iMac... MacBook Pro... or Mac Pro??

[jazzspot]

I'm more or less a total newbie to Mac. I'm getting into the video editing business and I will be using the Final Cut Suite software mostly along with other software like Photoshop & After Effects CS4.

Now I need to know which Mac hardware should I invest in buying?
I'm planning to purchase the 17" MBP for its portability and I was going to build it with the following options: 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm, 17-inch Hi-Resolution Antiglare Widescreen Display.
With those upgrades, the price is $3,500.

Would I be wiser to buy an IMac (27") with 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x2GB, 1TB Serial ATA Drive??? But I will be sacrificing the portability of the MBP which I will need at times.
I've read several posts here, stating that buying a Mac Pro wouldn't be a wise thing to do since Apple will be upgrading the Mac Pro line some time this year. I also read the same applies to the MBP line.

Please help a newbie out, and point me in the right direction! What should I purchase? Cost for the hardware is not a problem, but I really don't want to buy an iMac and a MBP.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[chscag]

In my opinion, you would be better served with the 27" iMac. More screen real estate for higher resolutions and the ability to use it both ways; video out and video in. And save a bunch of $ for the software you need.

Also, the MacBook Pro line is due for an upgrade soon. Possibly next month or early May, but more likely in April if Apple keeps their usual upgrade schedule. Can't say when the Pro line will be upgraded.

The only down side to the iMac 27" is that it can not be ordered with an anti-glare screen.

Regards.

 

[jazzspot]

In my opinion, you would be better served with the 27" iMac. More screen real estate for higher resolutions and the ability to use it both ways; video out and video in. And save a bunch of $ for the software you need.

Also, the MacBook Pro line is due for an upgrade soon. Possibly next month or early May, but more likely in April if Apple keeps their usual upgrade schedule. Can't say when the Pro line will be upgraded.

The only down side to the iMac 27" is that it can not be ordered with an anti-glare screen.

Regards.

Thanks for your advise chscag. Is the screen glare that bad on the 27"?
I was hoping for more inputs from others here. Also, will the 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac have enough power to run multiple Final Cut Suite applications simultaneously without any hiccups? Or should I go with the Quad-Core Intel Core i7 version?

Plenty of views of this post, but only one reply to my questions.

 

[Chef_eam]

As far as glare goes on the 27" iMac, I personally don't think it is bad. I have mine in a room that has 2 windows directly to the side of me, and 2 more at a slight angle behind me. There are times when i can see a reflection, but they are rare and barely noticeable to me. Of course, glare being bad or not bad is a personal thing and each person will be different.