iMac+iPad vs. MBP and external display

[terrificbatman]

Hi all!

I got an MBP recently and I've been trying it, hoping it can be my all-in-1 machine. I feel it's great, I love the battery, the screen, etc. I knew it was going to feel small, so I was planning to get an external monitor with it.

I found a suitable 22" Samsung screen with MagicAngle technology, which means I can adjust the picture if I'm laying on my bed (monitors will rotate upwards but not downwards, don't know why). I got the Apple Wireless Keyboard because every other keyboard feels weird with OSx and the cmd key.

What's disappointing in this setup is that whenever I'm not home/at the desk I don't really feel comfortable without the monitor! I end up doing light tasks and losing focus because the screen feels small. Sure, it feels great with video, in fact it's better than the monitor, which is sorta matte and not as vivid as the MBP.

I've been considering going back to the store and getting an iMac and an iPad for almost the same price. Am I the first to do it?

 

[Hellhammer]

iMac isn't going to bring you more screen estate when not at home since it will most likely be sitting on your desk, thus buying an iMac doesn't make much sense IMO. What MBP did you buy? You could consider the 17" MBP if you want as much screen estate as possible.

 

[aicul]

probably not.

i normally suggest the ipad/imac option but people think a top of the line macbookpro is better.

fact is the needs for comuting is different depending on what you do

and often a better hardware fit is actually felt better than a intellectually more powerful computer

but power seems to drive purchasing....

 

[terrificbatman]

I got the 13" model because that's as far as I could go.

I know the iMac keyboard works with the iPad and I was thinking I could use that on the go instead of a laptop, mouse, charger, and 3g stick. I work mostly at home and sometimes I take the laptop down to my gf's but I don't really work as much because I don't have the screen with me. I don't need to take it around town with me everyday, if that's what you're asking. I also feel I need a device to read documents in a relaxed setting (couch, bed) and the MBP isn't cutting it for me.

I'll take some more advice if you have it!

 

[100Teraflops]

I got the 13" model because that's as far as I could go.

I know the iMac keyboard works with the iPad and I was thinking I could use that on the go instead of a laptop, mouse, charger, and 3g stick. I work mostly at home and sometimes I take the laptop down to my gf's but I don't really work as much because I don't have the screen with me. I don't need to take it around town with me everyday, if that's what you're asking. I also feel I need a device to read documents in a relaxed setting (couch, bed) and the MBP isn't cutting it for me.

I'll take some more advice if you have it!

Keep the MBP and buy an iPad since it is almost the same price as an iMac and iPad.

 

[Duluth Baptist]

It sounds like you're not enjoying the benefits of your MBP, which is solid mobile computing power. If you only do serious work at home and mostly consume media or do light stuff on the road anyway, you might as well go for an iMac and an iPad and be extremely happy when doing each of those things.

Don't count on the portable keyboard being super helpful--yes, you can bring it with you for deliberate projects, but it isn't super-portable and you will still have a small screen and a much pickier working environment. I do some work on the iPad but if I really need to get stuff done I use my iMac.

When using my iMac or my iPad, I never feel like I'm "missing something," which is what you seem to feel with your MBP. However, I do little work on the go.

 

[frankk]

I have a MBP but a new iMac is on the way and I'm definitely keen on trying the iPad/iMac approach. Can deliver presentations, take notes in meetings, read agendas/papers on the iPad, but wouldn't want to have to do large workloads.