PC user finaly switching to MAC - help!

[stimpsonjcat]

Hi,

I used to use PCs because, well you simply get more bang for your buck and I like playing games.

These days I work too much to play games and Vista looks like a pile crap so I am tempted to port everything over to a nice shiny Mac.

However, I am not sure what I need or the best (read cheapest) place to buy from.

I am a designer (yeah I know should have been using a Mac ages a go) and need to run CS2 and everything similar pretty well. My PC is high spec but doesn't like Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign open at the same time.

I have always been told by Mac users that a normal spec Mac will run better than a high-spec PC so I am happy to get a normal G5 or a low spec Mac Pro if it will run everything fine.

So what would suit me? Is there anywhere decent and competitive to buy? Somewhere who takes part exchange even?

Also, my CS2 etc is an upgrade so need to re-buy it for Mac, I assume Adobe are cool with using a PC version to upgrade again to a Mac version?

Thanks in advance!

 

[opik]

Apple computers seem to never be on sale but Amazon.com is the next best thing; they usually have some small discount in the price and sometimes even a reliable mail in rebate. A iMac would suit your needs but since you are going to use it professionally, the Mac Pro will suit you longer.

As to Adobe updates, you could try using BootCamp for sometime and see if it works well before needing to purchase the Mac version.

 

[stimpsonjcat]

thanks, but i'm in the uk and amazon.co.uk is pretty slim on macs.

 

[Willis]

Hi. Im not sure on anywhere that trades in computers for Macs or Macs for Macs in the UK.

As you use Photoshop, I'd say get a G5. This iMac G5 runs photoshop really well, so a G5 tower would be pretty awesome. A good place to look is eBay, G5 tower pricings have lowered since the Mac Pro's have come out.

So, get a G5 so you can run Photoshop Natively, then when CS3 comes out Q2 2007, get yourself a Mac Pro, and you'll be laughing.

 

[tipdrill407]

The 3 ghz mac pro seems to run photoshop very well under rosetta, the benchmarks show that it is as fast as the G5 Quad so imagine how fast it'll be when CS3 comes out. The G5 Powermacs are great machines, but a Mac Pro is just more futureproof and offers adequate performance when it comes to Adobe CS apps.

 

[NeoMac]

Check out the Refurb Macs on the Apple Store. I purchased a refurb iMac G5 and I got a great deal. Plus they come with the standard 1 year warrenty.

 

[tristan]

You'll want to get to know the deal sites. lowendmac.com is a good site for mac specs and deals on both older and newer macs. Dealmac is also good.

CS2 isn't intel native, so you face a choice of getting an Intel and having it be slower (probably until CS3 comes out) or getting a G4 or G5 and having it become obsolete. Intel has the speed bragging rights but if you got a good deal on an iMac G5 and packed some RAM in it you would have nothing to complain about.

Welcome to the light side of the force.