Dilemma, need help.

[iamthedudeman]

Previous I started a thread on which to get, so with posters advice I got the MBA. But not the TBD.

I decided to keep my imac 27 2.93 with SSD and 12GB Ram since icloud is out.

I own and operate my own business and now I need a new setup. I hired a new employee.Now I need to buy a new mac for their office. Usually I always get them a mac.

And my wife now takes my MBA to work more than me now. She is a Accountant and loves it. I let her use it since she complains she can't carry the other one. Being the gentleman husband that I am I gave it to her.

Owing the MBA it's has not failed my yet. I do a million things at once. The MBA keeps with me at all times. Suprisingly. The Ram is usually used up to about 2GB at all times sometimes 3GB. I do worry about the power needs if I would ever need more. A MBP would fill this need, more powerful core i7 and more Ram up to 16Gb. Weight?

Now I have three options:

Option 1:Keep imac with 2.93 27 SSD. And buy a new Air with 128 SSD and 13inch. Buy imac for 1700 for new employee.

Option 2:Give my imac 2.93 to the new employee so I don't have to spend 1700 on a new one for her. Buy new TBD and loaded Mac book Air. Can get the TBD for $950 and Air for 1600.

Option 3: Get TBD and 13 Mac Book Pro with SSD and Core i7 for $1600 same price of the maxed out Air. Add 8GB for $80. Give imac to employee.

I need portability and do need some power. Which setup is best. Neg difference between weight of the Air and MP?

 

[sjinsjca]

Air can do it all. You can use any external display when more screen real estate is needed-- doesn't have to be a Thunderbolt unit.

 

[KPOM]

What kind of business is it? If it's anything graphics related, the Air's Intel HD 3000 graphics might not be up to snuff. Otherwise, it should be able to handle anything that your 2.93GHz iMac can handle, particularly because the TBD has GB Ethernet and Firewire built it. So I'd go with Option 2 unless you need to graphics capabilities.

 

[iamthedudeman]

I was thinking option 2 also but is the Air up to the task to be my only computer?

My iMac is very powerful, core i7 SSD, 12GB ram. I just worry about if I would ever need it that the Air will be powerful enough.

I run and operate a Marketing Firm. So some light coding, software development, auto cad, some of that stuff and the Air I have now or did have that the wife took did just fine. So yes it did do some graphic related work which was not real heavy, but sometimes I might need the extra power. Just over the last month I did not.

 

[convergent]

Does your iMac have an SSD? If not, then no comparison of RAM is going to be relevant. The Air should do all you need, and I'd get the TBD with it which gives you expansion and gigabit ethernet. I just moved from a MBP - 2.6Ghz with 6G RAM, to a top end MBA. I usually have up and running at any point in time - Lotus Notes, MS Office 11 (all 3 apps, with documents open), DevonThink (with several GB of databases open), OmniFocus, Mail, Safari (with 10-12 tabs open), Adium, Pathfinder, RadioShark, and several other random apps. I have Parallels 7 installed with Win7, which has the Symantec stuff installed and have IE running all the time. OSX has Filevault turned on, as well as Symantec End Point running. And at times, just for fun I crank up Lightroom and process images with all that other stuff going. If you are doing more than all this, then probably get a MBP. If not, then the MBA will serve you well. I absolutely love the TBD and MBA combo.

 

[KPOM]

Since your iMac has 12GB and an SSD, you'll definitely notice a difference. I'd look most at AutoCad. If you can try a task on your existing Air first, that would give you some indication. Remember, the larger screen of the ACD would use up more of the power of the HD 3000, and you can run only one external display from the Air (even if the case is closed).

 

[iamthedudeman]

Since your iMac has 12GB and an SSD, you'll definitely notice a difference. I'd look most at AutoCad. If you can try a task on your existing Air first, that would give you some indication. Remember, the larger screen of the ACD would use up more of the power of the HD 3000, and you can run only one external display from the Air (even if the case is closed).

That was what I was worried about. I don't do alot of autocad stuff, just when I have to go over my employees work, when getting ready for a proprosal etc. I am responsible for everything that leaves my firm, so I have to do a little of everything.

I tried autocad on the Air and it ran fine. But nothing major. If I have to do some heavy work i could use any Mac in my firm, but that would be unprofessional in my opinion. Once a employee has their office, the computer pretty much belongs to them until they leave. That is how I see it anyway.

I need something portable,light, and that can get the job I need to get done. That is why I was considering a 13Pro with SSD and i7. Enough Ram, processor, enough memory for the intel 3000 graphics etc. I would not see much in performance for what I do if any at all from the 13 Mac book pro with SSD and core i7 than I would my imac.

I went to the store to check both out and compare. The MacBook Pro 13 is thin and light. What is it less than a inch and 4.5lbs? I put one at a time in my briefcase(in front of a apple employee) and could not tell much of a difference.

 

[vitzr]

Air can do it all. You can use any external display when more screen real estate is needed-- doesn't have to be a Thunderbolt unit.

Sage advice, I concur precisely.

 

[iamthedudeman]

Air can do it all. You can use any external display when more screen real estate is needed-- doesn't have to be a Thunderbolt unit.

Actually for me it does. There isn't a display on the market with built in firewire, thunderbolt, and G Ethernet built in and the chipsets to go with them. Not to mention the connectivity options that let you use only two plugs for connivence. I am all about simplicity of my devices especially since I am so busy I don't have to to worry about if something works or not, I just need it to work.

The Air Would be totally useless at home without them for me. Yes there are other displays, but none like the TBD that I know of.

 

[KPOM]

That was what I was worried about. I don't do alot of autocad stuff, just when I have to go over my employees work, when getting ready for a proprosal etc. I am responsible for everything that leaves my firm, so I have to do a little of everything.

I tried autocad on the Air and it ran fine. But nothing major. If I have to do some heavy work i could use any Mac in my firm, but that would be unprofessional in my opinion. Once a employee has their office, the computer pretty much belongs to them until they leave. That is how I see it anyway.

I need something portable,light, and that can get the job I need to get done. That is why I was considering a 13Pro with SSD and i7. Enough Ram, processor, enough memory for the intel 3000 graphics etc. I would not see much in performance for what I do if any at all from the 13 Mac book pro with SSD and core i7 than I would my imac.

I went to the store to check both out and compare. The MacBook Pro 13 is thin and light. What is it less than a inch and 4.5lbs? I put one at a time in my briefcase(in front of a apple employee) and could not tell much of a difference.

The 13" Pro would be a little faster (particularly the 2.8GHz i7), but would still have the issue of not having a discrete GPU. It can drive two external displays, though, if the internal screen is off.

 

[imswimmin]

If your mind is set between either Option 1 or Option 2, definitely go with the second.

If not, you may want to consider getting the TBD and base macbook pro. You can then fulfill your RAM and HDD/SDD requirements to your specific needs. Since you will be connecting it to the external display anyways, you won't really need something "extra-extra" portable.

And trust me, I'm not trying to bash the MBA. I have one, and it is by far one of the most brilliant pieces of technology I have ever owned. But, for your circumstances, you may want to consider the MBP + TBD combination.

Good Luck!

 

[iamthedudeman]

If your mind is set between either Option 1 or Option 2, definitely go with the second.

If not, you may want to consider getting the TBD and base macbook pro. You can then fulfill your RAM and HDD/SDD requirements to your specific needs. Since you will be connecting it to the external display anyways, you won't really need something "extra-extra" portable.

And trust me, I'm not trying to bash the MBA. I have one, and it is by far one of the most brilliant pieces of technology I have ever owned. But, for your circumstances, you may want to consider the MBP + TBD combination.

Nothing against the Air either, but I think I am going to get the 13 Pro with SSD and core i7. Pair it with a TBD and give the imac to my new employee. Makes the most sense.

Thank you all for your feedback. It is much appreciated.

Good Luck!

Option 3 bro.

I had a Mac book air until my wife started using it, it is a core i7 model with 256SSD.

I was considering a 13 Macbook pro with SSD 256 and core i7. As I can get it for the same price of the maxed out Air for 1600. Not as light but not heavy either. More powerful, expandable, and still not heavy at all. I actually do need something extra-extra portable. As I will be lugging it around every day.

Does anyone know what kind of panel is on the Macbook pro 13? I did a search and can't find it anywhere. I know the Air has a high pixel TN panel. That is the only thing I did not like about the Air. It looked good, but at any angle it got washed out.

thanks for the feedback bro, much appreciated.

 

[KPOM]

Option 3 bro.

I had a Mac book air until my wife started using it, it is a core i7 model with 256SSD.

I was considering a 13 Macbook pro with SSD 256 and core i7. As I can get it for the same price of the maxed out Air for 1600. Not as light but not heavy either. More powerful, expandable, and still not heavy at all. I actually do need something extra-extra portable. As I will be lugging it around every day.

Does anyone know what kind of panel is on the Macbook pro 13? I did a search and can't find it anywhere. I know the Air has a high pixel TN panel. That is the only thing I did not like about the Air. It looked good, but at any angle it got washed out.

thanks for the feedback bro, much appreciated.

The 13" Pro still has a TN panel, and it's 1280x800 instead of 1440x900 on the 13" Air. However, it has better viewing angles and color gamut than the screen on the Air.