Looking to buy MacBook Pro or iMac-but which?

Question

I currently have a MacBook, which I bought Feb 2010-- have since added/replaced RAM with generic 2x2GB (so now 4GB ram v. 2GB),-- 2.26GHz Duo Core 350GB drive.
I do LOTS of scrapbooks and movie stuff (have even considered making it more than just a hobby and perhaps make it a business)... anyhow, when I have applications open, such as: iPhoto, Aperture, Photoshop Elements, iMovie, iDVD running or some portion of those, it feels so slow.  Encoding is a long process, etc.
I had made the switch from Windows-based to Mac in Feb 2010... not knowing I'd like the Mac so much, I went with the base model.
Now, I'd like to get something beefier, but not sure what route to go.  As I can tell, the new MBP's are a large upgrade to my current MB (between quad core and GHZ and RAM speed), but enough for my needs?
If I were to get the iMac, could I connect my current MB to it via cable and use my MB as a monitor (so I can have somewhat the portability of a laptop-[as long as the cable is long enough to my "portable" spot], but the processor of the iMac?)
A 27" iMac seems to be beefier and yet cheaper than a 17"MBP... so, my inclination is to go with the iMac.  The portability concerns me a bit, because right now, I have an option to go "scrapbook" at someone else's house with my MB.... not so easy with an iMac (maybe not too bad with the 21.5" iMac-not that I'd like to move a desktop often)- I really don't do this often, but I do sometimes like to be lazy on a Saturday morning and work a bit on a scrapbook in my leather chair--- if I know I am going to be doing an in-depth movie project or scrapbook for a while, I'd be fine sitting at a desk.
One could say that since I already have a MB, I could use that on Saturday mornings and at friend's houses doing my projects there that would not be as complicated/processor-needy.... and, use the iMac whenever I am doing the heftier projects and when I am going to be doing a lengthier project.  I am only concerned that I will want to beat my MB with a baseball bat as it will seem even SLOWER than it is to me now since I'd be accustomed to the speed of the new iMac. (Not to mention that I'd have to transfer some data through an external drive in order to get files from one computer to another).
Right now, working on just iPhoto on my MB seems to be slow... my workflow on that for the books is that I have found that I like to work through one event at a time and not pull the photos into the project.  So, each time I need to change the event I am working on, I have to exit out of the project, view the event, then load back into the project so that I can select the "recent event" photos.  This process seems to take a bit more time than I'd like.  (My workflow has changed from the previous version of iPhoto as the information (date, etc) was a lot easier to view while in the project- now I have to have my cursor sit over the photo for like 10 seconds before a date and file name shows up-quite aggravating).
Perhaps there is a better way to just select some photos from each event first and then pull them into the project.  But, I do one page at a time... and have found I like being able to view in closer (in my photo library) on some photos before choosing them for the album-- and I just note which ones I like before heading back into the book.  I have iPhoto '11 btw.
NOTE I GIVE THIS INFO ABOVE NOT NECESSARILY TO CREATE A DIFFERENT THREAD ON IPHOTO POINTERS, BUT JUST TO POINT OUT THAT LOADING THINGS ON MY MB SEEMS TO BE TIME CONSUMING-MORE TIME CONSUMING THAN I'D LIKE.  Sometimes I have files in different iPhoto libraries for iMovie, which means I need to load in and out of iPhoto libraries and in and out of iMovie if I need libraries refreshed.
Once the question," iMac or MBP?", is answered, my questions head to:
upgrade the GHZ?
upgrade from 4GB RAM to 8GB (or 16GB on the iMac)?-- have heard more than 4GB might not be very useful- I have 4GB now, and wonder if that would have helped me out with my slowness to be able to go higher than 4GB (which my MB is limited to 4GB anyway).
assume the 7200RPM would be better on the MBP with smaller hard drive?
glossy or anti-glare?- my main use is photo editing and video-making--- don't play games and really don't watch movies.  I have heard the matte is better for photo-editing as it seems like a truer representation of how printings will look.
was figuring I'd get the hi-res screen no matter what model I got- worth it?
was considering refurbished if the options coincide with my needs.  should I be concerned doing this?
Any help is greatly appreciated!!!!

Answer 1

You need to keep the MacBook Pro for other uses, forget getting a overheating "you can't change anything but the RAM, cost you a arm and a leg to fix it" iMac and get yourself a Windows tower where you CAN upgrade the video card time to time, and CAN tweak things and CAN switch out the monitor, the keyboard, add surround sound cards and tons of other things for your 3D gaming experience.
I know this sounds like blasphemy on a Apple site, but it's the god honest truth.
Your clearly in the "competitive" aspect of 3D gaming and all the newest, most powerful video cards are on Windows as there are more users on Windows, thus a larger market for buying upgrade cards.
3D games only really need a dual core processor as all their "work" is really video card (GPU) related.
Windows towers are also a heck of a lot less expensive than a MacPro, and all the "games choices" are on Windows.
Mac's are ALWAYS significantly behind their Windows cousins when it comes to 3D games and with laptops your restricted by battery or heat issues, unlike towers with their massive cooling.
MacPro's have trouble getting new video cards, back in the PowerMac days it was easy as they thought the "Mac is back as a 3D gamers machine" until the Intel swtich that is, it's like now you only get what comes with the new machine and god forbid if you went cheap.
Windows 7 is not that bad actually, it's a lot more "pleseant" and secure than before, you can install the free Microsoft Security Essentials and it will protect you from most casual malware. Sure enough just using it for gaming isn't going to bother you much, you'll hardly see it or use it, just long enough to launch the game.
Just don't go treating it like you would a near immune Mac and you shoudl be fine.
I'll let the Cinebench score show you what your missing.
http://www.cbscores.com/index.php?sort=ogl&order=desc