15" Powerbook 1.33GHz -- good for graphic work?

[vita_kk]

I'm thinking of buying a 15" Powerbook 1.33GHz Combo Drive, 256MB memory. I'll be using my PB mostly for graphic and web design works -- Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver etc.

My worry is that with 256MB system memory and 64MB video memory, is it enough for running Illustrator and Photoshop at the same time, with both app. opening multiple files?

I know that upgrading to 512MB RAM is a better option, but I'm on a tight budget, so I don't want to do so unless it's really necessary.

One more question I have: Is 1.33Ghz fast enough?

Thanks in advanced!

 

[MikeLaRiviere]

256 isn't enough. I had to use 256 on my PB 12" at work while I waited for my additional 512 to arrive in the mail, and it was excrutiating. I would literally play on the internet as I waited for GoLive to load up. Running GoLive and Photoshop at the same time was a big no-no. Running GoLive and Photoshop, and then opening ImageReady made things even slower. Bear in mind that you're going to want to have such extras as Mail, iChat, Safari, and iTunes, among others, open while you work. 256 just doesn't cut it... and I'm not speaking from an "I need the bleeding edge hardware!" perspective, I'm speaking from the "I need to get my work done!" perspective.

Mike LaRiviere

 

[Ryan1524]

the CPU should be enough. but at least get an extra 512 chip. 768 should make it adequately fast. 1GB would be better. 1.25 even more so. welll, you get the idea. OS X likes ram.

 

[wordmunger]

As others have said, it's not the CPU, it's the RAM. You'd be much better off getting a slower computer with more RAM. Perhaps a 14-inch iBook. 512 MB is a BARE minimum for those apps, 640 would be better; 1 GB best.

Or you could look for a refurb model or an older 1 GHz AlBook on one of the other apple resellers' sites so you could afford extra RAM. Sometimes resellers such as macconnection.com will offer bundles with extra RAM for no additional cost.

 

[James L]

I agree,

The CPU is fine for design work (I run an entire web design business off of a Powerbook), the video ram is basically irrelevant when it comes to design and photoshop work, and lots of ram is a MUST!

Having said that, you might be perfectly happy with 512MB of ram. I would personally go with 768 to 1 GB myself, but 512MB might be fine.

A final note, do not buy your ram from apple, they charge too much. Get the minimum amount of ram with your machine, then buy another stick from:

www.crucial.com

Cheers!