iMac 5K OR NEW MBP?

[lukester]

I do pro photography and use a 17" mid 2010 MBP anti glare now and hook it up to a 30" cinema display when I am in the mood..
So should I go for the retina 15" or the anew iMac 5k? I do have a 30" cinema that i can hook a laptop up to that may suffice.. Is the 5k that much better?

 

[yjchua95]

I do pro photography and use a 17" mid 2010 MBP anti glare now and hook it up to a 30" cinema display when I am in the mood..
So should I go for the retina 15" or the anew iMac 5k? I do have a 30" cinema that i can hook a laptop up to that may suffice.. Is the 5k that much better?

Well you could also buy the 15" rMBP with AMD GPU and then hook up a 5K display to it.

 

[Dark Void]

These are two totally different computers.

Get the rMBP if you ever want to take the computer off of the desk and use it elsewhere, if it will remain in one location get the iMac.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I do pro photography and use a 17" mid 2010 MBP anti glare now and hook it up to a 30" cinema display when I am in the mood..
So should I go for the retina 15" or the anew iMac 5k? I do have a 30" cinema that i can hook a laptop up to that may suffice.. Is the 5k that much better?

If you don't need portability the imac is a better option with desktop class processors and better graphics options (and the best built in computer screen in the business), if you need portability then buy the rMBP.

 

[lukester]

If you don't need portability the imac is a better option with desktop class processors and better graphics options (and the best built in computer screen in the business), if you need portability then buy the rMBP.

I Guess I need to go up to the store and compare the two screens. Like I said I have a 30" Cinema which I run off my MBP when I am in the mood. Most of the time I just edit using the laptop. I have to admit I have not brought my laptop anywhere in a long time. Maybe once a year on vacation.
Just trying to figure out if the 5k screen is better than the laptop for editing

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I Guess I need to go up to the store and compare the two screens. Like I said I have a 30" Cinema which I run off my MBP when I am in the mood. Most of the time I just edit using the laptop. I have to admit I have not brought my laptop anywhere in a long time. Maybe once a year on vacation.

It's not just about wether you take it anywhere, if you like to sit in bed using it or move from the sofa to the study, going desktop can change your computing habits... If however you usually use it in the same place sat at a desk then go for the desktop.

 

[Ledgem]

I Guess I need to go up to the store and compare the two screens. Like I said I have a 30" Cinema which I run off my MBP when I am in the mood. Most of the time I just edit using the laptop. I have to admit I have not brought my laptop anywhere in a long time. Maybe once a year on vacation.
Just trying to figure out if the 5k screen is better than the laptop for editing

I think the 5K will be much better.

I'm a MacBook Pro user (late 2011 15") who also uses a secondary Apple Cinema Display for editing (21" though, not 30"). When I went into an Apple store to check the screen on the 5K iMac I was delighted to see that they had Aperture loaded, as that's my favored photo management program at the moment. Usually when I go through my photos, I do a lot of 100% zooming in to find flaws. Based on the photos that were already loaded in Apple's demo Aperture library, I was amazed to find that zooming in didn't reveal more detail than I was already seeing. It's not that the resolution of the photos was already maxed out in the normal display mode, either. Rather, it seemed like nearly all of the fine details could accurately be displayed without needing to blow it up all the way.

Someone described the 5K iMac screen as "looking through a window." I thought it was a fairly accurate statement to make. See for yourself and put it through the paces, keeping in mind that in-store you'll probably be looking at it more close-up than in your setup at home.

I still prefer having a two-monitor setup for when I do photography, but I've already made my decision that I'll be going to a 5K iMac as my next computer. My MacBook Pro lives on my desk, similar to yours; a retina MacBook Pro would offer us a nice screen upgrade, but why limit ourselves to a smaller screen and Apple's soldered RAM options?

 

[Kal-037]

Pros and Cons...


MacBook Pro 15"
Pros...


3k retina isplay (yes folks 3k is actually a thing, lol.)
Portable
Powerful
Blazing fast Flash Storage SSD
New The Force Trackpad
New Graphics Card
Great Sound from Speakers


Cons...
Can be more expensive than Base model iMac (2499.00 with discrete graphics... 1999.00 without.)
3k display vs the 5k on the iMac(smaller screen real estate.)
2014 Intel Processor
Can heat up and cause loud fans to activate (it's completely normal but a little annoying)


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

iMac With 5k Retina Display
Pros...


Very powerful
Better graphics card
5k display (much more screen real estate.)
Base price is lower than MacBook. (2299.00)
Full Desktop with Keyboard and Mouse included.


Cons...
No The Force Trackpad
No standard SSD option unless paying more for all Flash Storage, (also the SSD is a bit slower than the MacBook.)
No portability


At the end of the day it's about portability and screen size IMO. Yes the iMac is also more powerful and has a bit better discrete graphics card but IMO they are not as important than the portability and screen size/resolution. I almost went for the iMac due to the good price, but I liked the lighter MacBook and the new features it had. Either way you'll get a killer computer that will last a long time and will do what you need it to do.




Kal.

 

[ApolloBoy]

New The Force Trackpad

So the new trackpad in the rMBPs is infused with The Force now?

 

[Quu]

So the new trackpad in the rMBPs is infused with The Force now?

Yup. Works nice too.