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Carrying a 21" iMac to and from work? Good or bad?

T

tafrohberg

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 21, 2011
1
0
Hello there. A friend of mine is considering an iMac as a new computer but has some concerns of its durability. He wants to be able to take it back and forth to and from work. Most likely twice a week but possibly more.

I am not sure how durable or how safe this is and neither is he. I know it's meant to be a desktop and therefore not meant to be carried around like a laptop and doesn't have some laptop features that help absorb shock and such.

So, is this a good idea or bad idea? All he needs to bring is a power cable, the keyboard, and mouse. So with those being simple items, he sees no problem in this. He can't justify spending the money on a 15" MBP.

I know they make cases to carry this stuff around, but he lives 5 mins from work. Will leaving it on his seat while he drives or setting it on the floor kill it?

Thanks in advanced,
~trevor
 
I guarantee you that he will be sick of moving the iMac around in less than two weeks. Just save up that few hundred dollars more for the 15" MBP if the 13" isn't enough for him.
 
iMacs

Are not portable, as posted above, a laptop is what he needs, but out of curiosity, why does he need to move it in the first place? If he needs to transfer files etc. Then surely he can use a DVD, USB stick, or even an external hdd.
 
Last edited:
Their called Desktop Machines

They are called desktop for a reason. Not in the least bit practical to use an iMac as a portable. Sounds like the perfect fit for the MacBook Air and a Thunderbolt display..
 
Have carried mine to and from friends houses for LANs a few times and have found it quite inconvenient. I usually have to have someone holding it in the car or otherwise it moves around too much and worries me (unless I put it in the box). I'd hate to do that two times a week, so really I would recommend he gets a laptop instead as that's what they're for.
 
Suggest getting a nice "easy to carry" laptop. And over time, get a nice 23-24" screen, mouse and keyboard at each common end. Then, one only needs to carry the laptop back and forth. Easy and light weight. Especially if each end uses Wireless / DHCP as well.

To me, the 21.5" is too large to carry around. Even a 17" or more laptop is too much for many... re: Gorilla length arms things...

.
 
Yar

hey! I'm the friend he was asking about, guess i'll clarify some things.

1. not lacking common sense, imac is cheaper and more powerful :)
2. I literally drive 3.8 miles to work, and i walk maybe 20 steps, up 0 stairs from my car to the desk, and maybe 12 from my garage to my desk at home....
3. I don't need the "portability" of a laptop, i just need it to sit on a desk at my office and on a desk at home.

so, all i'm really asking is will the imac survive being driven to and from my office on Tuesday morning and home on friday evening? Not asking if it's a good idea, i think i can judge that on my own.....
 
What kind of tasks will you do on the imac? Can you not use a PC at work to remotely control your imac at home (e.g VPN)?
 
Put it in the original box. It'll survive.

Years ago did it with the 20" iMac for a few months while between laptops.

I bought 17" Apple laptop after that.

Spike88 said:
Suggest getting a nice "easy to carry" laptop. And over time, get a nice 23-24" screen, mouse and keyboard at each common end. Then, one only needs to carry the laptop back and forth. Easy and light weight. Especially if each end uses Wireless / DHCP as well.

To me, the 21.5" is too large to carry around. Even a 17" or more laptop is too much for many... re: Gorilla length arms things...

.
Click to expand...

I carry a 17" MBP around almost every day with iPad and other stuff in the bag.

17" apple laptop weights the same as many 15" pc laptops.
 
popcorn10 said:
hey! I'm the friend he was asking about, guess i'll clarify some things.

1. not lacking common sense, imac is cheaper and more powerful :)
2. I literally drive 3.8 miles to work, and i walk maybe 20 steps, up 0 stairs from my car to the desk, and maybe 12 from my garage to my desk at home....
3. I don't need the "portability" of a laptop, i just need it to sit on a desk at my office and on a desk at home.

so, all i'm really asking is will the imac survive being driven to and from my office on Tuesday morning and home on friday evening? Not asking if it's a good idea, i think i can judge that on my own.....
Click to expand...

Then go for it. Just report back to us when it gets f'ed up or you drop it.
 
popcorn10 said:
I don't need the "portability" of a laptop
Click to expand...

But shuttling from house to home IS the original reason for laptop portability...Have you considered a mac mini and duplicate the keyboard, mouse, monitor? 20-21" monitors can be had pretty cheap nowadays, check Tigerdirect.
 
popcorn10 said:
so, all i'm really asking is will the imac survive being driven to and from my office on Tuesday morning and home on friday evening? Not asking if it's a good idea, i think i can judge that on my own.....
Click to expand...

It would survive being moved twice a week yes (remember they're shipped all over the world without breaking) but the front of that thing is basically a thin sheet of glass, if its banged, knocked or dropped it WILL break.

gotta admit, in all my years doing IT support for a big company i've seen people do weird things with their computers and also seen some really good work arounds for scenarios like yours but i've never seen someone move a fully blown desktop around a couple of times a week (unless they were into LAN parties) There are good reasons why most wouldn't, but i suppose there is a chance you've just spotted something everybody else is missing. Good luck! :D
 
Not here to debate whether to carry or not, but the impression his boss might have of him lugging a desktop back and forth to work. My first impression would be, whats wrong with that boy? May not be the brightest career move.
 
darster said:
Not here to debate whether to carry or not, but the impression his boss might have of him lugging a desktop back and forth to work. My first impression would be, whats wrong with that boy? May not be the brightest career move.
Click to expand...

You might consider this is the same boss who didn't supply a computer to his employee......

Anyway -- the aesthetics of the imac don't make it the most convenient to move around: no built in handle / grip on the back, round edges, the stand that kicks around when you pick it up, and a form factor (built in stand) that doesn't fit a case/cover. The shipping box would work I suppose, but it's huge.

More than likely at some point you'd stop bothering to repackage it, get careless / do two things at once, or stop short while it was riding shotgun in your Buick unbuckled, and that would be that.

I had to travel the first w/e my 27" arrived and I brought it with me -- it wasn't that easy. I can see where I'd start taking shortcuts pretty quickly. I hate laptops too and get what you are trying to do but I'd recommend against it. My 2c.
 
tyz said:
Anyway -- the aesthetics of the imac don't make it the most convenient to move around: no built in handle / grip on the back, round edges, the stand that kicks around when you pick it up, and a form factor (built in stand) that doesn't fit a case/cover. The shipping box would work I suppose, but it's huge.
Click to expand...

Just because you don't know doesn't mean it's not possible. iMac case:
www.ilugger.com
 
taking iMac to work

I have a 27" iMac i take to my nearest Apple store, which is 16 miles away, once or twice a week for classes. I have taped up all the seams and have been doing this since May. I have about a half a block walk from the parking lot to the Apple store. I use a luggage carrier and it is no problem.
I am in my seventies and plan on doing this for a year. A piece of cake.
 
Consultant said:
Just because you don't know doesn't mean it's not possible. iMac case:
www.ilugger.com
Click to expand...

I suppose that is true -- I stand corrected, even if it costs $130.

You guys have more patience than I do. I did it once with my 27 and would very quickly get tired of repacking it. The stand that pops out is a pita. Plus I stop short a LOT.

Another 2c.
 
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