Trying to decide on a new MBP or iMac

[ImpostorOak]

I have a June 2007 MacBook Pro that's been doing well for me. However, it has some issues. The battery basically holds no charge, the DVD drive slot is dented & the DVD drive doesn't always work, and probably worst of all, the audio out jack is busted and giving me the red light (I've spent hours trying to fix it to no avail). This, along with the facts that I could always use more RAM (I have 2GB) and they didn't make a 13" when I bought my MBP (I probably would have gotten it instead) have made me decide to get a 13" when they update them. But the more I look at the 27" iMac, for only $200 more than the MBP I was going to get, the more I'm interested in it.

The main reason the iMac appeals to me is screen space. The most intense thing I'll be doing on it is audio editing in Pro Tools, but the extra 12 inches will make a huge difference for that.

Of course, if I get the iMac, I'll have to buy a new battery for my MBP and I still won't have use of the internal speakers or full use of the DVD drive. So I'd just like your opinions.

Option 1: Buy a 13" MBP. Then I'd have two MBPs. The 15" would stay on my desk since the battery and internal speakers don't work. The 13" would go places with me.

Option 2: $300 more, buy iMac and battery for current MBP. The money is actually a big factor, but I think I can find it somewhere. The other problem is that my portable won't be fully functional. But my desktop would have colossal screen space and be more powerful than my current MBP or the 13" I was going to buy.

Thanks for any input!

 

[clyde2801]

Try the freezer trick for the battery, and see if that works first.

 

[jmoore5196]

Well, I just ditched a 2.53GHz 13" MBP and bought a 21.5" iMac, because space is still a consideration for me. I have to say I like the iMac a lot, even though I'll be taking it back for another tomorrow due to screen issues.

The wireless keyboard and new mouse are addicting. While I would have loved to have an i5 or i7, the 3.06GHz processor seems very speedy compared to my MBP, which I don't miss at all. I also have a 1.6GHz MacBook Air for travel around town.

The other thing worth considering is the hard drive space. 250 gigs pales in comparison to the iMac's 1TB drive. The 7200rpm speed is an added plus.

That said, I don't think you'd go wrong either way. I find I'm enjoying the "little" iMac a lot more than I thought I would. Although I'm still lusting after a 15" MBP, I'm going to wait for the refresh.

 

[Hellhammer]

I would get the iMac if you don't need portability for your audio work. The MBP can still be used if you get a new battery although audio work maybe little hard

 

[jungeliest]

Buy the iMac, e-bay the MBP. When the new MBPs get announced, buy clearance or refurbished from apple.com.

Buying a new battery to an outdated model seems useless to me. I say, spend it for newer stuff. The current MBP w/ the new battery would be the ideal match to your iMac.

 

[Luba]

Agree with above ^^^^

Your MB is quite old, but money is an issue so how critical is to have a fully functioning portable? iMac/desktop set up is the best with a big display etc etc, I am sort stating the obvious as many people buy laptops and use it as a desktop, and never carry it around, not even around the house. I take an old laptop out and about once in while, and it's nice to not worry about dropping it and breaking it as it's not my only machine and it doesn't hold important data on it either.

 

[iMacThere4Iam]

Do you really need the portability all that often? If you don't need to bring a laptop with you every day, then I'd say get the iMac. Once you start using the iMac as your primary, I think you'll find the screen size and 1TB HD a major plus for doing editing work.

 

[ImpostorOak]

Well, I think I might go ahead and get the iMac. It would be nice to sell my current MBP and buy a newer one, but I don't really have the money to do that right now since the iMac is already $200 more expensive than the 13" I had saved up for.

I do, however, really need to at least have the portability of my portable, which isn't the case with a nonfunctioning battery. So I think I'll get the iMac sometime soon and get a new battery now that can last me until I get the money to upgrade to a new MBP. Buying the battery only adds to the resale value of my current MBP, so I don't see how it could hurt.

I wonder, however, if I should wait until the next time they update the iMacs? I'm starting to think they're not going to update the MBPs until after the iPad comes out, and the buyer's guide says the iMac is mid product cycle. But the C2D is kind of an outdated processor now and I'd hate to spend $1600 on a desktop with old technology. Maybe they'll put i5s and i7s in the whole line next refresh...