Not sure what combination to go for, any advice?

[Sleeping Lions]

I am looking at getting either a MacBook of some sort or an iMac, but I'm not sure what to go for. I currently have an iPhone 4 which is I am using for the majority of my web browsing etc, and I have access to my Mum's desktop and notebook which I use for everything else.

I spent quite a lot of money on a laptop a few years ago, but it turned out to be a utter lemon and an total waste of money. I have since fallen in love with macs, and since the school my son is going to go to is a Mac school, it makes sense to use them at home, too.

At this stage I am planning to buy my son an iPad of some sort for Christmas (probably a refurb or maybe a secondhand one) to keep him off my phone, so I am hoping that it will keep him going for a while since he will only e 3.5 at the end of the year.

I am currently leaning towards getting a 13" MacBook Air for now, and then getting an iMac further down the track when my son is older. I don't do a lot of traveling, and in reality could easily get away with an iMac (and borrow my mum's notebook if need be), but it would be handy to have something portable for when I am
in hospital, or even just around the house. I guess my concern is that I might screw up the battery in a MBA if I don't take advantage of it's portability?

Does anyone have some advice for me? Thanks!

 

[Apple fanboy]

You need to let people know what you actually use the computers you have for. If its just web browsing and email then the Air will be fine. If you need a bigger screen and like the all in one solution go for the iMac. I think the battery will be fine if you unplug it and run it down about once a month.

 

[barredfreak]

Like what Apple_fanboy said, it all depends on what you will be using your Mac for. If you're doing light browsing of the web and playing media, the MacBook Air will be perfect for you.

However, if you frequently play games and perform higher order tasks, you might need to get a MacBook Pro.

If you do not care about portability at all, I would recommend an iMac. It is an absolutely flawless desktop and can work very well for you.

If you want a little bit of both worlds, you could consider getting the new iPad and a iMac, so that you get portability as well as a powerful desktop for more daunting tasks.

 

[Moonjumper]

I have an iMac / iPad combination that serves me well. I did get a MacBook as well for a particular project that didn't work out. I discovered I was never really using the MacBook, so I'm selling it with no intension of replacing it.

As a switcher who is unsure of what to get, have you considered the Mac Mini? It is relatively cheap and very flexible. If you decide to progress to a different model in the future, it could see service for your son hooked up to a bedroom TV, or be put to use as a media player attached to your main TV.