New iMac or MacBook for student

tsuellentroptsuellentrop
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I am interested in getting a mac and can't decide between the two. I am entering this school year as a Senior so I have a year until I go off to college. I am interested in video production, Photoshop, animation, and web design so a mac is the clear choice. What I'm unsure about is whether I go with the more powerful and larger screened iMac or if I go with the portable MacBook for when I go off to college. I'm unsure where I'm going so I'm not sure if I will actually be traveling a lot or not. I know I want go into a carrier in the fields listed above. This is all on me and I want to spend around $1,500 - $1,600. Any suggestions?
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    College campus? Laptop. You're going to want your work/files with you where ever you are - you'll find that study groups form spontaneously, and it's best if you can take advantage of that whenever it happens. Having to head back to your dorm every time you want something is a pain. It can be kind of surprising how decentralized a college campus is, after high school.
  • Reply 2 of 32
    tsuellentroptsuellentrop Posts: 16member
    How much of a performance difference would there be between the two? Wouldn't the smaller screen cut down on productivity for what I want to do though?
  • Reply 3 of 32
    jpizzaljpizzal Posts: 3member
    I am currently a senior in college and I have had a laptop up untill this coming year. I just got the new imac for this coming school year. Honestly unless one of your classes would require you bringing your laptop to class with you they are not worth the extra price tag. All you need is a portable hard drive to transport your files to and from home, study groups, classes, tech labs. My experiences with laptops is the more portbale it is the more you take it with you to classes and the more vulnerable it is to wear and tear and possible damage even though you didnt need it with you. Honestly its a toss up and totatly depends on how you are going to need it.
  • Reply 4 of 32
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TSuellentrop View Post


    How much of a performance difference would there be between the two? Wouldn't the smaller screen cut down on productivity for what I want to do though?



    A second screen can be quite inexpensive.
  • Reply 5 of 32
    tsuellentroptsuellentrop Posts: 16member
    Are you saying get a bigger screen to use when I've got it at my desk? I just thought though, how much of that work would I actually be doing when not at my desk. It seems the need for a notebook at college is so you can take it from class to class to take notes for the most part, the tech labs have computers. It would be nice to have the portability for this year before I even go to college.
  • Reply 6 of 32
    tsuellentroptsuellentrop Posts: 16member
    Are there any college students out there that are in the same boat I am? If so where do you go?, what are you studying?, what did you choose?, and how did it work out?
  • Reply 7 of 32
    joe_the_dragonjoe_the_dragon Posts: 931member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TSuellentrop View Post


    I am interested in getting a mac and can't decide between the two. I am entering this school year as a Senior so I have a year until I go off to college. I am interested in video production, Photoshop, animation, and web design so a mac is the clear choice. What I'm unsure about is whether I go with the more powerful and larger screened iMac or if I go with the portable MacBook for when I go off to college. I'm unsure where I'm going so I'm not sure if I will actually be traveling a lot or not. I know I want go into a carrier in the fields listed above. This is all on me and I want to spend around $1,500 - $1,600. Any suggestions?



    the macbook has carp video card in it. Try to get macbook pro.
  • Reply 8 of 32
    tsuellentroptsuellentrop Posts: 16member
    it does appear that the 15" MBP would be perfect but even with the education discount it's still $1,800 at the lowest.
  • Reply 9 of 32
    tsuellentroptsuellentrop Posts: 16member
    i could make some back if i sell the free ipod i get
  • Reply 10 of 32
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Ah, an Economics major!



    Joe, I'll have to disagree with you here on the portability issue.



    Background: BS Physics/Math, MS CompSci, PhD CompSci. Used a series of PowerBooks the entire time, upgraded about every 3-4 years. Sometimes had a second monitor, sometimes didn't. Never had one go bad from wear and tear (and if you're worried about that, get AppleCare). I've purchased one desktop machine in 12 years, and that was to act as a central file server for the house.



    I look at it this way: iMac: big screen, no portability, no chance of portability. MacBook (yes, Pro would be nicer): portability, can add a screen later if you need it.



    One path can get you both worlds, one can't.
  • Reply 11 of 32
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kickaha View Post


    A second screen can be quite inexpensive.



    Yep. I've seen some nice 20" screens at newegg under $200. Thinking of picking one up to hook up to myMBP while at home. Also agree with your suggestion of laptop over iMac. Then again I'm a laptop guy.
  • Reply 12 of 32
    tsuellentroptsuellentrop Posts: 16member
    i currently have a 19" dell flatpanel im using right now. I'm leaning toward a 15" MBP but the price might be an issue with $1,799 being the absolute lowest.
  • Reply 13 of 32
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TSuellentrop View Post


    i currently have a 19" dell flatpanel im using right now. I'm leaning toward a 15" MBP but the price might be an issue with $1,799 being the absolute lowest.



    You should really look very hard at the laptops. Plug in your dell monitor to a MBP and you would basically have an iMac. Even a Macbook will be close in performance to an iMac except in gaming where it'll suck due to the integrated graphics.



    If you already have a monitor I don't know why you should get an iMac.
  • Reply 14 of 32
    tsuellentroptsuellentrop Posts: 16member
    i dont really plan on playing games. how would the macbook handle what I want to do?
  • Reply 15 of 32
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TSuellentrop View Post


    i dont really plan on playing games. how would the macbook handle what I want to do?



    What app will you use for video editing? If it's iMovie you'll be fine. If it's a pro app you'll probably want a MBP.



    PS look at refurb macbook pros if you cannot get a new one. If you can find a 2.16 or 2.2 ghz MBP there (none are currently available but that changes daily) it would probably be in your price range.
  • Reply 16 of 32
    tsuellentroptsuellentrop Posts: 16member
    im guessing iMovie for now. Should I upgrade the HD and Ram when i order or buy from somewhere else. I do have a 250Gb disk in my tower now I can just use to store large files wirelessly. But say my video files are on that machine won't that make it slow when I edit them?
  • Reply 17 of 32
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TSuellentrop View Post


    im guessing iMovie for now. Should I upgrade the HD and Ram when i order or buy from somewhere else. I do have a 250Gb disk in my tower now I can just use to store large files wirelessly. But say my video files are on that machine won't that make it slow when I edit them?



    Get 2gbs of RAM. Get the biggest HDD you can afford. RAM takes precedence over HDD IMO. Add a firewire drive later if you need to. iMovie would work fine on a Macbook but for serious video editing you'll want Final Cut Pro or Express. There you'll probably need a MBP or a Mac with dedicated graphics. I'm no serious video editor so maybe someone with more expertise in this area will chime in.
  • Reply 18 of 32
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TSuellentrop View Post


    How much of a performance difference would there be between the two? Wouldn't the smaller screen cut down on productivity for what I want to do though?



    Yep, I'd go MacBook and get a second monitor (Dell or HP).
  • Reply 19 of 32
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Yep, I'd go MacBook and get a second monitor (Dell or HP).



    He's already got a 19" Dell. I say portable all the way. It's just a decision between MB or MBP.
  • Reply 20 of 32
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    He's already got a 19" Dell. I say portable all the way. It's just a decision between MB or MBP.



    Missed that, tks.
Sign In or Register to comment.