Desktop or laptop

[kiwi]

Hi all,

I'm having a dilemma and this is going to seem to be one of those stupid threads that no-one can answer but I'd just like some advice as I'm torn.

I've just bought a house with my girlfriend, previously I had a decent spec desktop with dual monitors dual-booting Ubuntu and Windows (I'm not too worries about this), a massive leather chair and desk, both of which are now too big for the new living room. I've now figured I'm going to have to sell my desktop for space so I may as well get something nice. My options are: (I've tried and love both)

1. Be an adult and buy a macbook air and be happy with that
2. Buy a smaller desk and an iMac

My music is separate and I don't do loads of work at home and when I do I have a work laptop. I game occasionally but I normally use a PS3 for that.

Just wondering if anyone has had to make a similar choice and what they went for?

 

[Marky]

I've had a Macbook Pro since Feb 2011, and ever since I've thought about moving to an iMac for the next hardware replacement...

However, recently I got an iPad... and this has somewhat changed my mind. I thought I would find that I would use my iPad portably, and then get an iMac for a desktop.

But I'm finding that I like using hardware portably, and have since been using my Macbook around the house and out in the world a lot more often.

So now I'm a little torn also... I quite like the idea of having an iMac, but I'm starting to think I may miss the portability of the Macbook.

But I think what many people will suggest is get an iMac as a desktop, and an iPad for your portability. And this is a good solution, they go very well together

 

[theheyes]

This is only my own logic, but users who really need desktops just wouldn't even consider ditching it for a laptop. It sounds to me like maybe you could take the opportunity to get something a bit more space-efficient.

 

[GeX]

This is only my own logic, but users who really need desktops just wouldn't even consider ditching it for a laptop.

I disagree. I need a 'desktop' as I'm a software developer, but have recently decommissioned my old desktop computer and laptop and replaced them with a Macbook Pro. On my desk now I have a pair of monitors, keyboard, trackpad and then some wires. It's given me the best of both worlds, the MBP is powerful enough to use that kind of 'desktop' setup but portable enough for me to pick up and code on the go / around the house.

I intend to get an iPad in a few months, and then I can use that for casual browsing (also I need an IOS device as development / test platform.. and I'm not parting with my Android phone!)

So in short.. don't get an iMac, get a MacBook Air and small desk and a monitor

 

[shine]

But I think what many people will suggest is get an iMac as a desktop, and an iPad for your portability. And this is a good solution, they go very well together

I was giving this scenario serious consideration as well but I normally replace my laptop every 3 years so I'll be keeping the MBP for a while yet. Then I decided to hook up the MBP with Thunderbolt Display and now I have the best of both worlds - a laptop and a powerful desktop. Personally I think this is the best setup.

 

[theheyes]

I disagree. I need a 'desktop' as I'm a software developer, but have recently decommissioned my old desktop computer and laptop and replaced them with a Macbook Pro. On my desk now I have a pair of monitors, keyboard, trackpad and then some wires. It's given me the best of both worlds, the MBP is powerful enough to use that kind of 'desktop' setup but portable enough for me to pick up and code on the go / around the house

Well, actually, you kind of rounded out the point I was making. You just simply fall into the category that don't really need a desktop.

There are a small amount of users for which a laptop is not going to cut it and it will be immediately obvious to them. But for more and more people (such as yourself) it's not such an obvious choice anymore and laptops have reached a level of performance whereby they are more than a viable alternative.

 

[GeX]

I put 'desktop' in the inverted commas because the bit I actually need is the desk top. I need somewhere I can sit, with a pair of screens, a cup of coffee and space to put books etc down that I'm using.