MacBook or iMac - Need Help Please - New to Mac's

Well I decided to make the switch and I'm getting a mac. This is going to be lengthy so I apologize, but I want to make sure I make the right decision.

Long story short, my last computer from best buy was a lemon so I exchanged it for a MacBook. It is arriving today. I called the Mac store near me and they said if I don't open it have the option of exchanging it for an iMac.

I am no longer in college so I don't need something to take to class anymore, but I do like the ability to move it around the house, take on vacation, etc.

I would say 90 percent of the time I will be using it at a desk, but for the other 10 I'm not sure if I want to limit myself. For the same price, 1499, I could do an even exchange on the black macbook I'm getting today and get the iMac. I liked the 20 inch screen of the iMac, larger hard drive, and more USB ports.

Do you guys think there is a big speed difference between 2.2ghz and 2.4ghz with the same amount of ram? I don't play games, except for stupid online flash games. Are there any other advantages to iMac over Macbook?

I also was thinking I coud just buy an extrernal display and wireless keyboard for the macbook and then I would have best of both worlds, but an iMac would be cheaper than doing that plus it would look cleaner.

Also, I plan on using this mostly for basic web browsing, music, home video editing, and personal photo editing (I have photoshop for PC).

What do you all think? Thanks in advance for your help.

Any other advise? I know I am being impatient but I really need to make a decision today/tomorrow at the latest.

Any advise at all is appreciated.

Zombie said:

Your situation is very similar to what mine was. I had a PC laptop before and it sat on a desk at home for about 95% of the time that I had it. Portability is nice, but if you only need to take it out of your house a few times a year, it's not worth it. I am now typing this on my new iMac. I considered getting a MBP, but I saved a hefty chunk of change by getting the iMac and i'm so happy I decided on it. Also, look into buying from the Apple Refurb store as you'll save a good deal there. I went for the 24" 2.4 GHz Aluminum one and it handles everything I need, including video editing & graphic design programs. Bigger screen, better overall performance, and price difference were all factors I took into consideration between the MBP & iMac. Between the regular MB & iMac...go with the iMac! I'm happy I did.

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The refurb store is not really an option I'd say for me since I got the black macbook for free on the exchange from Best Buy. The mac store said I could do an in store exchange as long as it wasn't opened though.

I'm really torn 50/50. Part of me says just get the iMac with bigger screen, pay nothing, lose portability. Then part of me says to get the macbook, buy an external monitor if the small screen bothers me, and upgrade hard drive later if necessary, costs more, but more options. Plus I don't really like glossy look on lcd screen for iMac, seems to eliminate purpose of having an LCD, but it does look nice and would not add cost.

Any other ideas?

Canadian Bacon said:

To make a long story short, it sounds like you really want an iMac, and I totally feel for you - I feel the same way. Look at it this way, if you get an iMac now when you don't really need the portability, you could always invest in a Macbook a year from now when you decide you really need the portability. Imagine what Macbooks will be available at the beginning of 2009 - they're only going to get better, faster, lighter and will all have LED backlit screens by then.

Go iMac, enjoy it and don't look back. With Apple you can only look forwards, because they're simply faster than their customers are.

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AHHHH this is hard!! I was just thinking maybe I should just get a monitor and keyboard that way I can have both a big screen and portability. Crap.

Are there any other benefits to iMac other than bigger HD, more USB ports, larger screen, 2.4 over 2.2(not sure that is even noticeable, maybe?)??

Canadian Bacon said:

Sorry... don't mean to torture you. I have to admit I've been fence-sitting on this for ages myself, so I DO really know how you feel.

The iMacs have nice built-in speakers - the speakers on the Macbook aren't loud enough. You can barely hear them in the store, especially compared to the MBPros for instance.

But the thing for me right now with the Macbooks is that Apple is converting its laptop line to multitouch trackpads, and backlit LEDs, and making them lighter, so I kind of think that I'd like to have that technology in six months, whereas what are they conceivably going to do to the iMac in that time... aside from a Bluray option I can't think of many compelling changes off the top of my head.

I REALLY hope you can make the right decision for you.

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Thanks I know what you mean.

I won't have the money/need for a lighter laptop so if I get an iMac now I won't be buying a new laptop for at least 3 years so I need to think of what will the best option for me for the next 3 years.

Macbook I can use for portability and then expand later, at a cost of course, to have bigger hard drive if necessary and larger external monitor.

iMac is cheaper considering it has monitor built in, looks nice, and would be less clutter on desk, but no way to make it portable.

Speaker's won't matter too much because I have logitech z5500s and could always get another set if needed.

foidulus said:

If you game at all, get an iMac, although the integrated graphics chip in the macbook isn't terrible, an iMac will still blow it out of the water in gaming.

Otherwise, there aren't a whole ton of advantages to the iMac. You can put bigger hard drives in there, but with external HDs being so cheap, not a huge reason to need that. You get a bigger screen, but you can now get a 24" LCD for less than $400. USB ports can be increased with hubs.

So again, unless you game(and the iMacs gaming performance isn't all that great anyway) I would go for the macbook.

Signed,

A proud macbook owner(with 4 gigs and a 7200 rpm drive, both relatively easy to install)

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I don't game but I will be doing video editing from my mini-dvd camcorder using iLife. Will the graphics card make a difference at that point from the iMac veruss the macbook?

Went with the MacBook

So I decided to keep the macbook. After having a laptop for 4 years I think I'd be really upset not having mobility. Plus I decided that down the road I'll get a larger external monitor. I guess we'll see how much uncle sam wants to give back to me first.

Thanks for all the input and advice. This thing is so cool, just going to take a few days to get used to everything. I was/am pretty much a PC guru, havn't used a mac since I was in Kindergarden so this will be fun!