MBP or an iMac

[EwanMcTeagle]

I have a kind of a (sweet) dillemma, but a dillemma nevertheless.
Don't know if I should post this thread in the Macbook Pro or the iMac section, but here it goes

I own a 13" MBP and a Core2Duo 5 years old hackintosh. I'm an old fashioned guy thus I like to have a laptop for moblity (or some light stuff, webbrowsing at home if I don’t want to disturb my wife or be disturbed as I have my desktop in the living room at the moment and a desktop with big display, comfortably set up keyboard and trackpad to sit by at. I also have a business 17" 2009 MBP (the older one with silver keyboard) to do my work (mostly at my workplace, but sometimes, like today for example, to be able to do it at home), which is copywriting. I plan to keep being a copywriter, but I don't like standing still, therefore I'll be taking InDesign and Photoshop classes this summer (and then maybe web design if all goes well), hoping to get some fundamental skills in this area - plus I’ve reasoned that perfecting and enchancing ones skills is always well seen by the employer, especially in today's economy, so it won’t hurt to learn something new. Thus being a copywriter that can design a layout in a case of an emergency or simply to relieve those busy art directors will be appreciated at my company. The most that I do in InDesign at the moment is placing copy (text) in layout, sometimes if art directors are busy and I have some spare time I copy and/or modify old design, old layouts as well.
Anyways I can use that business 17" MBP for my work related stuff, but I'm hoping to acquire some skills that will let me do some minor graphic design on my own, first something for my friends if they need anything and then we'll see how it goes. Anyways I don't want to abuse my employer's kindness by using the business 17 MBP for that. Plus I really want to make a full PC>Apple transition and own a powerful Apple desktop. Since Mac Pro is too pricy and above my needs to be honest, I was considering a base 27" iMac model to get this (next) Christmas.
My hackintosh served me very well for the last 5 years, but its old SATA HDDs are slowly dying on me. I've recently bought a Dell U2412 IPS monitor - I know it's not a truly professional equipment, but I think it'll do me just fine for a couple of years.
And now it all comes down to my question. What would you choose/recommend?
• A 15 MBP as a desktop - put in a henge dock and plugged into an external display with an external keyboard and a trackpad?
• Or a base 27 inch iMac?
Up until Saturday I was planning to go the iMac way, but due to my recent hackintosh problems I've talked with a friend that’d hackintoshed my PC. I truly respect his expertise in the computer related matters and he strongly advised me against the iMac - arguing mostly display failures and overheating issues. He recommended I'd go with a MBP instead.
What is your take on that? I mean I read iMac forum frequently and although people come in with some trouble, malfunctions and failures the overal impression I've got is that the iMac are great, sturdy machines.
Therefore I'm in a spot and would really appreciate your opinions, expertise etc to have a better overview.

Thanks in advance.

 

[djmoody]

I have a kind of a (sweet) dillemma, but a dillemma nevertheless.
Don't know if I should post this thread in the Macbook Pro or the iMac section, but here it goes



Thanks in advance.

This is actually a viable solution to your needs, use your hackintosh's display, get one of these for your desk
http://www.amazon.com/Twelve-South-...e=UTF8&qid=1340605761&sr=8-1&keywords=bookarc

you can have the mobility of a macbook pro, but the desk real estate of your hackintosh. PLus this would allow you to be portable with your graphic design since you want to use your work computer for only work. Plus you wouldn't be putting that nice display you were talking about to waste.

 

[Aodhan]

I was waiting on the iMac as well, but since I have a 23-inch monitor just sitting around, I decided to go for the non-Retina MacBook Pro.There were a couple reasons I did this. The first is that I have the best of both worlds; I have a powerful desktop, and when I need it, I have a laptop. As a side note, I ordered that BookArc yesterday.

The second reason I went with the MacBook Pro, and I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, is because it is completely accessible to the user. I can upgrade or replace the ram, fans, battery, DVD and hard drive. You can't do that with the Retina, and you can't do that with the iMacs.

 

[EwanMcTeagle]

Then it's 3-0
Thanks guys. Although iMacs are beautiful, MBPs aren't Shreks and they're more universal so it becomes more and more of a no brainer

Those bookarcs look nice. I was considering a henge dock, but those arcs look even smoother

Thanks guys

 

[Fortimir]

I can upgrade or replace the ram, fans, battery, DVD and hard drive. You can't do that with the Retina, and you can't do that with the iMacs.

Well, on an iMac you can replace the RAM and battery is obviously a non-issue. Fans only need replacement if they go bad, and you would have apple care. Regardless, iMacs are not impossible to work on it's not *too* hard to replace the HD.