Hello all,
I am quite nervous about starting this thread. I am certainly sincere in my question - but it's kinda one of those where I guess I already know the answer - and yet - here I am, trying to test the waters...
As is clear from the title - I already have a mid-2012 13" MBP. It was my first Mac, and I cannot begin to explain the difference OSX has made to my everyday work-day. As an academic, the workflows I have been able to construct have literally saved me weeks of mundane hours! 🙂
Currently, I have a cheap Samsung 23" monitor at home, in the study. I get home, and plug the MBP in - and use my BT keyboard and trackpad, together with the ActionsApp on my iPad, and all is good. In retrospect - I should've invested a bit more money on the monitor - after several hours, it feels like my eyes want to bleed! But regardless - it serves its purpose for reading, researching and writing.
At work - I still have a Windows-based Dell desktop and 21" screen. As soon as I get in, I hook up my MBP via the HDMI (Dell works via VGA). I use the workstation for Varsity emails and appointments through Outlook, and especially OneNote. Anything academic related, and I hit the button on the Dell monitor, and switch over to my MBP - a few seconds at most...
But I have this itch. 😛
And I cannot seem to get rid of it. It's a combination of lusting over the iMacs - but having this tempered with the rational thoughts of it not being wise to go for an all-in-one approach - since all the eggs in the same basket can work out expensive if something goes wrong. The original Mac Pros were/are, imo, things of beauty. They take me back to my youth, where the "best" computer on the street, was almost always decided by the size of Tower... 😉 As for the new Mac Pro - I haven't really formulated an opinion on it - mainly since I am not a power user, and so cannot justify the Pro...
Which brings me to the Mini. Relatively inexpensive. And something that could be upgraded in a multitude of ways - which would include, one day one of those gorgeous TB displays... The 27" one, naturally. 😎
The mini ticks all the boxes - makes the most sense, and will suit the pocket, to boot.
But for one, little problem: How does having a Mini plugged in at home, permanently, as a desktop - change anything from my current set-up? How does it *improve* things? How does having a OSX desktop AND a laptop make my life easier? What good, justifiable reason would I have, for pulling the trigger on a desktop - when I would still be taking my laptop to work everyday, and still be plugging it in, just like I am currently?
Anyone out there who also, like me, couldn't really see an obvious advantage to getting a Mini as a desktop in spite of already having a perfectly workable laptop solution - but who then took the plunge - and found it to be the best thing ever??
If so - please share!
I am quite nervous about starting this thread. I am certainly sincere in my question - but it's kinda one of those where I guess I already know the answer - and yet - here I am, trying to test the waters...
As is clear from the title - I already have a mid-2012 13" MBP. It was my first Mac, and I cannot begin to explain the difference OSX has made to my everyday work-day. As an academic, the workflows I have been able to construct have literally saved me weeks of mundane hours! 🙂
Currently, I have a cheap Samsung 23" monitor at home, in the study. I get home, and plug the MBP in - and use my BT keyboard and trackpad, together with the ActionsApp on my iPad, and all is good. In retrospect - I should've invested a bit more money on the monitor - after several hours, it feels like my eyes want to bleed! But regardless - it serves its purpose for reading, researching and writing.
At work - I still have a Windows-based Dell desktop and 21" screen. As soon as I get in, I hook up my MBP via the HDMI (Dell works via VGA). I use the workstation for Varsity emails and appointments through Outlook, and especially OneNote. Anything academic related, and I hit the button on the Dell monitor, and switch over to my MBP - a few seconds at most...
But I have this itch. 😛
And I cannot seem to get rid of it. It's a combination of lusting over the iMacs - but having this tempered with the rational thoughts of it not being wise to go for an all-in-one approach - since all the eggs in the same basket can work out expensive if something goes wrong. The original Mac Pros were/are, imo, things of beauty. They take me back to my youth, where the "best" computer on the street, was almost always decided by the size of Tower... 😉 As for the new Mac Pro - I haven't really formulated an opinion on it - mainly since I am not a power user, and so cannot justify the Pro...
Which brings me to the Mini. Relatively inexpensive. And something that could be upgraded in a multitude of ways - which would include, one day one of those gorgeous TB displays... The 27" one, naturally. 😎
The mini ticks all the boxes - makes the most sense, and will suit the pocket, to boot.
But for one, little problem: How does having a Mini plugged in at home, permanently, as a desktop - change anything from my current set-up? How does it *improve* things? How does having a OSX desktop AND a laptop make my life easier? What good, justifiable reason would I have, for pulling the trigger on a desktop - when I would still be taking my laptop to work everyday, and still be plugging it in, just like I am currently?
Anyone out there who also, like me, couldn't really see an obvious advantage to getting a Mini as a desktop in spite of already having a perfectly workable laptop solution - but who then took the plunge - and found it to be the best thing ever??
If so - please share!
