Should I get a $1999 iMac or $2199 MacBook Pro Retina

[cinnabun93]

I am doing college at Penn State World Campus which is online and I don't need portability but it wouldn't hurt. My dad is buying me a machine for college and I can choose between these two because his budget was 2200 dollars not including tax. I am very thankful I can finally get a Mac. I am a computer science major so I figured a Mac was a good way to go because I can boot into any operating system. I play some games on PC and love the look of the new iMac but just can't decide.

 

[FallenRook]

If you don't need to do anything too intensive the rMBP will be fine and you will have portability.

 

[BeeJee]

I am doing college at Penn State World Campus which is online and I don't need portability but it wouldn't hurt. My dad is buying me a machine for college and I can choose between these two because his budget was 2200 dollars not including tax. I am very thankful I can finally get a Mac. I am a computer science major so I figured a Mac was a good way to go because I can boot into any operating system. I play some games on PC and love the look of the new iMac but just can't decide.

Do you have a tablet or anything to use if you need something on the go? Honestly, I thought I would take my MBP everywhere when I first got it but I now realize an iMac would be better for me, I'd really like a bigger screen, I know I can hook up an external but thats not the point. BTW the SSD in the Retina means everything is brutally quick, I really wouldn't be able to go back to a standard HDD, I love the silence.

 

[thehustleman]

I am doing college at Penn State World Campus which is online and I don't need portability but it wouldn't hurt. My dad is buying me a machine for college and I can choose between these two because his budget was 2200 dollars not including tax. I am very thankful I can finally get a Mac. I am a computer science major so I figured a Mac was a good way to go because I can boot into any operating system. I play some games on PC and love the look of the new iMac but just can't decide.

I'd definitely recommend the iMac - a very impressive machine!!!

 

[talmy]

Nothing beats the 27" iMac display, and the ergonomics of a desktop system are superior to a portable. If you don't need the portability, the iMac is the way to go.

 

[itsamacthing]

I would get the MBPr if I were a student so I could work and study anywhere like Starbucks or the library where all the cute girls are

If you have the imac, your not got a meet any girls!

Lol

If that is not a factor, get the imac, I love mine

 

[Hungry&Foolish]

I am doing college at Penn State World Campus which is online and I don't need portability but it wouldn't hurt. My dad is buying me a machine for college and I can choose between these two because his budget was 2200 dollars not including tax. I am very thankful I can finally get a Mac. I am a computer science major so I figured a Mac was a good way to go because I can boot into any operating system. I play some games on PC and love the look of the new iMac but just can't decide.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/F...-23ghz-quad-core-intel-i7-with-retina-display
Retina would be my suggestion.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Portability is your biggest question, in college I would think the rMBP would serve you better.

But online college, meaning you're always home, if correct, would change my answer.

 

[Serban]

if you have an ipad you can use your imac from distance through logmein, so you have your imac desktop and functionality with you all the time (you need internet connection). So go for iMac

 

[cinnabun93]

I do have an iPad 3 and iPad mini both 16GB varients.

 

[ArtieFufkin10]

I'm a big fan of MBA + iMac

So why not get both of those? For example, if you're willing to compromise a bit on costs, you could get the $999 11" MBA and the low end 21.5" iMac for < $2300 with your education discounts.

 

[cinnabun93]

Do you think that's a better option than getting the Retina MBP or the 27" iMac?

 

[Ddyracer]

Do you think that's a better option than getting the Retina MBP or the 27" iMac?

Since your doing uni online I would get the 27 iMac. Im gonna be honest, the retina MB has a better res and is retina but the iMac has a bigger display and a better GPU even on the low end 27, but the high end, 1999$ has a 675mx. Be just fine for gaming if you do any. Good Luck

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

I suggest getting a laptop. The 15" rMBP is plenty powerful. I'm a computer engineering major and I'm doing just fine with a base model 13" MBA. I also play the occasional game or two.

 

[fronesis]

Get an iMac and an iPad Mini.

Work on the beautiful and HUGE iMac display, and when you need portability use something really portable.

I was a Powerbook/iBook/Macbook user for 18 years, and I still have a Macbook Air connected to a Cinema Display in my office. But I'll never go back to having a small notebook screen as my ONLY machine. And for travel and portability, the iPad (in its various versions) is simply far superior to a notebook.

I can see why a select few professionals (photographers, filmmakers) might need the portable power of a macbook pro, but for the vast majority of us, cheap desktop plus cheap iPad is a much better computing equation.

 

[ArtieFufkin10]

Get an iMac and an iPad Mini.

I was a Powerbook/iBook/Macbook user for 18 years, and I still have a Macbook Air connected to a Cinema Display in my office. But I'll never go back to having a small notebook screen as my ONLY machine. And for travel and portability, the iPad (in its various versions) is simply far superior to a notebook.

I can see why a select few professionals (photographers, filmmakers) might need the portable power of a macbook pro, but for the vast majority of us, cheap desktop plus cheap iPad is a much better computing equation.

I sort of agree, but I'd rather splurge on desktop power and skimp on the portable power. Its great to have the large screen and power of the iMac when you're at home. And if you're into research or heavy computing, you can remotely login to your iMac to do that computing when you're away.

Personally, I think I'm done spending $2k+ on a laptop. It just isn't for me.

 

[AndiS.]

I am doing college at Penn State World Campus which is online and I don't need portability but it wouldn't hurt. My dad is buying me a machine for college and I can choose between these two because his budget was 2200 dollars not including tax. I am very thankful I can finally get a Mac. I am a computer science major so I figured a Mac was a good way to go because I can boot into any operating system. I play some games on PC and love the look of the new iMac but just can't decide.

Since you don't need the portability, and play games, the iMac offers you many obvious advantages, as mentioned by other posters.

With your budget, you could also throw in an upgrade, like the Fusion drive, i7 CPU or 680 MX GPU. For games in Windows the 680 MX would make most sense, and is the cheapest upgrade, while the Fusion gives you SSD speeds, but only in OSX (there is a way around that, but I don't find it necessary for gaming).

Just options, the stock 1,999 iMac has plenty of power already.

 

[Muscle Master]

If you can take games out of the equation... 13 inch air and a Thunderbolt display is the best of both worlds

 

[xShane]

I am doing college at Penn State World Campus which is online and I don't need portability but it wouldn't hurt. My dad is buying me a machine for college and I can choose between these two because his budget was 2200 dollars not including tax. I am very thankful I can finally get a Mac. I am a computer science major so I figured a Mac was a good way to go because I can boot into any operating system. I play some games on PC and love the look of the new iMac but just can't decide.

I would personally recommend the iMac. It will be much more powerful than a Retina MacBook Pro in every way possible (RAM, HD, CPU, GPU, etc.). You can also get an amazing 27-inch screen.

I was in the same shoes as you (was even thinking about returning my MacBook Pro for an iMac), but portability is an issue for me. As for you, not so much. An iMac will last you longer and be more future proof due to its power.

It would also make a great main desktop machine, which means should you need a laptop in the future, you could just get a cheap refurb MacBook Air ($800 USD, very cheap in terms of Apple laptops) for anything on the go and use your iMac for when you need performance and power and as your main station.

 

[Ravesh]

I am doing college at Penn State World Campus which is online and I don't need portability but it wouldn't hurt. My dad is buying me a machine for college and I can choose between these two because his budget was 2200 dollars not including tax. I am very thankful I can finally get a Mac. I am a computer science major so I figured a Mac was a good way to go because I can boot into any operating system. I play some games on PC and love the look of the new iMac but just can't decide.

since your college is online and you don"t need portability take the imac it"s a awesome computer but if you need portability take the macbook pro or do the best of both worlds thing take a macbook pro and save up and buy a thunderbolt display later but if your taking the macbook pro with retina display take the model with the gtx 750m

ipad air ipod touch 5g

 

[talmy]

This thread is now moot.

A quick check shows that the OP bought an iMac apparently last March, then (replaced it?) with i7 15" RMBP in April, but is now considering replacing it (so soon!) with an MBA because the RMBP is too heavy.

 

[haylight]

I am doing college at Penn State World Campus which is online and I don't need portability but it wouldn't hurt. My dad is buying me a machine for college and I can choose between these two because his budget was 2200 dollars not including tax. I am very thankful I can finally get a Mac. I am a computer science major so I figured a Mac was a good way to go because I can boot into any operating system. I play some games on PC and love the look of the new iMac but just can't decide.

MBPR, no question.

 

[Serban]

Sorry but if the OP still wanting to buy something i recommend to wait for retina imac in october. Yosemite is very pleasant on retina displays

 

[Kjos]

VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ OP:

If you are a computer science major, I promise you will you need to use Windows exclusive software, in which you will need to run Windows on your Mac. BEWARE that if you choose the FUSION drive option for your computer choice YOU CANNOT RUN BOOTCAMP!!!!! Only standard sata harddrives can do bootcamp. You will need to you VirtualBox for the use of a windows operating system. Be aware of this man and I hope you love your new machine!

 

[ashman70]

I have a late 2013 27" iMac with a 1TB fusion drive and I installed windows via bootcamp just fine, what are you talking about?

VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ OP:

If you are a computer science major, I promise you will you need to use Windows exclusive software, in which you will need to run Windows on your Mac. BEWARE that if you choose the FUSION drive option for your computer choice YOU CANNOT RUN BOOTCAMP!!!!! Only standard sata harddrives can do bootcamp. You will need to you VirtualBox for the use of a windows operating system. Be aware of this man and I hope you love your new machine!