iMac (2011) vs MBP (late 2011) CPU

[WolvenStorm]

Hi,

My pre-unibody (late 2007) MBP has been having some problems and I'm due an upgrade... been holding off for updates but struggling with HD space and trackpad/mouse and keyboard response.

I know the benchmarks for the MBP refresh is not yet out since it's only been a day, but does anyone have an idea as to how top spec 15" and 17" MBPs with the 2.5GHz quad i7 would perform compared to the 3.4GHz quad iMac? Specifically anyone with Maya, AutoCAD, Adobe experience of speed and performance, particularly Maya rendering.

I was thinking of getting the iMac for the massive screen as a rendering machine as well as home workstation and hope that my current MBP can still perform when I go to uni etc... but if my MBP is on the way out, might be better to get a new portable instead... I just really like the idea of that 27 display... looks amazing

Cheers!

 

[Fresh Tendrils]

I think it depends on whether you are going out of town to go to uni, and also what your studying. If your going out of town then its probably best to buy the new MBP, but if you live in the city your studying in then, I'd suggest the imac. I used a 13" MBP for most of uni, and I found it really frustrating studying on the small screen. I just bought a 27" imac, and its much more pleasant to study on. I take my 2009 laptop to uni to take notes and then transfer over the files to work on my imac.

But like I said, it also depends on what your studying. I only need a basic word processor and internet access in lectures, but it seems like your studying something more technical, so you may need the new laptop to run the desired software in lectures.

If it's just the big screen you like, you can always get an external display to plug into.


Sorry, don't know anything about the benchmarks

 

[WolvenStorm]

Thanks,

Im actually studying architecture postgrad... I just find that trying to use Maya on a 15" screen with so many toolbars etc open leaves really little room to see what you're doing. The 27 would be pretty awesome to work on.. also leaving a computer connected to power so it doesn't shut down during a render (that lasts several hours) kills battery longevity, so that's another reason I'd get the iMac. The SSD on the iMac is very attractive also.

Having said that, I may be able to live with what I have and wait until Ivy bridge... but i fear this old MBP will die before then.