New Laptop with Large Monitor, or Desktop?
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- AmandaLee
I'm sure this has been brought up more than a few times, so I apologize in advance :)
I find I'm doing a lot more freelance work at home, and my 15" macbook pro isn't really an ideal workspace anymore. I'm debating getting the 27-inch iMac, or just upgrading my current laptop and getting a really large monitor and a keyboard to use while at home.
I do like the fact that having a laptop lets me do work outside of home, and I can bring it with me to client presentations if need be...but they also have a shorter lifespan than the desktop.
Any thoughts?
- instrmntl0
get a used cinema display
- Gucci0
I love my 27" iMac.
I used to love the portability of a laptop, but now hate lugging it around. I guess in the end it's what works for you. If you've got the coin, you could always use a tablet for presentations. The screen might be a tad small. Just a thought.
- AmandaLee0
Yeah I have an iMac at work, although not the 27" I don't think, and I absolutely love working on it.
I get what you're saying about the lugging around thing. I used to love taking my laptop to a coffee shop for an afternoon and just getting work done, but now I really hate the small screen! haha
- AmandaLee0
Aren't the iMac computers more powerful as well?
- desmo0
I use a MBP and connect it to the first gen 20" cinema display. Its a great set up. Have been using it for years.
- BaskerviIle0
All the design directors have a high-end macbook pro with a large monitor and keyboard to plug into. This way, they can travel around taking the work with them but still work fine on a desktop. Makes sense.
If you're freelance, there will be times when you need portability.- • where I workBaskerviIle
- Just freelance after my full time job.AmandaLee
- Josev0
I ahve a 13" MBP and a large NEC display. I'm pretty pleased with the setup. I wish the 13" had a second video card like the 15" but I havent had to many problems with it.
- raf0
I have a recent MacBook Air attached to a 30" display—it is al the computer I need for webdev and photography, with unmatched portability. I wouldn't go back to a two-computers setup anymore (laptop and desktop), I'd hate to have to sync them.
I recommend getting a good laptop and a large display, ideally the Apple Thunderbolt Display as it serves as a hub extending Thunderbolt connector (USB, Firewire, Ethernet).
Let us know what your current laptop spec is and what type of work you're going to need it for. Chances are, it only needs a small RAM upgrade and all you're going to have to buy then will be the external display.
- 23kon0
15" laptop for working on the move (13" is too small for designing on)
and BIGGEST monitor (or two) that you can get.I'm on PC.
Use a 13" thinkpad (TANK!) for my musicmaking (with monitor) and its ultraportable and indestructable for gigs n djing.
It's wayyyy too small for designing on though.
- akrok0
if you don't need to be mobile. get the imac 27".
- GeorgesII0
I broke 3 nice bags over the two years I carried my 2'8kg, 17" sony laptop,
desktop all the way mate,- bag wear is a reason not to buy a laptop?Josev
- he asked for a big monitor - big monitor = more weight = more bag wear = ripped bags = back pain = waste of moneyGeorgesII
- except if he buys a macbook = less weight = more expensiveGeorgesII
- most bag designers may create a 17" bag, however the supports and constructions..e_p
- ..arent considered that to the same degree as the 13-15" models as they are a lower..e_p
- ..percentage of any sales. thus the 15" is usually allowed to function as an expandable 17"-e_p
- though as stated. the wear and tear of the product isnt made for that unless you purchase a-e_p
- - product designed for that specific size and weight management. usually you are-e_p
- -FUCKED!!e_p
- you are basically carrying luggage size carry-on bags for the 17" in size and durability..e_p
- who the fuck wants that!?!? "hey look at me i got a 17" puter" - "come rob me"e_p
- considering they took your bike already.. maybe less noticeable visuals Georges.. less is more!!e_p
- more or less haha!!
:Pe_p - ahahahhahah cuntGeorgesII
- FawnDog0
i have the 17" MBP and the 27" cinema display. I love this set-up for work and the portability of the laptop. This is my first 17" MBP and I have to say, I could never go back to 15". Some people at work use the imac which they love but there have been times when I have received phone calls at home for some printing emergency and because I have my laptop I don't have to go into the office to figure it out.
- orrinward20
I'd say laptop + big monitor.
My setup = 13 Inch i5 2.67GHz Dell, 8GB Ram, 128GB SSD(upgraded recently), 500GB HDD, with a 24" Samsung Monitor.
All for under £600.
My laptop outperforms the iMacs we have in the office, although it's speakers are pretty much headphone sin output...
I very varely use my laptop screen, but it allows me to be portable between hotdesks at work/home and with some compromises (Alt+Tab instead of a swivel of the head) I can also use it for all my work.
Replace 'Dell' and 'Samsung' with 'Apple' if you want, multiply the price by 4 and you'll probably be quite happy.
I only really see the need for Desktops if you're a video editor, crazy gamer or have a very poor workflow and require Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and 5 browsers open at once.
I feel over the last few years Portable Hardware Power has accelerated faster than software demands have. I have no perceived loss of productivity or function over a powerful desktop machine in the work I do.
- One downside is my laptop screen is poorly calibrated, and just not that great. I typically code on lappy and view on big monitor though.orrinward2
- monitor though.orrinward2
- BusterBoy0
I'm using a 15" MBP and a 20" screen. Like having the 2 screens. Do any of you guys do design work with a single 24" monitor with a laptop? Not sure that would be big enough for palettes etc?
- MrT0
I work on a 15" MBP and a 24" main screen. No issues with CS/pallettes and no complaints, very rarely do I miss the grunt of the Mac Pro that my missus checks her email on.
- err0
- Miguex0
I'm a full time freelancer, and I work on site on agencies that most of the time dont have an extra machine for me to use.
I have a 15" mac book pro as my main machine, and 27inch imac at home.
My laptop is still my main computer, because If too many days go by without an agency gig, I get bored working from home so I go to coffee shops around my house.
I do print and some motion graphics, sometimes web too.
I can't do renders on my laptop because it's slow. So I just work from an external drive, when I get home I plug it on my imac and render there in about 1 fart and half.If you have a laptop already, get an imac. This way you have the best of both worlds.
- WeAreDAG0
13" MPB. Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya, InDesign, etc. on the mac side. Autocad and Rhino on the PC side. Runs fine. A little slow sometimes, but nothing too bad. Unless I'm rendering out huge scenes that is, which is a total suck. While an external monitor would be nice, it's by no means necessary - in fact, most of the time I don't even notice.
- a 20inch plus monitor would probably save you time scrolling and zooming all dayAmicus
- Miguex0
^
on a 13"???
wow man, respect.Never sit in front of a 15" laptop, or next time you go back to yours, you will cry rivers..
- tOki0
I took the dive a year ago and got myself a HP Envy 17' as a desktop replacement. The actual screen size is about 18.4 inches.
It's not a laptop - it's a portable computer, weighs over 7kg lol
It set me back around 4 grand, I looked at getting a MBP but decided for the performance I wanted, I'd spend the same amount of money and get a beefy pc. Went the fastest cpu i could get, 512gb SSDs, faster ram, better video card and so forth. I plug into 2 27" dell ultrasharps at work and at home the laptop is fine by itself. I have 2 user accounts to keep my personal stuff safe in the public space at work, and it helps to get into a work or play mindset depending which I'm logged into.
Great if you want to keep a single computer so to speak with one itunes library, one set of software installs etc. my only issue with this thing is that it gets so hot that it will literally burn you legs if you put it on your lap. I also still long for OSX, it's still superior for a design work flow.
