PC user looking to cross over

Hey all,

I've been a PC user since Windows 3.1, but I've dabbled with Macs since the Apple IIe... Now that I'm working with a 27" iMac full time at my new job, I've been looking in to getting a Mac for myself at home.

I'm a web developer using Adobe Photoshop/Dreamweaver as my primary editing tools as well as Notepad++. I'm also a big gaming nerd, which is probably why I've stuck to PCs so long. I custom build my PCs, and I like the fact that I can stick a foot-long GPU into my case and pack it with 6-8 case fans and blaze through the latest games without breaking a sweat. BUT, with the new job and just getting older, I've fallen out of gaming and want to focus primarily on productivity and freelance web design.

I currently own an iPad 2, and I have a Mac Mini hooked up to my TV. The darn thing is like brand new since I've bought it only a couple of months ago, and I've only used it a few times. It's not powerful enough to replace my desktop PC, so I'm looking to sell it.

I don't know if I should go with a Macbook Pro or just say screw spending all that money, and just get a bluetooth keyboard for my iPad and use that as a touchscreen netbook computer.

For productivity, does the iPad have any good web editing apps (php, html, etc) or should I go with a Macbook Pro and stick to Dreamweaver/Photoshop? I like the idea of being portable...

Or, as a third alternative, should I sell everything (pc included), and just get an iMac? Can the latest iMacs handle modern games well? (Skyrim, etc).

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all!

i don't think that you can work (and i really mean work) well on an iPad - when it comes to web design and such. i come from a similar background - with web design and image editing - and i love working on my macbook pro together with a thunderbolt display - then you have something for any occasion but it´s not the cheapest equipment.
and yes, iMacs can handle games very well.

Is it possible to keep your current PC and also get the Macbook Pro? That would be the best option. You can always return it or at least sell it and take a loss of a few hundred as the worst case, personally I think it is worth it, you learn what OS you prefer and can stick with that for the rest of your technical days.

With the PC it sounds like what you got, I don't think Apple has anything that would really stand out to you other than their User interface.

On the bright side, you have at least a month more to think about it as Apple(as well as other computers) are going to be releasing 2012 computers with Ivy Bridge Processors that are going to have a lot more horsepower than the current generations.

I'm becoming quite ambidextrous when it comes to the two operating systems. It takes my brain a moment to switch over after working on an iMac for 8 hours and then trying to use shortcuts in Photoshop on the PC. I keep having to stop myself from hitting the ALT key with my thumb instead of the Control key with my pinky haha.

As much as I would like to replace my PC with an iMac, I think my best bet would be to hold on to my PC and stick with the Macbook Pro. I want to keep my iPad just because it is so convenient when it comes to consuming media (watching videos, reading email, surfing the net, etc)... and I feel like I would regret selling it.

I do still want to sell my Mac Mini, though. I originally bought it to see if I'd like the Mac OS, but then I got my job and now the Mac Mini is just collecting dust. The sad thing is, I just bough it a few months ago, and I'll probably lose a lot of money trying to sell it because I was an idiot and let the Best Buy employee talk me into a 2-year extended warranty for $99... Can those be transferred? Would that be a good selling point to try to recoup my costs when trying to sell it?

Also, a side question... how long do I have to wait, and how many posts do I need to get permission to put a post in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum here?

Is it Best Buy's warranty? I haven't used their warranty on something that expensive but when I break something, they replace it without questioning it or testing(make sure people are waiting behind you just to be sure), it's how I get new stuff when I think the things I have are too old. I'm guessing they don't bother questioning it because the profit margins for both companies are incredible.

I don't know how many posts it takes to make the B/S/T forum, I guess you are going to have to participate to find out. That's how they get ya.

Fair enough haha. Yeah, I don't know. The warranty is good for 2 years, and the only reason I got it was because I heard Mac Mini's have a tendency to overheat but now that I've owned it, I feel like I got hoodwinked haha. I've played some basic 3D games on it like the new Back to the Future games that were released a few months ago with absolutely no slowdowns or crashes...

It's a great little computer for someone who wants to try out a Mac without having to spend a ton of money.

TabletRevlution said:

Is it Best Buy's warranty? I haven't used their warranty on something that expensive but when I break something, they replace it without questioning it or testing(make sure people are waiting behind you just to be sure), it's how I get new stuff when I think the things I have are too old. I'm guessing they don't bother questioning it because the profit margins for both companies are incredible.

I don't know how many posts it takes to make the B/S/T forum, I guess you are going to have to participate to find out. That's how they get ya.

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