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I think I know how to become a first time Mac owner now !

G

Gunga Din

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 1, 2008
476
5
Old Trafford
Ok hear me out. I was all set to buy the new Mac Pro for about $2500. Over the past week since joining your forums i've learned alot. Thx to all.

My decision might be to get a Mac Mini for home and a portable Macbook. Maybe the new one ! (I just bashed them if they decide to release another notebook but maybe its a good option for me).

This way I can work on the Mac Mini at home with my 21" monitor and use the Notebook wherever I want. Owning both might cost me only $2000. Best of both worlds !

I think the Mac Pro was too great for my needs and since I already own a monitor, the iMac was not my first choice.

What you guys think? I'll wait till MMSF to make my final decision. But this is what i'm thinking at the moment.
 
Unless you do a lot of video editing or graphic work you should be fine with a mini and a Macbook.
Portability is great (for me at least)
 
would connecting the macbook to the external display be a better idea? and you could spend the money you were going to spend on the mini to make the macbook better....maybe even go up to a macbook pro?
 
stekerrod said:
would connecting the macbook to the external display be a better idea? and you could spend the money you were going to spend on the mini to make the macbook better....maybe even go up to a macbook pro?
Click to expand...

This is a good idea. If it's just you using the two computers, get a MBP and throw some extra RAM in it. You can buy a nice external hard drive for some extra storage, but use it with the 21" monitor when you're at home.
 
Dimwhit said:
This is a good idea. If it's just you using the two computers, get a MBP and throw some extra RAM in it. You can buy a nice external hard drive for some extra storage, but use it with the 21" monitor when you're at home.
Click to expand...

Now to do that, do i leave the notebook open ? I was thinking that route as well. Wasnt sure how to go about doing that.

So hook up the Macbook Pro , maybe a keyboard to it and use that instead of the Mac Mini.

Good idea.
 
Gunga Din said:
Now to do that, do i leave the notebook open ? I was thinking that route as well. Wasnt sure how to go about doing that.

So hook up the Macbook Pro , maybe a keyboard to it and use that instead of the Mac Mini.

Good idea.
Click to expand...

dont quote me on this but i think that it can be done closed...... you should get one of the nice bluetooth apple keyboards as well!
 
Docking station

Sounds like a great reason for a Mac docking station. Here is the next best thing...http://www.bookendzdocks.com/

I just got a neat Rubermaid "Laptop Stand" from Wal-Mart that elevates the notebook on the desk to monitor height. I just plug in my keyboard and mouse and I'm ready to roll on the desktop. This way you can plug in your other monitor and have dual desktop capability.
 
Gunga Din said:
I heard that they might have heat issues with the top down.
Click to expand...

I could never get my G4 Powerbook to work with the lid closed (not sure why) but I have known a fair number of people using the Macbook Pro with the lid closed when hooked upto an external display. The only heat issues I can think of is it the macbook pro display stayed illuminated with the lid down, but I'm don't know if this is the case or not. Most laptops have a cut off where when the lid is closed, it cut's off the display.

You would benefit far more from the Macbook Pro than the standard Macbook because of things such as the dedicated graphics.
 
Awesome advice. Now i'm back to looking at Notebooks lol. Oh, the Notebook and hook up to a VGA monitor right?

Whats the best way to keep your Mac Pro cool? Just have it elevated off something?

I heard about a few things: Griffin Elevatro, M Stand, Targus Cooling Pad etc.

Any you recommend?
 
Gunga Din said:
Whats the best way to keep your Mac Pro cool? Just have it elevated off something?
Click to expand...

I use the iBreeze. Works quite well. It has two fans and is USB powered. Something like that will take care of any heat issues.
 
Older powerbooks weren't designed to run with the lid closed, though you could do it by closing it, causing it to sleep, then waking it up by tapping a key from an external keyboard or mouse.

The new ones, however, are designed to run with the lid closed "clamshell mode" and this is stated by Apple (though I'm too lazy to find the link. You'll have no problem running it with the lid closed (though you may choose to keep it open and have two monitors).
 
You can use the MBP with the lid closed and an external monitor or you can use it with the external as a second monitor, this is what I do. It works great. I'm not sure about the MB but I'm sure it's about the same thing with a video adaptor.
 
I run my MBP hooked up to a 22" Dell monitor with the lid open. That way, I have duel displays. Although, it works perfectly fine in clamshell mode. I would get a MBP instead of a MB and Mac mini, or just a MB. The MB can be run the same way with no problem. I used to have one, and that was how I ran it at home.
 
KJdanReuben said:
I run my MBP hooked up to a 22" Dell monitor with the lid open. That way, I have duel displays. Although, it works perfectly fine in clamshell mode. I would get a MBP instead of a MB and Mac mini, or just a MB. The MB can be run the same way with no problem. I used to have one, and that was how I ran it at home.
Click to expand...

Yea, and the MBP will be more powerful than the Mac Mini. Less powerful than the Mac Pro. Guess thats my mid range computer lol.
 
Well, I was ready to pull the trigger on a new MBP.....that didnt happen :(. Now what?

With and update forthcoming, I can't talk myself into getting a MBP right now. I'll have to wait for an update etc. Thats just me.

My original option was to get an 8 core Mac Pro. Now i'm thinking about that again :(. I can't stand waiting for a new MBP to be announced. ARGGGGG!!

Maybe one day i'll join your Mac ranks.
 
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