Core2Duo MBP 13" & Core2Duo iMac 21.5" OR i5 MBP 15"

[jungeliest]

I'm following MR since 2009 and started posting recently.
I love it here. You guys rock.

Here's my question:

Core2Duo MBP 13" & Core2Duo iMac 21.5"
OR
the rumored to be released i5 MBP 15"

I produce music & make websites for living.

I do lots of Logic Pro & Cubase, 20+ tracks.
+ Flash Professional & PS & Coda

I'm also attending my university daily which is 2 hours away from where I live. So a laptop is a must. But a big screen is always welcomed.

Which gig you think suits my needs better?

 

[drummerlondonw3]

well the i5 will have the most up to date architecture in it. It should (if specs are as expected) be a real jump up in performance.

I have a MBP 15 non-unibody and a MBP 17 unibody and an MB Air. I never liked carrying round my old MBP 15 but since unibodies I now bring my 17'er around everywhere and am selling my Air for an iPad.

Should do you well I think.

Screens can be purchased relatively cheaply now especially in the 21" range so that would be my advice.

 

[MacVibe]

I honestly can't imagine Apple NOT putting an i5 in the 13" laptop (maybe an i3 in the macbook but there is no way they are going to sell a laptop for $1300 without an i5) so when they do their upgrades I don't think the choice will be as you've made it seem. There are different speed i5s and they may just put the slowest one in the 13" while putting the higher speed i5s and i7 in the 15" and 17". So for commuting, I recommend the new 13" or 15", whichever fits in your bag most comfortably (I think the smaller the better), and then you can get a big 24" screen to dock with at home. Good luck!

 

[Hellhammer]

Having one computer is always easier than two and there is possibility that the other one just sits on the table all the time. I would get 15" MBP and external monitor if you need more screen estate. Even though iMac may faster than i5 MBP (depends on what CPU(s) they use) the difference isn't huge

 

[jungeliest]

Thanks for the replies!

Actually I'm not feeling quite comfortable carrying around my work machine, plus I love having a desktop when I get home.

My only concern was that the i5 would be much faster than the Core2Duo Extreme in the iMac.

Thanks for clearing that out.

Having one computer is always easier than two and there is possibility that the other one just sits on the table all the time. I would get 15" MBP and external monitor if you need more screen estate. Even though iMac may faster than i5 MBP (depends on what CPU(s) they use) the difference isn't huge

 

[Hellhammer]

My only concern was that the i5 would be much faster than the Core2Duo Extreme in the iMac.

Many people think Core i3/5/7 will be significantly faster but the difference won't be major. C2D in iMac run @ 3.06GHz while the fastest CPU suitable for 15" MBP is 2.66GHz, although it has Turbo and Hyper-Threading plus new 32nm manufacturing method, it won't be world changing, probably 15-30% faster when running at same clock speed but as iMac already has faster clock speed, the difference is even smaller.

In summary, i5/7 might be little faster than the C2D in iMac but the other positive things in iMac will make it a better buy for you.

 

[dolphin842]

Welcome jungeliest

Everyone else has covered the tradeoffs pretty well. One thing I'll add is that a significant difference between a MBP and an iMac is the cost of RAM upgrades. With the new iMac, moving to 8GB is ~$115 vs. $350 for the MBP (the iMac has 4 slots so you can get achieve 8GB with a cheaper 2 x 2GB upgrade). So if you foresee needing a lot of RAM, it's something to consider.

Managing two different Macs can entail quite a bit more work, but if your document syncing needs are simple (i.e. <2GB), something like Dropbox will work just fine.

A final x-factor to consider is the graphics card. While the entry-level iMac has modest 9400m graphics, it remains to be seen what Apple will do regarding graphics on the MBP (my guess is that they'll have to use something other than the on-die graphics in the new i5's).

 

[jungeliest]

Welcome jungeliest

Thanks

A final x-factor to consider is the graphics card. While the entry-level iMac has modest 9400m graphics, it remains to be seen what Apple will do regarding graphics on the MBP (my guess is that they'll have to use something other than the on-die graphics in the new i5's).

Would do ATI card do a big diff?

Have one last question: Should I buy the quad core iMac to finally have a big nice computer and stop asking you guys what to buy I mean, I can always buy a decent laptop later.

Do I make any sense?

 

[Hellhammer]

Thanks



Would do ATI card do a big diff?

Have one last question: Should I buy the quad core iMac to finally have a big nice computer and stop asking you guys what to buy I mean, I can always buy a decent laptop later.

Do I make any sense?

For Logic, quad core is definitely worth it. You said you do that for living so faster computer = more money!

 

[jungeliest]

I'll be sending the pictures of my yellow iMac, yay!

For Logic, quad core is definitely worth it. You said you do that for living so faster computer = more money!