17 inch macbook pro as desktop replacement?

I would buy an iMac. Big screen, no heat under your fingers, healthy seating position, and more power for the same price. The 17'' MBP is great as a mobile workstation and a great laptop in general, but if mobility is not required, then the iMac is much better.

The $250 upgrade is not worth it, unless you desperately need every last bit of computing power.

 

I would get the MBP. I have not used a 17", but I HAVE used an iMac. They are over hyped and people report that they heat up because of the design too. The MacBook will be much more portable also.

 

Ask yourself, if you need your computer to be portable or not.

If the answer is No, then your dollars will give you a lot more with an iMac.

 

I bought the earlier 2011--17" 2.3/750 with the stock 4gig RAM. I upgraded to 8ghz RAM through OWC. About six months ago, I sold my 2008 Mac Pro, 3ghz dual quad with 16gigs RAM and the 8800gt.

It took me six months to release my death grip on my Pro. 25 years of owning a desktop (for office use), I couldn't imagine the performance of a notebook matching that of my current desktop. The more I used my new 17", the more I realized this was the case! And the extra mobility is a HUGE bonus!

We've still got several iMacs. But all are for field use. Lol...just realized how bass ackwards I am...iMacs in the field and MBP as my main rig!

Yes, the 17" will do fine as a desktop replacement. Especially considering the age of the computer you're replacing. That said. Don't upgrade your RAM through Apple. Amazon, OWC, Crucial...lots of third party choices. And NO, don't pay for the .1ghz upgrade. I did last year. Not worth it

J

 

I got a 17 to mainly replace a desktop that's giving me trouble. I decided I did not need to be nailed down to one spot. I can use the 17 on a desk, sitting on my lap. It's quite versatile. I am thinking about getting a Cinema display so I can use it more like a desktop. But the 17 inch screen is so nice, I am not in a hurry to do that either. I love my 17!

No the $250 upgrade for the little CPU gain? No worth it. Get a USB drive with the money so she can backup her data or something useful.

 

I replaced my iMac - a unit which was still in perfect working order - with the intention of purchasing a 24" monitor to give me the big view I sometimes need, but with the added flexibility of moving when I need it.

While I haven't got around to getting the larger monitor yet, I have used the portability of a laptop, and I love it. I went with the larger screen (17") 2.2ghz Feb 2011 model, refurbished from Apple. I haven't needed the larger monitor yet, and when I do, I plug it into my TV using an adapter from Monoprice.com.

If you don't think you'd need portability anytime soon, then go with the desktop, but if you think you may need to take your computer with you, then the MBP is the way to go...you only have to decide whether you should get the 15" or 17".

 

Their aluminium back is made out of aluminium, as it conducts heat much better, than the plastic back it used before.
Just because the aluminium back is hot, doesn't meant, it's bad, as it is actually meant to do that.

And I use a 2007 iMac, and it is the best desktop computer I ever had, even with its missing upgradeability (I build my own PCs before that), though I managed to get an SSD inside.

I also have a 2009 17" MBP and its power makes it good enough to replace a desktop computer, especially the 2011 models. But since one has to raise the display via a stand, thus having it a bit farther away than comfortable, it is not really suited as desktop replacement. If one would use an external display with at least 1920 x 1200 pixel though, than the 17" MBP can be used quite well as desktop replacement, if mobility is required.

 

If you can afford it, I'd go for the 17" Macbook Pro.

It can sit on the desk just the same as the iMac, and it won't die when there is a power outage. When the situation arises, your wife can just fold it up, pop it in a bag, and run out.

In fact, I think that this is the wrong place to ask about this... a large number of people here would prefer a Macbook Pro over another Mac for several reasons.

 

Do you need the mobility? For all intents and purposes, the higher end MBPs are are as powerful as all iMacs but the top of the line one but if I didn't need to move the computer around, I would go for the iMac. That screen is amazing.

 

Why not 'both'?

 

I'd just get the iMac. It's cheaper, a lot bigger, and might have more storage and CPU than the 17" would. You can always get more RAM for your iMac, plus it'll be cheaper in the long run.

 

I would go for an iMac, but the lack of a user serviceable hard drive makes it a non-starter. I don't have a problem taking a computer apart and upgrading it myself since I've built a few computers before and I've upgraded the hard drives in a mini, but I won't risk taking the monitor out because I know I'll end up with fingerprints, dust and so forth that will drive me insane.

 

1- don't buy RAM from Apple, save yourself a lot of money and DIY
2- get iMac if you absolutely don't need the portability

 

Get an iMac for home, and 13" or 15" for on-the-go

 

A 17" MBP is a more than capable desktop replacement, even more so with a good monitor and a magic mouse / numeric keyboad.

It's awesome to always work with the same computer both in home and office.

 

The question really is:

"Do I want to be able to carry it around?"

If the answer is yes, then a MBP is your choice, if the answer is no, get an iMac.

I have a 15" MBP w/a 2nd ACD that I use as a desktop replacement. I have an external mouse/keyboard, and a display stand for when my laptop is on my desk (almost always).

But I have the ability to unplug it, and put it in a bag. That's important to me. And as such it's very helpful to have the laptop.

But for the same money I spent on this rig, I could have gotten a absolutely decked out iMac if I didn't need to carry it around a bunch.

Most people buy laptops because "they want to be able to carry it around". A surprisingly large number of those people never carry it anywhere. Heck my parents both have laptops, but those laptops have never left the desk they sit on.

Their next computers will be iMac's or Mac Mini's (up in the air atm), because why spend more for less, to get something portable. Especially with macmini's/imac's having just as few cables as a MBP.