for $3,000, you might as well get a mbp max'd out. sacrifice a little portability in order to get features up the yin-yang. 
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Macbook Air w/ Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.?
- Thread starter TatsuTerror
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That's a good point -- didn't think about that, I just saw the MBP as less expensive. I'm gonna play around with the customization of it and see what I can come up with!
To answer your question and cut through all the subjective opinions around here:
Yes.
None of the applications you list really utilize the graphics card, which is the area the MacBook Pro is far superior in. All of those applications work GREAT on my 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook (not Core 2). Since the Core 2 is ~10% faster, a 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo should be equal to my 2 GHz Core Duo...
So a 1.8 GHz MacBook Air should be almost identical to my machine in performance (I too have 2 GB of RAM), except you ALSO have the solid state drive.
You'll want an external drive if you're working with any large files, and that's a pretty big disadvantage. But in terms of performance, you shouldn't have any problem, as long as you get Photoshop CS3 to get the universal binary.
Yes.
None of the applications you list really utilize the graphics card, which is the area the MacBook Pro is far superior in. All of those applications work GREAT on my 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook (not Core 2). Since the Core 2 is ~10% faster, a 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo should be equal to my 2 GHz Core Duo...
So a 1.8 GHz MacBook Air should be almost identical to my machine in performance (I too have 2 GB of RAM), except you ALSO have the solid state drive.
You'll want an external drive if you're working with any large files, and that's a pretty big disadvantage. But in terms of performance, you shouldn't have any problem, as long as you get Photoshop CS3 to get the universal binary.
Thank you for that. The most helpful and relevant answers. (That wasn't sarcasm)
I using Photoshop, illustrator, Dreamweaver, Listening to music, and surfing web at same time with my vaio (1.67 Ghz 2GB ram with shared Intel Graphic Card with Heavy Windows Vista Ultimate + Aura Theme) But when I doing some advanced photoshop it went slow. Believe me Mac OS X is too faster than Vista Ultimate and i've plan to buy MBA 1.8Ghz 120GB, Obviously MBP is better than MBA, But with Macbook i think you glad for macbook air ultra portability than 120Hz processor and more Hard Space. If you really getting mad for MBA (Like ME) stop thinking more and get it now. But MBP is better choice for power user!
) stop thinking more and get it now. But MBP is better choice for power user!GO for it!
I have 2nd version of MBA with SSD. I run Photoshop and illustrator with no problems what so ever. I do miss having a big screen as I have a Power Mac G5 with two processors and 23" Cinema display. However, I travel a great deal and most of the photoshop work is done when away on the MBA. I added the new 24" LCD display the my set up and ever since then I've not turned on the G5. I love having everything I do on one machine. It may not be the fastest, but compared to machines three years ago, I'm a VERY Happy camper! I love cutting the weight I have to carry around with me and the MBA really helps. So my vote is MBA, and if you can afford it, get the display to go with it. I LOVE my MBA....oh and I had the 1st generation too, it was awesome, but not having a bigger hard drive really hurt. The new one seems faster. I love it! Buy yours!
I have 2nd version of MBA with SSD. I run Photoshop and illustrator with no problems what so ever. I do miss having a big screen as I have a Power Mac G5 with two processors and 23" Cinema display. However, I travel a great deal and most of the photoshop work is done when away on the MBA. I added the new 24" LCD display the my set up and ever since then I've not turned on the G5. I love having everything I do on one machine. It may not be the fastest, but compared to machines three years ago, I'm a VERY Happy camper! I love cutting the weight I have to carry around with me and the MBA really helps. So my vote is MBA, and if you can afford it, get the display to go with it. I LOVE my MBA....oh and I had the 1st generation too, it was awesome, but not having a bigger hard drive really hurt. The new one seems faster. I love it! Buy yours!
Listen, I use a 1.5 GHz G4. It's not fast.
ANY Intel machine is going to be OK with Photoshop. Not perfect, but stop acting like Apple is selling a totally useless product. The Air does what it is intended to do -- be small, light, and still faster than what we used a few years ago for THE EXACT SAME THINGS in a PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
The 64 GB drive, in answer to the original poster, is a total waste. Don't tell me you're actually considering it. Hard drive space (next to memory) is THE primary resource in this day and age. I urge you to load up. 64 GB wouldn't even hold my music, much less even the past year of photos. Given how massive Leopard is, you'll have less free space when you TAKE THE MACHINE OUT OF THE BOX than you ever anticipated. Don't do that to yourself.
Good lord some of you make it sound like Photoshop is just one step behind running AutoCAD to design the next Mars rover.
I ran Photoshop on a 486DX2-66 back in the day and it worked fine. It really hasn't changed THAT much since then. No, you probably don't want to launch 10 windows VMs and run Photoshop simultaneously in each, but Photoshop and a reasonable sized work surface works swimmingly on the Air.
And of course the SSD will help the overall snappiness. Disk speed is always a huge bottleneck.
As for the 64GB being small - it is, but quite workable assuming you are selective about what you put on it and archive elsewhere (external drive, server, etc.)
I ran Photoshop on a 486DX2-66 back in the day and it worked fine. It really hasn't changed THAT much since then. No, you probably don't want to launch 10 windows VMs and run Photoshop simultaneously in each, but Photoshop and a reasonable sized work surface works swimmingly on the Air.
And of course the SSD will help the overall snappiness. Disk speed is always a huge bottleneck.
As for the 64GB being small - it is, but quite workable assuming you are selective about what you put on it and archive elsewhere (external drive, server, etc.)
If you're doing any work with PS, I can't imagine using anything less than the pro's 15" display. That would be the deciding factor for me.
If you are leaning towards the MBA, make sure you have a suitable 'home computer' or at the very least an external display.
Good luck!
If you are leaning towards the MBA, make sure you have a suitable 'home computer' or at the very least an external display.
Good luck!
I do not see how some of you guys are able to use the CHEAP revB screens for your PS work
I will never trust their quality regardless of the small size for any PS work.
So go get yourself a Dell:
http://thegadgetsite.blogspot.com/2009/01/dell-mini-9-better-screen-than-macbook.html
and we'll enjoy our 'cheap' MBAs.
So go get yourself a Dell:
http://thegadgetsite.blogspot.com/2009/01/dell-mini-9-better-screen-than-macbook.html
and we'll enjoy our 'cheap' MBAs.
LOL .. I do not know if we are laughing because it is funny or because it hurts too much that we cannot even feel it.
Apple is ripping us off while we are still paying for their products. If Dell can pull off suck a screen on their lowest priced machine, then we deserve better than what Apple is offering us.
The new MacBook Air 2.0, is an amazing Mac in an "Air" case. The MBA v1 was a slow and incapable machine of being considered powerful. The new MBA 2.0 is truly capable of being most peoples primary and sole computer.
The MBA 2.0 has the following,
SATA-II connection for drive
45 NM Penryn Core 2 Duo
Nvidia GPU Graphics
1066 MHz RAM - 2GB
Mini DisplayPort capable of driving a 30" Apple Cinema Display
The MBA v1 did not have those features.
If you are adding the SSD, I assume you're getting the 1.86 GHz CPU. That is one amazing computer. And it compares with the new MacBook. The CPU is slightly slower than the MB's, but the MBA's has 6MB of L2 cache and the MB's has only 3MB L2 cache.
With the SSD, the MBA 2.0 will fly. It is fully capable of being most peoples primary and only computer/Mac. The only limitations of the MBA 2.0 are the limited ports. So if you have multiple USB devices, you will need a USB Hub. And finally, the last limitation is the lack of optical/DVD drive. You can share another computer's drive or buy an external drive from Apple for $99 new or $79 refurbished.
It will run Photoshop, Creative Suite and other graphics programs fine.
The MBA 2.0 has the following,
SATA-II connection for drive
45 NM Penryn Core 2 Duo
Nvidia GPU Graphics
1066 MHz RAM - 2GB
Mini DisplayPort capable of driving a 30" Apple Cinema Display
The MBA v1 did not have those features.
If you are adding the SSD, I assume you're getting the 1.86 GHz CPU. That is one amazing computer. And it compares with the new MacBook. The CPU is slightly slower than the MB's, but the MBA's has 6MB of L2 cache and the MB's has only 3MB L2 cache.
With the SSD, the MBA 2.0 will fly. It is fully capable of being most peoples primary and only computer/Mac. The only limitations of the MBA 2.0 are the limited ports. So if you have multiple USB devices, you will need a USB Hub. And finally, the last limitation is the lack of optical/DVD drive. You can share another computer's drive or buy an external drive from Apple for $99 new or $79 refurbished.
It will run Photoshop, Creative Suite and other graphics programs fine.