Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Windows&Apple

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 1, 2013
198
0
Hello, I need help deciding on the laptop that will suit me.

Light video and photo editing
Garagebang (just for some fun)
Light 3D animation (and I mean light, I don't know what I'm doing in 3Ds Max)
Light-medium gaming (Allan Wake, TF2, Test Drive Unlimited 2)
Extremely heavy word processing (500-2500 page reports yearly)

I really would like a really powerful computer, but I can't justify $2400 (with the student discount) for a 15 inch laptop with good, but not great specs. Although, if that's what I need, I'll go for it.

If I get the high-end 13 inch, I can use my extra funds to build a custom desktop next year. Which I plan to run BF4 on Ultra with a very usable FPS. So, that should be able to tell you the amount of power this thing will have (It'll have a lot).

Screen size is not an issue 15 inch is great, but so is the 13. I care more about the specs. Price range: What ever gets the job done the quickest.

----------

http://store.apple.com/ca_edu_93120/cart/shared_cart/9c0e9d45-475f-40ca-9dd2-39ebd90cab95

That's the one I'm leaning towards
 

pupilla

macrumors member
Oct 28, 2013
32
0
Hello, I need help deciding on the laptop that will suit me.
Garagebang (just for some fun)

Not sure if you'd need a laptop for this.. :eek: I'm sorry, I've sort of got a twisted mind. :rolleyes:

Anyway, I'd say get the 15" base model. The screen estate is nice for text editing and basically all your other demands. Don't let the Iris Pro hold you back: it performs pretty well.

I have to say though that probably no one here would be able to make the decision for you. You have to decide for yourself what you want, we can't do that for you. I'd suggest trying different machines out in real life and see what you fancy best.
 

8080532

Suspended
Apr 7, 2013
70
0
Hello, I need help deciding on the laptop that will suit me.

Light video and photo editing
Garagebang (just for some fun)
Light 3D animation (and I mean light, I don't know what I'm doing in 3Ds Max)
Light-medium gaming (Allan Wake, TF2, Test Drive Unlimited 2)
Extremely heavy word processing (500-2500 page reports yearly)

I really would like a really powerful computer, but I can't justify $2400 (with the student discount) for a 15 inch laptop with good, but not great specs. Although, if that's what I need, I'll go for it.

If I get the high-end 13 inch, I can use my extra funds to build a custom desktop next year. Which I plan to run BF4 on Ultra with a very usable FPS. So, that should be able to tell you the amount of power this thing will have (It'll have a lot).

Screen size is not an issue 15 inch is great, but so is the 13. I care more about the specs. Price range: What ever gets the job done the quickest.

----------

http://store.apple.com/ca_edu_93120/cart/shared_cart/9c0e9d45-475f-40ca-9dd2-39ebd90cab95

That's the one I'm leaning towards

Any medium gaming would require a dGPU, aka the 15" with BTO. Therefore, just get a laptop that you can use for the rest of your task, I recommend the:
13-inch: 2.4GHz
with Retina display
Specifications
2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz
8GB 1600MHz memory
256GB PCIe-based flash storage1
Intel Iris Graphics
Built-in battery (9 hours)2
$1,499.00​

It will do you just fine.
 

Windows&Apple

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 1, 2013
198
0
I would get the base 15 inch a heartbeat, but I think the high-end 13 gets you more for your money. If I was going to go 15, I'd go for the 2.3 with the dGPU. But the difference is nearly $710. For $710, I could save up another $1000 or so and build a custom gaming PC that would take all my needs with ease.
 

Kevclark1985

macrumors member
Jul 2, 2013
72
3
Any medium gaming would require a dGPU, aka the 15" with BTO. Therefore, just get a laptop that you can use for the rest of your task, I recommend the:
13-inch: 2.4GHz
with Retina display
Specifications
2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz
8GB 1600MHz memory
256GB PCIe-based flash storage1
Intel Iris Graphics
Built-in battery (9 hours)2
$1,499.00​

It will do you just fine.


Fully agree with this, best value model, will suit all of your needs, maybe gaming will not quite be as good as you would like (but then you would need 15" top model with dGPU) and the money saved can build a windows PC (or pay towards it)
 

Bobby Corwen

macrumors 68030
Jul 16, 2010
2,723
474
Any medium gaming would require a dGPU, aka the 15" with BTO. Therefore, just get a laptop that you can use for the rest of your task, I recommend the:
13-inch: 2.4GHz
with Retina display
Specifications
2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz
8GB 1600MHz memory
256GB PCIe-based flash storage1
Intel Iris Graphics
Built-in battery (9 hours)2
$1,499.00​

It will do you just fine.

I disagree.

The 15 base would be better suited because he said he wants to do video editing and photo work. The games he mentioned are all easily ran on a stock 15 I don't see what the problem is.

OP any computer at Apple can do the things you wanted as they currently stand. It's really about how much you're willing to spend for screen size but all of them are a supercomputer compared to what you need.
 

Windows&Apple

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 1, 2013
198
0
I suppose your right. I really didn't want to go above $1500, but than for $300 more, I'd get more SSD space, and another $300 would get me a bigger screen, than if I get more RAM, bigger SSD, I'm at the $2500 point :eek: DAMN YOU APPLE.
 

aiyaaabatt

macrumors 6502
Aug 25, 2013
380
62
I suppose your right. I really didn't want to go above $1500, but than for $300 more, I'd get more SSD space, and another $300 would get me a bigger screen, than if I get more RAM, bigger SSD, I'm at the $2500 point :eek: DAMN YOU APPLE.

Just get the 13'' for $1500 and use the $1000 saved to build a buff gaming desktop.

For $1000 its not hard to piece together a desktop that will play ANY game for the next 2-3 years on high settings. Video cards right now are killer cheap. 7970's are ~$250.
 

Bobby Corwen

macrumors 68030
Jul 16, 2010
2,723
474
Just get the 13'' for $1500 and use the $1000 saved to build a buff gaming desktop.

For $1000 its not hard to piece together a desktop that will play ANY game for the next 2-3 years on high settings. Video cards right now are killer cheap. 7970's are ~$250.

That makes no sense. Now you have 2 different items and you need space for them and it's just overall sloppy.

Best to get an all in one solution and be done with it.
 

8080532

Suspended
Apr 7, 2013
70
0
That makes no sense. Now you have 2 different items and you need space for them and it's just overall sloppy.

Best to get an all in one solution and be done with it.

I can't argue with this. But I also don't agree to just having a mobile workstation as a gaming system.
 

hexblot

macrumors member
Sep 9, 2011
45
0
Athens,Greece
Light video and photo editing
Garagebang (just for some fun)
Light 3D animation (and I mean light, I don't know what I'm doing in 3Ds Max)
Light-medium gaming (Allan Wake, TF2, Test Drive Unlimited 2)
Extremely heavy word processing (500-2500 page reports yearly)

That there is your culprit. If you omit that, all other items will work just fine on a base model. Gaming, apart from the specific title, greatly depends on your wants (not needs): can you live with a lower resolution or level of detail etc on your games? if not, you really needs that dGPU. Otherwise, the iris will keep you happy and coming back for more :)
 

covertash

macrumors regular
Dec 26, 2012
101
2
OP, you're not leveraging the possible strenghts of each usage scenario. The general feeling of your posts suggest that you like to dabble a little bit in everything, but not enough of any one thing to swing your decision in any concrete way. Almost every point in your original post is light (some medium) intensity tasks. The only heavy task is word processing, which, even an iPad/iPhone could pull off with a wireless keyboard.

My opinion is if you want the best of both worlds, get a 13" rMBP to give you the ability to have a portable, yet powerful, Mac, and build a good PC gaming machine with whatever funds are left over. Going with a high end 15", while decent for gaming, is still a half-assed attempt as you will need to compromise with lowered visual settings in order to maintain playable framerates - something that a well built gaming PC will not have problems with.

If physical space was a problem, and/or you absolutely need to have some of your gaming done while you are on the go, only then would it make sense to get the 15" rMBP. For your usage, though, if none of that applies, then you can save your money and time, and be happy with the 13" and gaming PC. Besides, we seem to forget that gaming PC's also have the capabilities and computing power to edit videos and images and render 3D animations as well. ;)
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.