16" MBP + 4-5K Monitor vs iMac/iMac Pro?

[Kulfon]

Folks, I got a question. What is a better purchase. Getting the new 16" MBP and then adding a very good 5K or 4K monitor (Dell, Eizo or something similar). Or...waiting for the updated iMac/iMac Pro?
I am only doing Photography editing in Photoshop, will also get a drone with 4K videos.

 

[johngwheeler]

Folks, I got a question. What is a better purchase. Getting the new 16" MBP and then adding a very good 5K or 4K monitor (Dell, Eizo or something similar). Or...waiting for the updated iMac/iMac Pro?
I am only doing Photography editing in Photoshop, will also get a drone with 4K videos.

As usual..."it depends"! The MBP + 4K/5K screen will be considerably more expensive than the iMac, especially if you upgrade the RAM on the laptop (have to pay Apple prices vs having a choice on iMac RAM).

Assuming the new iMacs will also get improved GPUs, then the iMac is going to perform better for most video editing tasks except those that use the MBP T2 chip for H.254, H.265 encoding/decoding.

Get the MBP if you need to be portable, or don't like the idea of all-in-one desktop computers.

 

[Krevnik]

Have to agree.

I had a 2015 iMac for the last 4 years, and only gave it up so I can make room for a dual Mac/PC setup on my desk with an Ultrawide.

The iMac is simply a nicer experience is you don’t need portability, and don’t have issues with an all-in-one. I might skip the iMac Pro though unless you think you need the cores or ECC RAM. And it is cheaper than the MBP.

But the moment you want to be able to pick a different monitor, or go portable, it’s suddenly your enemy. But that flexibility comes at a higher price.

 

[jinnyman]

I’ve tried both setup several times. Going back and forth. The final conclusion is this:
If you need a portable, you have to have a portable. Otherwise, a desktop, in this case either iMac of iMac Pro, is better at performance and/or thermal, cost/performance ratio.

You have to decide if you really need a portable.

 

[Menno87]

I like 1 computer for everywhere better. Less hassle syncing work and settings if you don’t want to work behind a desk all the time. Now that the new macbook pro has an option for 64gb ram and supposed better cooling, I am going to try and see if it can replace my base iMac Pro. Maybe couple it with a pro xdr display 😶.

 

[Coyote2006]

My 15" is from 2013 and my 5,1 is still rock solid. But both of them need to be replaced. I've also considered an iMac and also the iMacPro. But the iMac needs a technical refresh and the iMacPro is just too expensive and you can't even add RAM by yourself. As I am using mostly single core work the gab between the Macs has been narrower than ever. I expect a refresh of the iMac next year. So I will probably go for a new MBP now and use it as my new main working machine. The MacPro will server as a "backup-drive". Then I'll check for an additional desktop Mac.

 

[Kulfon]

I have a 2015 15' MBP. It is still running fast! But I am thinking about the screen, I need a bigger screen. If there was an iMac or iMac Pro with thinner bazels, I would get it right away. Maybe the only other things that stops me from the iMac is that glossy screen.

 

[BootLoxes]

I have a 2015 15' MBP. It is still running fast! But I am thinking about the screen, I need a bigger screen. If there was an iMac or iMac Pro with thinner bazels, I would get it right away. Maybe the only other things that stops me from the iMac is that glossy screen.

you might have to rent a movie theater to get more screen space

 

[Kulfon]

Bigger screen than my 15", so 27-30 inch is fine. BTW, hope you are not complaining that the new iPhones are mostly screens? Or you miss good old thick bazels?

you might have to rent a movie theater to get more screen space

 

[BootLoxes]

Bigger screen than my 15", so 27-30 inch is fine. BTW, hope you are not complaining that the new iPhones are mostly screens? Or you miss good old thick bazels?

Nah I was just making a poke at your typo. You said 15' not 15" in your post