iMac and iPad 2 or Macbook pro

[Herbs24]

I am buying my first ever mac soon and don't know whether to get the 21.5 iMac with an iPad 2 or to get a macbook pro 13 with an external monitor.

I only ever use my current dell 15 inch laptop around the house for mainly email and internet browsing and if i ever need to do any work I do it at my desk. I am going to uni in about a year and will be doing computer science and I don't know what to get.

 

[alust2013]

I'd get the MacBook Pro with the monitor. I have that setup and it works wonderfully. The iMac would be nice, but with uni, you have to take real work elsewhere sometimes, which really can't be done with an iPad.

 

[opera57]

Personally as a uni student I would probably opt for the iMac and the iPad, reason being that, as you said, you will be working at your desk for all major work anyway, and the iPad is great as a media consumption device and also great for making notes in lectures and going over lecture slides. If you need to code something at uni, there are computers usually provided anyway.

 

[midnightvii]

The price are so much different, I dont think you can even compare. Macbook Pro seem to be the most practical.

 

[Kissaragi]

What about a 13" macbook air?

 

[MacAztec]

I'm in the same boat.

I bought the 2011 MBP 13" last week, and while it's a great machine, part of wants the iPad/iMac setup. I do most of my real work at my desk, although the MBP is useful to take to school for making presentations, writing reports, etc. I'm considering taking back the MBP (I have another 7 days until I have to do so), and picking up the new iPad, and a used iMac.

We'll see, I guess.

I'd love to hear other people's input

 

[Herbs24]

The price are so much different, I dont think you can even compare. Macbook Pro seem to be the most practical.

Yes but I would also want to buy an external monitor with a wireless apple keyboard and magic mouse as well as a macbook pro if I chose it

 

[willieva]

If your current laptop suits your needs then keep using it. In a year you'll find out whether an imac/ipad or mbp better fits your needs. And by then there will be new models out and the ipad 3 might have been worth the wait.