new mac buyer! :)

[Subversion]

hey guys,

my gf is into design and she wants to get a Mac (laptop) as it seems to be the design standard. I just wanna know a couple of things:

1. Whats the best portable Mac to get?

2. Why is Mac better for design?

3. Why are they so expensive? What is it about them that makes them so highly priced? Do they perform a lot better than a Microsoft option?

Just looking for some new guy info here, if any1 could shed sum light on these questions it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[PeterCH]

hey guys,

my gf is into design and she wants to get a Mac (laptop) as it seems to be the design standard. I just wanna know a couple of things:

1. Whats the best portable Mac to get?

That depends on how much juice she needs. The cheapest are the new R12K Macbooks. These feature NVidia GPUs which means they will work with various plugins and programs like Adobe Photoshop CS4 which make use of these features to accelerate rendering of scenes, images and scrolling/panning images. So if she doesn't need a super fast CPU a Macbook should be good enough.

2. Why is Mac better for design?

The OS is just more stable and easier to use. There is also a larger variety of software for design for the Mac than PC.

3. Why are they so expensive? What is it about them that makes them so highly priced? Do they perform a lot better than a Microsoft option?

They are not really more expensive than comparably equipped Sony Vaio laptops. They are good quality build machines with same company making the h/w and OS which means fewer bugs. She'll save time in the long run and time = money.

You also won't need an AV scanner so you'll save and if you enjoy DVDs - the machine comes with a DVD player program - no need to buy PowerDVD or WinDVD.

In addition she'll be saving a bundle on apps if she buys Final Cut Studio - it's cheaper than Adobe Production Suite - and more professional. Other Apple pro-apps are similarly well priced.

In SA, CORE has a bit of a monopoly on Mac computers which means they overcharge a bit too. You can however buy a Mac laptop overseas for less and bring it in and Core should respect the warranty.

Macbook Pros are more expensive but feature faster CPUs and more RAM and better graphic cards. For basic requirements however any NVidia GPU will do and all current Mac notebooks have those. You can always upgrade the machines with more RAM and better HDD yourself - it's cheaper.

 

[Antybubbs]

She will not regret it, its the best decision i ever made,

 

[Synaesthesia]

1. Depends on your needs. It's quite a simple lineup though, you have the Macbook, which is white, and 3 Macbook Pro's , 13", 15" and 17".

My favourite is the Macbook Pro 13"!

2. I would say stability, ease of use and pervasive colorsync technology.

3. They're extremely thin and light. They have awesome battery life. They have a unique OS that's superior to Windows in some respects. Their build quality is amazing.

In SA and in most countries other than the USA, they're even MORE expensive.. If you have a buddy in the USA you can save some money.

 

[macboer]

some advice:
The Apple notebooks are THE best(top of the line) notebooks you can buy with money. I would recommend an iMac (if you want more bang for your (spring)buck) though, does she really need a portable. the advatages of a portable is obvious but is it more important than speed/power. I WOULD NOT go for the the white macbook for design.

that's all.

 

[Subversion]

wat would u recommend for design?

 

[phiber]

Macbook pro with the dual gfx, or the IMAC with the nvidia go120 i think it is

 

[Moklet Kcuf]

wat would u recommend for design?

What kind of design is she doing or interested in?

 

[Synaesthesia]

The best Mac you can afford.