[twalker294]

OK, I have a 1.42Ghz G4 mini that I have had for about a year and a half (my first Mac,) and I am ready for a faster Mac. I was pretty much settled on the 20" iMac but then I started thinking about a laptop. So now my choice is between a 20" iMac and a Macbook. Both would have the 2.0 Ghz C2D and 2 gigs of ram. Hardware-wise, the only difference would be that the iMac would have a 250 gig HD and the Macbook I would configure with the 120 gig. And of course there is the graphics card difference with the Macbook having the integrated Intel GMA and the iMac with the Radeon.

I don't play any games at all on my Mac so that's not even an issue. It will be used for Photoshop when CS3 comes out (still using CS2 on my PC for now,) web surfing, email, iLife (mainly iMovie and iDVD.) If I got the Macbook, when using it at home I will hook it up to a 20 inch monitor, keyboard, mouse most of the time. I just like the thought of being able to take my Mac with me when necessary. I have a PC laptop that I use for work though so I don't know if having another laptop would be advantageous for me or not.

My main question is this -- besides the graphics, is there anything I am missing performance wise with this comparison? It seems like the Macbook would be very close to the performance of the iMac if they both have the same processor and 2 gigs of RAM. Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide!
Todd

[gooser]

i am not sure you're missing anything performance wise, but the imacs have had a lot fewer "problems". also an imac will be a neater arrangement. i personally like having my power at home and a cheap laptop that i can tote with me. won't lose as much if it's damaged or stolen. your needs may be different.

[twalker294]

Excellent points gooser -- thanks very much for your thoughts. The neater arrangement is definitely something I hadn't thought about. My arrangement for my mini is pretty messy so the all-in-one of the iMac would be a welcome change.

Todd

[hldan]

Also for heavy processing and multitasking the iMac would be the better choice because it ships with not only a larger hard disk but it's a 7200 RPM while the MacBooks ship with a 5400 RPM drive. Even though you don't play games just having a dedicated GPU will allow you to use Apple's pro apps without performance hits.
Also there are so many more possibilities having a desktop Mac vs. a notebook. For instance I just bought the EyeTV Hyrbrid from Elgato. I bought it at Macworld last week. An iMac is ideal to use as a replacement TV and could be hung on the wall if you don't want clutter.
Also the iMac is much easier for maintanance, if you spill something on the keyboard or damage the mouse, both are easily replaceable. Also the Applecare plan is much cheaper for desktops than laptops. One main reason is because notebooks REALLY need it.
Also the iMac is more cost effective while offering more power. Out of the box you get more memory (with the exception of the black MacBook) much bigger hard disk, better graphics, faster superdrive and faster processor with speed options for less.

[dixeyk]

The choice between a laptop and a desktop machine isn't only about price/performance. I agree that an iMac really is tough to beat as far as performance for the dollar. I switched over from desktop macs years ago to laptops and have not regretted it one bit. I like the fact that I can work any place I happen to be sitting. I am working on my Masters right now and the flexibility that having a computer you can take with you is a great trade-off for the fact that you get less performance. I also like the fact that it is easier to upgarde the HD and RAm in the Macbook than it is in the iMac (or Macbook Pro for that matter).

FWIW, I manage a small computer lab at the university I'm at and I did some tests between our new Intel iMacs and Macbooks (Processing 3.5 hours of video in Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro). They are pretty comparable in terms of speed and both models trounced the dual G5 tower we have. The other thing to consider is that there is a persistent idea that the discrete video card (GPU) will make Apple Pro apps faster. Only the apps that use the GPU will benefit ftom it. For instance, in the Final Cut Pro Suite (Final Cut, DVD Studio etc.) only Motion really uses the GPU. I know that the integrated graphics in the Macbook has gotten a lot of bad press, but it is not that bad. It plays back video really nicely and for a majority of taks you'll never notice the difference. You do need to max the RAM to 2gb is you want it to be as fast as possible.

The faster hard drive in the iMac will have more impact on performace of those apps than the GPU. Now, in apps that use the GPU you will see a huge difference in performance and of course if you plan to play games then the iMac is a much better choice. I have both a 17" Intel iMac and a Macbook and if I could only keep one I would keep the Macbook for the versatility.

You just need to ask yourself what you want the computer for. Both the iMac and macbook are terrific computers.

Oh yeah, I agree that if you go with a laptop Applecare is a must. If you haul something around all the time it is a good idea to get the extra coverage.

Kevin

[twalker294]

Wow, great thoughts from both sides. Thanks to everyone for responding. I am still somewhat up in the air but leaning toward the Macbook. I really like the idea of being able to take my Mac with me instead of having to take my PC laptop. Of course in those instances where I have to take my PC with me for work and I also want my Mac, I'll be toting two laptops but those situations probably won't present themselves much if at all. The performance aspect is really my main concern and from everything that I've read it's just not much of an issue. I did see a comparison in the newest issue of MacWorld today that rated the iMac 2.16 Ghz at 245 and the Macbook 2.0 Ghz at 178 but I assume that is with the standard RAM for both which would be 1 gig on the iMac and 512 megs on the MB so that's likely most of that difference. As I said, I'll be putting 2 gigs in whatever I buy.

Thanks much and if anyone else has any thoughts, I'm all ears!
Todd

[walkerjs]

Much like you, I also started out with a PPC Mini (actually, two; one for me and one for my wife.) Soon thereafter I lusted after a 20" iMac because the screen on those things are fantastic and I'm all about high-resolution screens.

However for practical upgrade purposes I went with the Macbook (two, actually; white for me, black for her) which even with its' 13.something" screen is absolutely fantastic! I usually prefer a 1600x1200 screen, but for some reason this 1200x800 LCD is perfect for just abou everything I need. And the portable form-factor is a major plus. I take it everywhere I go. My wife likes the fact that she can be creative wherever she might happen to be (or watch DVDs, surf the 'net, check email, etc.) and I use mine for work with Parallels to do the necessary Windows stuff that corporate computing requires.

As for performance, this machine kicks major a...er, it's really fast! I run multiple desktops with virtue desktops with a virtual Windows XP machine in one of them, and all my other apps in the other. I can switch between them with ease and even get the occasional bout of Unreal Tournament 2004 to blow off some steam. This being with the mid-tier 2.0Ghz Macbook with a Gig of RAM. At some point I'll upgrade it to 2 Gig of RAM, but for now it does everything I need. When I'm at the home office it drives an external monitor spanned and a 250 Gig firewire HDD for extra storage, but the 13" LCD and 80 Gig HDD is more than adequate and always available.

I do have an employer supplied Dell Windows Laptop that is similarly equipped, but with Parallels desktop running the same applications I find I can leave the Windows machine in its dock idle, since the Macbook does everything the Dell laptop does and more. When I'm in the home office I can use my Macbook with Parallels to VPN to the office to get things done; when I'm at the office I can use my Macbook similarly to take my preferred Mac OS X environment with me to keep my sanity in the corporate environment.

As always, it's a compromise between the EXTREEME power of a desktop, and the very handy function of portability of a notebook. I would have to say that for me that the portability and performance of the Macbook won out over the admittedly beautiful display of the iMac. In a lot of ways, I can have my cake (portability, performance) and eat it too (still good performance, can run an external display...good performance as well! There's also that 'it runs Windows' thing as well. Though the iMac does too, but not when I'm sitting in a train station on someone's wireless network. Which reminds me, I gotta go catch a train.)

[Eug]

Photoshop is kinda irritating on MacBook. The screen is too small. You could always add a second screen, but there's also the issue of the slow drive and low storage space.

I have both though... a MacBook and an iMac. If I were in your shoes, I'd get the iMac, considering you already have a PC laptop for your portable needs.

[yaroldb]

I started out with a MacBook, my first Mac ever. Loved it. I took it with me and used it mostly as a laptop. I found it frustrating to hook up keyboards, mouse and screen to use it at home, but it was nice to sit downstairs in my living room and play around while watching TV. After about 6 months, I decided that I wanted a desktop (also Windows would crash all the time) and quit using Windows completely. Now I have a 20inch iMac and a MacBook. I find myself using the iMac more than the MacBook. I listen to a lot of music so that is a big reason. Also, the larger, brighter screen really helps. What I am trying to say, knowing what I know today, I would have purchased the iMac fist and then see if I really needed a MacBook.

[LagunaSol]

I also wanted the best of both worlds: the portability of the MacBook, but the bigger screen and extra storage capacity of the iMac. And I didn't want to have to connect/disconnect my MacBook to a jungle of wires every time I wanted to connect it to a larger display and external drive. So I did what any sensible consumer would do: I bought one of each.

Picking up a clearance entry-level CoreDuo MacBook for $699 fit the bill perfectly. A refurb MacBook from the Apple Store might be a good option too. Why suffer the downsides of either a desktop or a portable machine when you can enjoy the benefits of each by owning both?

For a price, of course. Aye, therein lies the rub.

[legacyb4]

I finally got my (black) Macbook and spent the weekend in sheer Macbliss with my new laptop. It's replacing an aging 1GHz Powerbook 12" and while I love the smaller form factor, the sheer speed and power of the Macbook easily makes up for it. The screen is bright and crisp, and the keyboard feels just right although the bigger layout takes a bit of getting used to.

I can quickly see my G5 desktop being downgraded to being a file server and Bittorrent client running 24/7.

[olePigeon]

Not to mention that you can upgrade the CPU in the iMac if you want a little boost sometime in the future.

[voiceofra]

I've owned an iMac (Rev C), a mini and now own a MacBook. I recently sold my Windows laptop to my brother.
I LOVE being able to pack up my Mac and take it with me - to a coffeeshop, downtown (hanging out in Pioneer Square in Portland Oregon = free WiFi access) - and always bring it with me when I go to customer's homes.
When I'm at home, I have an apple keyboard (kept it when I sold the Mini <evil laugh>), mousepad and 2 button scroll mouse. I have one of those little 'laptop mouse' (you know...the ones that are about two fingers wide. Hulk smash mouse!) stashed in my laptop bag.