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MacBook Pro with Cinema Display or iMac with iPad

N

newmacboyoutube

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 18, 2010
44
0
Ontario, Canada
First of all, I am new to this forum:D
Anyway, I know this has been previously asked ALOT, but please help me out here.
An iMac 27" with an iPad 32GB or a MacBook Pro 15" Core i7 with an Apple Cinema Display?

So I will need it for school paper work, basic animation with anime debut, Photoshop, Final Cut Express, and Logic Express, and light gaming such as Sims 3.

If you think the i7 is overkill for me, please let me know. I need this to last me 3-4 years, minimum.
 
miles01110 said:
Sounds like the iPad is pretty unnecessary for you. I'd get the MBP and hold off on the cinema display for a while unless you really need it.
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Thank You, but can't I go with the iMac, for intensive tasks, cause I do all the hardcore stuff on the desk, and can't use the iPad for my light tasks?
 
newmacboyoutube said:
Thank You, but can't I go with the iMac, for intensive tasks, cause I do all the hardcore stuff on the desk, and can't use the iPad for my light tasks?
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You could, but you'd be buying two machines that devalue and would probably come up for replacement at some point, not to mention syncing things is annoying. With the MBP you get most of the portability of the iPad and most of the power of the iMac, with extra screen space (if needed) with the ACD.
 
For colloboration

I would go with the macbook pro simply because it makes collaborating with your classmates/professors much easier. While you can still do some stuff with the ipad(look for stuff on the internet etc). its a lot easier if you are in a group meeting somewhere to have all your info and tools available to you at all times.

I would only go the iMac route if you feel you NEED a quad core CPU.
 
I suggest you should buy the MBP with an external display.

If you buy a non-apple display, you can also buy the ipad...
 
foidulus said:
I would go with the macbook pro simply because it makes collaborating with your classmates/professors much easier. While you can still do some stuff with the ipad(look for stuff on the internet etc). its a lot easier if you are in a group meeting somewhere to have all your info and tools available to you at all times.

I would only go the iMac route if you feel you NEED a quad core CPU.
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How about a 17" MacBook Pro with an iPad 32GB and an iPhone 4G when it is out?
I would not have a 24" Display, but would have an iPad and 2 extra inches when portable.
 
newmacboyoutube said:
Would I need a quad core in the future to edit videos fast, photoshop...?
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It will certainly help, might not make a HUGE difference. Also see if your school has labs for this sort of thing. A lot of schools have labs full of mac pros loaded with the latest and greatest software. Sometimes not as convenient as your dorm room, but also keep in mind that if you are working on these things in a group, the lab is a better option.

Overall I would skip the iPad, get a mbp(though not the 17", too big, go for the 15"), and if need be get a 3rd party external monitor(ACDs are a rip off IMO)
 
I'm an industrial design student, using 3d modelling programs allot. I found the best thing to do when you know you are going to be doing very intensive cpu / gpu tasks is to simply build a PC running a very stable OS (so xp sp3 NOT connected to the internet). And i use a macbook pro 15" for uni with an external monitor (not apple, they are far too expensive - mine is a viewsonic).

iPad - is a luxury, and I wouldn't factor it in when buying the tools that will get you through uni and into professional life.

If you're a student always buy a laptop before a static computer first, you will use that portability every single day, presentations, tutorials, at your desk, during collaboration work etc.

Thats my advice!

edit: you can build a pc that will handle any graphics program with ease for the price of an iPad. (i'm not anti ipad, just pro 'having the right gear at the right time')
 
MBP. You can't do work on an iPad (not at a comparative productivity, anyway). It's extra flexibility at the cost of CPU speed, but you won't need an insanely powerful CPU for an school/uni stuff. Portability is more useful.

If you can't live without quad core for some reason, go iMac and Macbook or 13" MBP instead. As I said, you can't do work on an iPad.
 
i don't really see where the ipad would be handy for you really
signature_smiley-14923-happy-police.jpg
i'd go with the macbook pro without an external monitor (you may realise afteer a week or 2 that you don't need it) or if your heart is set on an ipad for the fun, get a non apple display plus an ipad
 
I would say MBP and external display. If you really like the Cinema Display and have the cash, go for it. If you would possibly use the display for other things or want to spend considerably less money, $300 will get you a very nice monitor (I spent half that and love mine), and the difference in price is conveniently $600, or a 32gb iPad, if you still want that.

I would say you definitely want an external though, especially for video editing, as the extra screen real estate is very nice, and unless you are a fan of headaches, the 17" is not for you.
 
alust2013 said:
I would say MBP and external display. If you really like the Cinema Display and have the cash, go for it. If you would possibly use the display for other things or want to spend considerably less money, $300 will get you a very nice monitor (I spent half that and love mine), and the difference in price is conveniently $600, or a 32gb iPad, if you still want that.

I would say you definitely want an external though, especially for video editing, as the extra screen real estate is very nice, and unless you are a fan of headaches, the 17" is not for you.
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Can someone recommend a good quality, great look displays like the ACDS, with a built in webcam, good speakers and a mic built in?
 
You don't need an iPad or an ACD at all by the sounds of it. Get a MBP, and an iPhone if anything! Any MBP will handle what you want to do.
 
Get a 27 inch iMac and a Dell Mini 10v, and install Snow Leopard on it. That should cover all light and all intensive tasks. I'm seriously considering selling my MacBook Pro to do that myself.
 
I would suggest 15" MBP and 24" ACD, and if you have money left over I'd grab an iphone as well.

MBP + ACD + iPhone are my favorite electronics of the many I own, productivity, convenience, entertainment are handled well by this combo.

No need for a desktop or iPad in my opinion.

Post back what you end up buying.
 
jnc said:
You don't need an iPad or an ACD at all by the sounds of it. Get a MBP, and an iPhone if anything! Any MBP will handle what you want to do.
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I Love having large screens to work with, I feel that 15" is a little too small when I am at desk, so a 24" Display or a 30" Display Would be GREAT!:apple:
 
newmacboyoutube said:
I Love having large screens to work with, I feel that 15" is a little too small when I am at desk, so a 24" Display or a 30" Display Would be GREAT!:apple:
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I have a 17" MBP and a 24" iMac. I'll be buying an iPad 3G soon. Speaking from experience, if I was in your shoes, I'd get the iMac and iPad combo.
You get the big screen for the hard work and the iPad for portability.
 
I would say it's none too easy to find a display that has all the goodies that the ACD has in it (USB, iSight, and speakers), but you could get a display that is just as nice, use the iSight in your MBP, and get a much nicer set of speakers, for probably less than half the price of an ACD.

You could also get a cheap webcam ($30) and a usb hub ($12) if you need them. I saw the dell ST2410 for $200, and it includes HDMI, DVI, and VGA inputs, so also a bonus if you have a game console. Get yourself a $100 set of JBL, H/K, or Altec Lansing speakers, pick up the $30 mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter, a $20 DVI cable, $35 bluetooth or other wireless mouse, and you'll still have money left over to buy a case of redbull and giant bag of cheetos (trust me, you'll need them for late nights studying), before you hit half as much as the ACD would cost ($450).

There is a pretty solid solution in my opinion. Perhaps doesn't look quite as fancy as an ACD and doesn't have everything built in, but I think you get a lot more for a lot less money.
 
I would suggest a MBP i7 15" or 17" depending on your portability needs. That will give you the processing power.

iPad is a toy that won't run any apps for what you're doing. Take that money and put it into a BIG monitor if that's what you really need.

Just one more word of advice. There is a BIG difference between "need" and "want" If you think carefully about your goals and what is really important to you, it will save you a LOT of headaches and money in the future.

If big screens are really important take a hard look at the 17" I bought a 17" Power Book 6 years ago and never needed anything any larger. I do Photo editing and it works great fro me. I have never had a problem taking it anywhere I needed to go.

I'm currently thinking hard about a fully configured 17" i7, 8GB, 500 72k Like I said, $3k :eek: has me thinking REAL hard... :D

... and that 15" i5 is looking a LOT better... :D

I'm also thinking about a MBP 13" for my camera bag in the field and a Mac Pro w/27-30" Monitor at home for my processing.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.... :eek: :D
 
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