Reassure me

[GuitarDTO]

I've been longing for an iMac 27, but the recent Macbook Pro update has changed my mind. I'm going to spend more money now, but I am curious if others think I am doing the best thing.

Primary uses: Photo editing in Aperture 3 (considering lightroom still but leaning towards A3). Music creation in Apple Logic. Occasional video editing. With the iMac, that would be it, but since this will now be my primary computer and replacing my current Dell laptop, I will also be doing my everyday computing, browsing, etc on the new Macbook.

Configuration I'm looking to get: 15" 2.2 GHz i7, 8GB ram, high res glossy screen (didnt like the anti-glare as much in the store), magic mouse added, Apple 27" External display (for when Im doing the photo editing/logic stuff), and will be mating the computer with an Apogee Duet interface.

First, will this be plenty powerful enough for my uses? Second, I'm unsure about what to do with the harddrive. I am considering the 128 GB Solid State Drive, and keeping my future photography library on an external hard drive, however I have read about problems with stability in Aperture 3 when running your library from an external drive so I am also considering the 7200 RPM 500 GB harddrive, and using external harddrive for archiving photos I dont want/need on the computer drive and for general backup.

Budget is not a problem, but it does bug me how much extra you pay for the Macbook pro's compared with the iMacs. Would you go ahead and pull the trigger on this setup, or wait for the new iMac refresh and stick with the dell laptop for the general purpose stuff? The dell runs fine for general purpose stuff other than needing a new battery, but consolidating to 1 upgraded computer for everything does sound appealing even if it costs more. What would you do?

Thanks!

 

[Tomorrow]

Sounds like a nice setup.

If you're going to spring for an external monitor, you might consider going to a 13" MBP and saving a few hundred bucks. Either way, it's quite a potent machine for how you describe your use.

 

[Tyrion]

Haha, are you me? I posted about a similar question: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1104645/

I can't really help you, but I would be just as interested as you are to hear other people's views on this.

 

[iPhone1]

Here's my two cents:

Plenty powerful for your needs.

Get anti-glare - colors are more accurate which is crucial in not only your work but how others see your work on other machines.

Get the SSD - will rock your world with how fast things will move. Store photos on external.

If you need the MBP, get it now. If you can wait for the iMac refresh, wait.

 

[GuitarDTO]

Sounds like a nice setup.

If you're going to spring for an external monitor, you might consider going to a 13" MBP and saving a few hundred bucks. Either way, it's quite a potent machine for how you describe your use.

I did look at this, and actually I did like the 13"! However, correct me if I'm wrong but you cannot get a quad-core i7 with the 13"?

 

[skiltrip]

Here's my two cents:

Plenty powerful for your needs but you may want to get the 2.3Ghz option if only for the added RAM in the GPU which may help you in the long run. Future proof now.

Get anti-glare - colors are more accurate which is crucial in not only your work but how others see your work on other machines.

Get the SSD - will rock your world with how fast things will move. Store photos on external.

If you need the MBP, get it now. If you can wait for the iMac refresh, wait.

The 2.3 has the same video card as the 2.2.

 

[Tomorrow]

I did look at this, and actually I did like the 13"! However, correct me if I'm wrong but you cannot get a quad-core i7 with the 13"?

You're correct.

 

[GuitarDTO]

Here's my two cents:

Plenty powerful for your needs but you may want to get the 2.3Ghz option if only for the added RAM in the GPU which may help you in the long run. Future proof now.

Get anti-glare - colors are more accurate which is crucial in not only your work but how others see your work on other machines.

Get the SSD - will rock your world with how fast things will move. Store photos on external.

If you need the MBP, get it now. If you can wait for the iMac refresh, wait.

Thanks for the tips. I really like the apple 27" display though which unfortunately doesnt come with Anti-glare, so it wouldnt really matter if my laptop had AG....but I could also consider the Dell U2711 which is anti-glare....just have to buy one of those minidisplay adapters for it.

As for the SSD, are they really that much faster? Also, if I'm using external for photos, won't my external drive end up slowing my work down as if I didnt have the SSD?

 

[iPhone1]

The 2.3 has the same video card as the 2.2.

I stand corrected. I confused the 15" options with the 17" ones. Thanks!

 

[mark28]

I've been longing for an iMac 27, but the recent Macbook Pro update has changed my mind. I'm going to spend more money now, but I am curious if others think I am doing the best thing.

Primary uses: Photo editing in Aperture 3 (considering lightroom still but leaning towards A3). Music creation in Apple Logic. Occasional video editing. With the iMac, that would be it, but since this will now be my primary computer and replacing my current Dell laptop, I will also be doing my everyday computing, browsing, etc on the new Macbook.

Configuration I'm looking to get: 15" 2.2 GHz i7, 8GB ram, high res glossy screen (didnt like the anti-glare as much in the store), magic mouse added, Apple 27" External display (for when Im doing the photo editing/logic stuff), and will be mating the computer with an Apogee Duet interface.

First, will this be plenty powerful enough for my uses? Second, I'm unsure about what to do with the harddrive. I am considering the 128 GB Solid State Drive, and keeping my future photography library on an external hard drive, however I have read about problems with stability in Aperture 3 when running your library from an external drive so I am also considering the 7200 RPM 500 GB harddrive, and using external harddrive for archiving photos I dont want/need on the computer drive and for general backup.

Budget is not a problem, but it does bug me how much extra you pay for the Macbook pro's compared with the iMacs. Would you go ahead and pull the trigger on this setup, or wait for the new iMac refresh and stick with the dell laptop for the general purpose stuff? The dell runs fine for general purpose stuff other than needing a new battery, but consolidating to 1 upgraded computer for everything does sound appealing even if it costs more. What would you do?

Thanks!

Which iMac do you have? The i5 iMac did pretty well against the 17" MBP 2011 which has no HT. So if you got the i7 iMac which does support HT, I think you're making a significant downgrade.

 

[TheHoff]

If you don't need the Superdrive, swap it out and put your data drive there. Put an SSD in the main bay. I had a Core2Duo unibody with a good SSD and even it felt plenty fast for Lightroom for quite a while thanks to keeping the LR cache on the SSD.

BTW, Lightroom does fine with external volumes holding part of your catalog.

 

[GuitarDTO]

Which iMac do you have? The i5 iMac did pretty well against the 17" MBP 2011 which has no HT. So if you got the i7 iMac which does support HT, I think you're making a significant downgrade.

I dont have an imac...I'm considering the 27" or waiting for the new ones. What is HT?

@TheHoff,
I've seen the superdrive suggestion a few times now. Does that void the warranty doing a swap like that?

 

[TheHoff]

I dont have an imac...I'm considering the 27" or waiting for the new ones. What is HT?

@TheHoff,
I've seen the superdrive suggestion a few times now. Does that void the warranty doing a swap like that?

Hm I don't think so but maybe someone else can answer for sure. Worst case scenario, though, and you can just put the Superdrive back in the slot if you have to take it in for service.

 

[GuitarDTO]

Getting ready to pull the trigger

Ok I've gotten a quote for everything I'm looking for, but before I spend over $4grand I'd like to hear a few more opinions on what I should do about the harddrive. Should I:

1. Get the stock 128 GB SSD, and use an external for photos
2. Get the stock 750 GB, wait for aftermarket SSD's to come down in price later, then install the aftermarket in the Superdrive slot and have two internal drives, with the SSD being the operating system

3. Just get the 750, use an external, and forget about SSD for now.

So the main questions I have right now are, with option 1, what is the quality of the stock apple SSD?

For option 2, can someone explain to me the process of converting my operating system from the stock 750 GB to an aftermarket SSD lets say 2 months down the road? Is that an easy process to do? Or do I have to back everything up, delete the old drive, and reinstall everything on the new drive, or does Mac make things easier than Windows?

Thanks!

 

[axu539]

Ok I've gotten a quote for everything I'm looking for, but before I spend over $4grand I'd like to hear a few more opinions on what I should do about the harddrive. Should I:

1. Get the stock 128 GB SSD, and use an external for photos
2. Get the stock 750 GB, wait for aftermarket SSD's to come down in price later, then install the aftermarket in the Superdrive slot and have two internal drives, with the SSD being the operating system

3. Just get the 750, use an external, and forget about SSD for now.

So the main questions I have right now are, with option 1, what is the quality of the stock apple SSD?

For option 2, can someone explain to me the process of converting my operating system from the stock 750 GB to an aftermarket SSD lets say 2 months down the road? Is that an easy process to do? Or do I have to back everything up, delete the old drive, and reinstall everything on the new drive, or does Mac make things easier than Windows?

Thanks!

I went with option 1, since Apple's SSDs are now quite cheap. Nobody knows the actual brands they use this year yet, as the CTO machines start arriving on Wednesday. I'm guessing they're either Samsung or Toshiba, though, which are fine, but not super fast. Unless you're doing something super disk-intensive though, you will NOT be able to tell the difference between SSDs.

For option 2, you can simply download carbon copy cloner, and clone your drive to the SSD (in an external enclosure). Painless process that shouldn't take terribly long, as you'll only be cloning 128 GB over tops.

Don't do option 3. SSDs are amazing, and you'll wonder how you ever went without one. With the stock drive, your processor won't even be able to run at full potential.

 

[clickmyface]

Which iMac do you have? The i5 iMac did pretty well against the 17" MBP 2011 which has no HT. So if you got the i7 iMac which does support HT, I think you're making a significant downgrade.

All sandy bridge processors support hyper threading (including dual's inside 13"s.)

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=50067

Secondly, according to Geekbench the 17" MBP processing power beats out ALL previous generation iMacs, including those with non-sandy 2.93Ghz i7s. And I don't doubt that; Sany Bridge is a big step forward.

 

[GuitarDTO]

I went with option 1, since Apple's SSDs are now quite cheap. Nobody knows the actual brands they use this year yet, as the CTO machines start arriving on Wednesday. I'm guessing they're either Samsung or Toshiba, though, which are fine, but not super fast. Unless you're doing something super disk-intensive though, you will NOT be able to tell the difference between SSDs.

For option 2, you can simply download carbon copy cloner, and clone your drive to the SSD (in an external enclosure). Painless process that shouldn't take terribly long, as you'll only be cloning 128 GB over tops.

Don't do option 3. SSDs are amazing, and you'll wonder how you ever went without one. With the stock drive, your processor won't even be able to run at full potential.

Any regrets going with option 1? Is your laptop a monster I assume? ; )

 

[johnnymg]

Ok I've gotten a quote for everything I'm looking for, but before I spend over $4grand I'd like to hear a few more opinions on what I should do about the harddrive. Should I:

1. Get the stock 128 GB SSD, and use an external for photos
2. Get the stock 750 GB, wait for aftermarket SSD's to come down in price later, then install the aftermarket in the Superdrive slot and have two internal drives, with the SSD being the operating system

3. Just get the 750, use an external, and forget about SSD for now.

So the main questions I have right now are, with option 1, what is the quality of the stock apple SSD?

For option 2, can someone explain to me the process of converting my operating system from the stock 750 GB to an aftermarket SSD lets say 2 months down the road? Is that an easy process to do? Or do I have to back everything up, delete the old drive, and reinstall everything on the new drive, or does Mac make things easier than Windows?

Thanks!

Neither:

Get the stock 750G HD and move it to the optibay and buy a 120+ GB SSD for boot. This mod will VASTLY improve the usefulness of the computer.

cheers
JohnG

 

[GuitarDTO]

What do I REALLY need?

I'm second guessing myself based on the whopping price total of everything I'm getting ready to buy. I have a Dell laptop that still serves most of my general computing needs.

-Apple Logic
-Aperture 3
-Occasional video editing

Those are the main reasons I want/need a new MBP. I need an external display with whichever version I choose, because even the 17" is not really big enough to do proper photo editing. So, my new question: would the 13" i7model satisfy those two needs with power to spare? If I'm buying a 27" external display, I dont really care how big the laptop is as long as it has the power to push the software. I'm trying to be Logic(al) about my choice here and not get caught up with spec fascination. Will Logic and Aperture struggle on a 13" system?

Thanks

(EDIT, I realize a current iMac would probably suffice, but being able to take these two softwares on the road for the ~3 or 4 times a year I travel would be nice...hence the MBP)

 

[GuitarDTO]

Just purchased it!
I decided on the following configuration:
-15", 2.2 i7, 4GB Ram (will upgrade to 8 later), 500 GB 7200 RPM (Was really tempted by the 128 GB SSD, but ultimately, since I will be using Logic with 30 GB worth of content, Aperture, and a lot of other apps that require tons of space, I went with the HHD), Glossy High Res Screen
-27" Cinema display!!
-Logic Studio
-Apogee One interface
-Magic Mouse
-Numeric Keypad keyboard

Holy crap I am excited! The harddrive and display were my biggest concerns, but I think I made the best choices for me.

 

[brentsg]

I just came by to reassure you but it's too late.

 

[gonnabuyamacbsh]

Just purchased it!
I decided on the following configuration:
-15", 2.2 i7, 4GB Ram (will upgrade to 8 later), 500 GB 7200 RPM (Was really tempted by the 128 GB SSD, but ultimately, since I will be using Logic with 30 GB worth of content, Aperture, and a lot of other apps that require tons of space, I went with the HHD), Glossy High Res Screen
-27" Cinema display!!
-Logic Studio
-Apogee One interface
-Magic Mouse
-Numeric Keypad keyboard

Holy crap I am excited! The harddrive and display were my biggest concerns, but I think I made the best choices for me.

Ugh horrible! You wasted your money and your time. Children will throw stones at you and wild animals will hunt you down and urinate in your mouth. You failure! Also, nobody loves you.

You reassured brah?

 

[GuitarDTO]

lol to all. Thanks for all the tips and advice! I'm sure I'll be around with questions as I'm completely new to OSX. I'm gonna print out the wikepedia sheet full of keyboard shortcuts, and I've got two hella complex softwares to start learning! I'm gonna be getting a training manual for Logic, and will be converting a lot of photos over to aperture and want to try out making an album in it!

 

[adnoh]

Go for it, its a beastly setup.

 

[GuitarDTO]

Nothing to really complain about I suppose, but I just got the email for shipment of everything but the MBP, and its 3 separate tracking numbers thus far!! So that'll make 4 shipments to track when the MBP is on its way. Jeeez!