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!
