hey guys,
I have a macbook at the moment, which I use with an external apple cinema display and keyboard/mouse.
I find this setup to be good, as it allows me to span over 2 screens when I write essays or do research etc. I can have one screen with my main document file and the laptop screen to house the other docs and safari windows.
However, I think using my laptop all the time is quite draining for it, annoying to unplug and plug my laptop back every time I swap between portable and desktop mode and lastly the Macbook seems a bit slow sometimes with multiple apps and docs open. Also it's annoying when downloading large files or hosting an ftp, everytime I unplug the macbook to take to uni it obviously can't be used for those things.
I'm thinking for my next purchase to get either the new iMac and get rid of the external display, which would simplify things by using the laptop as strictly a portable and having my desktop handle everything else. However I would have to deal with syncing files between 2 machines.
Or should I get a MBP as I am expecting would make things run faster and I wouldn't get the slowness I get when running Word, iTunes, xchat, powerpoint and a fair few safari tabs open.
A question, with the 24" imac, is it possible to open 2 documents and be able to view them at around 125% side by side?
I am in two minds, as if I stick with the laptop/display option it is good with the spanning ability but it creates clutter with an external hard drive connected, hubs, peripherals etc which constantly need unplugging/plugging. But getting an iMac would mean I lose the ability to screen span if I sell the cinema display (which I am planning to do if I go this route) - however I may not need to span if I can view 2 documents comfortably side by side on one screen. Not to mention the possible hassle of running 2 computers instead of one.
Opinions?
I have a macbook at the moment, which I use with an external apple cinema display and keyboard/mouse.
I find this setup to be good, as it allows me to span over 2 screens when I write essays or do research etc. I can have one screen with my main document file and the laptop screen to house the other docs and safari windows.
However, I think using my laptop all the time is quite draining for it, annoying to unplug and plug my laptop back every time I swap between portable and desktop mode and lastly the Macbook seems a bit slow sometimes with multiple apps and docs open. Also it's annoying when downloading large files or hosting an ftp, everytime I unplug the macbook to take to uni it obviously can't be used for those things.
I'm thinking for my next purchase to get either the new iMac and get rid of the external display, which would simplify things by using the laptop as strictly a portable and having my desktop handle everything else. However I would have to deal with syncing files between 2 machines.
Or should I get a MBP as I am expecting would make things run faster and I wouldn't get the slowness I get when running Word, iTunes, xchat, powerpoint and a fair few safari tabs open.
A question, with the 24" imac, is it possible to open 2 documents and be able to view them at around 125% side by side?
I am in two minds, as if I stick with the laptop/display option it is good with the spanning ability but it creates clutter with an external hard drive connected, hubs, peripherals etc which constantly need unplugging/plugging. But getting an iMac would mean I lose the ability to screen span if I sell the cinema display (which I am planning to do if I go this route) - however I may not need to span if I can view 2 documents comfortably side by side on one screen. Not to mention the possible hassle of running 2 computers instead of one.
Opinions?
