I want to switch to a Mac from PC

[jcrutcher]

I've used PC's for the past 15 years for business. A couple of years ago I added my photo processing to my work PC. ( Lenovo T500 with Vista) It seems every 3 years I need to replace the PC and that has accelerated when I added Photoshop, Lightroom, NIK etc.

so my thought is to pull all the Photo software off the PC and put it on a Macbook and keep business on the Lenovo or it's replacement. So the question is 13 or 15 inch? Macbook Pro or Macbook Pro with Retina screen?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.
Jim

[texchappy]

Can't tell you about the newest models but I've been using Macs since 2002 and loved them. If you are going to do any photo work on it I would think that the 15 Retina would be ideal but I haven't played with one myself yet. Afraid I'll want one if I do.

[ruby.monkey]

Performance-wise, current Mac hardware is on par with Windows - not surprising, really, since they share the same core components. Apple makes some excellent laptops but they won't necessarily get you off the upgrade treadmill.

[Jamie Pillers]

A great bargain is to get a Mac Mini and a big monitor from a manufacturer other than Apple (only because you can find big bargains in non-Apple monitors.) In addition, being able to buy a non-Apple monitor gives you much more flexibility in choosing monitor size and capability. A search on the web will show you that the Mac Mini is a very popular option chosen by photographers.

[jcrutcher]

Thank you guys. I imagine I can cancel my software license on my PC and upload Mac versions of Photoshop, lightroom etc. Does the mac software take as much space on the hard drive as windows? it seems to me that windows keeps growing.

Jim

[Richard G]

The Mac mini is a good suggestion. One of mine is 6 years old and working fine. The newer one has two drives and I back up one to the other. The latest MacBook Pro with the retina display looks great and gets some good reviews, but Wired found it the least repairable laptop they'd stripped down. My current MBP is 15" and it's from 2009. I wouldn't really want smaller for photography. It's heavy though.

[RObert Budding]

Not much difference any longer. Win 7 is rock solid, as is the Mac OS. And most applications, or equivalents, are available on both platforms.

[RangerFinder]

Not much difference any longer. Win 7 is rock solid, as is the Mac OS. And most applications, or equivalents, are available on both platforms.

This. My first advice would be to stop using Vista because it is a giant steaming pile. 7, however, is a really stable and much less resource hungry operating system. I also say this because you're already comfortable with PCs. Lion is a great operating system as well so if you do decide to go to Mac I agree with the mac mini and third party monitor idea. The new retina Pros are beautiful but not very user friendly under the hood as far as user upgrades go.

[Pablito]

Not much difference any longer. .

I'd have to disagree with that. I've used macs since 1996 and whenever I have to use a PC it feels like stepping from a Mercedes into a Chevy. :D

[segedi]

Macs are coming out with new versions pretty frequently, so I don't think the upgrade cycle will be much different honestly. I learned on macs (graphic design major) but my first job was in Web design (PC). I now only test designs on macs or iOS devices, after using windows, I find the file system easier to navigate and the design and photo software systems to be more intuitive. Windows 7 is very nice. And a macbook pro works very well for win 7 to run on. Will wait to see what benefits win8 brings, but it a different beast entirely, touch/tablet oriented and I'm curious to see how it works for desktop.

As far as software size, I think the Lion versions were actually larger in file size, but I haven't looked in a couple of years.

And to add to the fire, I think Apple is wonderful at marketing expensive products. And the iPad is a nice device. But for a workstation solution, it only makes sense if you have existing software, buy into the 'Mac is better' mentality or have a fragile ego.

[ruby.monkey]

I'd have to disagree with that. I've used macs since 1996 and whenever I have to use a PC it feels like stepping from a Mercedes into a Chevy. :D

... and I programme on a Mac Pro every day, and coming to it - and those bloody awful keyboards - from a Linux box is painful. Guess it all depends on what one is used to.

But there's no denying that Vista can run like a dog. Performance wasn't one of its main aims - that was left for Windows 7.

[Duane Pandorf]

I'm going to throw a curve ball here. I would consider buying a late model refurbished MacBook Pro 15" from Apple. I'd buy one that's listed now for under $1400 (http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC666LL/A) and it has the antiglare Hi-Res widescreen display which you want for editing photos.

I'd then increase the system ram memory to 8 gig which is max. If you want to up the speed some more, I'd replace the 500 gig 5400 rpm drive with a small (128 gig SSD) and then replace the DVD with a 7200rpm drive and put your photos on it and your Photoshop scratch files on the SSD.

(MCE has a kit for this and includes an external case for your DVD)

If you need additional screen real estate I'd buy one of these: NEC MultiSync P221W-BK 22" Widescreen LCD Computer Display

I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro and wish I could up its ram to 8 gig but I'm limited to 4. But I've just done the upgrade with the Crucial 128gig SSD and 750gig 7200rpm hard drive.

[Jubb Jubb]

Any reason you want a laptop over a desktop? The iMac is a great bargain and great machines. I've used all macs, from PowerBooks through to Mac PRos and iMAcs are definitely my favourite. Small, compact, don't take up much desk space and are powerful. I find laptops to be a pain. They heat up very quick and the small screen is no fun either. If its portability you are after, why not get an iPad?

[Pablito]

I will admit that I'm hopelessly prejudiced as I stared with the Mac Plus, but I just have to laugh when I see my colleagues with their university-issued PC laptops, covered with silly lights and excess plastic. My Macbook pro, also university issued, is about one third the thickness of the average pc laptop. In terms of sheer useability, I find the mac much easier. And I love the keyboard. But then, it's what I'm used to :)

Did I say the 17" screen is very nice? For travel, there's the 11" air.

[MikeAUS]

Stick with Windows 7, unless you like paying a lot more money for a Mac more locked system that may look nicer, but trap you in Apple land at every turn ;) Get a fast dedicated Windows 7 PC for photo stuff. This will cost a lot less than the equivalent Mac. You cannot just 'swap' your Windows Adobe software for Apple Adobe versions. You will have to 'cross upgrade' to the Mac version and there is some cost involved. AFAIK.

[Rob-F]

so my thought is to pull all the Photo software off the PC and put it on a Macbook and keep business on the Lenovo or it's replacement. So the question is 13 or 15 inch? Macbook Pro or Macbook Pro with Retina screen?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.
Jim

That is exactly what I have done. I got fed up with PCs going belly-up, and switched to Mac for all but the office, where I use a Lenovo. I now use a 21.5" iMac for all computer needs at home; a 13" MacBook for travel photography (I'm typing this on it from the Hampton Inn in Salina, KS); and my wife is sitting next to me using her MacAir.

I've never looked back from making this switch. I use Aperture for my photo processing needs, plus PSE 8 for the few things Aperture doesn't do.

If you are only going to get one Mac, and you will use it for photo work, I'd get something larger than a 13".

[lynnb]

Upgrading your PC/Mac also depends a bit on software upgrade cycles. After more than 2 generations of software you may need a faster, higher-specced platform to run it on at a reasonable speed - particularly if you're working with large, multi-layered files. Same goes for data transfer speeds to external HDDs: USB3 and Thunderbolt now help avoid that bottleneck.

I use Mac Mini (3yrs old) + 2 monitors + external HDDs; CS4 and LR4. Works well for me; no need to upgrade yet. But I also read good things about Win7's stability and performance.

I've found that the Mac more closed system architecture does make it easier for third party hardware and drivers to work easier out of the box after you plug them in. Just my experience.

Apple does sometimes ignore users with legacy technology. I have firewire 800 ext HDDs and Apple has dumped that in favour of Thunderbolt and USB3. I believe you can get adaptors, though.

System security was another issue that initially tipped me in favour of Macs around 10yrs ago. However, that's changing - with increased market share, Macs are now becoming more of a target.

Edit: I'd always recommend maxing the RAM no matter which system you go with. That delays the eventual upgrade and you get all the benefits from day one.

[jcrutcher]

Thank you again guys and gals. I prefer a laptop since I travel a lot and don't really have an office to desiginate for Photo Processing. Actually I've done most of it at work which I need to stop. So far i'm leaning towards a 15 inch macbook pro with max hardrive and ram. I've learned a lot from your responses so far, thank you.

Jim

[Sylvester]

Nothing beats a iMac for photo processing... 21 inch or 27.
I have a 21 and still no regrets after a year of use. ;)

[starless]

I've been using a 13" MBP for graphic design -- running the whole range of Adobe apps and also for scanning negatives. The 15" might be more comfortable to use because of the larger resolution, but it is definitely bulkier.

[Deep Fried]

mac hardware is overpriced. You are planning on running adobe software for image processing. Buying the more expensive hardware makes no sense. I just built a complete 8 core AMD system for less than $800 for photo processing. It's fast. It's cheap. It works flawlessly running windows.

Just my 2 cents. Apple knows how to charge more to give you less.

[jarski]

guess Win 7 is not as bad as previous incarnations were. but just yesterday I was called to do some maintenance of my parents Win 7 laptop. this time, Java and Flash updates were popping up and causing much stress. Mac does such things much more elegantly and can be disabled in one central switch. of course Mac does everything much more elegantly, but thats just personal opinion :rolleyes: ...and is more expensive, but you get what you pay for.

[Johnmcd]

Some years ago there might have been a difference (check, there was a difference). But now both systems use the same internal architecture and chips etc. Therefore the upgrade cycle should be no different. Adobe products are exactly the same on both platforms. That only leaves the OS. Unless of course you just have to have the Mac 'look'.

With regards to Win7 it's pretty solid (Win8 probably more so) and I would be surprised if there is much difference in that regard vs the Mac OS. I would be wary of the fan boys telling you otherwise.

I can't say I have had much to do with the new Mac's but I struggled with them in the mid '90's when friends had problems and I was the 'computer guy' friend. Found them very confusing after being brought up on a PC and being careful where I put files.

I suppose it's what you are used to using, therefore I don't think it makes any sense at all to change now whereas that may have been valid in the past. Mind you what were Apple thinking by persisting with a one button mouse for so long.

I will always have a PC. For one they are cheaper and I build them myself and secondly, I'm still a keen gamer and would hate to miss out if the game wasn't available on the Mac.

Cheers - John

[whitecat]

I changed from Windows to a mac and never looked back. The screen itself is worth it.

[kuzano]

Apple has quietly, but for certain, removed any promotion involving need/notneed for antivirus protection. Be sure you don't run your Macbook "naked" on the internet. The hackers are seeking new targets.

Be wary of Windows 8. It's becoming clear that a lot of function in Windows 8 is aimed at including tablets. To that extent some of the features we have become used to in Windows XX OS systems, will be removed. For instance... no optical disk support in Windows 8 is what I am told. You will need optional ($$$) or third party software ($$$) if you plan to use CD/DVD burners. Don't know about the audio, but the removal could be linked to the fact that tablets typically don't have optical disks AND CDs and DVDs are being determined to be very risky as archival media... search the internet for recent discussions of CD ROT and DVD Rot.

Otherwise, I pretty much go with the "fanboy" warning on the two systems. The overpricing on MAC/Apple certainly buys a lot of ram and higher spec hardware on the Windows side.

And the last very comical (serious) item to hit the news last week. If you go to Orbitz for travel reservations using a MAC, you will be guided to more expensive hotel and Air travel reservations. I presume this is due to the site being optimize to treat the Safari browser differently from typical PC browsers. (All over the news about a week ago..Orbitz)

I wonder how many other sites are taking this tack on identifying MAC/Apple users as more affluent based on how much more they pay for their computers???

[SausalitoDog]

Someone else said the mac mini is a good idea ... And it is.... But if you go look at a macbook pro with retina display, it will ruin you for anything else... I'm waiting very impatiently for my custom build to arrive :-)

Tom

[swoop]

I've owned various Apple computers since 1997 and come the end of the year I'm going all windows 7. The Mac OS and system hardware have become extremely propriety and they are taking the concept of planned obsolescence to a whole new level.

[Chris101]

Good luck with your purchase Jim!

Seven months ago I bought a 17" MacBook Pro, and I love it! I'd like to have the 15" Retina display, but the standard display is just fine, and the 1920x1200 17" is great for photography! I use Win 7 at work - have for many years - and it runs ok, but then I have a whole IT department to keep it that way. My GF, and teenage son and daughter all have PC laptops: they love them. However, I am getting tired of fixing things for the kids and listening to Reba's constant whining about "it doesn't work, it doesn't work ..."

She used that "it costs less" on me. My assistant at work is an adamant Mac h8r. He complains that everything is controlled by Apple and closed. Both arguments are true. But then, everything on the Mac works together and does not make me cry about it not working.

Convinces me.

[SausalitoDog]

Amen.

I switched 4 years ago... used to be an "open system" advocate... No more.

Apple delivers and it really does "just work." .... At least for me

[tmfabian]

my advice would be to buy a tower, pc or mac, instead of a laptop...i've burned out video cards on several different laptops...granted, I am editing around 10k photos a week, but switching to a tower for proper cooling of components far exceeds the convenience of portability.

[MikeAUS]

If you are computer literate AND like to save money AND get better performance for less then use Windows 7 64bit and you can't go wrong.

If you are not computer literate and like being tied to ONE vendor in a closed system AND like pretty things AND have other Apple pretty things AND like spending big AND like to visit the Mac store and ask a 'Genius' every time you don't know what to do then get a Mac.

[tom.w.bn]

People who want to have an Apple product do this because they want a lifestyle product.
So no need to complain about the prices. I have my 2nd iMac now and own an older MBP for traveling. Nice stuff but I could also live with a Windows system, not really a big difference from a usability point of view.

I'm looking closely on how Apple tries to control more and more what apps and content is on my computer. There will probably a point in the future when the app-store is the only channel to install software from. Then it's the point for me to change back to an open system like Windows. Adobe licenses are valid for Mac and PC, so one can easily switch both ways.

And Apple has to learn to react faster with security patches. They still think their system is bulletproof.

[MikeAUS]

Adobe licenses are valid for Mac and PC, so one can easily switch both ways.

Only for CURRENT versions, if you have an older version then you will have to upgrade to the latest version. http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/order-product-platform-language-swap.html

[willie_901]

Apple has 100 billion dollars in the bank. Very little of this profit comes from the corporate market sector. Of course the work-wide market place must be wrong. Microsoft is the real innovators... they just do it about a year behind Apple.

And still, Apple is a horrible company with all show and no go? Is their marketing responsible for a $100 billion dollar joke on the world? When will the truth surface and destroy Apple in an iCloud of virtual dust? I assume the Apple haters will short AAPL stock and make millions.

Enjoy your new retina display. It should make editing photos on a smaller screen more practical.

Of course the retina display (that originated with Apples overpriced, inferior, trendy iOS products) is just another deception by Apple's marketing group and provides no advantage whatsoever. The real retina display will be invented by Microsoft in the very near future.

[Timmyjoe]

Typing this on my eight year old Power Mac G4, which I've been using every day for at least eight hours a day, for over eight years. With no breakdowns, viruses, or problems of any kind. Still runs like a top.

I have migrated my photo editing over to my "new" Mac Pro (three years old) which handles everything I can throw at it.

And when my photo work takes me on the road, my 11" MacBook Air couldn't be lighter or faster.

Baffles my mind how folks can live day in and day out with a PC.

Best,
-Tim

PS: Been using Apple products since the early 1980's with an Apple IIe, and every Mac product I have purchased since the 1990's still works perfectly, including my original Tangerine iBook.

[f16sunshine]

My advise as a heavily invested MAC user is for whichever computer you choose. Get the max RAM available (preferably 16gig) and, do a combo drive with an SDD up front using a larger drive for longer term storage.
Editing programs keep become more and more sophisticated and memory hungry. Design your computer with this in mind. I like the Mac mini option but you can only put 8Gigs of Ram in those little boxes. The MBP 15" Retina with i7 2.7ghz/16gig RAM/512ssd/RAID and you're set for a few generation cycles.

[thegman]

I use both PC & Mac, both have strengths, both have weaknesses. Those who proclaim "Macs suck, they're overpriced" are just the same as those who say "Windows 7 sucks, it crashes all the time". If you take a "side", then you're bound to end up being wrong, as there is no "one side is better than the other".

Both are modern, decent systems, and I think a 15" Macbook Pro will serve you well. Personally, I'm far from convinced Retina displays are worth the money, especially on a laptop, where all the gear is tied up in one unit (same for PC & Mac). Don't skimp on the RAM, I found even going from 8GB to 12GB made a *big* difference handling large images.

[sienarot]

It seems every 3 years I need to replace the PC and that has accelerated when I added Photoshop, Lightroom, NIK etc.

If that is your main reason for switching over, I'm sad to say that's not a very good reason anymore. With laptops like their MacBook Air and their latest version of the Macbook Pro, they're starting to solder their components directly to the motherboard now. You can't even upgrade RAM or harddrives after the fact anymore. If either of those go, you're hosed and have to buy a whole new device if the failure falls outside your warranty period (or pay the hefty repair bill).

That's actually the reason why I'm switching towards PCs again. I find that Apple hardware really only has a shelf life of about 3 years too and after that you have to evaluate whether or not you want to sell off your computer/laptop and still get enough resale value back to upgrade or keep it around until it dies completely. At least with PC hardware, you can just upgrade what you need when you need without having to start from scratch again. Don't get me wrong; I love OS X. As a *nix server administrator and developer, I'm big on using the command line so having the terminal included in the operating system is a big plus for me.

Also when you're comparing prices, you can pretty much build the equivalent or better PC at half the price of purchasing the Mac, and you have the flexibility of just upgrading specific components when your computer seems a little outdated. Two years ago I decided it was time to unload my iMac since it was starting to show its age. I wasn't sure if I was going to go with a new iMac or spend a little more and go with their Mac Pro desktop tower. The show stopper for me? Their processors on their "latest" computers were seriously outdated and this was even after the semi-yearly update. The iMac at the time was still coming with Core 2 Duo processors, and the Macbook Pros were coming with the i3 for the basic and mid range, and i5 for the upgraded whereas i5/i7 was the standard on PC based equivalents (and at a lower cost). And they still weren't using USB 3.0! I was finding that Apple computers were using components that were usually one or two generations behind the PC world and they were really dictating what goes into their machines and that was frustrating for me. So just for the heck of it, I spec'ed out how much it'd cost to build an up-to-date computer (still not top of the line!) and it'd cost me about $600, not including the monitor, to build something that was already faster, had twice the memory, and bigger harddrive than their $1500 equivalent option. So don't believe it when pro-Apple people tell you Apple components are better or their equipment is cutting edge; it's simply untrue.

Although I do have to give them credit for this Retina display people keep talking about. I haven't seen it yet, but I understand what it is and based on what I've heard it's pretty neat. However the downside is it's still in its infancy so a lot of things need to be ported over to take advantage of it. My understanding is things that are compatible with Retina already look amazing, but things that aren't yet look horrible. Sure, Apple didn't come up with the technology, but they're definitely making it more popular.

I'll also give Apple big credit for customer service. One of the problems with the Macbooks a few years ago was the material used was a really crappy plastic and they were prone to cracking and chipping along the edges. Apple had no problem replacing mine and my sisters even though our Macbooks were about 4 years old. Right after I got it back from them, my touchpad wouldn't click anymore. I noticed the battery had swelled up considerably making it impossible to click on the pad (and balance on the table). I was aware Apple had a huge recall a few years back about batteries made in 2006 being potentially defective and sure enough the battery was made in 2006. I made another trip to the Apple store that week and they gave me a brand new battery, even though after 4 years of usage, the swelling was likely due to just normal end of life on it. So after two trips to the Apple store, my 4 year old Macbook was almost brand new again with a brand new battery, new keyboard/restpad, and screen bezel for the cost of nothing :D

[thegman]

Whilst I agree with a lot of the above, and Macs are of course more expensive than PCs, if you compare with premium brands, there is less of a difference than first appears. I mean, compare another ultra slim laptop from a good maker to the Macbook Air, prices are actually pretty similar, often the Air comes in cheaper.

I agree on the higher end laptops though, the Apple ones can be really quite a lot more than faster PC models.

I'd also say the Apple build quality has improved a lot recently, with my newish iMac, build and designed is very hard to fault. With my oldish Macbook, well it was a plastic pile of junk. Apple I think has worked hard on hardware, they've gone from crappy puck mice to actually quite nice ones, I think their keyboards are great, and general build is significantly better than it used to be on the low end kit. I'd say build quality in the high end kit has pretty much always been good.

[ColSebastianMoran]

Mac is terrific. I do my photography work on a MacBook Pro. Sometimes with an external monitor. The new MacBooks with retina display should be fabulous, but perhaps I'd rather have an external monitor that I keep for a longer upgrade cycle.

I alway purchase Apple Care with laptops, and I usually upgrade after the 3yr service period is up.

Why Mac: The hardware and user-interface standards are elegantly designed; they just work better. With Mac, you are far, far less likely to have any kind of malware or infection. The computer, iPhone, and iPad all work together seamlessly. Especially when you go beyond general use (email, web, word-processing) to do anything with photos, music, or video, the Mac stands out.

Others may have different views; this is mine. FWIW, and hope it's helpful to you.

Enjoy your Mac!

[peripatetic]

There are now 3 really good choices, Mac, Linux (I prefer Ubuntu) and Windows 7.

Like many people I have Macs at home and Windows and Linux at work.

Back in the day OSX was a huge advance over Windows, but technically now both Linux and Windows 7 are equally good for most things.

Macs do have a price premium, and in the UK at least, the premium is approaching extortionate proportions - I'd say more than double, approaching 2.5x the equivalent PC price for Linux or Windows. I think it's not quite as bad in the US.

The only thing I really really really (I mean a LOT) hate about OSX is the finder; which I think is a complete abomination. Of couse one can buy a decent file browser, but they cost as much as the OS. I actually frequently use the command shell rather than suffer one of the four stupid ways to browse the finder allows you.

However, you should probably let your choice of software choose your operating system for you. If it's Aperture it has to be Mac, Lightroom and Capture One will go Mac or Windows, and Bibble Pro (now Corel something) will go Mac, Windows or Linux.

I have a ton of Apple devices, iPhones, iPads, MacPro laptop, Mac Pro desktop, etc. And they make really good stuff. However Microsoft has really cleaned up their act in the last few years, post-Vista and now make very good software too. It's been years since I last saw a blue-screen on a Windows machine, and I've had a lot more hardware problems with my Macs than my Windows or Linux PCs in the last 4-5 years.

Probably everyone is moving towards "appliance" type devices, Apple certainly is, and Microsoft is going to be making its own tablets too. I find this unfortunate, but it seems to be inevitable.

I've probably bought my last Macs, but if you've never had one then you might as well try one. :)

My next computers will doubtless all be very touch-screen focussed. Probably Windows 8 tablet devices.

Don't get all religious about Macs though, that way bankruptcy lies. :)

[jcrutcher]

Thank you for all the assistance.

I've convinced myself to get a Macbook Pro 15 inch. A couple of you have suggested the non-glare screen, can I ask why you think thats better? also the retina interests me if I feel I won't use an external monitor. If I plan to use the laptop screen than why is the Retina better? what I see from the Retina is the possible 16G of ram, not sure if I need that or not. As far as upgrading every 3 years, what I meant to say is since it appears this is normal I might as well try a mac this time around. I'm fortunate that the cost difference is a minor factor.

Thank you again. Jim

[jcrutcher]

One more question. Apple has only 8 G of ram with the macbook pro Non-Retina. Can more be added by 3rd party like in a PC?

[bdeyes]

In the 5 years since I got my first Mac (Macbook Pro 17" in 2007), Apple has issued 4 OS releases (Leopard, Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion). If you like stability, and not having to worry about impact of upgrades to your favorite software programs (in my case Nikon Scan, Silver Efex), take a hard look at the support history of those programs, and customer issues, before you commit to Mac. Also note that the 17" MBP is no longer in the Apple lineup, which I find to be a show-stopper for me in terms of an upgrade path. (I prefer laptops, and need the larger screen real estate.)

Good luck on your quest.

[SausalitoDog]

Good work on the convincing, Jim :-)

A lot of folks screamed when Apple switched the default to shiny vs matte. It is true that the shiny is a little more vibrant than the matte, but it is just too gorgeous not to use it.

As to memory, the apple installed is a little more expensive than 3rd party, but I would go with the apple memory by all means (I never buy extended warranties, but Apple care is so good, I would get that as well - anything wrong, they fix or replace on the spot for 3 years with it).

I see the last post about eliminating the 17" version - which is what I am moving from... I thought long and hard about that and decided that the retina display was just too good to stay with the 17" any longer (nice as it is). The new MBP is so light and small it's almost like a Macbook Air (you probably will want the external dvd drive just in case there is some app or other you need to install from a CD - a LOT less likely these days).

We've had 5 Apple notebooks in the family now and I have to say I have loved every one of them, but none have excited me like the new one (expected in a week :-)

Cheers,

Tom

[RObert Budding]

Photoshop on the PC or on the Mac is still Photoshop. All I want from the OS is stability and easy maintenance. You can get that on either platform - because the Mac is a BSD Unix variant.

[Jubb Jubb]

If you are going a laptop, get the non-glare screen. The glare screens are so reflective it makes seeing it in daylight very hard, so if you want to be outdoors/near a window or anything, you are going to want to see your screen. Also, colour accuracy should be a lot better on the non-glare, as the normal screens seem to saturate colours more.

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Thank you again guys and gals. I prefer a laptop since I travel a lot and don't really have an office to desiginate for Photo Processing. Actually I've done most of it at work which I need to stop. So far i'm leaning towards a 15 inch macbook pro with max hardrive and ram. I've learned a lot from your responses so far, thank you.

Jim

Laptop screens are useless for photo editing, and that includes Mac laptops. Even the best laptop screens change dramatically as you move your head, they do not make it possible to really calibrate a screen for graphics work. I love my Mac Pro, and wouldn't trade it for ANY Windows PC, but I wouldn't waste money on a Mac laptop. Get an iMac if money is an issue, or a Mac Pro with a really good graphics screen like the NEC Spectraview screens.

[Paul T.]

A lot of the discussion about the various systems are like religion, or football teams. People like what they know.

I only use Macs because that's what I've grown up with, for publishing and design. But that's me.

For all that, though, there's one huge advantage with Macs, if you're near anywhere that has a Genius bar: you can take your laptop in, and they'll solve more or less any technical fault or often incompatibility. That alone puts them streets ahead of other manufacturers for me.

My Macbook screen went once when I was over in LA (I live in London). THey fixed it in 48 hours, and altho they don't officially do loaners, they let me buy a new one, ported everything over from the dead machine, and then gave me a 100% refund for it when I collected my repaired laptop.

I use the MacBook Air now, early ones weren't that reliable, but I also got a free replacement for mine when it went wrong at 23 months (with no extended royalty).

Maybe there's another company that gives aftersales service like that - but I don't know of one.

[adamjohari]

For desktops I'd recommend a PC because the cost of building one is pretty cheap and the performance is stellar with today's components. I just built a gaming rig last month and it runs everything like a champ for a cheap price.

For laptops I'd recommend a Macbook Pro. Get the retina display. The screen is just too good a deal for the price. The retina macbook is the only Macbook (maybe apple product as well) that got an award from anandtech.com. Getting an award from anandtech is really really hard. Plus, I think it would retain its value and you could resell it without a significant loss if you decide you don't want it in the future anymore.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6023/the-nextgen-macbook-pro-with-retina-display-review

Just my $0.02.

[Duane Pandorf]

Laptop screens are useless for photo editing, and that includes Mac laptops. Even the best laptop screens change dramatically as you move your head, they do not make it possible to really calibrate a screen for graphics work. I love my Mac Pro, and wouldn't trade it for ANY Windows PC, but I wouldn't waste money on a Mac laptop. Get an iMac if money is an issue, or a Mac Pro with a really good graphics screen like the NEC Spectraview screens.

The OP travels so the laptop would seem to be a must. However, to solve the laptop screen issue, he can always hook up an external monitor while at home. Its pretty hard to travel with anything but a laptop.

I use Spyder Express to calibrate my MacBook Pro's screen. Maybe not perfect compared to a stand alone monitor but its the next best thing.

[Sparrow]

^^^ ... I was surprised when a battery leaked and jammed in an almost three year old keyboard my daughter got a free replacement without question, I wouldn't have even asked but the store just replaced it on the grounds that "it wasn't her fault"

[peripatetic]

A lot of the discussion about the various systems are like religion, or football teams. People like what they know.

I only use Macs because that's what I've grown up with, for publishing and design. But that's me.

For all that, though, there's one huge advantage with Macs, if you're near anywhere that has a Genius bar: you can take your laptop in, and they'll solve more or less any technical fault or often incompatibility. That alone puts them streets ahead of other manufacturers for me.

My Macbook screen went once when I was over in LA (I live in London). THey fixed it in 48 hours, and altho they don't officially do loaners, they let me buy a new one, ported everything over from the dead machine, and then gave me a 100% refund for it when I collected my repaired laptop.

I use the MacBook Air now, early ones weren't that reliable, but I also got a free replacement for mine when it went wrong at 23 months (with no extended royalty).

Maybe there's another company that gives aftersales service like that - but I don't know of one.

When my graphics card on my Mac Pro desktop machine died I booked an appointment with the "Genius" gang at the Westfield Mac store. I took it in and they were unable to properly diagnose what was going on, they would need to keep the machine for at least a week, and because it was out of warrantee it was going to cost me something ludicrous. After a great deal of discussion it turned out that I could purchase a new graphics card which they thought might work. If it didn't work I could bring it back for a refund.

I took it home, enable remote desktop access, (why the "Genius" at the store couldn't have done that remains a mystery to this day) connected and established that the machine was fine, but it really was the graphics card. The card they sold me didn't work. They would sell me an old stock card for around £400, which by modern standards was shockingly slow. I searched the forums and instead took a chance on a £280 card which was possibly hackable to work with the hardware I had. So I did that. It was faster than the old card and worked well. Still does. But the equivalent card for a Linux or Windows machine was £45.

So my personal anecdote is that the "Genius" bar is stocked with teenagers who know only a little more than the teenagers at PCWorld. That when things go wrong with an out-of-warrantee Mac it is VERY expensive to get it fixed. Gouge, gouge, gouge.

When it comes to laptops though, and if you can afford them, the Macpros are simply fantastic machines. You can always hook up a proper color-calibrated monitor if you want to. Apple no longer make monitors for color-accurate work. Not much profit margin in it I suppose. Eizo, NEC, Lacie, etc. are the usual suspects in this market.

Apple make great products. No question. But they are very very expensive for what they put inside the box. No question there either.

We have to have a Mac because my wife needs FCP for her work. If you've never owned a MacPro laptop and you can afford one, go for it (esp the Retina). You can always run Windows virtualized if you want to. :)