The Front Row

I'm not sure you can "compare" MacBook (pro) with the iMac. That's a matter of personal preference. Do you want a mobile device or a stationary device?

I made the switch to Apple in 2010 when I bought an iMac. Haven't looked back since! No matter which product you decide to buy, I would more or less guarantee you will be more than satisfied. BTW...just wait for the new Apple TELEVISION coming out! Not Apple TV...an Apple TELEVISION...55 OLED, 3D no glasses...touchscreen OS...oh yeah!

As I mentioned in the iPad topic, part of my job here at OSU is technology assessment.

OSU just bought me a MacBook Pro before the retina display one's came out.

First, I'd take an older MacBook Pro over an iMac any day (I had the choice of one or the other). iMac is not portable and fixed screen size. I can connect a MacBook Pro to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse (or 3rd-party dock) and use it as a desktop computer.

Secondly, I'd go Retina Display MacBook Pro for me. Scroll down to the end to see why.

The new Retina Display Mac Book Pros are gorgeous, thinner and lighter than their predecessors. As mentioned, they're also missing the internal super-drive. They also are harder (if not impossible) to upgrade the memory since it's now a part of the motherboard. There are no memory slots in them.

Retina-Display MacBook Pro Cons:

• Retinal Display-enabled apps need time to catch-up
The Retina Display is gorgeous, but it will take time for developers and apps to update their software to take advantage of the higher screen resolution.

• No internal super-drive
If you want to burn CDs or DVDs, you need to buy an external SuperDrive. ($80)

• Can't upgrade the memory
It is now a part of the motherboard. There are no memory slots in it.

• Harder to upgrade the hard drive
Hard drive is now solid-state technology. Upgrading or adding a new hard drive will likely void your warranty even though 3rd party kits will probably be available in the future.

• No ethernet port
It's all 802.11n (Wireless). You can buy an ethernet adapter if you'd like.

Retina-Display MacBook Pro Pro's:

• Retina Display
Gorgeous. It's a beauty. Movies and high-res photos look awesome on it.

• It's going to be faster.
With solid-state / flash drive technology, disk access is going to be super-fast. Boot up times will be blazing and over-all system performance in opening apps and files will be super-quick.

• Lighter
Thinner and lighter design

• Thunderbolt port
Thunderbolt is an awesome connectivity option that will supersede USB and FireWire. See here for more info: http://www.apple.com/thunderbolt/

Overall, if you choose the Retina Display MacBook Pro, you're getting a better display, faster machine over-all and lighter weight. You're losing wired ethernet capabilities out of the box and will require the purchase of a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter or USB-to-Ethernet Adapter. You're losing the SuperDrive as well. If you still burn CDs and DVDs, you'd have to purchase an external drive.

Me personally: I'd go for the Retinal Display MacBook Pro and buy an ethernet adapter.

• I can count on one hand how many times a year I need to burn a CD or DVD. All my music stuff is digital and stored on my hard drive. If I need to transport data, I either use Dropbox or a USB/thumbdrive.
• I mainly use Ethernet on my main workstation. My iPad 3 and MacBook Pro both are on WiFi. If I need Ethernet, I can always buy the adapter.
• I purchase the max amount of RAM I can for my MacBook in the beginning. Won't need to upgrade the RAM.
• Same with hard drive. See above.
• Thunderbolt is awesome technology. http://www.apple.com/thunderbolt/

Hope that helps,

- Rip

Worst about about the new retina display models is that you cannot upgrade them yourself after purchase. Everything is soldered in and it uses proprietary memory. Now most people won't need to, but for me, that's a huge drawback. The old MBP's were easy to upgrade.

Also, I'm selling my 2010 MBP on ebay right now for an iMac. I'd go Mac Pro but it's out of my price range. Hackintosh seems like too much of a pita. Since I do some design and web work, and have an iPad 2, the iMac works best for me. I never took my MBP anywhere anyways.

It depends on so much about how you want to use your devices.

If you have an iPad, that could potentially change everything. In my view, why would you need a MacBook if you have an iPad. I realize they are different. But my iPad can do most of the same things. How "mobile" do you need to be? Do you need to bring your entire computer with you everywhere you go?

For me, I don't travel with my laptop nearly as much anymore. Especially if its not needed. My iPad syncs with OneNote. So all of my meeting notes for work sync to my iPad and I carry them everywhere. I take it into meetings and type notes on the iPad and they sync back to my computer. If I need to bring documents with me, DropBox is one of the most awesome things out there. I just grab the file, throw it into my DropBox folder and BAM its on my iPad. If for any reason I need to access my computer, I use LogMeIn Ignition (there are a number of other solutions that all work). It even wakes up my computer when asleep. I can access my DeskTop from my iPad as long as I have an internet connection. Its awesome!!! You can produce any number of documents or presentations from an iPad. You can wireless print. You can join meetings on WebEx or Goto. You can control powerpoint presentations and send via wifi or blutooth to your projector. You can do everything.

I really haven't found a pressing need to bring a laptop with me anymore. As a result, we're advising the company to no longer assign our sales people laptops. Instead they will get iPads.

So having an iMac isn't all that crazy of an idea if you have an iPad. If you truly need to bring your computer with you everywhere you go, then get a MacBook. But as technology develops new and better tools, I find less and less of a need to do so. If you don't have an iPad then:

1. Get one
or
2. buy a MacBook then
or
3. Get an iPad they are AWESOME!!!! I use mine every day for work and personal

I thought the same thing, man. Again, if you build the box with hardware on the HCL, you'll be fine. OS updates won't be an issue and you can use Apple Software Update just as if it was a pure Mac.

Now if you go with components not on the HCL, all bets are off. ;)

- Rip

Great summary by Riptide614.

I have had two 17" MacBook Pros and an 11" MacBook Air. (In addition to countless iMacs, Mac Pros, etc. over the years).

I love 17" MBP and the Air, but found myself normally using the Air as it's so light and easy to tote around the house or on a trip.

The only things I don't like about the Air are the lower screen real estate/resolution and the limited RAM and SSD storage. I have the 128 GB SSD, but 256 GB is now available, with upgrades to 512 GB in the Air line for 13" (and maybe 11" now). The 17" is really to big to tote around much, and doesn't fit well on an airplane tray table.

I just ordered the Macbook Pro 15" with Retina display and can't wait to get it. I checked it out at the Apple Store and it seems like a perfect fit for me between the Air and the 17" Mac Book Pro (which is now discontinued).

I loaded it up with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD. I would have gone for the 768 GB SSD, but it's an extra $500 and I think 512 GB should be enough for my needs.

Very expensive, but I do software development and work on a computer like 12-15 hours a day, so for me it's worth it.

BTW, I've never missed the lack of optical drive on the Air. If you have another Mac, you can remotely mount any disc over your network for installing software, etc.

Good luck!

Does the Mac app store have games and apps such as the iPad app store?

I do it all the time. I don't even have a personal computer anymore.

I type damn well on my iPad. And faster than most on their keyboard. But I'm a good typer.

Flash is a technology being phased out.

Here you go Beantown...

http://lifehacker.com/hackintosh/

When I built mine, I had the hard drives already so that saved me a couple hundred.

Let me know if you need / want more info.

- Rip

I have an iMAC and I love it. While it is not as portable as a laptop it is considerably more portable than a PC as there is only one wire to unplug, the power cord and the keyboard and mouse are wireless. I will routinely bring it to the office when needed and will also move it from the bedroom to living room easily when I want to work in different rooms. The only thing I don't like is Safari can be buggy at times especially when you use the archived back swipe button too much.

That being said, I am also very interested in the new MacBook pro. It's thinner, lighter,ridicululously powerful, no moving drives and with a Retina display! What's not to like? :P (except for the price of course)