Which mac do you prefer? Laptop or desktop (macbook pro vs. mac pro)?

I'm thinking about selling the mbp and opting for the mac pro.. but only thing I'd miss is the led screen and the portability (which isnt important to me) but on the bright side the mac pro will offer incredible power!

What do you guys think?

 

I prefer the MBP. If you don't need massive processing power, a MBP is way better than a MacPro because you can always connects other devices (LCD, mouse, keyboard...) to the MBP. Then, you can use it as a desktop PC while keeping its mobility.

 

I'm strongly thinking of going the MBP-only route for myself. I don't play PC/Mac games much, except for WoW and CoD4, and my MBP handles them pretty good.

Anyone want to buy an outdated custom-built desktop? (see specs for it in siggy)

 

If you can afford it, go for it. I prefer desktops (love my iMac) but put my laptops to good use as well.

 

I do love the portability because of the convenience and laying back and the gorgeous led 1920x1200 screen. But at times I do miss the grunt power of a desktop especially a 2.8ghz 8 core model xeon.

 

The iMac is really what the OP is describing in terms of his needs. He wants great processing power but the ability of portability. While you can't take the iMac with you on the go it still is easy to maneuver around the house. The iMac line starting at $1499 U.S is much more powerful than any MBP and for far less than a Mac Pro and the screens are incredibly bright.

 

I've thought about an imac but for some reason it just doesnt appeal to me.

If I want a desktop I'm only thinking about the mac pro with the 8 core xeons, with 4 expandable hdd bays for 4tb which I need and 8 or 16gb of ram.

I would say that the only thing the imac has over a 17" mbp in speed is the 3.5" hdd which is much faster than the 2.5" versions.

Also just judging from the geekbench the 17" 2.6ghz model mbp that's on my sig gets up to 3350 score while the 3.06 imac gets around 3845 and the 2.8ghz 8 core stock mac pro with 2gb of ram easily gets 7850ish.

 

Understandable, get whichever one that appeals to you however since you were considering a MBP which has lower specs than an iMac and wanted a bright screen like the LED offers and you were considering a desktop as well I thought an iMac would be a good recommendation without spending so much more for a Mac Pro.

 

I appreciate the advice, I have thought about it for a long while on an imac and I'd save a bundle as well just by selling my mbp. But I just want to own one machine and either its this mbp or the mac pro.

The imac is a fine machine and an awesome screen too but to me the imac is just a desktop version of a macbook pro with a little more power to offer. If anything and me wanting a desktop, I'd like something extremely powerful to handle gb's of files that usually handle with hd contents.

 

I would be afraid to go with a MBP at this point: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=270732

MBP isn't the best at dealing with heat and since the graphics chip on it is faulty now isn't really the time to be buying.

 

I have had no problems with my mbp but I'm seriously considering selling it for a desktop (at least the gpu is user replaceable) and will last me a lot longer too for pretty much the same price.

 

Hopefully on the next MBP refresh Apple will upgrade the graphics card or maybe even switch over to ATI. I think the MBP is a great computer otherwise.

The new Montevina platform just got released so maybe Apple will come out with a new model soon.

 

I still believe apple will use nvidia in their next batch regardless.

 

I might be the rarity, but I love my Mac Pro. I wouldn't trade it for any MacBook Pro either.

I suppose the reason is that I am way too abusive with my stuff once I take it outside. I need to run my laptop underneath the hood of my car while it is running, and in a mount I made for while I'm driving. I've taken it out on a boat (Where it got wet), used it outside in the rain, set heavy tools on it, etc etc.

However my Mac Pro doesn't get moved, it's always inside, and never sees the abuse that my laptop gets. In less words, I have what is perfect for me for what I do with my computers, and while it is sad that I don't have a laptop with Mac OS X on it, it is really what I need.

 

Man reading that I just want to go out and buy a mac pro tomorrow!

 

I agree with Modly. I have a MacPro and a MBP. If you need portability, then the MBP is the obvious answer. But, if not, I seriously doubt you'd ever regret buying a MacPro.

I read what you said about the iMac, but if the MBP would otherwise suit you, the 24" version of the iMac is a beautiful machine . . . To be quite honest, had it been available at the time I bought my MP (I ordered mine from Apple the morning of the first day it became available), I very well may have bought the iMac instead.

 

I personally don't like the iMac screen because glossy screens do not suit photography retouching or graphic design as well as matte displays. So I guess it depends on what you plan to use your computer for.

 

this whole, every Nvidia chip ever made bullcrap is absolutely hilarious, one article from the most unreliable source of information on the internet and it is absolute truth? there have been no more reports of people's nvidia cards failing compared to any other time, not to mention they are offering far superior cards for this type of machine compared to Ati.

people are ridiculous.

 

I could care less about the nvidia vs ati debate. It reminds me of the day when every graphic card from a certain vendor was called stealth. They were all stealth. Whether they were 2d or 3d. Whether they worked or didn't work they were all called stealth. Now it's like that with nvidia. They've made a name for themselves with some of their cards but merely getting your hands on an nvidia chipset does not guarantee you got the right stuff.

I lean more towards the MBP. I have a MB now but I'm considering a MBP for my next machine. I definitely want to wait for all this graphics dust to settle since all I care about is screen quality and more screen area to work with. For the most part, I could care less about three dee.

I don't like the MP form factor. It's PeeCee retro. Mac Mini and iMac are current designs but a computer cabinet that's bigger than a breadbox is... too big.

 

I think your plan is good. I'd love a MacPro but personally can't justify it. A 24" iMac would be more than enough for my needs. I haven't gamed at all on PC since getting a PS3.

Come to think of it, when I'm travelling I haven't really used the power of my MBP and I've only used the optical drive while on the road maybe once or twice. For those reasons, I'm leaning toward moving to an iMac/MBA solution in the future.

 

Personally I'd never buy either with my own money, but if I had to choose I'd get a Mac Pro over a MacBook Pro. The specs on the Mac Pro are much better. Also it can be upgraded much easier (unlike every other Apple PC). Throw a decent graphics card in the Mac Pro and install Windows on it, and you get one hell of a gaming rig.

 

$200.

10 char

 

Man I'd love to own both the mac pro and the macbook pro that I currently have but that's way too expensive and overkill.

I have $4000 in my rainy day fund and I could just go out and grab the 2.8 8 core mac pro + 23" apple cinema display + an apple care for the mac pro and register both the mac pro and the 23" acd at the same time but I dont need 2 computers. Also the portability of the laptop isnt very important to me.. and if I could sell my current mbp I could still scrounge up $2900 and just add extra $$ from my rainy day fund to buy the 23" ACD + 16gb of ram..

Also I really want to wait and see what the next updates will bring in the next month, especially after apple announced that new products are coming that other OEM vendors couldnt compete with before september.. maybe I'll just hold onto my mbp until then and I probably wont want a mac pro by then lol.

Naw for what I usually do with hd content.. a mac pro would be perfect and the perfect overkill machine~ But at this point even if it is 6 months from now.. those NEHALEM look so enticing and well worth the wait.

Also having a laptop is very comfortable especially if I'm tired from being glued to my desk and I could take the mbp around.. I find that 90% of the time I do use it on my desk and sometimes I think might as well just get a powerful mac pro and just use it on my desk and sometimes there's nothing like just sitting infront of a nice desk with something really powerful.

Damn hard decisions!

 

Nehalem is definitely worth the wait, if you can manage to wait so long! Its going to be another huge success.

 

Meh, I don't completely agree with that. That would equate for the majority of computers sold, just about every PC notebook comes with a glossy screen with no option for matte like the MBP offers and even some desktop displays are glossy only. The choices for a matte finish are quite limited for photo editors so I am certain many of them make out just fine with glossy notebooks.

 

I do agree that the imac is a very good quality/performance for the money. But I just love the portability much better at almost the same speed.

If I would have to give up the portability, I would rather gain the power of the mac pro to be worth glued to the desk. That's just me.

I think I'll keep my macbook pro and when Nehalem is due in 2009 and if its THAT much better than the current mac pros.. I might have to just get one then, thanks guys.

 

This is going to sound funny but I know a guy who travels with his 20" iMac. You won't see him at starbucks or at the airport with it, but he does set it up in hotels, rented suites etc... and he uses the original packaging box when travelling. He's even put it in Cargo (Fragile stream) and had no issues.

The iMac is a very portable desktop.

 

Just wondering if anyone has taken into account the power consumption of the MBP versus the Mac Pro. I know I may sound like a tree hugger to some of you but unless we are living on different planets electricity and other power sources are getting more expensive by the day. In Ireland its gone up about 60% in 12 months and that has the potential to get exponentially worse.

I'm starting to seriously wonder about the future viability of high power desktop machines with some pc's using 4 GPU's with 2Kw power supplies. Is it really necessary for the non-industrial/consumer market. I don't blame Apple on this, I am pointing fingers in the general direction of old architecture CPU makers such as Intel amongst other component manufacturers for not making power consumption a priority. Performance per Watt may have gone up since the days of the G5 but its still a bit scary in this day and age.

This article is almost a year old but unless things have radically changed on the Mac Pro's in that time doing something like looking up email at idle on a Mac Pro takes 370 Watts without an LCD panel taken into the equation versus another users idle on an MBP of 12W including the LCD. That is ridiculous and I don't know anyone who could justify the same tasks literally costing you the bill payer so much more on a Mac Pro than an MBP, never mind the environmental costs.

http://forums.mactalk.com.au/12/35239-mac-pro-8-cores-waste-electricity.html

I have a custom-built PC which I run quite a lot but I'm planning on turning it off for the last time and getting an iMac and the primary reason its idle consumption of approx 85-90W is a bit more reasonable for a desktop.

 

Yea the power consumption is pretty steep but the power man the power!!

Also the penryn 8 core model seems to be lower in power usage than the previous gen.

 

what ?! can you show me a link to this info?

 

http://gizmodo.com/5027498/apple-ea...eve-promises-wonderful-new-products-this-year

"Last quarter was the best June quarter in Apple's history in both earnings and profits, but the real news is that Steve actually promised new products later this year: “We set a new record for Mac sales, we think we have a real winner with our new iPhone 3G, and we’re busy finishing several more wonderful new products to launch in the coming months.” Apple never comments on future products in any way, shape or form. Ever ever. Whether he's alleviating investor worries or just feeling especially open, it's a rare, if not totally unheard of Apple move. Check out how much money Apple's bean counters are dealing with and speculate what new toys are on the way below."

Another one about a tablet mac in october of this year:
http://gizmodo.com/5027706/rumor-macbook-touch-coming-in-october

"Those of you clamoring for an Apple tablet may finally get what you've been waiting for. According to a MacDailyNews source who leaked wireless iTunes a week before its official announcement, we can expect a sort of "MacBook touch" in October. And the source wasn't light on the details, either:"

http://www.macrumors.com/2008/07/21/apple-announces-1-07-billion-in-profit-for-q3-2008/

 

thanks, man i really want a 13.3" with dedicated GPU i would cry tears of joy. Apple is coming out with something big, it better be good.