24" iMac 3.08 ghz vs MBP 2.6 GHZ ..decisions

[HBOC]

ok, i go to the art institute here in Portland, Oregon and am going to be a web designer. I was totally set on getting a 24" iMac with th 3.08ghz and 512mb graphics card (and 4GB ram to be put in myself) through apple's refurbished site for $1800 or so.

Then the new MB event came and now apple is reducing the prices on their "old" MBP by quite a bit. I can get a 15" 2.5ghz with the 512 8600GT card for $1500 NEW. Not that is a deal breaker (refurb vs new).

My needs will be graphics intense programs, such as Adobe's CS4 (which will be way more graphics heavy than CS3), aperture, logic studio, etc.

What will i be better off getting? I have searched here and google (even re-googled) to get the answer and have created more questions.

I will save some cash by getting the MBP. The MBP is ofcourse more portable, but right now i dont really need something really portable...the iMac is pretty portable for a desktop! (when going to a buddies house to work on stuff)

as far as graphics processing, will i notice a huge difference, or even a noticable difference? both will have 4GB or RAM. I will most likely be buying a computer on Friday. Thankyou for any advice!!

Dustin

 

[redsteven]

While the iMac is definitely more portable than most other desktops, if you were to transport you'd still have to carry around the power cable, keyboard, and mouse. Best case scenario u'd have a bluetooth mouse/keyboard and the powercord, and it sounds like sort of a pain in the ass. If you're going to someone's house for a week and u want to bring it that's one thing, but if you're going to someone's house for 3 hours it might not be worth it to bring the iMac.

I think you should get an iPod Touch and run CS4 run on that. It's really portable

 

[strikeinsilence]

You won't notice a huge difference in CS3/4 performance. Sounds like the iMac is more for you.