iMac vs MB Pro + external monitor

My vote is for the MBP. They are pretty close in power, so mobility is a plus. My MBP makes a great laptop, and then a desktop replacement when I hook it up at home.

I also vote for the MBP and external monitor. This way you get to choose a decent "non-glossy" screen that will show true colour ..

And the graphics card is better too?

Yeah I'm debating the same thing too. I've been using a macbook + external display for a while now, thinking of either upgrading to a MBP or keeping the macbook and getting an iMac.

Here are my pros/cons of using a laptop as a desktop replacement with an external display and peripherals.

Pros:
- Simplicity. All your files go with you wherever you are, no need to sync between computers. Syncing can be a real pain in the ass.
- Cost effective. Personally, I don't ever want to be without a laptop, so a laptop will always be in my setup. It is cheaper to sell the macbook and replace it with a MBP than it is to buy a 24" iMac.
- Up to Date. Main computer will be the latest MBP, rather than lugging around a dated white macbook (these are my personal pros/cons).

Cons:
- Carrying all your files with you wherever you are. Sometimes if you are showing something to someone on your computer you don't want them to see those questionable bit torrent files you left on the desktop, or if they're using your laptop to open up iPhoto and see all those raunchy pics from that trip to Spain. Personally, I can see the benefit of having a seperate computer for work related files rather than carrying all your personal stuff with you all the time.
- Laptops are more prone to failure than desktops because they're always moving around. If your laptop is your main computer with all your important files on it, it would be a big blow for the hard drive to fail and lose everything (Happened to me, pre Time Machine). Time machine makes it a bit easier to deal with thankfully, but I always have it in the back of my mind the worry of something happening to my laptop and I'll be without a computer for who knows how long.
- Can't leave it on all the time. (edit- technically you can, but moving it to another location like to work it will have to go to sleep, whereas an iMac will sit there downloading away)
- Having it connected to your monitor and peripherals usually means that if you want to use it around the house you usually can't be bothered untethering and stay at your desk.
- Don't have a beautiful iMac that's always there, always on, and always ready for you. Instead you have to deal with a mess of cables constantly plugging them in and out when you move the laptop. When you take your laptop to work/uni all downloads etc have to stop.

edit- The way I'm going to decide is like this, which option could possibly f*ck me up the most if I end up making the wrong choice. And right now I'm thinking it's the iMac+macbook option even though the MBP option has more cons, because I really want that setup mainly for the aesthetic value of the iMac. Although it has it's practicality, if it came to a point where I hate syncing and I ended up using the old macbook more than the new iMac I'd really be kicking myself. The worst thing that could happen with going the MBP route is that I wouldn't have something as pretty to look at on my desk, and also not really using a laptop as intended (desktop replacement).

i0Nic, why can't you leave your laptop on all the time? And why do downloads have to stop?

I have a MacBook, not Pro, thats on 24/7, hooked up to an external monitor, always downloading things to an external hard drive and is hardly ever off.

The only thing I don't like about a laptop as a main computer is how much backing up I feel I need to do - and how much I feel like I haven't backed something up. I'm looking forward to getting a Time Capsule so I can back up wirelessly.

I think that for what the topic starter wants to do, the MBP + External monitor is great. I have a MB and Samsung 226BW, and it's amazing.

dotdotdot said:

i0Nic, why can't you leave your laptop on all the time? And why do downloads have to stop?

I have a MacBook, not Pro, thats on 24/7, hooked up to an external monitor, always downloading things to an external hard drive and is hardly ever off.

The only thing I don't like about a laptop as a main computer is how much backing up I feel I need to do - and how much I feel like I haven't backed something up. I'm looking forward to getting a Time Capsule so I can back up wirelessly.

I think that for what the topic starter wants to do, the MBP + External monitor is great. I have a MB and Samsung 226BW, and it's amazing.

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When I take it to uni for example, can't have downloads going if your laptop is sleeping and you're on the train. Sounds like you are using the laptop heavily as a desktop replacement and not moving it around at all?

Well, if you want portability get the MBP, if not, get the iMac.