4GB RAM running Adobe CS2 on a MBP?

[mariahlullaby]

I know there's a ton of threads on 2GB vs 4GB and which MBP to get, so if there's one out there I missed while searching with this specific issue, feel free to mock me and point me to it

I've got a MBP I'm about to sell, and trying to decide how to use my money for the new machine.

In a nutshell, I've got a 2.16ghz C2D and I've got it maxed out on RAM (4GB, with it reading 3.3).

I run Adobe CS2, which is a RAM hog, and slows everything down, especially since I tend to run a lot of programs at once. When I'm working, I'm usually running at a minimum, Mail, Photoshop, GoLive, NeoOffice, Safari, iTunes, iCal, and my Billing software. Photoshop and GoLive crash several times a week because of RAM.

I'm heading back to school and a job where I will need Flash, too (at the very least...which I don't have a copy of, since I've got CS2 and not Studio MX). I've run out of trials, too.

Basically, to make this machine viable (since it's also got a busted optical drive), I'd need to invest $100 for a SuperDrive (to install software, which I need to before school), $130 for Leopard, $499 for CS3, and to top it all off, CS3 may be obsolete in 6 weeks.

My solution, then is to get a new MPB. My plan is to buy the new machine, install the 4GB of RAM, and download trial software for CS3 and run that until CS4 comes out. If I have to wait longer, I'll install CS2 in the interim.

My dilemma is choosing between a the 2.4 and the 2.5:

1) I buy the 2.5 and run the trial software, but there's a possibility since I'm using the money for the extra laptop, I'd have to wait 6 months or so and run CS2 for awhile. How's that going to run on the machine? I'm hoping a lot better than what I have now...

2) I buy the 2.4 and purchase CS3 if it takes more than 6 months for CS4 to come out. Again, would CS2 be OK (a big improvement) from where I am now?

I'm leaning towards the 2.5, just because I'd like to try and keep this machine for awhile if I can...


Thanks guys!

 

[revenuee]

I know there's a ton of threads on 2GB vs 4GB and which MBP to get, so if there's one out there I missed while searching with this specific issue, feel free to mock me and point me to it

I've got a MBP I'm about to sell, and trying to decide how to use my money for the new machine.

In a nutshell, I've got a 2.16ghz C2D and I've got it maxed out on RAM (4GB, with it reading 3.3).

I run Adobe CS2, which is a RAM hog, and slows everything down, especially since I tend to run a lot of programs at once. When I'm working, I'm usually running at a minimum, Mail, Photoshop, GoLive, NeoOffice, Safari, iTunes, iCal, and my Billing software. Photoshop and GoLive crash several times a week because of RAM.

I'm heading back to school and a job where I will need Flash, too (at the very least...which I don't have a copy of, since I've got CS2 and not Studio MX). I've run out of trials, too.

Basically, to make this machine viable (since it's also got a busted optical drive), I'd need to invest $100 for a SuperDrive (to install software, which I need to before school), $130 for Leopard, $499 for CS3, and to top it all off, CS3 may be obsolete in 6 weeks.

My solution, then is to get a new MPB. My plan is to buy the new machine, install the 4GB of RAM, and download trial software for CS3 and run that until CS4 comes out. If I have to wait longer, I'll install CS2 in the interim.

My dilemma is choosing between a the 2.4 and the 2.5:

1) I buy the 2.5 and run the trial software, but there's a possibility since I'm using the money for the extra laptop, I'd have to wait 6 months or so and run CS2 for awhile. How's that going to run on the machine? I'm hoping a lot better than what I have now...

2) I buy the 2.4 and purchase CS3 if it takes more than 6 months for CS4 to come out. Again, would CS2 be OK (a big improvement) from where I am now?

I'm leaning towards the 2.5, just because I'd like to try and keep this machine for awhile if I can...


Thanks guys!

why do you need that much software running? -- you regularly write email, edit photos, write up bills, schedule appointments ... all at the same time?

offcourse, CS2 does run slower on Intel machines since it's not Binary and needs the ram.

Does CS4 seem like it's going to feature A LOT of things you can't do with CS3?

 

[mariahlullaby]

why do you need that much software running? -- you regularly write email, edit photos, write up bills, schedule appointments ... all at the same time?

offcourse, CS2 does run slower on Intel machines since it's not Binary and needs the ram.

Does CS4 seem like it's going to feature A LOT of things you can't do with CS3?

I suppose some of it could be closed, but for the most time, if I am working, I'm flipping between all of them. Photoshop + GoLive as I'm doing the web/graphic work for a web site, Billing is timing my hours, iCal stays open for all of my reminders etc., I listen to tunes while I work, and I keep my brief/research for what I'm working on open in NeoOffice to refer back to as I'm working.

I like to keep Mail open during work hours, usually.

And that's if I don't have Skype open too

I suppose going without CS4 wouldn't kill me -- but I'd have to pay for CS3 or CS4 as it is.

 

[revenuee]

I suppose some of it could be closed, but for the most time, if I am working, I'm flipping between all of them. Photoshop + GoLive as I'm doing the web/graphic work for a web site, Billing is timing my hours, iCal stays open for all of my reminders etc., I listen to tunes while I work, and I keep my brief/research for what I'm working on open in NeoOffice to refer back to as I'm working.

I like to keep Mail open during work hours, usually.

And that's if I don't have Skype open too

I suppose going without CS4 wouldn't kill me -- but I'd have to pay for CS3 or CS4 as it is.

The software portion was me being more of a smart ass then anything else ... sorta

I have tons of software and windows open too ... all the time.

I guess it really comes to seeing benefit in CS4 over CS3 --- I remember when the rotation for computers at work called for intel macs ... a few months later we upgraded to CS3 and we did see a huge difference, but only in speed ... Not to many features that CS3 provided over CS2 --

If CS3 will do the Job do you really need to wait for CS4?

 

[mariahlullaby]

The software portion was me being more of a smart ass then anything else ... sorta

I have tons of software and windows open too ... all the time.

I guess it really comes to seeing benefit in CS4 over CS3 --- I remember when the rotation for computers at work called for intel macs ... a few months later we upgraded to CS3 and we did see a huge difference, but only in speed ... Not to many features that CS3 provided over CS2 --

If CS3 will do the Job do you really need to wait for CS4?

This is true about CS4...I figured though, I might as well give it 30 days since I can use the trials until then. The question though, is how CS2 will run on it (slower than CS3 or CS4 of course, but how much better than what it's on now) since if I buy the 2.5 machine, I may not be able to afford CS4 or CS3 right away, since I spent extra machine on the computer upgrade.

Yeah...I love expose, let's leave it at that

 

[revenuee]

This is true about CS4...I figured though, I might as well give it 30 days since I can use the trials until then. The question though, is how CS2 will run on it (slower than CS3 or CS4 of course, but how much better than what it's on now) since if I buy the 2.5 machine, I may not be able to afford CS4 or CS3 right away, since I spent extra machine on the computer upgrade.

Yeah...I love expose, let's leave it at that

actually ... I would expect CS3 to run faster on your current machine then CS2 does -- that 400 mhz extra isn't going to be THAT noticeable -- at least I don't think