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Which combination should I go with? MBP w/monitor or iMac w/iPad?

Which combination should I go with? MBP w/monitor or iMac w/iPad?

  • 13" 2010 MBP C2D 2.4 GHz with Samsung 27" monitor

    Votes: 11 40.7%

  • Get a 27" iMac along with the 32gb iPad

    Votes: 16 59.3%
  • Total voters
    27
dmk1974

dmk1974

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 16, 2008
2,490
540
So, as I keep finding deals and so on, I picked up a used 32gb iPad yesterday for $350. Perfect screen, came in box and all, just some scratches on the back (which aren't a big deal to me).

I had just got a 13" MBP as well with a monitor, so I'm trying to decide which "combo" is better for work at my desk and portability.


1.) 13" 2010 MBP C2D 2.4 GHz with Samsung 27" monitor. ($1000 + $300 + tax)

2.) Get a 27" iMac along with the 32gb iPad ($1529 + $350 + tax)


#1 allows me to have my actual computer with me at all times.
#2 allows for more power at my desk, more portability when away (via iPad), but the iPad doesn't have ALL of the capability of the imac/MacBook


Which should I go with? Money is about the same for each combo. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
What do you intend to use the computers for? Work?

If you need work everywhere, then MBP.

I voted iMac and iPad as the iPad is mainly for fun and portable access (can even remote control the iMac if you like) and the iMac has more grunt.
 
koobcamuk said:
What do you intend to use the computers for? Work?

If you need work everywhere, then MBP.

I voted iMac and iPad as the iPad is mainly for fun and portable access (can even remote control the iMac if you like) and the iMac has more grunt.
Click to expand...

Not for work...this will be my main home computer. Mostly web browsing and e-mail, but also office apps, photos, video editing. Not too much into gaming.
 
I'd say #2, the iMac's performance will be superior to the MBP and the iPad should hopefully cover your basic browsing/email needs.
 
dmk1974 said:
Not for work...this will be my main home computer. Mostly web browsing and e-mail, but also office apps, photos, video editing. Not too much into gaming.
Click to expand...

If all you would ever need a machine when away from your house is web, email, light word processing... then the iMac + iPad is for you. Betcha spend 95% of your home computer time sitting on the couch with the iPad if you do this.
 
I do have to say that one thing that is annoying on the iPad is the lack of Flash support for a number of websites.
 
Agreed, I guess it all depends on what sites you frequent.

For me, its a show stopper. one of my needs is to log into oracle support and that entire site is flash based. I'll not be able to deal with my support tickets on an iPad
 
voted for #2. iMac has more power and iPad is very good as a portable device except for flash of course.

i'll be receiving my MBP in a few weeks by now. Planning to have iPad 2nd Gen and iMac next release for 2011. :D
 
I plan on making a similar purchase in the first quarter of next year and decided on the MBP - which is also what I voted for.

Of course there is no right or wrong answer to this. I plan on going with the MBP, because I decided I do to much photo and video editing/managing when I'm commuting everyday. If the iPad could accomplish this for me, I would go that route, but as of now the iPad is bascially just a viewer for photos and movies without a good ability to make changes.

Ryan
 
If you've got the iPad already, use it for a couple of weeks and make your decision after that.

For me, i can do everything i would ever need to do away from home on my iPad, and so the iMac at home is ideal for my big-screen photo editing, while the iPad is perfect for sitting on the sofa or taking with me when i'm away from home.

One thought with a MBP would be whether you'd take that if you travelling. Last year i spent a month in Australia, and at the time only had a "normal" laptop (15"). For me, that was too big and heavy to take travelling, so ended up getting a little netbook... which was awful. My iPad would have been a much better travelling "computer", and so i suspect also better than an MBP for the size/weight reason.

So basically, use it for a while and work out if you can get away with just an iPad when you're away from home.

David
 
Scuby said:
If you've got the iPad already, use it for a couple of weeks and make your decision after that.

For me, i can do everything i would ever need to do away from home on my iPad, and so the iMac at home is ideal for my big-screen photo editing, while the iPad is perfect for sitting on the sofa or taking with me when i'm away from home.

One thought with a MBP would be whether you'd take that if you travelling. Last year i spent a month in Australia, and at the time only had a "normal" laptop (15"). For me, that was too big and heavy to take travelling, so ended up getting a little netbook... which was awful. My iPad would have been a much better travelling "computer", and so i suspect also better than an MBP for the size/weight reason.

So basically, use it for a while and work out if you can get away with just an iPad when you're away from home.

David
Click to expand...

That's a very very good point. I need to see if carrying the iPad around lets me do everything I need to vs the MacBook Pro. Or at least enough of it.
 
I updated the original post to add the costs. The 27" iMac that I was looking at is on the Apple refurb site. The total for option #2 is still considerably more.

To make the costs the same, I'd have to be looking at a 21.5" iMac with the 3.06 i3 processor. If so, still better off with option #2?
 
Hey, I'm getting a similar Samsung monitor for my 13" C2D MBP too :p Only difference is my monitor is 23" and the MBP is going to have a SSD.

If you feel that a 13" MBP isn't good enough to be a desktop as well as a laptop, put a SSD it in and you'll have a really fast, snappy desktop and a fast, snappy laptop :D
 
mrsir2009 said:
Hey, I'm getting a similar Samsung monitor for my 13" C2D MBP too :p Only difference is my monitor is 23" and the MBP is going to have a SSD.

If you feel that a 13" MBP isn't good enough to be a desktop as well as a laptop, put a SSD it in and you'll have a really fast, snappy desktop and a fast, snappy laptop :D
Click to expand...

Would a SSD really make a noticeable improvement over my 7200 RPM Hitachi 7K500? If so, I'm thinking about it.
 
dmk1974 said:
Would a SSD really make a noticeable improvement over my 7200 RPM Hitachi 7K500? If so, I'm thinking about it.
Click to expand...

Yes, it would certainly be faster than any spinning hard drive. It would probably consume less power too, as a 7200 would use a fair bit more power compared to a 5200, which is about the same as a SSD. Not to mention the quietness...:)
 
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