Performance: MacBook Pro vs. iMac

[JABacchetta]

It looks like the only advantage that the iMac offers over the MacBook Pro is a 3.1GHz processor compared to the 2.7GHz processor on the laptop.

How much difference is there between those two processors? The most intensive thing I really work with is Photoshop.

Also, I leave my computer on 24/7, and I'm actively working on it at least 40 hours a week (sometimes much more). Would the MacBook Pro have any trouble with this kind of workload compared to an iMac? In other words, the MacBook Pro isn't going to break on me after a year of use is it?

The iMac is not mountable and I work on a sit-stand desk so it looks like I'm going to be going with the MacBook Pro and then connecting it to a different monitor... as long as it'll handle the work I throw at it.

 

[lightz39]

The iMac is cheaper and faster, especially if you load it. But you shouldn't have any problems with the macbook.

 

[sireShonBohn]

If you're doing 3D rendering or any other automated computational tasks that require hours and hours of full on CPU usage I would go with the iMac. When I was in college I burned out a PC's power supply rendering a scene for 5 days straight... That was a self-built computer though.

 

[leman]

How much difference is there between those two processors? The most intensive thing I really work with is Photoshop.

I guess you are talking about the 21.5" i7 option? That CPU is the 3770S (3.1 default clock/3.9 turbo clock/8 MB cache). The MBP one is the 3820QM (2.7 default clock/3.7 turbo clock/8 MB cache). Performance-wise there is not that much difference. The desktop one will be probably able to maintain higher turbo clocks under heavy loads for longer periods of time, but that's all. I doubt you will see any significant difference between the two in Photoshop.