MBP vs. Mac Mini + Netbook

[mikejtl]

I've been working freelance for the past few years and so my laptop has been my daily computer; but I just recently took at new full time job where I use an iMac at the office (provided by the company.)

So my 13" MBP which is less than 6 months old is getting really underused these days.

I'm thinking about selling it and buying a Mac Mini that i would use as a media center, and a netbook that I would use for email/web stuff etc.

My reservations are this: People say that netbooks aren't suitable as a primary computer, that they are really secondary computers, but if the mini is my media center, it doesn't seem ideal as my primary either. Especially since it will be plugged into my 720p TV (are there TVs that look suitable as monitors? or do that all look kinda sub par?)

Here's the things I would use the netbook for: email, browsing, iPhone syncing (apps, music, photos etc.) MS office/iWork, quickbooks, iWeb, and on rare occasions photoshop/indesign.

I know I could just plug my MBP into the tv, and leave it there until I need it, and essentially do both jobs with it, but, then I'll have all kinds of media loaded onto it that I may not want (maybe an ext. HDD solves that) but then when I want to work while my wife was to watches a movie...

I'd love to get people's thoughts/experiences on this.

Thanks.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Typing on the keyboard. All I have to say. I find netbooks usable in short periods of time – but after two hours, I can't use it. Then again, I have a Dell Mini 9, which is small - even for a netbook.

 

[chrono1081]

Netbooks are great, I've owned three myself (and still have one) but I think they are more of a "travel/casual" computer.

They're great for email checking and simple web browsing but as a main computer its pushing it. Small screens, small keyboards, not much power, that could take a toll.

Then again I know people who do use a netbook as their main computer and love it.

 

[175170]

Personally, I think the 10.1 inch Dell Mini's have wonderful keyboards. Better than any notebook out there, I daresay.

But Photoshop? On a Netbook? Bad, bad idea.

 

[miles01110]

Just use one computer. Keep your MBP.

 

[HellDiverUK]

I have a Mac Mini and a Dell Mini 10v running Snow Leopard.

I just ordered a MacBook Pro 13".

The Mac Mini is great, got it hooked up to a 23" Dell monitor. Problem is I'm living between 3 different houses at the moment, so the Mac Mini has only been used for about 6 hours in the last month.

The Mini 10v is brilliant, but the screen res is a pain, and the trackpad can be fiddly. It also totally chokes on Flash video, which can get it totally stuck if there's a flash video lurking on a web page.

So, I bought a MacBook Pro 13" 2.53/4GB/250GB off the Apple Refurb store for £999, and once I get all my stuff cloned over and the SSD out of the Mac Mini fitted, I'll get both the Mini and the netbook sold, or possibly keep the netbook as a spare and put the original WinXP on there.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Also consider where you will be using the MBP.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/842502/

 

[mikejtl]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

So assuming I keep the MBP and have it do double duty as primary computer and media center, does anyone have advice for media storage?

I have an airport extreme so if I plug in an ext hdd to it and put all my media on it , when my MBP is plugged into the tv will I be able to stream media from the ext drive over my wireless network? And will it all be visible in front row?

Thanks in advance for your advice.