-- Posted by Cyanotype at 7:19 am on Sep. 13, 2008 I need to choose between a iMac 20-inch glossy widescreen display 1GB memory 320GB hard drive 8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB memory Built-in iSight Camera or a MacBook 13-inch glossy widescreen display 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 1GB memory 120GB hard drive Combo drive Built-in iSight They're the same price, and with the MacBook I can carry it around, obviously, but, with the iMac I have a second screen I can use. Help? -- Posted by look over here at 7:20 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Whats the use of a second screen? -- Posted by hooray for rootbeer at 7:21 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Quote: from look over here at 10:20 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Whats the use of a second screen? Two screens is a bigger, better experience on the computer.  It's fucking amazing. -- Posted by Cyanotype at 7:24 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Quote: from hooray for rootbeer at 10:21 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Quote: from look over here at 10:20 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Whats the use of a second screen? Two screens is a bigger, better experience on the computer. It's fucking amazing. This is true. -- Posted by Mikoto at 7:25 am on Sep. 13, 2008 The iMac would be the better choice imo, though I'd suggest upgrading to 2GB of RAM at least. Either way you get a nice computer. -- Posted by marshmellowman at 7:25 am on Sep. 13, 2008 You can use a second screen on a MacBook too, I am now. You just need to get the mini-DVI to DVI converter. I voted for the MacBook, because it's portable. It depends on what you want to use it for though. College work? Gaming? The iMac has a better graphics card (by far) so if you're thinking of utilising that, then that should be a factor to consider. Do you need the screen size? Are you just going to be using it in one place? Because there's no point in getting a MacBook if you're not going to move it much (it would also damage the battery if you always keep it plugged in). -- Posted by ManicD at 7:26 am on Sep. 13, 2008 ummmm...why dont you but a real computer rather than a childs toy mac -- Posted by Honor at 7:29 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Macbook -- Posted by Cyanotype at 7:29 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 10:25 am on Sep. 13, 2008 You can use a second screen on a MacBook too, I am now. You just need to get the mini-DVI to DVI converter. I voted for the MacBook, because it's portable. It depends on what you want to use it for though. College work? Gaming? The iMac has a better graphics card (by far) so if you're thinking of utilising that, then that should be a factor to consider. Do you need the screen size? Are you just going to be using it in one place? Because there's no point in getting a MacBook if you're not going to move it much (it would also damage the battery if you always keep it plugged in). Well, I am a High-School student so, some school work, I'm a TV production student, so often I might have to do a lil' editing here and there for the school. I'm pretty much going to really not to move it much, because I feel that I'm a retard and it'll get ran over by a truck or something. and Manic, I'm not going to have that battle right now. -- Posted by kk327 at 7:31 am on Sep. 13, 2008 i'd say iMac if you aren't going to move it around much... itrs bad for the battery to keep it plugged in all the time on a macbook. also, upgrade the memory...   -- Posted by Cyanotype at 7:32 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Quote: from kk327 at 10:31 am on Sep. 13, 2008 i'd say iMac if you aren't going to move it around much... itrs bad for the battery to keep it plugged in all the time on a macbook. also, upgrade the memory... I will when I get the money. -- Posted by marshmellowman at 7:32 am on Sep. 13, 2008 Quote: from akallen at 3:29 pm on Sep. 13, 2008 Well, I am a High-School student so, some school work, I'm a TV production student, so often I might have to do a lil' editing here and there for the school.   I'm pretty much going to really not to move it much, because I feel that I'm a retard and it'll get ran over by a truck or something. Then I'd definitely suggest getting the iMac. For what you want to do it's a much better deal. The MacBook isn't really equipped for video editing. Whilst you can do it, if you're into that or you'll need to do it, the iMac is better for that with its graphics card and all. And as you said if you're effectively going to use the MacBook as a desktop machine that you don't move around there's no point in getting it. You should probably look into getting more RAM though. 2GB is pretty standard nowadays, even in Macs.