Without wanting to start an Apple v PC debate, I'd like some advice please. I've made a decision to migrate to Apple. I'm talking iPad / computers rather than iPhone.

I would like an iPad. I would like a big screen. I would like a laptop. But to get all three would probably be too extravagant. If I could get just two of those, which should I go for? Here are some clues:

I do a lot of travelling on public transport - within Europe and domestically.

I consume a lot of content - movies, sporting events, online newspapers, e-books etc.

But I also create a lot. I blog, build websites, edit images and video, write reports and so on.

I work from home around 3 days a week - preferring to work at a desk than on my lap in an armchair. I don't mind using a laptop on a desk, but I do hanker after an iMac. But would I miss the versatility and power of a Pro/Air v iPad when travelling?

No fixed budget. Around 2000 CHF is a rough target, but could stretch if really worth it.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Get a Macbook Air in combination with an external screen, keyboard and mouse.

I love my iPad but imo it cannot replace a computer.

It depends what you do when you travel.

I don't need a laptop or full iMac when i'm travelling, truth be told I'd really need an iPad. I have found though that the iPad is brilliant for content, movies, music, books and staying in touch and it's so small and light it's not an issue and I don't have to beg time on friends machines to check emails while I'm away. I'd be constantly looking after/worrying about a laptop and I don't find reading on them as easy as the iPad.

If you travel for work and need to work on your own machine on the move, then get a really good laptop.

I have to say I'm not a techie and had to be beaten to accept us having an iMac but I wouldn't be with out it now.

If you do a lot of travelling, I'd suggest that whatever you do purchase is bought from the duty free area of an airport where your 2000CHF will go a bit further.

FYI. I have a Macbook Air 17" and while I'm happy with it's performance, sometimes I find it a bit heavy to carry in a backpack.

Did you make it yourself?

Whatever you do, don't buy till they announce the new models. I'm looking for an iMac, and it's overdue for a refresh - new models are expected any week now. Not sure about the MacBooks, but macrumors.com has a buyer's guide that gives a pretty good guesstimate of when refreshes are due.

I guess you also have to consider where you store your content.

The MB Air has limited storage capability. And nothing can really be upgraded yourself... so as much as I am tempted by the form factor of the Air, I stick with the MB Pro 13" (and if the screen is too small for you to work on at home, there are lots of options).

You can install an SSD and a 1TB HD and have excellent performance and a ton of storage space. And 8Mb of RAM suits me well, so I bought my MBP with the minimum and upgraded that myself. And you can resell the old parts to get some of your investment back.

WRT iPad... I agree that it is great for consuming content. I do not use it to answer email or do much actual work. And I don't feel the MBP 13" is heavy or hard to travel with, so it works for me.

Good luck.

PS - WRT new model releases... this is always a tough one. If you can wait, then wait and buy the older model at a discount and you can meet your budget AND do the upgrades that I mentioned.

I have a 13" mac book pro which I attach to a normal PC monitor when I'm at home, and also an ipad for use on the train etc.

For me it made more sense than spending the same amount of money on a bigger mac book pro. My wife has a 21.5" imac which is really cool to work on.

It is worth spending another 50-60 CHF on extra ram (really easy to install yourself).

I got everything at digitec which is much cheaper than the apple store or dataquest.

You could think about using an IPad and a cordless keyboard when on the road and what ever you like then at home..

My husband also travels a lot - he's got a macbook air - the smaller version - it's a little bigger than an ipad, and he's got a protective sleeve for it that he carries around with him on the train. If he's going between home and office, he just has redundant power supplies. He's got an imac in his office, but at home, a cinema display, extra keyboard and pointing device. He also has a western digital 500 gb disk for archiving at home and sometimes uses an external dvd drive (we got one for 70 chf last year). I see him using the macbook all the time, even in his office.

We both have ipads, and an external keyboard, but both of us use the ipad more for reading email, playing games, reading, videos. It's hard to do serious work, for me at least, on the ipad.

If I were you, I'd look at both macbooks - pro and air - and see which one works best for you, then get a large display at home, extra keyboard and pointing device. If I go between home and office a lot, I always have powersupplies in both places so I don't have to carry that crap around with me.

My husband originally thought about getting the pro, but since he's got a networked imac, and can vpn into the systems at work, for him, the air was a better choice.

I love my iPad, but if I want to write, I really do have to be on the PC. (Yes, I use a PC).

I don't know anything about cost, however. I usually get my laptops in the US (I'd rather have US keyboards).

My apple upgrade path went something like this.

Macbook 13" after not having a home pc for years, this is great.

After a year, screen's too small for more complex apps, happy with the OS, so went for the 27" imac, wondeful.

Man the iMac is great, but now I want to be able to use all that power all the time, so now I have the macbook pro 17", and I use it all the time, the iMac is now relegated to media server. Some people complain the 17" is too big, but I use a lot of apps where the screen acreage is a boon. They're also well specced, I think mine is 3 years old now, but still more than powerful enough to run some real heavy stuff, where as with past pcs I notice i'd notice it struggling with new stuff. My next major buy will be another pro.

I also recently got an iPad, for when I can't really use the laptop, or just want something simple, kill time whatever, it's great.

So, in conclusion, the imacs look great, but you can get a macbook pro with comparable power and a screen suitable for most creative tasks in one, somewhat heavy bundle, it might be over your budget, but far more useful.

On the "wait till the new models come out" we're expecting the new range of Ivy Bridge processors to be out around mid June for chips likely to be used in Macs so if at all possible wait till then. It shouldn't be much longer than that.

OK - that was a combination of the fact that I have a Macbook Pro 17" but also want a Macbook Air

Personally use a 13" MBA with an external monitor (27" BenQ) at home and in the office. Can run heavy processing but MBAs (both versions) do struggle with heavy graphics (e.g. a very long skype video call). Doesn't bog down too much, but the fan goes to max and it is a little annoying. On the other hand, it can handle complex optimizations (Matlab)

Also got an iPad from work - at first had no use for it as the MBA is already so small, but slowly finding apps where it is more and more integrated into my workflow and quite useful. But as a Gateway Apple product, I recommend the MBA.

The wife's MB Air has 256 GB SSD and I believe 8GB Ram. That's enought for most people... I have a normal MacBook and the next one will be an Air as well.

Just as others mentioned: iPad is fun, but that's about it. If the budget is tight, I'd rather go for one well-speced Laptop, forget about the iPad and only go for a lower-end screen... a good 20inch costs some 300 CHF or so... but everyone has his own preferences.

as much as I like to travel light I discarded MB Air also because it lacks a CD/DVD drive. too limitating.

Limitating?

Can I just chip in - I'm surprised/relieved to see an Apple thread has hasn't degenerated into a Windows/Apple/Linux slagging match? Yet?

I've only ever had US keyboards on my macs (and I'm a Brit!), there's no problem choosing a US keyboard in the online (Europe) stores.

True. More to the point, I have a sister who sells the stuff in the US and so I get a really good deal (on PC's, not Apple). I can't remember if my husband has a US keyboard on his MBA. I know he bought an external US keyboard in the US.

It's weird to look at MBA and not think of MBAs, you know, those consulty sorts of people.

Based on that budget / use case, I'd recommend an Air plus external monitor and external storage for desk use at home. Like others have said, hang on for the rumoured imminent Air refresh though.