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MB/MBP or Imac?

A

afuturestrader

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 29, 2008
30
0
I would appreciate your opinion.

I bought a refurbished Mac mini very recently to test my companies web sites on a Mac. The Mac is great!

It is time to buy a new main computer for myself and trying to decide between a Macbook, Macbook Pro and iMac.

My uses are mostly office - web browsing, email, documents, chat. A second main use is that I trade the financial markets and run financial charting software. I will try this in Fusion or Parallels using windows.

I also use my computer for music listening. iLife might encourage me to do more with family photos.

Complicating matters is the fact I need a machine for two locations -

1. My main home office which will account for the vast majority of use.
2. The office of my families/parents business where I will use a computer one day a week.

Lastly, I use dual monitors and may expand to three. This can be done with Matrox dualhead2go (requires machine to have a discrete graphics card) or the soon to be released USB graphics card to be sold by Sewell Direct.

I could use my mini at my families office and an iMac at my home office. But I don't know a) how much of a pain it is to synch and cross search the two machines using .Mac and b) how to match the iMac monitor so the dual monitors are seamless

If I buy a laptop the biggest difference in my view between MB/MBP is the graphics card. I have always used entry level discrete cards. So I am not sure if the integrated video card of MB is sufficient or if I should pay up for the MBP.

What's your opinion? What would you buy?

Thanks in advance
 
Get the MBP. Its large screen will be good for coding and showing off your websites. The graphics card, as you said, will be good for display spanning.
 
Sounds like you need both portability and a discrete GPU. Only the MBP will give you both in one package. You can take it to the other office when needed, or leave it connected to your external monitors at your main location.
 
If you already have a desktop I would get a laptop next for mobility. A MBP would fit your needs if money isn't an issue.
 
Another vote for MBP!

If money is an issue, go for the amazon deal for SR 2.2GHz. I think after rebate and also sans tax, it's a fantastic deal!
 
Thanks for all the replies thus far!

Regarding the dedicated graphics card - it is necessary for running two displays with the Matrox dual head2go.

However, a new USB "graphics card" for the Mac is scheduled to be out in March. It should be similar to

http://sewelldirect.com/USB-to-DVI-External-Video-Card-High-Resolution.asp

Would this product change your recommendation to a MB? Or do you think for my uses the dedicated graphics card vs. integrated is still worth the money for the MBP?

Thanks
 
nope, stick with the MBP. There's more options, and it's mroe powerful thus going to last you longer, and you could probably really use it, I wouldn't depend on a 3rd party source coming out with something as a determining factor, if you have the money go for the MBP
 
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