Portability with Layout and Design

[cysquatch]

I work in Layout and Design for a local news paper and am thinking about getting a new home system in about a years time. The applications I use, like many, are InDesign, Photshop, Acrobat Pro, Illustrator,(all CS2) and Dreamweaver 8.
What I would really love is portability. Is a Macbook Pro what I should be looking at?
The system I have at home right now is down on my signature and quite honestly it still does the job suprizinglywell. But it's getting time to start looking into upgrading none the less. That and my wife is drooling now that I told her the G4 is hers once I get my new system. She's a Linux/BSD geek who has been wanting to set it up as a home file server since we moved in together

So, any suggestions? MacBook? MacBook Pro? Ram and Processor recommendations anyone? THanks alot!

 

[CalBoy]

Portability has two important subdivisions.
1. Weight. If it weighs as much as a car, it's not portable. If you look at the Apple Store online, you'll see that the mbp (15") weighs a mere 3 ounces more than the macbook. Not a major difference. In this resepct, they are very similar.

2. Surface Area. If it is too large, it doesn't work either. This depends on your bag and routine. My laptop bag is large enough for a mbp and mb, so it doesn't make a difference to me, esspecially since they're both the same (nearly) in weight. Again, this depends on your situation. If you ride a bike often, the 13.3" macbook is friendlier. However, if you ride a train or drive, it won't make too much of a difference. You also need to remember that the macbook is a little larger than it should be because it has more screen bezzle. Check out its demensions and compare them to the macbook pro's (best way is to go to an Apple Store or reseller; if you can't, use paper to simulate the size).

Personally, I'd go for the pro. It's a better value overall, and since you're using this for work, you need something more professional looking. Hope that helps.

 

[Kaiser Phoenix]

Portability has two important subdivisions.
1. Weight. If it weighs as much as a car, it's not portable. If you look at the Apple Store online, you'll see that the mbp (15") weighs a mere 3 ounces more than the macbook. Not a major difference. In this resepct, they are very similar.

2. Surface Area. If it is too large, it doesn't work either. This depends on your bag and routine. My laptop bag is large enough for a mbp and mb, so it doesn't make a difference to me, esspecially since they're both the same (nearly) in weight. Again, this depends on your situation. If you ride a bike often, the 13.3" macbook is friendlier. However, if you ride a train or drive, it won't make too much of a difference. You also need to remember that the macbook is a little larger than it should be because it has more screen bezzle. Check out its demensions and compare them to the macbook pro's (best way is to go to an Apple Store or reseller; if you can't, use paper to simulate the size).

Personally, I'd go for the pro. It's a better value overall, and since you're using this for work, you need something more professional looking. Hope that helps.

I concur, especially for design work, the MBP is the way to go. Also looks better in client meetings to. the MB just feels too Studenty/young in my opinion.