Question Having trouble deciding between MacBook Pro (M1 Pro Chip) or a i9 12900k + rtx 3060ti PC

[Asbaat]

Hello! I am a freelance video editor who is also studying in a university that is located in another city. I am facing a dilemma

So I currently have a $2000 budget in which I can either go for an M1 Pro MacBook Pro or an i9-12900k with an RTX 3060ti.


I travel between my hostel and home almost twice every month which means that whatever system I choose, I'll have to carry it alone with me on the bus which is almost a 6 hour long drive.
In terms of performance, I know the desktop is gonna smash the MacBook in everything, from premiere pro, to after effects to gaming performance however the MacBook has the upper hand in terms of portability.

So I need your opinion on what I should go for. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Asbaat

 

[Lutfij]

You're asking us to help you decide if you want portability over performance? I'd ask you, how much do you see yourself earning? If I were you, I'd build an itx system and call it a day. The only stipulation in the itx build would be that you've got a display to work with on the other side of the world, since moving around with a display can and will result in a damaged display.

Where are you located, mind you? If you're located in South East Asia(looking at your avatar), your prices will vary and could possibly limit what sort of parts you have access to.

 

[Asbaat]

You're asking us to help you decide if you want portability over performance? I'd ask you, how much do you see yourself earning? If I were you, I'd build an itx system and call it a day. The only stipulation in the itx build would be that you've got a display to work with on the other side of the world, since moving around with a display can and will result in a damaged display.

Where are you located, mind you? If you're located in South East Asia(looking at your avatar), your prices will vary and could possibly limit what sort of parts you have access to.

Hello! Thank you very much for your reply. I am from Pakistan and currently I have a net income (after expenditure) of $500-700. I believe with a better PC I can upgrade my editing since I'll be able to work on after effects instead of only premiere pro because my current gaming laptop (i7-9750H + rtx 2060) isn't enough for 4k editing or after effects.

Also, I have 2 monitors, one in my hostel (where I study) and one at home so I'll only be transporting the CPU, not the monitor.