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Should i sell my Macbook Pro for the new iPad and a Mac Mini?

D

djn4eva

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 20, 2011
111
18
Im a full time college student and i need something more portable than my current early 2011 macbook pro. i like the idea of having the mac mini at home with all my media so i can always access it on the iPad and i can use the iPad for studying, taking notes in class, and other small uses. Do you think this setup would work?

i also use logmein so i can use my iPad similarly as a Mac right?
 
Me personally, I wouldn't. I'll keep my MBP. I was in your situation a year ago, kept my Pro, graduated, got a job and bought all the Apple products I wanted.

But, no, keep your MBP. You could always get a 13" MBA and sell your Pro.
 
I would go for it. Since having an iPad I have never moved my laptop from my desk and plan on replacing it with an iMac once Ivy-Bridge ones become available and I gather the funds to buy it.

iPad + Desktop = Little to no need for a laptop. Unless you are a business user or need a full laptop for your work on the go. Even then, an Ultrabook/Macbook Air would be sufficient.
 
Aren't the new MB Pro's the next thing due out on Apple's release calendar? I thought they typically come out between the release of the iPad and iPhone.
 
iPad is no laptop, not ideal for creating content ... if you're fine with that when you're away from your desk and mini that's fine.

But, if you think you'll have any desire to do work, typing, or anything that a computer does faster and easier while you're mobile ... then you'll be quite disappointed.

I'm seeing more of this with people now. Maximum portability taking priority over productivity and to watch people type and fumble and stumble through their iPad as if it's a laptop ... they're sorely disappointed.

You would be much better served by a 13" MacBook Air and external monitor. Then in the future buy yourself an iPad for fun when you can afford it.
 
entatlrg said:
iPad is no laptop, not ideal for creating content ... if you're fine with that when you're away from your desk and mini that's fine.

But, if you think you'll have any desire to do work, typing, or anything that a computer does faster and easier while you're mobile ... then you'll be quite disappointed.

I'm seeing more of this with people now. Maximum portability taking priority over productivity and to watch people type and fumble and stumble through their iPad as if it's a laptop ... they're sorely disappointed.

You would be much better served by a 13" MacBook Air and external monitor. Then in the future buy yourself an iPad for fun when you can afford it.
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I'd hang on to the MacBook. I bought the 1st gen iPad in April 2010 and used it all through the summer and thought about replacing my MacBook with an iMac cause I had stopped using my laptop. But then once I was back to school in the fall I started using my iPad less and less and was using my MacBook more and more. I ended up selling my iPad before the ipad 2 came out.

iPads are great, but they're no replacement for a laptop for a college student. I graduated in December and only after that did I start missing my iPad. But now that I have a job it was an easy choice to buy the new iPad and I love it. My MacBook rarely sees any action anymore and always sits on my desk. But the difference is that I'm no longer a student.
 
apeterenko said:
I'd hang on to the MacBook. I bought the 1st gen iPad in April 2010 and used it all through the summer and thought about replacing my MacBook with an iMac cause I had stopped using my laptop. But then once I was back to school in the fall I started using my iPad less and less and was using my MacBook more and more. I ended up selling my iPad before the ipad 2 came out.

iPads are great, but they're no replacement for a laptop for a college student. I graduated in December and only after that did I start missing my iPad. But now that I have a job it was an easy choice to buy the new iPad and I love it. My MacBook rarely sees any action anymore and always sits on my desk. But the difference is that I'm no longer a student.
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I guess it's all dependent on the student's needs. Short of doing engineering/math work, I do most if not all of my other school activities on my iPad. Notes, Tables, Presentations, Papers. All of it. iCloud has been a wonderful thing as well because it wireless syncs all of it with my Mac.
 
Hmmm, this is quite a tough question just because the 15 inch MBP is pretty powerful. If you're not using advanced apps on the MBP, the Mac mini will be a fine replacement but the problem is, the Mac mini and iPad almost have the same amount of processing/productive power. As Kyotama above said, the iPad is fine for most functions. If you need extra storage, I would suggest getting a wireless hard drive but you may get more bang for buck with an Apple TV coupled with a cheap HDMI LCD TV because you'll have a large screen to use with your iPad.
 
i don't think you should do it. you would basically be replacing 1 machine that is good for 100% of things for 2 machines that is good at 50% of things.
 
djn4eva said:
Im a full time college student and i need something more portable than my current early 2011 macbook pro. i like the idea of having the mac mini at home with all my media so i can always access it on the iPad and i can use the iPad for studying, taking notes in class, and other small uses. Do you think this setup would work?

i also use logmein so i can use my iPad similarly as a Mac right?
Click to expand...

Mbp is the thing you must have, while iPad is the thing you'd better have...
 
djn4eva said:
Im a full time college student and i need something more portable than my current early 2011 macbook pro. i like the idea of having the mac mini at home with all my media so i can always access it on the iPad and i can use the iPad for studying, taking notes in class, and other small uses. Do you think this setup would work?

i also use logmein so i can use my iPad similarly as a Mac right?
Click to expand...
IMO, if you're a student then a laptop is infinitely more useful than a tablet/desktop.

Taking notes, studying, games or whatever will work because The iPad CAN do all the things you mention, but it's not necessarily the best tool for it and you'll find yourself making compromises or workarounds for tasks that are built for laptops.

I'm not saying NOT to get an iPad. But if I were a student then I'd go for a 13" Air.
 
Before the iPad, I had a 17" MBP that I rarely moved from my desk. I'm a freelance designer so it was always setup in my office. I hated traveling with it because it was big. As soon as the iPad came out, I immediately sold my MBP and got an iMac and an iPad. I've been more than happy ever since. My work is done in my office and everything else is done on my iPad. It's the perfect combo when you need a computer to do some heavily lifting.

You can get work done on your iPad if you have the patience to figure out the workarounds. Once you do, it becomes 2nd nature. I hate when people say you can't get work done on the iPad. You definitely can, just not using the same processes as on a desktop/laptop.
 
I like the MBA idea. It's light and gives you a little more functionality if you should need it. Sure you can find work around's with the iPad, but why if it's not absolutely necessary. Get an iPad when it can function as an addition to your functionality not the main source.
 
As a student and you only want or can afford one device the 13" MacBook Air was the way to go.

Large screen made it easier to collaborate with others and there was never an occasion where I wished I had brought something less powerful.

Never worried about syncing anything before running out the door except for backing up my data once a week.

Battery life got me through an entire day and kept WiFi off as it was too much of a drain and distraction to surf.

Refresh should be out soon so sell that Pro while it still has the greatest value.
 
GraphicsGeek said:
You can get work done on your iPad if you have the patience to figure out the workarounds. Once you do, it becomes 2nd nature. I hate when people say you can't get work done on the iPad. You definitely can, just not using the same processes as on a desktop/laptop.
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Are you considering that he's a STUDENT? Nobody is saying you "can't" get work done on an iPad, it's just that, as you said, it requires figuring out workarounds fotat asks that laptops are already built for. We have jobs, time and income so we can go around trying to shoehorn an iPad into our workflow because we WANT to, but the guy is a student focusing in educating himself so making compromises should be the last thing on his mind.
 
noteple said:
As a student and you only want or can afford one device the 13" MacBook Air was the way to go
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Agreed 100% - I purchased my iPad2 with the thought the device would replace my laptop. Sadly, nothing was further from the truth. It is a great device and I asbolutely love it, but it cannot replace a laptop. If you are a student, with minimal means of purchasing technology, hands down the way to go is laptop and not the iPad. It just doesn't have the same juice/power as a laptop and cannot replace it. Just my 2 cents.
 
That's my configuration exactly. Mac Mini (2.26ghz, early 2009) and iPad 3. I highly recommend that combination. No need for laptop, which I avoid and see as unnecessary with what the new iPad can do. Never liked laptops anyway.
 
nfl46 said:
Me personally, I wouldn't. I'll keep my MBP. I was in your situation a year ago, kept my Pro, graduated, got a job and bought all the Apple products I wanted.

But, no, keep your MBP. You could always get a 13" MBA and sell your Pro.
Click to expand...

I look forward to enjoying the same luxuries as you in 4 years time!
 
djn4eva said:
Im a full time college student and i need something more portable than my current early 2011 macbook pro.
Click to expand...

What makes the iPad more portable? (serious question) A cell phone is much more portable than a laptop, but an iPad is not significantly more portable. I'd move to an 11" Macbook Air.
 
gnagy said:
What makes the iPad more portable? (serious question) A cell phone is much more portable than a laptop, but an iPad is not significantly more portable. I'd move to an 11" Macbook Air.
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An 11" Air is an amazing machine but I just sold mine for three major reasons that should be pretty important to a student.

1) The screen is cramped so long hours on it causes eye fatigue.
2) The OS is not built for such a small screen. Its workable and the best 11" out there, but its still small. If they would just dump the bezel and fit a 12" it would make a world of difference
3) Battery life. 3-3.5hrs just isnt enough for someone on the go. Especially a student.

IMO, the 13" is the sweetspot in power, portability and features if you can afford it.
 
urkel said:
An 11" Air is an amazing machine but I just sold mine for three major reasons that should be pretty important to a student.

1) The screen is cramped so long hours on it causes eye fatigue.
2) The OS is not built for such a small screen. Its workable and the best 11" out there, but its still small. If they would just dump the bezel and fit a 12" it would make a world of difference
3) Battery life. 3-3.5hrs just isnt enough for someone on the go. Especially a student.

IMO, the 13" is the sweetspot in power, portability and features if you can afford it.
Click to expand...

Good point, and I agree. I was just trying to get as close as possible to an iPad in size. And as you pointed out, the trade-offs are probably not worth it, which makes the 13" Air a better choice.
 
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