Heading to college and I need a new Mac!!

[motomac]

Hey guys.

Well, ive decided to take the plunge and start out by getting an associates degree in Art Science (aka Graphic Communications). I'll be a full time student, plus still have a somewhat full time job.

Anyways, about a month ago (before deciding to go back to school) I had my heart set on the 24" Alu iMac. Id still like one, but my need to have a machine for "on-the-go" portability is begining to outweigh my thoughts of the iMac. I'll be doing some rather heavy CS3 photoshop/illustrator work to begin with, then I'll be spending some time making a few short films with FCS2 for some other stuff iv'e got going. I know that the iMac would work well for this, but I'm still thinking going portable will be best.

I will probably wait till MWSF to see if the SR MBPs fall in price a bit. Has anyone who actually owns a 17" MBP had problems with its size / portability? I'm gonna shoot for the 15.4" but if I find a 17" for a good price, i'll take it.

Next question, I looked through all 50+ pages of past and present Mac setup pics on MR and noticed that not one single MBP user used an actual "dock" for hooking up to their external screens / keyboards, speakers, etc. Are they a waste of money?

 

[jvlfilms]

I just made a topic similar to this.


Since the graphics card in the MBP is almost identical to the one in the iMac, get the MBP unless you need the 24 inch screen.

If not, get the laptop

I know, I was shocked about the graphics card = can someone confirm this?

If you get the laptop, you could either set it up on another display or use dual screen.

 

[paul.b.davis]

I do heavy recording and light work in CS3 (and by light, I mean amateur) on my MBP 15" and could not be a happier camper for a portable solution

 

[jvlfilms]

I do heavy recording and light work in CS3 (and by light, I mean amateur) on my MBP 15" and could not be a happier camper for a portable solution

How's the graphics card compared to the iMac?

 

[heatmiser]

I will probably wait till MWSF to see if the SR MBPs fall in price a bit.

As a rule, Apple doesn't cut prices. They just update product lines. An MBP won't be any cheaper in January than it is now, so don't wait if that's your reason. You'd be better off buying a refurbished one if you need the price discount--either that, or saving the extra $400 for a new model.

 

[killmoms]

I will probably wait till MWSF to see if the SR MBPs fall in price a bit.

Traditionally, Mac prices tend not to go down. They just get upgraded with better/newer/faster components. This has been true for about the last two or three years especially in the laptop field. The mid-range PowerBook I bought in '03 was $2500, and the mid-range MacBook Pro is still $2500.

 

[motomac]

As a rule, Apple doesn't cut prices. They just update product lines. An MBP won't be any cheaper in January than it is now, so don't wait if that's your reason. You'd be better off buying a refurbished one if you need the price discount--either that, or saving the extra $400 for a new model.

Well, i guess i should have reworded my post because what I meant to say was I would not mind getting a refurb MBP after MWSF because it is likely that the SR MBPs will show up on the refurb site. Thanks for pointing that out though! I'm going to shoot for the 2.4 or 2.6Ghz 15.4". Would the 17" be too cumbersome to run around with?