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Help me decide on my computer set up

entatlrg

entatlrg

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 2, 2009
3,385
6
Waterloo & Georgian Bay, Canada
The ideal Mac Set up?

I own my company our offices are attached to my house, not a far commute. I don't travel far or out of the country often. ..

I spend a lot of time at a desk and a lot of time on a computer doing design work, light photo shop, drawing, research, emails, surfing etc. I think I'm more creative and more relaxed when not working at my desk, therefore I want spend less time at my desk.

I have a secondary computer (HP Tower) acting as a server hooked up to a Panasonic 37" TV, for movie downloads, NAS, back up, printer server etc. needs I'm well organized ...for deciding on my main computer set up I'm very undecided.

Currently I'm using a 24" iMac with the 24" ACD Monitor attached, I also have the Rev B Macbook Air w/128 SSD. I originally bought the ACD to go with my MB Air, but I use the MBA mostly away from the desk so I thought I'd try the ACD with the iMac...it's nice.

I'm essentially using two main/work computers right now, I like it but I can't say it's 100% convenient to work from two computers. I do more tasks on the Air than a netbook would handle.

Sometimes I think a 15" MacBook Pro with an ACD attached would just be simpler, connect and disconnect from the ACD as I please and everything in one place....


Which would you choose for your main computer set up?

1. iMac with ACD and MacBook Air, (rev B)

2. MacBook Air with ACD

3. MacBook Pro 15" with ACD

4. MacBook Pro with ACD and MacBook Air
 
I like option two the best, an all-on-one set up sounds good, give the iMac to your wife and keep the MBA as a go between for both of you.
 
Im personally a massive fan of the iMac and MacBook air. That would be my perfect setup. Just purchase a timecapsule or Airport Extreme Base Station and connect an external 1TB HD to it or something so that you can access those files anywhere via FTP.

http://www.presidentoftheuniverse.com/2008/10/16/ftp-access-to-your-mac-through-apple-time-capsule/

Only thing that i would say is that if you decide to go for a MBP then put a biggest HD you can in there otherwise the lack of storage would begin to annoy you.

I personally use iDisk to sync important files between my Mac Mini and MacBook but the 20gb storage may not be enough for what you want.
 
lucamacis said:
Im personally a massive fan of the iMac and MacBook air. That would be my perfect setup. Just purchase a timecapsule or Airport Extreme Base Station and connect an external 1TB HD to it or something so that you can access those files anywhere via FTP.
Click to expand...

True, although I sometimes think the 15" MBP could replace the iMac and give more options, for example if I wanted to use it away from my desk I'd have the option to use the MBP too, larger screen, faster processor ...
 
entatlrg said:
True, although I sometimes think the 15" MBP could replace the iMac and give more options, for example if I wanted to use it away from my desk I'd have the option to use the MBP too, larger screen, faster processor ...
Click to expand...

True with that. If the speed and screen estate is essential for you when your away from the computer then i would go with that. It's a no brainer. Especially with the screen estate. But if not, i've found that there is nothing nicer than working on your iMac, deciding that you want to go to the living room and bringing a MacBook Air or whatever along with you on your lap. If you had just a MBP then you would have to unplug everything then take it along.

I'm personally a massive fan of the actual portable use of a laptop. I use a Mac Mini as my main machine and switch on my MacBook when i want to go somewhere else apart from my room. I dream of having a MacBook Air instead to do that to remove the weight which i oh so would like to loose! haha.

You would find yourself taking the air with you to places that you wouldn't even consider taking a MBP with you for the reason of portability and no hassle of unplugging all your wires, external hard drives, external monitors, 3.5mm headphone jack and power cable.

Hope i helped and not made a more difficult decision for you! lol
 
Are you intending on putting an ssd in your proposed macbook pro? The air with the ssd is more than likely to make the pro with the stock 5400 drive or even a 7200 drive seem pokey for everyday tasks.

You're wanting a portable all in one computer, but still wanting to keep the air as a 'netbook'? That's not wanting everything to be on one computer, is it? To be honest, it just sounds like you want an excuse to buy a macbook pro. :eek:

I'd follow the earlier suggestion about getting an airport extreme and hooking up a 1tb drive to it as network storage, and keeping your current setup.

BTW, I understand not wanting to give up your lightweight, carry around the house with you portable, as you can tell from my signature.
 
clyde2801 said:
To be honest, it just sounds like you want an excuse to buy a macbook pro. :eek:
Click to expand...

yes, you caught me, LOL.

I was thinking since I want to spend more time away from my desk if the 15" MBP screen would be that much better than the 13" for getting work done. Trade off of weight to screen real estate for sure.

I'm leaning towards keeping my existing (dream) set up, the iMac with ACD and MacBook Air go GREAT together, don't get me wrong. I've always been a laptop type of person, and then there's the guilt/minimalist thing ... Getting the iMac and MBA was for sure my dream set up. The only reason I'd change would be the decision to work soley on one computer and if I was for sure going to need a work horse/larger screen away from the desk.

Thanks again for the input!
 
Yes, was using my Air outside today; so light so portable. Plus the screen are keyboard incredible ... hard to give that up ...

A MBA and a MBP and and an iMac could very well be the solution :)
 
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