What MacBook Is For Me?

//////// EDIT: If You Say MacBook Pro, if voting, select the Black MacBook as your answer.

What MacBook should I get for the following tasks?

1) Photoshop (You better know this one :-D)

2) Dreamwever (Web Design)

3) Flash MX (Flash Design)

4) Internet Browsing

5) Music and Lots of Pictures

(I'm very interested in digital art type stuff)

Thanks for you opinions! :-D

(I Will ONLY Buy one of the computers listed above, iMac may come later on)

Also, be true about this and don't say black high end one because its the best up there, I am only 14 and need to work at the dreaded McDonald's, so this will take a while. I want to work tword something good for me, not best in all.

#473101

I personally have a 2.16Ghz White Macbook with a superdrive. Works amazing.

#473110

Get the entry level 2ghz white one. It's fine for webdesign and stuff, really I doubt that .16ghz makes much of a difference. I've got the 2ghz one (last years model though) and it can run Photoshop just fine.

Instead load it up with 2GB of RAM or something and it'll be perfect. Just buy the RAM from another dealer like NewEgg.com or something. RAM is more important than GHZ.

#473125

^no.

if your not an entry level user, dont buy an entry level computer.

save your money, buy a quality computer that wont be out of date for many years, one that can hold up to resource sucking applications. Also, you should buy a computer with the mind set that you don't have to upgrade right away..

Most adobeCS3 products minimum requirment is 2.0ghz, so whatever you buy, it will run, no problem, the rest depends on your budget, memory and storage...

and bro I feel for you, I just got a second job at McDonalds just to afford my future MacBookPro,

#473129

get an mbp.

#473142

Well, I HAVE considered the MacBook Pro, BUT, the only problems I have is:

a) It $2000, thats a lot for McDonald's Work, plus, I need it before March...

I really dont care for the MBP's looks. I like the white/black plastic better.

c) I think that might be too much for what I'm looking to do.... to much power...

Plus, being 14, It's hard enough getting the job... the ONLY thing giving me a chance is my bro working there, and my good relationship with the manager and managers daughter, becuase the daught is the GF of my bro's band member.... and yea..... so, I have a chance I might NOT get the job....

But I hope I get it soooo bad, I need MacBook!

#473240

your ridiculous man. if your so set on the lower end macs than get one and stop asking.

its not alot of work, I swear not one onze of a lie, I'm in the same boat as you, I started working at mcD's on sept7, got the job through my brother aswell, the mbp I'm looking at is $2999, working part time at minimum wage, I'll be on that machine in exactly 2 and a half months..

I really dont care for the MBP's looks. I like the white/black plastic better.

purely a joke: if your buying a computer for just looks, pick up a bag of tampons we'll your at it,

#473245

your ridiculous man. if your so set on the lower end macs than get one and stop asking.

its not alot of work, I swear not one onze of a lie, I'm in the same boat as you, I started working at mcD's on sept7, got the job through my brother aswell, the mbp I'm looking at is $2999, working part time at minimum wage, I'll be on that machine in exactly 2 and a half months..

purely a joke: if your buying a computer for just looks, pick up a bag of tampons we'll your at it,

Well, whats your min. wage?

I make about 6.25/hour at 18 hours/week max

Thats roughly 450$ month, so thats about 5 months for MBP (For the 2000 one)

And No, I am NOT joking, I dont like the MBP's looks at all. No sir. Not into the aluminum looks. Plus I hear they have way to many issues, with fans and overheating. idk.

If It will be better for me, I will buy it. But I need to hear from more peopel if Its too much for What I'll be doing, or if a Macbook is good. idk yet.

I DO have a head start, from my Birthday (Oct 29, 230$) and My Church confirmation (200$), thats 430$ head start, so I would work for, hmmm, 3 months for MBP (lowest model)

#473265

Oops! I voted without reading the thread first. Stupid me!

I vote for the second one 2.16 Ghz White

#473267

Thats alright.

Yea, I actually read the MBP page this time, and I might consider it.

Im gonna redo my math and see how long i need to work and all that goos stuff to see if Thats a good choice or if a basic MB is what I should get.

Im going to an Apple Store tomarrow, so I'll go check em all out and talk to a "genius"

#473271

You should be fine in the "Saving money" department. Let's put it this way: I make $9.40 an hour. A MBP in Canada (with the education discount) is $2000. My parents say I need to save double what I'm going to spend. So, since I'm spending $2000, I need to save $4000. It didn't take me too long. In the end, I knew I was doing the right thing, and I was super satisfied when I got my MBP, because I'd worked hard for it.

That said, I'd take the middle-of-the-road MacBook. The white looks better than the black plastic, in my opinion, and it's perfectly balanced.

#473274

True, true.

In My Honest Opinion, I think the MacBook Pro is just a bit too much computing power for my needs, it just seems as its wasted!

I think I'll go with the White 2.16 gHz w/ 2gb of RAM. Sound like a good setup? Or a bigger HD too?

#473275

You can upgrade the RAM and HD much cheaper than Apple can. It's a d-i-y that has no effect on your warranty and very easy to do.

Go for the White 2.16 w/Superdrive, 1GB RAM and the 120GB HD. If you add on anything, I'd go for iWorks '08 and Applecare.

#473281

well heres my take, sees how all apple computers need cash to buy. big cash compared to my $500 2gb ram C2D 320gb hd computer would be like 3 grand in apple money. I suggest getting a MBP with 2 gigs ram. You wont regret it.

#473282

Have you considered not buying a mac? Granted I have a macbook so I'm not trying to dissuade you from purchasing a mac. I think its great that you have the initiative to get a job to afford the things you want, especially at 14.

You said you want to run photoshop and some macromedia apps. I won't include internet browsing or media apps since they are not intensive apps and my old 733Mhz P3 server can do that.

My two cents: First off, why a macbook with a 13.3" screen? You will definitely want more screen real estate, so have you considered a desktop or second monitor?

Photoshop and Macromedia apps all run very well on a PC. Are you bound to apple computers for some reason? You could pick up a more than adequate Dell in the same configuration as the macbook for around 600$. I had a dell inspiron 8100 that lasted me 4 years in college and then lasted my brother 2 years of abuse.

Then again, the Dell E520/E521 desktops can be purchased with a monitor for less than 400$. Add some RAM to get 2GB and you've got a desktop that will make design work much more enjoyable and is upgradable for a few years worth of use.

Or you can just save the money and buy a macbook and feel like the cool kid in class! I love taking mine to class and having the old folks think I'm edgy lol... With that, I vote for a the entry level with added RAM.

#473285

Alright, here goes.

For the longest time, I have been using this horrible Windows computer, not bad in specs, I just have grown to hate Windows, looking for a change. I just visited an Apple Store today, and a great assistant helped me today. He was telling me that a MacBook is great for my needs. He did say he recommends a MBP, but that is way to much for my price range.... ONLY because it has a video card, for my photoshop needs.

I DO plan to hook up to another monitor, and get a keyboard and mouse for when I'm at home in my room working on something big. I also wanted to get AppleCare with it, but I say no, because I hear It covers almost nothing, and its 250$, which is a lot, plus, I take great care of new, nice things.... plus, Its a laptop, why wouldn't I keep it in good condition?

I plan to get the second MacBook w/ 2gb of RAM, just because my Photoshop will run better with it, and my system will run better also.

I dont upgrade that often, so my Mac will be good for a long time, plus, I do not care about GAMES, if it ever comes up, I can't stand people who hates Mac's because they dont have games, even though, you can run Windows and STILL play them. So that wont bother me.

I also, NEED, a laptop, no desktops. I need this to be portable. Just 'cuz, thats why.

Eh, I think thats a good explanation.

#473408

Do not get the one with the Combo Drive. Superdrive Models are the only way to go. Combo drives should be discontinued. So my vote is the Middle White MacBook and the Black is a choice.

#473478

to be honest, i wouldnt get a macbook at the moment. it looks like apple is redoing their entire lineup to do away with the white plastic look, and i'd say that the macbook is next in line for that upgrade. wait until they come out with a metal casing version.

#473507

By the same token, it wouldn't be ideal to wait too long. If one were to wait long enough, one would never buy a computer at all. Apple updates their product line so frequently that it can be difficult or impossible to keep up.

#473742

Hmmm, idk. I think it would look too much like the MBP then... of well.

I'll have the money around December 14th, so maybe they will release before the holiday, idk.

#473779

The white mid-range model is the way to go. I believe that fully equipped, it is $150 cheaper than the "BlackBook" and yet sports the exact same hardware, meaning you're paying extra just to have black casing.

#474425