iMac or MacBook Pro or MacMini

[cbsuperduty]

Hello all,

Hello all, I am a newbie to this game and looking to get a little further into this game. I currently use my work (day job) Dell laptop with Vista on it to do my design and cutting. I have an older Bridge 12” cutter that I bought used in a package deal from a fellow forum member. I would like to get away from my work laptop and will be buying something new. I bought the wife a basic white macbook about a year ago and she loves it and I like it too. I would like to stay on Apple if I can (hard for me to justify money for a windows box). I had considered going with a MacBook Pro or maybe a MacMini and then adding a cheap 32” LCD TV as a monitor but now I must also consider an iMac as they are about the same price as MBPro for the 27” and have beefier hardware. I will mainly be using Adobe CS for design and layout but possibly some in inkscape. General web/email/home office/photo/mp3 usuage.

So my question for you mac users, given the options above (MacBook Pro, Mac Mini w/32” LCD, or 27” iMac) which would you go for in this line of work? Of course this all is dependent on if I can get the old bridge cutter to work. If not I guess that I will have to go with the cheapest option and then get a new MH-721…. I have around a 1500-2000 budget.

Thanks,

Chris

[MaderDesign]

I love all my Macs, and will never own or build a PC ever again. That said, I would stay away from the new 27" iMac. They are having problems with the performance of it right now. I'd wait maybe and see what Apple does. I love my Macbook Pro's though, I have 2, a 15" and a new 17". I also have a Mac Pro desktop with 2 Cinema Displays. If you can swing an extra $500-$1000 I'd go for that. Mini i wouldn't really do either. I have a mini but use it for XBMC and it acts as a network for movies in my house.

If you can't swing these, i would get a 17" Macbook Pro. You'll love it. Trust me

[cbsuperduty]

That sucks... I was going to probably go with a mini and LCD but then yesterday I got to see one of the 27" iMacs and they are sweet. Might just wait a while and see if they get the bugs worked out.

[Daddy-o]

I'm using AI CS3 on a 15" Macbook Pro with CutStudio and a Roland GX-24.

Everything has worked flawlessly and I have been really pleased (other than a minor bobble when I upgraded to Snow Leopard, but an update of CutStudio quickly resolved it).

I have been looking for an external display myself. Apple's 24" LED isn't compatible with the older DVI connection on my MBP and I can't justify the cost of a 30" cinema display (even refurbished). If I had a newer MBP, I would be looking very hard at the 24" LED. In typical Apple fashion though, it's well done, but not exactly friendly to "legacy" equipment - LOL if you can call a year old laptop legacy equipment!

Daddy-o
Yet another happy PC to Mac convert...

[tory]

I'm using Corel X4/Parallels on a 15" Macbook, CutStudio, and a Roland GX-24. I love it my Mac no regrets although I do still use my PC since my embroidery software won't run on a Mac