imac 24" now w/ education promo, or wait for new macbooks?

[ataylor]

hi there.

i'm finishing up my last year of college and would like to take advantage of the current promo. i'll take a free ipod touch any day, even though i'm sure they'll come out with new ones within a month or two. don't care. i'm a designer and ever since i got a 30" cinema display at work, my current 17" imac at home just seems like its a large ipod. a 24" imac looks really good to me right now.

but...

i flirted with the idea of getting a macbook and a 23" display for a while, and with the notebook and cinema display lines both due for updates, i wonder if it's worth waiting for? imagine a nice aluminum 15 (or 17"!) macbook with a 23 or 24" display? it would be like having 1.5 computers.

but at the same time, it's hard to say no to those imacs, they look great, and it's a better value. maybe i should just save up for a macbook for next year. who knows.

anyone care to offer their two cents?

ataylor

 

[WRXHokie]

I'd get the new 24" iMac now. Its just been updated, is crazy over powered - meaning you'll be able to run anything you want with no worries. The 24" screen on those guys are very nice.

Plus its about the same price for the macbook + monitor or an iMac, but an iMac will last you much longer.

 

[techound1]

I run a MBP with a 23" and can't live without the extra real estate. But... the new iMac is really nice and you don't want to miss a free ipod. If it doesn't suit your needs in a year, sell it and buy a new macbook.

 

[ataylor]

yeah, maybe it's best to go with the 24" imac. that's been my gut feeling all along, but sometimes i think a notebook would be nice. maybe the ipod touch will fill a little bit of that perceived need with its wi-fi email and internet, right?

then, maybe next year, if the price is right, i can buy a simple macbook... for my wife.

watch, as soon as i get my imac, they'll come out with a 30" version...

ataylor

 

[apple.]

if you need major portibility go for the macbook and then if you need power, for the imac.
easy as that:]

 

[Quanger]

Not sure if the Macbook would be powerful enough to run design softwares smoothly, so based solely on that, I would go with the 24" iMac. They also look fantastic!....

 

[sk8ordie]

If you dont need to go mobile, definitely get the iMac.

 

[alexlovesmacs]

I reccomend the 24 inch imac then later on buy a macbook air. That's my plan