from Macbook 2007 to MacMini 2009? iMac?

[Olivier L.]

hi there,

My current setup:
- white macbook from 2007 (C2D, 2GHz, 2Gb RAM, 120 Gb)
- firewire WD MyBook with my pictures
- cheap Fujitsu Siemens 22 " L22W-3 monitor.

I plan to seriously increase the number of pictures I take and edit in the coming months. But my Macbook is getting noisy when I work intensively and Lightroom is sometimes slowing down a bit.

So I am thinking of upgrading / buying a home machine. The news setup should include or allow an upgrade to a much better display (NEC, EIZO..)

Option 1:
- iMac
It would allow me some occasional FPS gaming, and I would finally throw this windows box, but I doubt the quality of the iMac panel, from the calibration/gamut point of view.

Option 2:
- Mac Mini: I can use my current display, calibrate it, and a bit later upgrade to a better external display (Eizo, NEC,...).

But that second option is only valid if I can experience a performance increase... So my questions are:

1)what performance increase can I expect when switching from Macbook 2007 (Tiger) to Mac Mini 2009 (Leopard)?
- for Lightroom management/editing
- for other tasks (occasional video editing)

2) which Mac Mini config should I take?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[flopticalcube]

I would buy a refurb'd iMac (low-end) and stick your display on it as a second display. Then save up for a photographic-quality monitor. The mini will be faster than your MacBook but not by leaps and bounds, especially if you don't crack it open to upgrade the RAM/HD.