Macbook Pro has a decent screen... but it's still a laptop. If you go that route you'll probably end up want a regular desktop monitor (I ended up shelling out for one after about six months anyway). Your best bet is the iMac, since you can get all the toys you want and the configuration you want and still stay within budget. If you go with the Macbook Pro and just a 20 inch monitor you're pretty close to your limit already. Laptops are great, but it'll end up costing you more in the end. The only reason I have a laptop with desktop accesories instead of a regular iMac is that I have to take my laptop to my lab every day (much easier than having two separate systems to work on).