Sadly i dont know a Student from
there… They just said M1 MacBook with 16GB (better 32GB) and 512GB (better 1TB) SSD is what they say to there 1st years they need this year. It will prbly change a little bit next year but not significant.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What MacBook Pro Configuration for Graphic Design?
- Thread starter LegendJxli
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
there… They just said M1 MacBook with 16GB (better 32GB) and 512GB (better 1TB) SSD is what they say to there 1st years they need this year. It will prbly change a little bit next year but not significant.
Yea idk. They making games and like animations and 3d renderings and so on. Im just getting into graphics design so i cant rly say whats really hard and whats not, but it looks hard… Like i wont make hollywood films or hollywood designs but pretty nice stuffWhat does “heavy” mean? I still think if you didn’t want to have multiple displays that an Air could do the job
Enlightening words from Marques at 12:30, he's reviewing a $5000 Mac Studio.
But at the end of the day, look, this is just a tool, right?
Just like the app or program you're using already,
it's just a tool.
And so I think people look for the the benchmark
that will prove that this machine
will make them better at what they do.
It can't do that.
Just 'cause it's fast,
if you're bad at editing and you get this machine,
you'll still be bad at editing but just faster.
Focus on learning your skills... the hardware is nowhere near as important..
If those are your choices, I would say prioritise CPU cores over storage. You can always get more storage externally but you can't upgrade your CPU internally.
Either way, I do believe that until you really get into the thick of things you won't truly know what kind of system you need. It's just going to be speculative. So you're going to have to play it safe and over-spec your machine because you certainly don't want to under-spec it.
I do mostly support the idea of getting a less powerful, cheaper laptop now and upgrading when you have a better idea of the system you need. As someone who also did a lot of graphically intensive work in college, that is something I myself should've done at that time.
3d renderings, animation movies (5-15min), UI things. Illustrator, XD, etc. Im new to graphics design, so i cant rly tell what is heavy. I just can say i wanted to cut 4k Video on my old laptop in davinci resolve and the preview lagged hard… It has 16GB of Ram an i7 Intel prozessor and a graphic card with 4GB memoryWhat does “heavy” mean? I still think if you didn’t want to have multiple displays that an Air could do the job
Sage and very prudent advice, but alternatively, if OP ends up getting a machine that's under-spec'd all its going to do is make learning & executing those skills very difficult.
I've had the same thing where I was once stuck editing full-res 4K videos with all kinds of effects on a machine that could barely handle it. My skills were all there, but I was having to export 10 second portions of the videos at a time just to see if my edits were lining up because my CPU + RAM couldn't support a smooth live preview. Probably added 2-3 weeks to my editing time than if I had a better machine.
If you weren't specifically a college student, I would've actually suggested the M1 Mac Mini until you find out how powerful you actually need your system to be. It is probably the best bang for your buck if you can score a decent monitor on sale somewhere, but I know you're going to be going all over campus for classes, study sessions, etc so that option goes out the window.
Yeah but your machine was probably nowhere as capable as a $1999 Pro.
We're not talking about the new M2 Air overheating or the atrocities Apple shipped in the butterfly keyboard era.
Back then, you could really spend any amount of money and still be unsatisfied.
Luckily with the M1 Pros it's the other way around.
That is so true! But its also not cool if you cant cut a 4k Video as you cant watch the preview cause it laggs so hard. Thats what i want to avoide with my next laptop. If yall say get the base 14“ or 16“ for the next 3 years it will serve you well ill probably do. Bit when yall say its better to hold on to a laptop (as my old one) for 7+ years you should get the max and 64GB of RAM i could do that too…
rumz said it all better than me pretty much. personally I would go with the 32 if you can. but if you're only entering school you don't even know what you'll need for your career specifically - like are you going to get a job designing video games or making wedding invites and such? you don't need to know in general but those two types of designers have different needs. my 2017 iMac with an annoying fusion drive was great for most things but after effects etc. was just intolerable. I would get what you will need in the next few years. I think as a student I'd prefer the laptop that could be connected to an external over something like the studio
So nice to hear that. So you would say i should get the base 16“ or 14“ with 10 core cpu and 16 core gpu and if i know what specs i need i can upgrade then?
You can't predict how capable any computer will be in 7 years.
In 2012, 2009 MBPs were outdated.
In 2015, 2012 MBPs were doing okay.
In 2018, 2015 MBPs were actually better than the newer products.
In 2021, people were begging to give away their 2018 MBPs. (Yeah, even $5000 overspecced ones).
Futureproofing is a moot point. Nobody has any certain idea about what they'll be using in 7 years from now.
Exactly that is my fear. I know the max will be too much for now. But if i will export a Video in 2-3 years and want to do „heavier“ (not crazy things bit heavier) graphic design. Will a base 16“ lag? Thats my fear as my old laptop just nearly dies when i have 2 chrome tabs open and cut a 4k video…
Fair enough. I unfortunately did do college and start my career when the mac line-up was at its absolute worst. Always grateful for how it helped kickstart my life, but there are serious horror stories I've had with those devices that I wouldn't wish upon anyone.
Honestly @LegendJxli if you're considering the 2 laptop option where you buy one now and trade in for a more appropriate one later, maybe the 13" M1 MacBook Pro could also be a good option. You'll definitely find lightly used ones on the secondary market and demand for the machine is extremely low. It could be the perfect buffer device that packs just enough power to get you started off with workflows that are relatively intense. As long as you don't mind the touchbar and the dated chassis design, it could be the one for you.
Yeah, I think you're overestimating what is being taught in a university graphic design course. Specific things like animation and 3D rendering is at best an elective, not part of the core curriculum. The focus of (good) graphic design education is very much on fundamentals and ideation. Software knowledge is (and should be) secondary because that most of it will have completely shifted between your time at uni and when you've graduated and working. I think it would be crazy for any tertiary education to require a student to have a setup that eclipses what most professionals are running (I can assure you, most in the industry are not updating their machines to top of the line specs every year).
If the PC met your demands for 7 years, you've got your money's worth.
A 3000€ PC from 7 years ago would barely be any more capable than yours.
If you've made up your mind with buying the 2021 M1 MBPs then I'd suggest 14".
One thing I would definitely recommend doing is to use Facebook groups, etc. to ask for advice from people who are already in your specific program in their 3rd, 4th years. No one here will be able to advise you with the kind of specificity and relevance that they can.
Yes thought of that too but i really dont like the touchbar and i guess 13“ is rly a. bit too small (coming from 15.6“)
Thats a good idea. I just dont know ppl who are at that uni… But ill try my best to find someone!
Could be but idk. Its like more Practice-oriented them most unis… Ik normal
Unis rly teach just the knowledge and not rly the practice things but mine will do. Thats what i know.
Downsizing from screen size can be traumatic.
I think a 16" in base spec would serve you better than any update you can put in the 14" machine.
At least it has worked this way for me.
I also use external monitors but it bothers me to be tight while I'm not at home.
Yea i guess its the best but my old laptop (a bit bigger then the 16“ MBP) is also a bit heavier and its a pain in the as*… The 14“ is just so nice and small to work from
everywhere. But as the 16“ is a bit smaller and lighter then my old 15.6“ with like 3cm bezzles its prbly the best to go with the base 16“ and upgrade to 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD.