Which is best for me?

[sarah3585]

I recently bought a Macbook, the basic model (2.0GHZ 80GB HD) and I had the intention to buy an imac 20inch 2.4GHz model in 3-4 months.
Now I'm thinking maybe that wasn't such a good idea.

Now I'm thinking I should of got a better spec Macbook (mainly bigger HD) and then get SAMSUNG SyncMaster 226BW 22" monitor for about £220

The only thing that worries me is the 64 graphics in the macbook

I will be using the computer for CS3 applications (Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, After Effects) and maybe a little Final Cut Pro. I won't be gaming or doing 3D (apart from 3D layers in after effects)
Can anyone advise me?

 

[iBookG4user]

If you're not doing anything 3D, then you don't need a powerful graphics card and the MacBook will work perfectly.

 

[siurpeeman]

you can still purchase another hard drive and install it yourself. it really is a painless process for the macbook. my only suggestion is to use the laptop in clamshell mode when you hook it up to an external monitor.

 

[tartsquid]

I think the MacBook + external monitor sounds like a good set up. It's always nice to have just one computer that you do most of your work on, so that you don't constantly have to sync them up, and the portability of a laptop is a plus over an iMac.

 

[pedroconejo]

I think you made the right decision. The MacBook will support a beefy monitor just fine and tho a little slower to render than the MBP, unless editing is going to be major part of your routine, that extra oomph just isn't needed.

 

[Pressure]

Certain parts of the Final Cut Studio suite will not run on a MacBook because of the graphic card.

 

[pedroconejo]

Certain parts of the Final Cut Studio suite will not run on a MacBook because of the graphic card.

Oh... I may possibly have to backtrack on my advise then!
Um, what parts, exactly? I haven't upgraded yet to FCStudio v.6. Good to be aware of prior to decision-making

 

[sarah3585]

Thanks for everyone's advise. I will need this set up for at least the next 3 years.
I'm currently going into my third yr at uni of multimedia design and don't really know at this stage what area I will be specialising in.
Will the macbook run after effects ok with 3D layers? as it may be an area I want to go into.

 

[Sesshi]

A Macbook is effectively already obsolete in many ways - so it might be best making an effort to go for the MBP. That would be my advice.

I might also be able to help you in an eval of the monitor.

As it happens I got a delivery of a few of these in yesterday to accompany some of my new laptops in the lab - just wanted some cheap, biggish screens to use in a dual-monitor configuration off some laptops (not Apples obviously - they can't do external dual-monitor) and these were the cheapest 'name' monitors of the resolution I wanted which was in stock.

I haven't set them up yet, but I'll probably get around to it tomorrow. I have monitors ranging from the Dell 2007WFP to the Apple 30" CD in the lab so I can give you an idea of whether relatively speaking it's decent or if it sucks. I've been lead to believe that almost all 22"ers are markedly inferior to 20 and 24-inchers in terms of image quality.

 

[sarah3585]

A MBP isn't really an option I'd rather have an imac and a macbook which ends up about the same price as a MBP.
I imac for the serious stuff and the macbook for intenet (in bed) and if occassional serious stuff if I stay at my parents/ on train journeys.

Please let me know what you think of the samsung screen when you get it set up.

 

[tartsquid]

A MBP isn't really an option I'd rather have an imac and a macbook which ends up about the same price as a MBP.
I imac for the serious stuff and the macbook for intenet (in bed) and if occassional serious stuff if I stay at my parents/ on train journeys.

If you end up going with this idea, you could get an iMac and an older model laptop (G4 iBook perhaps) that could easily handle internet and little things like that, if you need to save money.

 

[Sesshi]

A MBP isn't really an option I'd rather have an imac and a macbook which ends up about the same price as a MBP.
I imac for the serious stuff and the macbook for intenet (in bed) and if occassional serious stuff if I stay at my parents/ on train journeys.

Please let me know what you think of the samsung screen when you get it set up.

If you ask me (and admittedly I'm someone who has a laptop for every specific task and rarely hangs onto one for more than a year) I think one passable all rounder (with Applecare - don't forget if you want an Apple laptop to last for 3 years) is better than two relatively crippled machines.

And the new iMacs are relatively basic in terms of graphics performance - don't forget the iMacs are just laptops in a different case. They're not real desktops. I had to have a think about putting the (real desktop equivalent) ATI 2600XT GDDR3 in my new home theatre PC because although it has excellent thermal characteristics and can run fanless, it doesn't change the fact that it's a relatively gutless GPU. In the end I did, but only because silence was ultimately more important than power. As a working tool for anything involving video let alone 3D, I wouldn't touch a 2600anything with a bargepole.

And I presume by "I can have a Macbook and an iMac in place of an MBP" you're referring to the even more basic 2400XT-equipped machine. The 8600GT, even when hobbled as it is in the MBP's is a slightly more capable graphics processor than what you'll get in the higher-end iMacs, and it'll be noticeably better than the basic iMac which you're probably referring to.

Just my two cents.

 

[JustLikeYou]

Just thought I'd share my 2 cents on the monitor choice... the Samsung SyncMaster 226BW. I have that now as one of my externals, and I am very happy with it. It's a good monitor. Love it. You'll be happy.

 

[sarah3585]

Just thought I'd share my 2 cents on the monitor choice... the Samsung SyncMaster 226BW. I have that now as one of my externals, and I am very happy with it. It's a good monitor. Love it. You'll be happy.

How does it compare to the imac screen?