iMacs, making them close to perfect, price notwithstanding.)
I work in a digital/design agency and have both a MBP and an 21" iMac both due for upgrade. I have a Samsung IPS 24" 1920*1080 screen hooked up to the iMac. I'm in the process of updating my kit and, while I will be sticking with the MBP + iMac set-up, the one crucial piece of kit is the MBP.
The MBP is absolutely essential given the amount of off-site – or simply away-from-desk – meetings/presentations. (Yes, you can present from an iPad, but you sometimes need more grunt/flexibility to work during those times afk.)
Similarly, when we have freelancers work with us, most often we prefer them to work from our office, at least to start with. It allows for quicker, more direct communication while trust and expectation is being built.
While we have external monitors that they can hook up to, as independents/freelancers we do expect them to have their own work machine. On the rare occasions that a freelancer has turned up without their own laptop, it raises flags about their level of preparedness and professionalism, immediately tainting the early impression they make.
– Just a thought.
If you never expect to (read: have made the absolute decision to never) be working or presenting away from your home/office – in the time until your next kit upgrade (which could be years) – then you'll be fine with the iMac and no portable.
Otherwise, give yourself the flexibility. The MBPs offer plenty of power to use as a primary work machine and drive a couple of additional large monitors. Grab a keyboard and mouse and use the MBP in clamshell mode when at home.
Best of both worlds.
If you're looking to keep costs down, consider getting a lower-specced Core i5 13" MBP and topping up with 3rd-party RAM (at least 8GB, but 16GB will certainly cover most needs for the life of the machine) and a 256GB SSD for your boot drive/apps/work folders – possibly in addition to the built-in HDD.
You'll get very respectable performance for $100s/£100s less than more highly specced out-of-the-box models – certainly enough to handle RAM hungry graphic design software such as Adobe CS, etc… and some chunky work files.
Even if you can stretch to a higher-specced model, the money would still most likely be better spent on maxing out a 'low-end' Core i5 with 3rd-party RAM/SSD upgrades as opposed to spending it on a chip-speed increase or even a step up to an i7 with HDD.)
Re: Retina display MacBook Pros.
3rd-party SSD upgrades are available.
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My previous comments did not consider freelancing - good point. While I previously said that my setup is an iMac + iPad the iPad does not work if you have to do real work remotely. And, you can only show of your work to 1+ person with an iPad. A 15" retina screen allows a few people to view together.
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