What should I get and what to return?

Assuming you don't need your home computer to be mobile, you would get a lot more computer for your buck if you get the 27" iMac.

 

Regardless of your employer's rMBP use policy . . . that rMBP is owned by your employer, they can opt to change their use policy at any time, and they own whatever you may do on that computer.

Just something to keep in mind during your decision process.

I suppose you could unload your personal rMBP and continue to utilize your iPad while you decide whether you even need another computing device for home.

First world problems are a good barometer of just how good life is.

 

What are the specs of the imac and what are your uses?

 

Personally, I would never consider a work computer to use for anything personal (even if your superiors said it was OK). Anything done on and stored on that computer is owned by your employer. I'd keep personal and professional totally separate (for your own protection). Why did you buy the rMBP in the first place? Have your needs changed since purchasing your current setup (power and portability needs)? If not, I'd keep everything.

 

IF an employer gave me a rMBP and told me I could use it for personal use, and even if they told me I could not here is what I would do with *that* machine.

If I wanted to use it for personal use regardless of their rules I would purchase an EXTERNAL HDD.

I would then install OSX to that external drive, making it a BOOTABLE SYSTEM DRIVE and install all my software to that EXTERNAL DRIVE.

That way I would be certain none of my personal stuff was on the company computer.

 

Here's another "vote" for not using an employer's computer for personal use. For all the reasons cited above.

 

I would go with option B so that u will have a portable computer to use that is not your company computer also none of your uses are so big that a macbook air could not handle it