Help me choose between 4 setups

[jiE]

Hey guys..

I need some advice choosing the best configuration for my needs.
Currently I have a MBP classic santa rosa 2.2 Ghz from 2007. (the 3.1 edition with the dying 8600 card), and im pretty satisfied with it, though I would like a new computer soon.. No more than 15 inch laptop, or a second mac, preferably 24 inch imac.

I bring the computer to the university for notetaking. Write on it at home, watch movies with tv-out, trade stocks in windows using bootcamp, and occasionally play some Half-life 2 and warcraft 3 using bootcamp. That's it.

The configurations I have in mind:

1. Keep the current computer and buy a next generation 24 inch iMac for use at home as a second comp.

2. Buy the next generation 15" MBP with arrandale etc. and sell the SR MBP i have now.

3. Buy next generation Macbook Air and connect it to external monitor when at home, probably the 24 inch LED apple monitor.

4. Just keep the computer I have... little boring, when I like newness..


Pros and cons:
1. Pros: Having two computers, easily access to a computer at home.
iMac being a super powerhouse compared to the MBP I have now.
Cons: two different machines will need to be sync'ed all the time.

2. Pros: 1 computer, as strong as the iMac. Small screen. Battery time
Cons: Portability wont get any better.

3. Pros: Macbook air is a fantastic machine, weight, form factor etc., but will it meet my potential small gaming need?
Cons: Not that powerful (less powerful than the santa rosa MBP i have now) battery time is still the same as the one i have now.

4. Pros: Money
Cons: boring

help me out with some new views on this matter

 

[kate-willbury]

the macbook air is obviously a complete rip off. and you basically do absolutely nothing with your computer(s). what exactly are you needing the 'powerhouse' imac for? nor do you seem to have any real reason to upgrade or even get another machine?


just get the cheapest option unless you have a ton of money to randomly spend.

 

[LAS.mac]

Hey guys..

I need some advice choosing the best configuration for my needs.
Currently I have a MBP classic santa rosa 2.2 Ghz from 2007. (the 3.1 edition with the dying 8600 card), and im pretty satisfied with it, though I would like a new computer soon.. No more than 15 inch laptop, or a second mac, preferably 24 inch imac.

I bring the computer to the university for notetaking. Write on it at home, watch movies with tv-out, trade stocks in windows using bootcamp, and occasionally play some Half-life 2 and warcraft 3 using bootcamp. That's it.

The configurations I have in mind:

1. Keep the current computer and buy a next generation 24 inch iMac for use at home as a second comp.

2. Buy the next generation 15" MBP with arrandale etc. and sell the SR MBP i have now.

3. Buy next generation Macbook Air and connect it to external monitor when at home, probably the 24 inch LED apple monitor.

4. Just keep the computer I have... little boring, when I like newness..


Pros and cons:
1. Pros: Having two computers, easily access to a computer at home.
iMac being a super powerhouse compared to the MBP I have now.
Cons: two different machines will need to be sync'ed all the time.

2. Pros: 1 computer, as strong as the iMac. Small screen. Battery time
Cons: Portability wont get any better.

3. Pros: Macbook air is a fantastic machine, weight, form factor etc., but will it meet my potential small gaming need?
Cons: Not that powerful (less powerful than the santa rosa MBP i have now) battery time is still the same as the one i have now.

4. Pros: Money
Cons: boring

help me out with some new views on this matter

I'll aswer by points:
1. Two computers can be synced using Sugarsync, but do you really need 2?
2. A 15" is not as portable as a 13". Do you need extrapower of 15" MBP compared to 13"?
3. Nice combination! Much more expensive, though. And you don't know whether a new MBA will soon hit the market.
4. Agree.

What about an entry level 13" MBP, eventually with upgraded SSD to have more speedness. And an external monitor for home if you need more real estate.
Cheaper than your combination 3, more portable than 15".

 

[ditzy]

If you want a computer with more power than the one you have now, either a new MBP or a iMac would do that. However getting the low end 13" like the last poster suggested would be like moving sideways and in my opinion wouldn't be worth it, you'd be better off with what you already have.
If you value portability more, the low end 13" is a really good compromise, between price, portability, and power. The MBA is great for portability, but would be less powerful than what you are used to. This would frustrate me but you may not feel the same way.
However I think I would recommend sticking with what you have.

 

[AAPLaday]

I'd say option 2. I know if it was me I'd be happier knowing that I didn't have a 8600 in my MacBook pro

 

[jiE]

The 13 inch MBP is not really an option to me. I dont like it. It would be more like a downgrade than an upgrade.

Correct, that I dont know when the MBA is up for an update, but I dont know that about the MBP either, so I would just eventually get it when it is available.

Option 3 is not more expensive than option 1.

I think that im most into option 3. But I wont go for a 13 inch without an external monitor at home..
But can the 9400 or the nvidio 200 gfx run source engines?

If I went with option 2 I would not get an external monitor. At least not as a start.

And yeah, i hate knowing that my 8600 is gonna die anytime.. Besides that the mac has started to whisper just slightly more than normal i think.. But it cools the cpu and all just fine.

 

[LAS.mac]

The 13 inch MBP is not really an option to me. I dont like it. It would be more like a downgrade than an upgrade.

Correct, that I dont know when the MBA is up for an update, but I dont know that about the MBP either, so I would just eventually get it when it is available.


But can the 9400 or the nvidio 200 gfx run source engines?

Actually, 13" MBP has more pepper than MBA. And you can upgrade it with 4 Gb ram and a larger/faster disk. So, if you were considering MBA as an option, 13" MBP would be an option too.
And, MBA NEED an upgrade, whereas MBP were just updated.
If are satisfied with Nvidia 8600, 9400 should be plenty of power.

 

[jiE]

Actually, 13" MBP has more pepper than MBA. And you can upgrade it with 4 Gb ram and a larger/faster disk. So, if you were considering MBA as an option, 13" MBP would be an option too.
And, MBA NEED an upgrade, whereas MBP were just updated.
If are satisfied with Nvidia 8600, 9400 should be plenty of power.

I would not get the MBA without SSD and 4 gb of ram and probably a gfx upgrade.

I just googled the 8600 vs 9400 and it seems that the 9400 actually performs 2/3 of my 128 mb 8600 edition which i find to be fairly ok.

If the MBA gets SSD and 4 gb of ram, then it should perform the same as the 13 inch MBP. Correct?

 

[kate-willbury]

I would not get the MBA without SSD and 4 gb of ram and probably a gfx upgrade.

I just googled the 8600 vs 9400 and it seems that the 9400 actually performs 2/3 of my 128 mb 8600 edition which i find to be fairly ok.

If the MBA gets SSD and 4 gb of ram, then it should perform the same as the 13 inch MBP. Correct?

you don't even do anything on the computer besides note-taking, watching movies and playing old video games. SSD and 4 gb of ram are overkill for you.

 

[xparaparafreakx]

Macbook Air + 24" LCD screen and a Shuttle PC.

 

[Moriarty]

Option 4, because the rest are silly.

If you want a bigger screen for at home, save yourself the money and get an external display. The Dell U2410 (I think that's the model #) is a good choice, and is an IPS panel.

You seriously do not need any more power than your current computer has, you will hardly notice the difference. Don't waste your money.

A nice external monitor, on the other hand, can do wonders for productivity when you're doing reports etc and juggling several windows.