Need help, stuck deciding on a new system

If you really don't need portable, I think it's a no-brainer. Get an iMac, which gives you a much better display with a lot more real estate, a lot more storage, you can hook up a nice mechanical keyboard, some cool speakers, and have a banging workstation for less money.

And if you do need something portable, yet not a portable workhorse, then get a wifi iPad. Or a Nexus tablet. Or a cheap Chromebook for $199.

So that's where I come down. If I don't really "need" it to be portable, I'm not paying for portable. Give me speed, power, and the vastly improved display for less money. Period.

 

If you don't need to be portable and money is an issue, and you do movie editing/encoding, then you'd want as much as you can get. Hook yourself up with an iMac.

 

iMac!

Unless you NEED portability, go with an iMac.

Far better price for what you get, plus a beautiful screen (retina or not).

I do miss my old MBA i7 when it comes to video encodes, but can't say the i5 does a terrible job, just not as fast.

I also do a ton of encodes, but they're seldom paying gigs, so time is less of an issue.

But serious, iMac.

 

If you are using handbrake all day long, get an iMac.