15" MBP vs 27" iMac

[ZMacintosh]

Disregarding pricing (with the discounts i can apply theyre roughly the same price), looking at specs and overall performance

15" 2.2ghz i7
AMD 6750 1GB VRAM
4GB
128GB SSD
High-res Glossy Display
+ 27" LED ACD

vs

iMac 27" 2.93ghz i7
ATI Radeon HD 5750 1GBvram
4GB
256GB SSD + 2TB

is the new 2.2Ghz MBP comparable to the i7 2.93ghz of the imac?
The only difference I really can see is for the price the imac has a larger ssd plus built in 2tb for the same price.
and i plan on upgrading the ssd when the prices come down but for under 90$ the 128 is a great deal and have a 2tb external ready to go.
both have essentially a multipurpose display, with the imac i can hook up other computers and with the mbp+display i can use the mbp display and led at the same time or separately.
What about cooling between the two of them?
I use extensively: Aperture, PS, Steam (portal, cod, BF, etc), logic pro, final cut pro and handbrake.

aside from that is there any limiting factor to getting one or the other?
portability isnt necessarily a necessity however compared to the specs of the imac and abilities its a pretty viable option.

im coming from a 2009 13" C2D MBP

 

[Hellhammer]

Will you keep your current MBP? MBP has Thunderbolt so you can connect very fast external storage to it (only FW800 in iMac). IMO MBP is now a better deal but iMac is due for an update pretty soon so if you can wait, you should do that. After the update, iMac should run circles around the MBP and have TB so the pros of MBP disappear.

 

[xcreet]

I am also interested in this comparison.

I am currently using a 2009 13 inch MBP and looking to upgrade to either 15 inch MBP or the yet to be released iMac 27 inch.

I'll keep the MBP and my partner will use it around the house and I'll use it on the odd occasions that I require a portable. I'll be installing a NAS so that both computers have access to all docs/photos/music/movies etc.

I mainly use my computer for Logic Pro, Office, Games (light/medium) and other more entertainment/life uses.

I'm of the understanding that the iMacs use desktop CPUs but still mobile GPUs, is that correct? My other option would be to buy a second hand MBP.

 

[Hellhammer]

I'm of the understanding that the iMacs use desktop CPUs but still mobile GPUs, is that correct?

That is correct. However, even though the GPUs are mobile, they are from the higher-end. MBP has AMD 6750M while it is expected the the next iMac will have AMD 6950M. There is a massive difference in performance.

 

[ZMacintosh]

not keeping my current 13" as that is sacrifice of getting what i want and within budget. i personally think after examining the two, onebeing the mbp is more up to date, and who knows what updates are lingering with the iMac could be better could be pretty stagnant, im pondering mbp now that seems to be capable of everything the iMac is capable of in a very similar format (all in one esque).

 

[trip1ex]

I'd get the iMac. It doesn't feel right playing games on the 15" MBP imo. Fans kick on high immediately. YOu feel the heat seep through the keyboard.

I wouldn't blow the extra $1100 on the i7, 2tb hd, and 256gb ssd either though. That's the cost of another computer.

btw the MBP config would need more storage. It's already $200 more in the config comparison you stated. Add another $200 for some fast storage in the 2tB range.

Also would need mouse/keyboard if you don't have them already when using the MBP with the 27" display. So MBP config could easily be $500 more.

Wait for the iMac update if you can. And just go with the $2000 model.

 

[trip1ex]

I'd get the iMac. It doesn't feel right playing games on the 15" MBP imo. Fans kick on high immediately. YOu feel the heat seep through the keyboard.

I wouldn't blow the extra $1100 on the i7, 2tb hd, and 256gb ssd though. That's the cost of another computer.

btw the MBP config would need more storage. It's already $200 more in the config comparison you stated. Add another $200 for some fast storage in the 2tB range.

Also would need mouse/keyboard if you don't have them already when using the MBP with the 27" display. So MBP config could easily be $500 more.

Wait for the iMac update if you can.

 

[toxic]

cooling with both is terrible since there's no volume, the difference is you're not touching an iMac constantly while using it. what you're paying for is that and the 27" IPS display.

the problem is the 2.2/2.3GHz MBP's are as fast as the quad iMacs, and the iMacs aren't any cheaper. I would wait for the new iMacs if possible, they'll probably be out in a month or so...otherwise, how annoyed are you by heat?

 

[ZMacintosh]

I'd get the iMac. It doesn't feel right playing games on the 15" MBP imo. Fans kick on high immediately. YOu feel the heat seep through the keyboard.

I wouldn't blow the extra $1100 on the i7, 2tb hd, and 256gb ssd either though. That's the cost of another computer.

btw the MBP config would need more storage. It's already $200 more in the config comparison you stated. Add another $200 for some fast storage in the 2tB range.

Also would need mouse/keyboard if you don't have them already when using the MBP with the 27" display. So MBP config could easily be $500 more.

Wait for the iMac update if you can. And just go with the $2000 model.

Well like i stated in my original post with discounts applied theyd be the same exact price.
I dont feel using a current computer with a mechanical drive is worth it in my opinion hence the ssd+hdd combo will not cost $1000.
In essence I wont be gamng on the 15" screen as I will opt for the 27" and having a keyboard/mouse already its not a huge difference.

I will be getting a cooler to put under the notebook as that should provide sufficient cooling for the system itself.

In the end I guess i desire portability as well, the only other option I could assemble would be a refurb 11" MBA for 849$ and a 27" iMac with i7 and just a 256GB SSD and just use the existing 2tb i have now.

 

[Vantage Point]

I had a 27" iMac and a 13" MBP and traded them for a 15" MBP and an external monitor of my choice (I am not a fan of glossy displays...). For myself I am extremely glad I made the switch. This combo is the best of all worlds for mobility and power. The 2011 MBP's are game changers with quad core and thunderbolt but these features won't make a significant different for my needs - most'y photo editing hence the high end NEC monitor.

If the 2011 MBP's have enough power for your most demanding tasks then the extra horsepower for the new iMacs is just power to spare. Also, is the 8Gb ram limitation of the MBP okay? I use my 8Gb often and wouldn't mind more RAM at times so I figure my next purchase will be when MBP's can do 16GB ram.

My single regret with having only one computer is down time for repair. Even though I have an Apple store very close I currently need to have the top case replaced since the key keep falling off. The 'genius' said it needs to be sent out for repair and will take about 7 days. Since I need my computer for daily use I can't get it fixed and apple refuses to replace the laptop and can't do the repair in the store. This also kills the resale value if it is not fixed and it comes time to sell. So a backup computer never hurts

 

[trip1ex]

Well like i stated in my original post with discounts applied theyd be the same exact price.
I dont feel using a current computer with a mechanical drive is worth it in my opinion hence the ssd+hdd combo will not cost $1000.
In essence I wont be gamng on the 15" screen as I will opt for the 27" and having a keyboard/mouse already its not a huge difference.

I will be getting a cooler to put under the notebook as that should provide sufficient cooling for the system itself.

In the end I guess i desire portability as well, the only other option I could assemble would be a refurb 11" MBA for 849$ and a 27" iMac with i7 and just a 256GB SSD and just use the existing 2tb i have now.

ACtually just get a low-end imac refurb. Keep your MBP.

Buy 2 SSDs and put one in each machine.

YOur imac will probably be faster than the 15" MBP in gaming. And quite fast overall. IT's pretty easy to put a hard drive in an IMac. I'm using my iMac right now which has a self-installed hard drive inside.

YOu can get small SSD for between $100-$200.

Now you have 2 computers.

More and more I think folks need 2 computers in case one goes down as the above poster mentioned.

Either way you win though whatever you choose. I just know I would have a hard time blowing $3k+ on a computer in today's day and age.

Although it wasn't long ago when computers were $2k minimum. I remember the vanilla Micron (they made computers back then in addition to the Crucial memory of today) I had. plastic beige tower. $2k. STate of the art 2 MB gpu.

btw, might want to wait to buy 27" ACD. I would want to get one with Thunderbolt on it. That way you only need to connect one cord to it. And it would also become a Thunderbolt hub I would guess. That has to be in the works for release this year no?

 

[trip1ex]

cooling with both is terrible since there's no volume, the difference is you're not touching an iMac constantly while using it. what you're paying for is that and the 27" IPS display.

the problem is the 2.2/2.3GHz MBP's are as fast as the quad iMacs, and the iMacs aren't any cheaper. I would wait for the new iMacs if possible, they'll probably be out in a month or so...otherwise, how annoyed are you by heat?

Yeah IMac isn't the best cooler either, but you have alot more room behind the 27" screen then you do in a 15" laptop form factor. I guess that's a reason they have desktop cpus in them now.

I don't think the fans kick in as loud or as quickly as they do in a 15" MBP either.