Macbook Pro 15" or Mac Min and Macbook Air

Hi,

I am interested in getting your guys oppinion on this.

I have a Dell 20" Monitor, keyboard and mouse at my desk, which is where I primarily like to work, so I would like a computer fixed up to this setup. But I also need a laptop for my daily commute to work. I do not really require a lot of power, however money is not a big problem in this purchase, I am more concerned about functionality etc.

I have given myself two options:

1) Get a Macbook Pro 15" High end, and connect to external monitor etc.

2) Get Mac Mini and Macbook Air. Leave mac mini permanently at desk, and have light portable macbook air for daily commute.


What are your guys oppinion?

 

option 2

 

If I were you, and money were no object, I would go with option 2. I hate having to disconnect my MBP from my KVM switch whenever I travel, and that's only about once a month.

 

I use my macbook pro with my 20 inch cinema display and I am very happy with the set up. You surely do not want to sync data between two computers because you do not know which one is newer. Go and get macbook pro and use it all the time. I am so happy that I do not have the second computer to transfer the data

 

It sounds like your situation is the precise situation that the Air is designed for. I'd definitely go for option 2, and set up a syncing system between the Air and Mini so that you have the same data on both machines.

 

Option 2... But I'm biased MBA 4life

 

I would go with option 1. I've owned everything from 15" mbp, 17" mbp, 2.8Ghz 8 core mac pro, mba (twice! but returned) older mac mini and a 23" ACD.

Anyways I've returned/sold everything now and just have 1 23" acd and 1 2.5Ghz mbp and am very happy with the combo.

Connecting the mbp to the cinema display does not take much time and is pretty quick actually. Also the power of the mbp cannot be matched by either mac mini or the mba or even both put together! Dedicated gpu is always nice to have and using in dual monitor mode with the mbp + 23" Cinema display is always an extra plus as well.

Not to mention the 15" screen size is very nice to have as well!

 

no doubt about it I'd get the MBP...

I carry my MBP with me all day everyday to class and at home I hook it up to my 20" LCD.

 

I would get the MBP, so everything is centralized. Easier to work with .

 

What I do is that the 23" cinema display has 2 usb on the back of the display which I leave the apple aluminum keyboard usb connected with my logitech mouse on the side of the keyboard. So that whenever I dock my laptop on my mstand to right of the cinema display all I need to do is connect the dvi + just 1 usb plug from the cinema display and just slide out my keyboard and mouse from my desk and everything just works!

nice and clean! =D

 

I would go option 2.

 

Also if you choose option 2, you will see yourself regretting for getting 2 weak machines and that you dont need 2 computers as well. Just settle for 1 machine that you love! Especially with the sheer power! =D

I still get surprised when my mbp connected to an external monitor instantly turns into a desktop especially how well and fast it runs! The gpu comes really handy for connecting to the external monitor, that 512mb vram nvidia 8600m gt drives any external monitor very fast and very well. Especially when I have to connect it to my 52" sony bravia xbr4 for movies as well. Also I dont game much but I do play Call of Duty 4 often under bootcamp in vista and the mbp can run it in 1920x1200 on my 23" ACD without any trouble whatsoever in all high settings.

 

Wow, nice setup, jjahshik32!

 

It isn't that much of a hassle to disconnect/reconnect a laptop every day (unless you are lazy like me).

 

Thanks! I just got that desk from office max and love the new setup! I like to keep it nice, clean and efficient! =D