Advice on First Apple machine

[Illium]

Hi Everyone,

I was thinking about buying an Apple computer in the near future. I am not aiming to replace my current computer though and do not want a Apple Desktop.

I want to be able run Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter IX.5 along with Wacom Graphire 3 tablet. Installing Painter and my tablet should be no problem since both Windows and Mac installation files are on the same CD. I think with Photoshop, I would have to pay upgrade price to be able to install Photoshop on a Mac OS. The thing is I have Photoshop 7.0 and have no need to upgrade to CS or CS2.

My narrowed down choices are:

• MacMini
• Powerbook G4 15"
• MacBook 15"

Any thoughts on this is appreciated!

 

[CoMpX]

I think a MacBook is the best choice because it will be powerful enough for you and it's the perfect system to demonstrate what a Mac can really do.

 

[kretzy]

If you don't want a desktop, then the Mini isn't really an option I suppose. If you buy a PB, you are buying outdated technology, even though it will be quite capable of doing what you need it to do. If you get the MacBook Pro, then you may initially have some Rosetta issues, but you are getting a much more "future-proofed" machine in this case.

 

[spinne1]

You cannot upgrade from an old version of Windows Photoshop to an old version of Mac Photoshop, so you'll have to upgrade to CS2 or whatever they are selling right now. If you are the registered owner, I think it is $149 to upgrade from an older Mac version to the newest Mac version, therefore perhaps a cross upgrade is similarly priced.

Your other option is to buy Photoshop (and the license to run it!) on ebay for an older version. You'd have to be careful if doing so because so many shady software sales take place on ebay.

As for which computer, it depends on how much money you have to spend. You want the best long-term performance, only consider the MacBook Pro. If price is first on your list, get a used Mac Mini for $300-500. Your call. The performance of the MacBook Pro versus an older G4 mini or Powerbook will be much, much better AFTER they release a universal binary version of Photoshop (have they already???).

 

[zoziw]

I am not aiming to replace my current computer though and do not want a Apple Desktop.

The mini is a desktop so strike that one.

I want to be able run Adobe Photoshop

Here is the tradeoff: The Powerbook will run Photoshop natively and the MacBook Pro will require Rosetta emulation until the next version is released, which at last word was sometime in 2007.

Adobe has said it won't release a universal binary for the current edition of photoshop.

So performance on the Powerbook is likely to be better for at least the next year.

If you buy the new version of Photoshop when it is release (likely no earlier than a year from now) than the MacBook Pro will likely be faster.

15" Powerbooks are going to become pretty scarce soon, so if you want one I would not delay too long.

I'm not sure what kind of upgrade options that Adobe offers for PC to Mac upgrades.

In the long run I think the MacBook Pro would be the better choice, but the Powerbook might be a good choice if you plan to purchase and use the current edition of Photoshop in the coming years.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Get the MacBook Pro. A Powerbook 15" is the outdated version of the MBP, and if you are considering the MBP then the cost isn't an issue. Go for it. Photoshop runs slower, but not as bad as expected (according to Macworld). You aren't using Photoshop professionally are you?