I wish Apple would do a portable computer without a battery. I work on power 99% of the time, and would love e.g. A portable iMac.
I realise that I'm probably an outlier though.
In the pro video camera space the mid range cameras and up are modular, so you have an imaging device which is just a cage with a sensor in it to which you attach storage, lenses, monitors, handles, etc.
There must be similar things in the pro laptop space, but it would have to be a hackentosh.
I'd also like an 18- or 19-inch laptop with an Ultra HD screen. Apple could put in the biggest battery they're allowed to (100W in the US, for flights) and let it have whatever battery life it has. I think of it being portable in the sense of moving it to another room in the house, say to watch a movie in my bedroom, or to get work done in my home office, not that I'll take it with me when I go out.
I've traveled with a similar setup. The Mini has the additional benefit that you can keep it in your hand luggage when flying and governments can't randomly fiddle with hardware in your checked-in luggage. (Look at my shiny tinfoil hat.)
And no, an iMac is not easy to carry.
But what would you actually change? I wouldn't want to add any components, and the iMac doesn't seem to have better specs.
The weight of the battery could be removed but it's already light enough for that to not matter.
> And no, an iMac is not easy to carry.
Compared to a laptop of the same screen size, I'd rate an iMac pretty high on carryability. (The sizes sold today are irrelevant to a theoretical 'portable iMac'.)
I would've thought when you're on AC, the power can completely circumvent the battery and put no wear on it. I remember in the age of replaceable laptop batteries, I could replace the battery while connected to AC (or run without a battery) no problems