MacBook...

[Swound!]

Hello,

I know this is strictly a photography forum, but it IS indirectly related! ;)

I'm thinking about purchasing my first mac. I would be using it mainly for Adobe Photoshop CS3 and also of some usage of Adobe Premier Pro too. All amateur usage, nothing professional or high profile!

I obviously don't want to buy something that I won't need, ie. spend unnecessary money on upgrades, etc that aren't needed. So, if I went for 2.0GHz model, would I need upgrades, etc?


Yes, n00b I know. But I want to get what is right for me for the best price! I'm sure you all understand!

Thank you very much in advance

R

[Qurlyjoe]

The rule of thumb is to spend as much as you can afford on RAM and hard disk size. This is especially true if you're going to use CS3. I'd also recommend getting the faster CPU. Since you mention 2.0GHz specifically, I'm guessing you're talking about the MacBook and not the MacBook Pro model. You're definitely going to want to get more than the piddly 80GB hard disk standard on the MacBook 2.0 model. And once you start spending more there, you might as well spring for the faster one. At an absolute minimum, I'd suggest the 2.2GHz with 2GB RAM, and 120MB hard disk. $75 for 160MB hard disk will be worth it sooner than you might think. I'd also recommend the 3-year service warranty extension. I know, everybody always says they're a waste of money. This is about the only case I'd argue in favor of it. Consumer Reports Magazine consistently reports Apple support as among the best around for customer satisfaction.

[viperx27]

get the RAM from a 3rd party like newegg or crucial, much cheaper. and very easy to do yourself.

The bigger issue I see is the 13" screen, you might think about a external monitor to plug in. I have a 15" mbp so its a bit better, but use a 24" dell monitor in my office or a 42" plasma TV in my living room for editing.

get apple care!

the wireless mouse is really handy

[Tony-S]

I'm thinking about purchasing my first mac. I would be using it mainly for Adobe Photoshop CS3 and also of some usage of Adobe Premier Pro too. All amateur usage, nothing professional or high profile!

I obviously don't want to buy something that I won't need, ie. spend unnecessary money on upgrades, etc that aren't needed. So, if I went for 2.0GHz model, would I need upgrades, etc?

The entry-level MacBook you describe will be adequate for photo and video work. Buy it with the smallest hard drive and least amount of RAM. The, go out and buy 2 gigs of RAM and a 250 gig SATA drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822149070) from New Egg (both will cost only about $220). You can replace the RAM and hard drive in a MacBook in about 10 minutes without even opening the case. Your biggest issue is your desire to do video. Presumably, you have a firewire DV camera for that is compatible with Premier (or iMovie); each 45 min of DV will take up 10 gigs of hard drive space.

[nikonthree]

Your biggest issue is your desire to do video. Presumably, you have a firewire DV camera for that is compatible with Premier (or iMovie); each 45 min of DV will take up 10 gigs of hard drive space.

Very true...

As Adobe recommends (per site):
- Dedicated 7,200 RPM hard drive for DV and HDV editing; striped disk array storage (RAID 0) for HD; SCSI disk subsystem preferred

[Swound!]

The video editting I'm talking about wouldn't be anything major, just a hobby every now and again.

I also have the capabilities of running the display through my HDLCD 32" TV. Your help is greatly appreciated as always. I'll have a look around tomorrow!

Thanks again

[Tony-S]

Then you ought to download iMovie 06 from Apple's web site. It does HD out of the box and is free.

[crazyskillz07]

If your a student you can get a $100 discount from apple.... i think...

[Nigel Wallace]

Swound

I have the Macbook you are talking about and i am really pleased with it. Yes i have stuck 2gb Ram in it and have an external Hard Drive to back up , it really is worth it , The screen is small for photo editing but i link it to an external display when at home doing the major editing . When out on location i personally think it is great. Its small enough to not be too heavy when you have all your other photo equipment and big enough to view the images on screen when linked to my 30d

Of course if you have the spare extra cash for a higher spec Mac then go for it but if you are like me and have to be a little careful on how much you spend then this is a great choice. Its my first Mac after i switched from Windows and i will not go back.

Hope it helps

Cheers

Nigel