Is it dumb to keep both ?

It's your call but since you're asking for confirmation I can honestly tell you that you made yourself into a "Consumer". Was it REALLY necessary to get the newest model when you already had an iMac and a Black book? Sounds like you got sucked in as a "Consumer". A "Consumer" in your case is one who buys because they can.
Not to knock your spending habits BUT....other people wish they could afford just one Mac and would be very happy just to have ONE. Your post a bit on the bragging side more than to just ask our confirmation if you should keep both Macbooks and an iMac.

 

It depends on your needs, but personally - seeing as the size difference is relatively negligible and they generally fulfill similar needs - there is no reason to keep both. Just keep the pro - besides, who can't use the extra cash. I love my electronics and all, but when with technology, you always need to be practical.

 

do what ch'a want. I have a MacBook Pro and a MacBook Air. I use both.

 

I'd say keep both if you had that combo (MBP + MBA) - as they cater to different needs. MBP for power, MBA for portability. But the MB+MBP combo I feel like are too similar and cater to the same needs to warrant keeping both. But that's just me.

 

Keep both if you want. I had the MBP+MBA combo and sold both of them and bought the new MBP+MB combo. I need one for power and the other to be extra portable. But I do wish that I kept my MBA and just bought the new MBP.

 

I would give the black MacBook to the gf. Reformat the drive to hide any *files* you might have downloaded from the obscure corners of the net.

 

HLDan, you seem a bit preachy. Your attitude is a little annoying. Computers aren't 'consumed'. That said, It is a matter of economics. Can you sell your blackbook for enough money to offset the utility of having a second machine?

I have a computer in every room of my house. But we use them all, since we are a family of computer scientists. Windows XP, Vista, Unix, OSX. And a sweet little Asus eee, running XP.

Having a second computer running the same OS lets you recover the first if you have problems, and "problems" in my business means lost income.

So, I vote no.

 

iMac, Blackbook, and Classic Macbook Pro..

I would say that the Blackbook and Macbook Pro overlap too much. The Macbook Pro isn't significantly larger or heavier than the Blackbook so there are minimal practical reasons to keep it unless you have a rare need for two portables.

No, I haven't been in that situation specifically. I typically sell any redundant computers so I have more money for more computers of a different kind.

 

I'd sell the BlackBook.

The trackpad on the new MacBook Pro's is really different to the old MacBooks - your finger just glides across it. Our family's MacBook I struggle to use now I've gotten so used to the glass trackpad - the MacBook feels like it has resistance and I keep forgetting about my multi-touch gestures.

 

He bought a Classic Macbook Pro from what I've read in the first post. That trackpad and the Blackbook's trackpad should be approximately the same in terms of texture.

 

Sell the blackbook...over time you'll stop using it and you should sell it while it's still worth close to what you paid for it.

The Pro series is so much...nicer! (imo)

 

I would keep one portable and one desktop. I currently only have one computer, my MBP, but sometimes I wish I had an iMac.

 

Ah - I skimmed over that. I just read that he wanted the new unibody one.

 

I'd keep em all (but then I am a puregeek and have loads of computers) its hard to part with an old friend.

(also should bad things ever happen - you have a spare ) (imagine having to send the new one off for repairs at somepoint..)

you can never have too many computers in my opinion....

 

Weigh the value of the item. Its value decreases for you in a sense since you have a better machine as the primary. But as others have said, there's a secondary value. If that value is less than what you can get for it by selling, then perhaps you should sell.

Sometimes the value of the machine at sale is much less than you'd be willing to accept for it. For instance, I have an old 1st gen. Titanium PowerBook 500 MHz that's on its last legs. I could sell it for 300 or whatever it goes for, but I'd much rather keep it as somewhat of a growing antique.