2GB: Mac OS X Lion, Aperture, Photoshop

[size100]

OS X says I'm using almost 3GB just running Chrome, Adium, Activity Monitor and OS X. 4GB is the bare minimum. I find it stupid Apple even offers 2GB.

Thats seems a lot. I'm not sure how you are using 3gb with those programs. Most people would see those three programs using less than a gb.

I also find it stupid apple choose 2gb on an 1300 dollar computer. Did they really need to cut that corner and charge us 100 dollars more for it.

 

[fswmacguy]

Thats seems a lot. I'm not sure how you are using 3gb with those programs. Most people would see those three programs using less than a gb.

I agree. There's no way he's using 3GB just running a handful of applications. I run Firefox, Photoshop (in a 50+ layered wed design), iTunes, and Mail all at once and I've never exceeded using 75% of my 2GB.

 

[Arthurd]

I am about to start iPhone programming and thus need a Mac.
I decided to go for an iMac. Cheapest used I found was a 2006 2GB 2ghz 20" with snow Leopard and iLife 11
I can get this for 4000 nok which is pretty cheap.

I am also considering a 6500 nok 2008 20" 3GB 2,4ghz because I'm afraid the 2006 model will be unusable before to long, due to max 2GB ram for instance.
Do you think Lion or the next OSX after that will require more than the machine can handle?

The 2008 one can be upgraded to 4GB and should last 2 years longer..?

Also the 2008 one might have a resell value in 2 years if I decide to upgrade.

Sorry for rambling on but I feel you guys have the experience I need here

 

[newdeal]

...

If you really want to save money then keep your macbook pro and add an SSD to it...the pro is better than the air in every way except thinness and lack of an SSD. You can get a really nice SSD for $200 and you would spend way more than that trying to sell your pro and upgrade to an air. By going to an air you will also cut your battery life, lose your backlit keyboard, cut your cpu speed, lose the optical drive, lose firewire, lose ethernet, lose the ambient light sensor, lose the ability to upgrade past 4gb of ram, lose the ability to run an SSD and a HDD if you wanted more data space (by removing the optical drive) But hey it will cut two pounds off.

 

[newdeal]

I am about to start iPhone programming and thus need a Mac.
I decided to go for an iMac. Cheapest used I found was a 2006 2GB 2ghz 20" with snow Leopard and iLife 11
I can get this for 4000 nok which is pretty cheap.

I am also considering a 6500 nok 2008 20" 3GB 2,4ghz because I'm afraid the 2006 model will be unusable before to long, due to max 2GB ram for instance.
Do you think Lion or the next OSX after that will require more than the machine can handle?

The 2008 one can be upgraded to 4GB and should last 2 years longer..?

Also the 2008 one might have a resell value in 2 years if I decide to upgrade.

Sorry for rambling on but I feel you guys have the experience I need here

6500 nok I just found is around $1090 US dollars...for that price you can get a refurbished 2010 21.5" imac with 4gb ram, a 3.06ghz core i3 cpu and basically better in every way...plus a warranty so I dont see why you would buy used

 

[zeiter]

6500 nok I just found is around $1090 US dollars...for that price you can get a refurbished 2010 21.5" imac with 4gb ram, a 3.06ghz core i3 cpu and basically better in every way...plus a warranty so I dont see why you would buy used

prices are higher in Norway

 

[newdeal]

...

yeah i just went to the norway apple site they are a lot more...i would get one imported from the US by buying it new in box off ebay

 

[Arthurd]

prices are higher in Norway

Yepp.

Gazoline is over $2 here for example..
We have higher wagers as well, we are a high cost country..
Exports oil/gas mainly and imports just about everything else..

Point is if I order from abroad the taxes will eat it up the difference I think.

If you look at what I wrote and had to choose between the two examples I had relating to my worries. What would be a good pick?

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[rrl]

2 GB with those requirements? No way; that would be a waste. If your budget can't handle an extra 8% for such a significant gain, you need to rethink things.

Cheers!

 

[Arthurd]

2 GB with those requirements? No way; that would be a waste. If your budget can't handle an extra 8% for such a significant gain, you need to rethink things.

Cheers!

Not sure what you mean here by 8%

Shopping from the US will add 25% vat to the cost plus shipping..

Do you mean 2GB is far to low and won't last me a couple of yers of objective c programming and light video editing?

 

[AMDGAMER]

I agree that 4GB should be standard...but my MBPRO 2008 has 2GB and everything fine, however in 2010 4GB should be the norm. PCs are coming with 6GB-12GB and more...check the dell websites etc.

 

[jamesryanbell]

OS X says I'm using almost 3GB just running Chrome, Adium, Activity Monitor and OS X. 4GB is the bare minimum. I find it stupid Apple even offers 2GB.

As much as I don't want to have to agree with this, I do....wholeheartedly. I have a late '08 C2D with 4 GB RAM, and I'm approaching my max RAM limit all the time. It's frustrating. I don't know what I would've done if I wouldn't have opted for the 4GB model at the time.

Keep in mind I do *zero* video or audio editing on this particular machine as well.

I like the price point of the 2GB MBAs but I would never feel comfortable buying one.