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24 inch iMac or Macbook Pro

F

flexish

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 22, 2006
9
0
Sweden
Hi,

As the topic title says I'm torn between the baseline Macbook Pro and the baseline 24 inch iMac. Performance wise they are quite equal. This big difference is, obviously, that the Macbook Pro is portable and the iMac isn't. I'm a student and therefore it would seem practical to choose the notebook. However what draws me to the iMac is the screen real estate. I know plugging an external monitor onto the Macbook Pro could even that out, I don't however have the money for and external monitor at this point.

So basically my question is what are the pros/cons with the Macbook Pro, iMac respectively, why should I choose one over the other?
 
Well, I chose an iMac. The screen size was the factor. I wanted "big".

Hey, if you need portability, you could go the same route I took & get an emate:D
 
MacBook Pro is faster at games, but thats about it.

If you need portability, go for MBP. If not, iMac.
 
When I started college I had a laptop and a desktop... Never really used the laptop so I sold both my laptop and desktop to buy an iMac...

Had a 24" white iMac for about a year, and I just sold it to buy a 24" aluminum iMac...

Portability is not a priority for me... Screen size is.
 
flexish said:
Hi,

As the topic title says I'm torn between the baseline Macbook Pro and the baseline 24 inch iMac. Performance wise they are quite equal. This big difference is, obviously, that the Macbook Pro is portable and the iMac isn't. I'm a student and therefore it would seem practical to choose the notebook. However what draws me to the iMac is the screen real estate. I know plugging an external monitor onto the Macbook Pro could even that out, I don't however have the money for and external monitor at this point.

So basically my question is what are the pros/cons with the Macbook Pro, iMac respectively, why should I choose one over the other?
Click to expand...


I am in the same boat. The reason why I might go with the MBP is that with the student discount you get $200 off, plus $200 towards an iPod. The iMac only gets $100 off plus $100 toward iPod.
 
You know... you could try teh refurb store for macbook pro.. and save a little money and still have plenty of power with a refurb.

Do you game or do anything really intensive that would cut a macbook out of the running? You could get a nice 22 or 24 inch external with the price difference for that if that's the case.

Also.. you could get the 15inch and with the rebate you will get for the ipod (if you don't need/want it) you could easily get a decent 19 or 22inch external for 150 or 200 dollars... if it's more screen space and less super high quality.

I love my 22 acer. It was just over 200.
 
I would choose MacBook Pro, because of the Nvidia Graphics card. My MacBook Pro would be a dual boot machine OS X and Linux for college, Nvidia cards are better supported on Linux compared to Graphics Cards based on Radeon Graphics Chip.
 
Keep in mind that it's awfully convenient to have access to the web wherever you are. But if you have or are planning to get an iPhone, go for the iMac.

After all, if you become desperate for portability later on, you can always get a used 12" Powerbook.
 
Thanks for all the replies!

I'll really need to think whether or not I need the portability. The new iMacs are gorgeous, but I've always had a thing for Macbook Pro :p
 
MACBOOK PRO!! MACBOOK PRO!!

I dont know about you but in my college sometimes you need to do presentations in the class etc. What r u going to do without a mac? Use ppt on someone elses laptop? or walk in with a pro laptop and give people a good impression from the start? hehehe

Also before exams, you will be in the library doing research and wouldnt you want the trusty machine beside you to help you in research??

Get the laptop and you wont regret it.
 
sammyman
Purchase a Mac and an iPod nano with Apple’s Education discount and receive $199 via mail-in rebate.
Click to expand...
The "From $1149.00--Students save $100" on the page you're citing (http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...ckToSchool2007) refers to the amount on the computer, not the amount on the iPod. I even called Apple to confirm because you scared the beejezus out of me. It doesn't matter which computer (or iPod for that matter) you buy--you get a $199 iPod rebate if you do the combo route.

Having said that--and as an owner of the 17" MBP and the 13" Blackbook--the 17" is awfully big and kind of awkward. There's no way that thing ever leaves the house. The 15" MBP (which I'm assuming is what OP flexish means by "the baseline Macbook Pro") is a nice size, but if you're interested in real estate, I'd take a serious look at that 24". You're looking at 9" of screen. That's a lot--not just in terms of games, but in terms of having open windows in different applications (I typically have tons of windows and apps open).

Yes, you give up the portability, but pen and paper are still very acceptible means of note-taking.
 
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