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New mac user - looking to buy MB

I

icy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 13, 2007
2
0
Essex, UK
Hi guys.
I am thinking about buying a new Macbook (2ghz, 1gb RAM, 80GB HDD etc). I am a student studying ICT and Media so will be using it mainly for college work and image editing as I do a lot of photography. Would a Macbook be a wise choice for my circumstances? I have a desktop PC for gaming and I do not do a lot of video encoding etc so this isnt a problem.

I have been using windows for as long as I can remember, I have dabbled a bit in Linux (Fedora and SUSE) but I have not really seen much of OSX. Is it fairly easy to learn and get used to and will it be easy to use on a daily basis?

Also, are there any serious issues with the current model of Macbook and is now a good time to buy one?

Cheers for the help.:apple:
 
Hi mate.

I see you're in Essex. It would be a good idea, if you can get there, to go to the Bluewater Apple Store and have a look at a MacBook and OSX before buying. There's also an Apple Store opening at Lakeside this year. OSX is very easy to use from day one, assuming you embrace the change.

The MacBook would be ideal for you. It's lightweight, good looking and has no issues to speak of. You can of course run Windows on it if need be.

Don't forget your student discount ;)
 
Hi icy,

As a recent switchwer, I can tell you that the move to OS X is pretty simple. Granted, I had plenty of opportunity to play with OS X on my girlfriend's machine before purchasing my MBP, but the change was easy. As it is, I still use my PC during the day and OS X at other times, so I'm constantly moving between the two.

Of course there's a learning curve involved with making the switch. You'll have to poke around to find some things, but most of it is straightforward. Also, there is plenty of documentation on the Apple site, on the net, and many people willing to help you on forums on like this one.

As Southernboy mentioned, you can also install Windows on your Intel Macbook if you want. Personally, I haven't bothered as there is no need for me to do so.
 
The Macbook is perfect for your needs. There is a slight learning curve, but once you catch on you won't want to see that ugly Start button ever again
 
If he's going to be doing any serious photo editing, especially with applications such as Aperture, the MacBook Pro's graphics and larger screen would definitely come in handy. While this can be done on a MacBook (you'd definitely need 2Gigs of RAM), I would suggest going with the MacBook Pro. Even an older Core 2 Duo (non-SR) would be acceptable--you could probably find one for around $1,600.
 
Taylor C said:
If he's going to be doing any serious photo editing, especially with applications such as Aperture, the MacBook Pro's graphics and larger screen would definitely come in handy.
Click to expand...
Fair enough - I was interested in knowing!

If he was using an app like PS to do it, there's less benefit - and he could always get an external monitor with the money saved. In the UK,the cost between the mid-range MB and entry level MBP is £470 (a little over $900) - that's if he bought it at the regular price, and it's going to be roughly same price difference at the education store. The cheapest refurb MBP is about $2300 and I haven't seen any bargains on old stock... not for the want of trying!
 
Firstly, thanks for the replies.

That all sounds good, thanks for the advice everyone. I do a lot of mid level photography and image editing so I will perhaps look into getting more ram for it. I currently use Adobe CS3 for most of my design work but I understand I can get it for the Mac so thats fine. I am fairly technologically minded so im hoping the switch to OSX will be straight forward but I have not spent more than an hour or so on a mac machine. (But during that time I was impressed with its media capabilities and the 'smooth' feel to the operating system. I dont really want to install windows on it, I have a windows laptop should I need to do anything there (But I am eventually looking to phase this laptop out with the macbook.)

Cheers for all the info guys.:cool:
 
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