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MyiBill

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 8, 2012
395
57
So my rMBP recently broke and I'm debating whether to sell my Thunderbolt Display and get a 27" iMac and a MBA to replace my current setup. With the current best buy deals it would cost me about $800 to upgrade to the iMac.
 
So my rMBP recently broke and I'm debating whether to sell my Thunderbolt Display and get a 27" iMac and a MBA to replace my current setup. With the current best buy deals it would cost me about $800 to upgrade to the iMac.

The new iMacs are AT LEAST as powerful as your MBP, and the MBA's are quite capable too, especially for such an ultraportable. However, if you need mobility and use your MBP for high-end graphics work like editing movies, etc, you'll not have the same experience using a MacBook Air for those tasks. It's all about what you do on your MBP.
 
The new iMacs are AT LEAST as powerful as your MBP, and the MBA's are quite capable too, especially for such an ultraportable. However, if you need mobility and use your MBP for high-end graphics work like editing movies, etc, you'll not have the same experience using a MacBook Air for those tasks. It's all about what you do on your MBP.


The most intensive tasks I do is the occasional handbrake movie otherwise it's just the internet, email and word.
 
If that's it, then you certainly could get by nicely, although if the Handbrake jobs involve ripping DVDs you have to take that into account.

The iMac is a great display, same resolution. And although the connections aren't quite the same, you of course get an attached computer.... Apple doesn't separately list the specs of the monitor part of the iMac, but I imagine it isn't super different than the ACD.

Seems like a good plan, depending on finances and how much you'd get for the display.
 
If that's it, then you certainly could get by nicely, although if the Handbrake jobs involve ripping DVDs you have to take that into account.

The iMac is a great display, same resolution. And although the connections aren't quite the same, you of course get an attached computer.... Apple doesn't separately list the specs of the monitor part of the iMac, but I imagine it isn't super different than the ACD.

Seems like a good plan, depending on finances and how much you'd get for the display.

Good point. Using a MacBook Air means carrying around the external SuperDrive if you want to do any burning.
 
how did you break your rMBP?

Not sure really I think it just failed it started going to a black screen when I would open it but the keyboard lights would come on and I'd have to reboot it multiple times to get it to come on. I called apple and tried a few resets but it kept happening so I brought it in and they said the graphics card is failing and since it's soldered in its the whole logic board. Just bought it in January 2013 and never got AppleCare :(

Anyway just picked up the base 27" iMac from best buy $1600 after taxes. I do rip DVDs but only when I buy one or a bluray that doesn't have digital copy so I'll just let the imac do that.

On a side note is there anyway I could use the ssd from my MBP as a "fusion" drive on the imac?
 
Just bought it in January 2013 and never got AppleCare :(

Any chance you bought it on a credit card with purchase protection? My credit card doubles the manufacturer's warranty up to one additional year and it costs me nothing (ie is a standard feature).

Definitely worth while checking if you don't know.
 
Any chance you bought it on a credit card with purchase protection? My credit card doubles the manufacturer's warranty up to one additional year and it costs me nothing (ie is a standard feature).

Definitely worth while checking if you don't know.


Bought it on my paypal debit card. I'm looking into getting an Amex now as I know they do that.
 
if i were you i'd sell the display and buy a 2nd hand iMac. i bought a 27" 2011 iMac for $800. it has thunderbolt ports so i can just use it as a display if i want to. i also have a 13" 2012 Macbook Air, but i'm gonna upgrade to 13" rMBP in a few days.
 
if i were you i'd sell the display and buy a 2nd hand iMac. i bought a 27" 2011 iMac for $800. it has thunderbolt ports so i can just use it as a display if i want to. i also have a 13" 2012 Macbook Air, but i'm gonna upgrade to 13" rMBP in a few days.

Already bought a new 27" really wanted the new form factor and a new one wasn't that much more.
 
A fusion drive is really a combo drive, SSD and HDD. Maybe someone sells cases for them that'd work; you can search around for the Terminal commands to make a fusion drive.

The big question I'd have is whether you could get it/them to work externally. There might be some latency in getting the externals going that would thwart booting, especially if the drives weren't in the same enclosure (I would think you'd have to use some kind of RAID enclosure).

I wouldn't risk it, but would just use the SSD and HDD separately. If you didn't get a Fusion or SSD in the new iMac use the SSD as the boot drive with the new iMac. USB 3 would be a bit slower than a TB enclosure, but either would be faster than just an internal HDD I'd guess.
 
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