What kind of Computer to buy

[fightheheathens]

i paid 2,000 bucks for a PC that is pretty fast. (i can run photoshop, while ripping CD's to itunes and browsing the internet). for an Apple with similar memmory, processor, graphics card, screen etc, i would have been looking at a 4,500 buck computer...for someone 1 year out of college that choice was pretty easy.

too bad, too, i would have rather had the Apple

 

[Buszaj]

i paid 2,000 bucks for a PC that is pretty fast. (i can run photoshop, while ripping CD's to itunes and browsing the internet). for an Apple with similar memmory, processor, graphics card, screen etc, i would have been looking at a 4,500 buck computer...for someone 1 year out of college that choice was pretty easy.

That is definitely very true. If you were to get an apple computer with the exact same hardware specs, you would be paying a lot more. But I guess some of the programs and the OS pay off.

 

[doobs]

You can build a better PC for much cheaper than a Mac.

I prefer PC, anywho.

 

[jepry]

I have used PC's all my life and just bought a 15" MacBook Pro. I have had it for about 3 weeks and since then have never gone back to my PC. I got tired of all the errors and "thinking" breaks, restarting, and maintenance just to keep it working normally, etc. My Mac just works. Now I laugh everytime I hear my wife (who still uses the PC) yell out "hey what does this error code window mean?"

Mac's are significantly more expensive but if you can afford it....GET IT!!!

 

[prairiewindlady]

I am majoring in Communications and minoring in Photography in college right now - at school they use a lot of Macs, but although I have spent a lot of time on Macs and know how to use them, I find that my laptop delivers above and beyond them (I have a Gateway computer w/Windows XP).

 

[DSLR noob]

well if you're not building your own PC and getting your hands on a copy of XP, get a Mac. get 2 GB of RAM at least and budget the $600 photoshop CS3 in your price and you'll have a killer editor. Buying a new Vista machine will drive you mad.

 

[Sideburns]

I have used PC's all my life and just bought a 15" MacBook Pro. I have had it for about 3 weeks and since then have never gone back to my PC. I got tired of all the errors and "thinking" breaks, restarting, and maintenance just to keep it working normally, etc. My Mac just works. Now I laugh everytime I hear my wife (who still uses the PC) yell out "hey what does this error code window mean?"

Mac's are significantly more expensive but if you can afford it....GET IT!!!

That is not hardware or software error.
That is user error.

I have never had a virus or any spyware. I have never had a corruption, or serious error.
Any time I get a blue screen it was because I was tweaking around with something I shouldn't have even bothered to touch...lol.

If you take care of your computer, it will not have problems like that.

However, for the average consumer, somehow this is a difficult task...I'm not sure why. Most computer smarts are just common sense.

There is no free stuff on the internet, that miracle program is not safe, and that free computer scanner, or memory fixer is a virus or spyware...

That's really most of what you need to know...lol.

I love my Mac, I love my PC...they're both great. However, I find that my PC is far more functional when it gets down to working with photos.

 

[Universal Polymath]

I know nada about computers.........so I went to a computer store, told them what I do for a living, and tolding them I needed something blinding fast.
Maybe not the best approach.
I got a great computer for my needs but I prolly paid too much.
I'm sure that's not very helpful. Just reminising.

What did you end up with, just outa curiosity?

 

[Iron Flatline]

I'm a Windows guy, but I just switched to Vista (bought a new PC for work stuff) and I must admit I hate it. My Photo Computer runs XP Pro, and I am NOT upgrading that one!

Once inside Photoshop or other apps they run the same - Photoshop is Photoshop. Regarding how they run, now that the OSs run on the same kernel and have a lot in common there are few clear advantages from one OS to the other. They look and feel very different though, and that matters a lot.


Buy what you like - you're going to spend a LOT of time with it, make sure it's what you like. There IS something to be said though that a really nice Mac will buy you two good PCs. If you REALLY don't care very much, buy a PC from Dell and spend the money on photography gear instead.

May I suggest the following peripherals...:

Wacom - Intuos

Epson - R 2400

 

[JerryPH]

I am a die-hard PC person. To me Apple computers are computers with training wheels... lol. As far as post processing, there is nothing you can do on a MAC that cannot be duplicated on a PC for the simple reason that the best program out there for PPing is CS3... and its 99% identical on a MAC or PC. Speed? They now use the same hardware... no difference there anymore.

The biggest difference is sthat for a nice high end computer, it will cost you about $1000 more for an Apple computer for the same power level on a PC. Monitor prices differences are even worse.

In the end none of that makes any difference... use what you are most comfortable with, you will accomplish exactly the same goals on either, given enough practice and learning time.

My advice is... since you already know the PC world... stick with it.

 

[JerryPH]

That is not hardware or software error.
That is user error.

I have never had a virus or any spyware. I have never had a corruption, or serious error.
Any time I get a blue screen it was because I was tweaking around with something I shouldn't have even bothered to touch...lol.

If you take care of your computer, it will not have problems like that.

However, for the average consumer, somehow this is a difficult task...I'm not sure why. Most computer smarts are just common sense.

Amen.

I "do computers" for a living with over 25 years experience, I have perhaps 20-25 industry certifications, but 90% of computer maintenance is simple and mostly common sense:

- use and regularly update a good antivirus program daily
- use and regularly update a good antispam program daily
- defragment the hard drive every 2 weeks to a month
- run a good registry cleaner once a month
- stay away from the porn and other malicious websites

Using these tips, in 25 years I have yet to even see a virus on my system and it rolls as fast today as when I initially installed it over 2 years ago.

 

[nossie]

...when I go home at night I want to see nothing but Mac.

To me, somebody who uses Windows at a high level for 8+ hours a day, there is absolutely, positively no comparison in quality between the Windows OS (be it the now somewhat stable XP... stable after 7 years of release that is) and the abomination that is Windows Vista... an absolutely AWFUL operating system, across the board.

^^Right well I guess the developers at MS are just idiots and after years of feedback from 100,000s of customers they still don't know what to do. It's just typical that anytime something new comes along there's a truck load of moaners ready to ***** and ***** and ***** about it regardless of what it does. The little features that are built into Vista to serve amatuer pc users and protect them from the perils of the internet etc do often annoy advanced users (at first), therefore MS provides the facility to turn them off, and for that the nerds will winge about how crap it is. Yeah right!.
And as for the link you posted, it suggests that it's written by some little spot faced muppet that has simply surmised everything he knows. Look at the guys unsubstantciated qoutes "my belief that Vista will soon bow to Leopard", "Microsoft Vista is nothing more than a public beta of an operating system", "The road ahead looks dangerous for Vista and Microsoft must realize that", utter stupidity talking. So much for the billions invested by MS, they should have just asked him what to do.


Well if it helps I just built a PC using hand picked parts based around the Intel QuadDuo CPU with 4 GB of fast ram running Vista64. So far nothing I do makes the CPU run at 100% for more than an instant. Rarely does it even peak at 50%. Vista64 is a superb OS, don't listen to moaners that can't get over a few little improvements/changes. You do need a powerful computer to run it and once it's setup you'll be very happy. I for one will only ever reluctantly go back to an older OS from here.

I can do all my photoshop CS3 work with RAW files and multiple layers completely smoothly while the antivirus is running in the background. I am using a 512mb video card which does a lot of the work too.
Money spent on the 30" monitor by Dell is justified but buying a Dell pc is suicidal.

If you can find an enthusiast to build a pc for you then that's what I recommend. I've used macs in a lithographic company that makes plates for printing and to be honest I wouldn't piss on one if it went on fire, I'd be satisfied that it was going in the bin. What idiot thought that only 1 button on a mouse is a good idea?

And before all you Mac heads decide to have a go back at me, I've heard it all before and I'm not even here to listen. :chatty:

I'm sure in the end anything you buy will process the photos for you and a qoute from an accountancy book comes to mind "When businesses are selling the same products it's the customers perception that matters".

Oh and like Jerry I work hands on with PCs for far too long now.

 

[usayit]

I am a die-hard PC person. To me Apple computers are computers with training wheels... lol.

Funny.. I've got significant experience in the large enterprise UNIX industry and we say the same about Windows/PCs.

MAC OS X actually plays very well in a UNIX (and Linux) environment.. after all it is a BSD based core.

 

[JerryPH]

Funny.. I've got significant experience in the large enterprise UNIX industry and we say the same about Windows/PCs.

Touché!! :mrgreen:

...and nossie, thats a little bit of that Irish fire showing a little, yes?

:lmao: :mrgreen:

Thats ok, I am sure that there are people that have had massively frustrating moments in both MAC and PC camps.

What ever works for you is the best personal option and I can respect either side's decision.

 

[RacePhoto]

MS PC or Mac! I have PCs, stacks of them, I stuck with XP when I bought my video/photo system, because it runs the same software. Compatibility. You can still get XP until June 2008, don't get Vista... Yet! Give them another year in Beta to get the drivers supported and get the bugs out.

I have Canon lenses, I stuck with Canon. Nikon makes great cameras too. If you had all Canon equipment, would you switch to Nikon, because they made a better TTL flash or Macro lens? Then why switch computer systems? If you are a Nikon shooter, would you switch to Canon because the new 1D Mark III has a GPS module?

Macs are great, fast, and every Mac user will tell you how they are the best in the world. (all 5% or the PC users in the world, who can't stop telling people how wonderful their Macs are for some reason.) Every wonder why there are only 5% of the PC users in the world running Macs, but every time you write a message, you'll get a flood of Mac defenders, writing that you want a Mac?

Go price Macs and I think you'll have your answer. If you can afford one, and don't mind buying all new software for everything you do, you'll be happy. Macs do run a version of Windows now, which is amusing, because if Macs did it all, why would anyone want to run Windows on a Mac?

True, Macs are better, faster and designed for graphics. If that's all you are going to do on your computer, and you have money to spare, then buy one. If you want to run things that the other 95% of the world has available, you might want to stick with a Windows PC.

Is security a big issue? You don't run behind a firewall that's built into most routers? Buy a Mac!

Then I can throw in this wrench. Ubuntu or Linux are pretty good, offer all kinds of free software, and GIMP photo editing software, FREE! Want to learn a new OS?