consolidating computers: iMac Pro and MacBook Air

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MTHS1979 Author

Level 1

4 points

consolidating computers: iMac Pro and MacBook Air

I have a 2022 MacBook Air (8GB memory, with a 500 GB HD with 36.25 GB available) and a 2017 iMac Pro desktop (2 TB hard drive with 1.36 TB available). I use the iMacPro as my home computer, and it has all my data, photos, music, emails, financial and business documents from many years, transferred from even older computers. I use the MacBook Air primarily for business trips/conferences, and sometimes when I want to work in a different part of my home (e.g. family room, etc.).

I've been thinking about consolidating, and going to one higher end MacBook Pro. I have several concerns about this plan, however.

Will a MacBook Pro really be able to provide me with the HD storage I would need for the present and for several years in the future?
Is it inadvisable to "put all my eggs in one basket" and have a computer with essentially my entire life that I would use for travel (and potentially lose/have stolen from me/break)?
Is there a good way to combine the contents of the MacBook Air and my iMac Pro?

Thanks for your input!

iMac Pro, macOS 15.6

Posted on Sep 28, 2025 2:46 PM

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Answer 1

MartinR

Level 7

24,137 points

Sep 28, 2025 3:55 PM in response to MTHS1979

Yes and no. You can certainly configure & purchase a MacBook Pro with all the way up to 128GB RAM and 8 TB SSD but would you want to? A mid-level 14" M4Pro MBPro with 48GB RAM + 2TB SSD is $3200 and it goes up from there. A similarly configured 16" MBPro is currently $3500. And, as you already said, it would be putting all your eggs in one basket.
Yes, inadvisable if you don't have an effective backup plan. Ideally you should have at least 2 backups on separate media with 1 of them stored offsite (and in my book the cloud does not count as effective backup).
Yes, you can combine the data files from the two Macs. There are multiple ways to do this.

I have always pursued a "mother ship & satellite" approach to using my laptops. My desktop iMacs have always been my primary Macs. I only use the laptops for convenience or travelling and I only put the minimim necessary data on them. At home I use file sharing with my desktop Macs so I don't need to duplicate data on my MBPros. When I do field photography/videography I use my MBPros but when I get home I transfer the images/video files to my iMac and its dedicated SSDs and backup drives.

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