[programmer] iMac retina or MBPR 15"?

[Sillythink]

My MacBook Pro 15" 2011 with SSD is broken recently,
I am a Final year student and a part time freelancer now.

I love the portability and all setting/ files in the same machine, so I can just unplug it and go outside with all my stuff.

I almost done all my work at home, rarely on University in recently two years. However I can't decide having a MacBook Pro retina so I can use it as my working machine after I graduate or a iMac retina at home with large screen and clearly text which give me a nice coding environment.

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Sorry for the bad English and I'm currently studying Computer Science and a web/ mobile developer

 

[Kier-XF]

I'm coding on a retina iMac now. Love it.

 

[Sillythink]

I'm coding on a retina iMac now. Love it.

Do you feel it is better working environment compare to using a MacBook with external monitor?? E.g. It will lost portability etc.

 

[redheeler]

The Retina iMac will give you plenty of screen space for code. For web design it can't be beat (you can see your site in literally the highest resolution on the market today, how cool is that ). If you can live without a portable machine go for it.

 

[Kier-XF]

I prefer not to code on a laptop unless I absolutely have to. The ergonomics of the iMac are infinitely superior.

 

[maflynn]

It all boils down to your mobility needs. If you still think you'll want to use the computer away from your desk then the rMBP is the way to go. If not then the iMac is a better choice.

Personally, I think the iMac with the larger display, more powerful CPU/GPU is the way to go, but that's just me.

 

[Sillythink]

Are you all freelancer so you guys can work at home with an iMac retina?

 

[Sillythink]

I really want that gorgeous display on iMac,
But I also afraid that I need portability after I go into the industry

 

[tawfiqmp]

Simple. Get both. I'm a programmer as well.

 

[Sillythink]

Simple. Get both. I'm a programmer as well.

Good ideas
So I just planning to get a iMac retina first, and then get MBA retina when it released on next year summer maybe.

Thx all guys.
btw this forum is the most useful apple's forum I have visited

 

[tillsbury]

Good ideas
So I just planning to get a iMac retina first, and then get MBA retina when it released on next year summer maybe.

Thx all guys.
btw this forum is the most useful apple's forum I have visited

That's what I'm doing. Sold my rMBP for a good price, bought a rimac, waiting to get a rMBA the day they come out. I'm wondering whether to get a refurb 11" bottom model to tide me over, then sell it when the retina arrives.

 

[foo.c]

iMac all the way. I work from home 100% and just started using the iMac this week. It's wonderful. (I do wish it had another ethernet port because I use a hardware VPN to get onto our servers, but I will pick up a thunderbolt or USB ethernet dongle soon.)

I guess there are people that can code anywhere on anything, but I am not one of them. The portability of the MBP doesn't really do anything for me. Give me a desktop and lots of screen space.

Chances are your employer is going to give you a computer to work on. Some places are really anal about what they let on their internal networks and may not allow you to use your own computer.