Move from an iMac to a Macbook Pro and an external screen (or similar windows based system)?

rob-nikon

rob-nikon

Suspended / Banned
Messages
7,077
Name
Rob
Edit My Images
Yes
Late last year I was thinking of picking up a Macbook Pro Retina to use a travel laptop but I decided that it wasn't worth it for the cost considering I was keeping an iMac too. Currently I have a 21 inch iMac but I'm starting to wondering if I could get the benefits of both desktop and portability if I went with a macbook pro and an external monitor like a thunder port display. I had never looked into external displays as I didn't think docking would be easy considering I have two external hard drives and a graphics tablet connected (I don't want to be connecting/disconnecting lots of cables each time). The thunderport displays have 3 USBs so I could still use the external drives connected directly to the display along with the graphics tablet. As the SSD would be small on the macbook I would have to use one of my external drives as a main storage hard drive and the macbook SSD as the working drive. Could my other external hard drive be partitioned to allow to backup of the SSD and main storage hard drive via Carbon Copy Cloner as well as a time machine copy of the SDD? It would of course mean all backups would be on one external hard drive which isn't exactly good. Currently I back up a time machine copy of the main iMac hard drive and a CCC copy of the main iMac hard drive to separate external hard drives. Moving to macbook would have the benefit of only using Lightroom on one computer so no hassle of transferring images/LR catalogues between macbook and iMac. I would need to archive older images to the main storage drive rather than keep them on the SSD as it would soon fill up, that may help me go through images and delete the useless never to be edited images wasting hard drive space.

Does anyones else have a setup like this? How does macbook pro (2013 retina?) performance compare to a late 2013 iMac? Currently I think there are pro's and con's to both moving and staying so I'm not sure if its worth it. Selling the iMac would open up the opportunity to do the same with a windows laptop and IPS screen but I'm not sure if docking would work as easily (cable connecting) but I'm guessing it would be a cheaper option. I'm not tied to apple but I do like the ease of CCC backups.
 
Last edited:
Several years ago I did what you are considering. It was OK, but only OK . The biggest bugbear was connecting devices, as you have identified. Now I did this as a short term option, although it lasted longer than I planned. The MBP wasn't a Retina machine but I think the same principle applies. If I was going to do this again, I would look at a docking station for the MBP . This way you could have all the peripherals hooked up permanently.

I know a couple of people who work this way and they are happy with the system . Laptop on location then plug into a monitor when in the office. I wasn't so keen , but then horses for courses.

I use CCC for external drive backup and no problem. Personally I'd get a small inexpensive drive for Time machine. I used to partition a hard drive , one for normal backups the other for Time machine, but I found i a poor use of storage ,and opted for separate drives. Plus a small portable drive can go with you and back up automatically whilst you are away.

I've not used Mac Thunderbolt displays, but they are getting a bit long in the tooth as far as the display is concerned. As the latest iMacs have P3 displays which have a much wider gamut. I wonder if a new model is in the pipeline ( about time). I also know neil_g doesn't rate them due to problems he's had. And whilst I do like apple products possibly the display is the weakest item at the moment, and there are probably better options in the market place.
 
Most displays these days have USB hubs built in. Some USB3.

Then you just have to plug in the display port and USB.

Avoid the apple TB displays, we've stopped sourcing those as they've been too unreliable. Dell 27 ultrasharp is the way to go (better and cheaper anyway).
 
Ha didn't read chappers update until now :D

The apple tb screens logic board for the rear ports have been a major flaw for us, then eventually we started getting flickery display and/or lines.
 
What you are talking about is about the set-up that I have at the moment...
I do lot of traveling with my photography work - so hated always having MacBook and then needing to transfer stuff to iMac at home.. and often ending with copies of them everywhere and not sure which were edited last, etc..

So about three years ago decided to buy the MacBook Pro Retina and external screen.

I have two external Thunderbolt HD's and two external USB HD's.
I also have the Apple TB display (which I love!!!) and also a Dell27 UltraSharp - so two external screens.

I have the two screens and TB HD's connected via a single TB post to the MacBook Pro - that still leaves me the two USB ports for the times I want the USB HD's connected.
I do also have a USB3 extension - so I can plug four extra USB devices to the MacBook Pro (it is one of the 'powered' ones - so can take few things and even charge them).

For me this works great - the MacBook Pro is more than powerful enough to handle my image/video editing - and I know that if I need to leave for a job in a hurry, all my latest editing/etc will be on the computer and don't need to think whether I have transferred all I might need.

As mentioned in the posts above - some people like this set-up, for others it isn't what they like/want/need.
 
Thanks for the replies, I did wondered about whether an IPS screen would be a better option with a PC based laptop. IPS screens are cheaper than the apple equivalents and I did wondered if the apple thunderport displays are waiting an upgrade. I do like to edit on a desktop display but like the idea of versatility to update the website or blog anywhere rather than be tied to the desktop. Being able to upload images straight to Lightroom whilst away is a nice idea too without having images on different locations/computers or worry about transfers latter. Up until the iMac I've always had laptops so that doesnt bother me too much, having an external screen would be great for properly editing photos.

At work I have a laptop with docking station and monitor. I like the setup as it gives versatility when I'm at different offices and a good screen when in my office. I have found a need to have two power packs, one for the dock and one for portable use.

For around the same money as second hand MacBook Pro/thunderport display I could pick up a dell XPS 13 and dell 27 inch ups screen. I'm guessing this would need a docking station. Does the dell 27 inch screens have additional USBs? What PC based laptops would everyone recommend?
 
I believe the TB displays are IPS, its only a type of panel. Only reason I can think the Apple screen costs as much as it does is the thunderbolt connectivity (and the Apple logo ;) ) and even that is very niche because of the high cost of drives.

Unfortunately they're let down by poor reliability and their constant poor decision to slap that siney glass on everything.

Bring back the old matte cinema displays and drop the price in line with the stonking dell ultrasharps and then we'll talk apple :D
 
Last edited:
Macbook Pro Retina plus external display is a good solution but don't buy the Thunderbolt display - it hasn't been updated since 2011 and doesn't have USB 3. The only thing that's been changed is the inclusion of the MagSafe - MagSafe 2 adapter.

For docks, there are a few nice solutions out there - check out Henge Docks http://hengedocks.com and Landing Zone http://www.landingzone.net
Alternatively, there are several Thunderbolt docks.

If you want to run the Macbook in clamshell mode, you'll need an external keyboard and pointing device.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top