Author Topic: Mac or Windows (Read 1115 times)

subbu68 · « **on:** May 22, 2012, 07:18:08 AM »

After a lot of holding back got an iPod Touch 4g. The reason for not looking into the 'i's in the past - in 2007 switched from Nokia to IMate and turned to like Windows Phone and became a fanatic. iPod Touch is a wonderful device I should say. PC is not getting switched on nowadays at home.

After getting serious with RAW processing (since joining DDF), the laptop and netbook we have groan under the load. Thinking of getting a new laptop for travel, vacations etc. Photo and video (SONY HD DV Cam) processing is the primary job for it other than usual email, posting photos on flickr etc. I do not have a serious PP software yet (LR4 paid download does not work in the ME region so dropped it).

Looking at the sleek Macbook Air am tempted to go in for one say 11" one. Would it work for photos or let me down like the current HP dv2 and Acer netbook we have? Or a Windows Ultrabook 13 incher would be a better option for similar cost.

Having tasted the "small Apple" (iPod), hand is itching to go for a "bigger one". Any opinion?

chappo1 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 22, 2012, 07:42:19 AM »

My view is that as soon as you mention travel, then size and weight become an issue so you need to consider your prime use.
I have become addicted to my 24inch desktop screen and could not imagine editing images on a small screen.
My solution would be a small light laptop and a big external screen to plug in for work on your desk.

Operating system is of no interest to me. I had an apple at home early on in my life but switched to Windows because we used Windows at work.

john

subbu68 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 22, 2012, 07:59:51 AM »

You're right John there's nothing like a big screen for PP.

I now have a self built PC with a 23" inch IPS screen at home in Abu Dhabi where I do most of my PP. We go for a month or so to India for annual leave every year.There are plenty of nature photography opportunities there. I am looking for a laptop for that purpose plus additional holidays off Abu Dhabi. Or have to return to Abu Dhabi for all those PP

.

Saw the limitations of netbook screen when we went Singapore last December. Thought my photos were crap until I opened them on my home PC after return. Similarily our HP dv2 was just not giving any output when I ran SONY PMB and fed it with RAW during our last visit to India. Remembered our first Pentium IV then

.

Stef. · « **Reply #3 on:** May 22, 2012, 09:14:27 PM »

O.K. here is my take on this: I work with both Macs and PCs.
Before we will start a war between Macs and PCs... this is just MY opinion

For laptops I would without a doubt go for a Mac and for desktops I would again without a doubt go for PCs...

I bought three MacBook Pros 13(!) inch with the stronger Processor 2.8 GHz and upgraded (!) from 4GB RAM to 8GB RAM.

a) I did not go for the AIR as I want a laptop with CD/DVD input. The air has none and you will have to buy an external CD player to either burn or play CDs
b) I went for 13 inch screen as I connect it at home to a bigger screen and IMHO the 15 inch and the 17inch are neither nor. They are not big enough to do serious PS work but they become to big to be easily portable.
c) I found the MacBook Pro better build than the Air. This might be wrong but the Air appears "flimsier" than the MacBook Pro

IMHO this is pretty much the best laptop on the market. I have also a Sony Vaio top end laptop that cost me more than the Macs but it is not of the same callibre.

Desktops: for my personal configuration a Mac would cost me an arm and a leg...I have 24GB RAM; the fastest processor on the market; th best graphics card and it was built to my specs. The same configuration with a Mac would have cost me at least double the price if not three times. Also, and this is a personal thing, I have a lot of free programs that are available for Windows but not for Macs. I would not want to miss them.

Last point: and this is a can of worms...I am not entirely sure about the future of Mac desktops...particularly since Steve Jobs is not there anymore...I think they are doing a superb job with all the iphones; laptops; ipads; ipods...but not so with their desktops. I will leave it at this as one can really start a long discussion about this...

Anyhow, I hope this helped a bit?
Stef.

subbu68 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 23, 2012, 06:46:49 AM »

Thanks Stef for clearing up some of my apprehensions. Locked up in Windows since Windows were born

Was using my DT last night for some small PP. FREEEEEE....ze.. restart...grrrrr....
(2.6GHz, Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, Vista Home Premium).

From what I read Mac is less susceptible to these annoying "freeze ups". Is it true?

I was looking at Mac Air as current ones have higher resolution screens - Air 13" has same resolution as Pro 15". Would this not make some difference in viewing photos?

And Air13" is a good 700gm lighter than 13" Pro - can add another lens in my bag with the weight saved

. Had held Air in the store here. Looked flimsy but fully clad in Aluminium feels solid.

Only thing as you wrote Air has no CD/DVD (rarely used and have a slim ext. drive at home in India if I need), lesser ports,no upgrades possible on RAM - to list what I observed.

markc · « **Reply #5 on:** May 23, 2012, 09:50:39 AM »

I'll add my 2 penn'orth:

I'm a Windows man (have been since it was released) and my laptops (work and home) are Windows 7 devices (Dell). However, if money wasn't an object, I would buy a Mac Book Pro in a heartbeat. They are, without a doubt, the best performance per pound (weight not £!!) portable computers on the planet. They look and feel good too.

There is the added advantage that they will natively run Windows (if you like) or you could use VirtulaBox (free) and run it in a virtual machine allowing you to swap between the two operating systems at will.

By the way, I've worked in IT since 1987 so I might not have any clue about these things

Cheers,

MarkC

Stef. · « **Reply #6 on:** May 23, 2012, 10:33:29 PM »

Subbu, I would take the MacBook Pro in a hearbeat over the Air. I like the more solid feel and frankly I do think the included CD/DVD player can become essential if you want to burn your photos on CDs to give away.

I also believe that the MacBook Pro with UPGRADED 8GB RAM is nice to have for power hungry programms such as Photoshop.

Re.: the screen: this plays no role for me as I would never do critical colour work on a laptop screen in the first place. A laptop in my opinion is great for sorting, editing...and a lot of other stuff. Once though you start with colour corrections I would only do them on a screen that can display the Adobe garmut in full and not a sRGB one.

In a nutshell: once at home you can always connect your laptop to your screen and do this kind of work at home.

Stef.

Jumeirah · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2012, 07:35:27 PM »

Hello everyone, sorry I have been away from DDF. Missed you guys.. I was out of a job for while. But all is back on track now.

I haven't seen a desktop at home for nearly 4 years now. Been using laptops all the while. Currently am using a 13 inch Lenovo U260 netbook. Its very slim and body is full metal construction. Win 7 with 4 GB RAM and an SSD hard drive. I use it for my daily home surfing, Music/ Video downloads, RAW file edits on LR4 and even have elements 10. Have been using it for over a year and has never freeze or any problems. PC/ Windows notebooks are priced cheapest in the world in Dubai.

Mac are very expensive in here.Prob the most expensive prices. if i could afford one i would instantly go for the Macbook Pro. Always fancied owning a Mac Notebook.

subbu68 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2012, 04:38:20 PM »

I'd await the new Macs Pros with new procs, slimmmer, USB3.0 and Retina Display.

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Author Topic: Mac or Windows (Read 1115 times)

subbu68

Mac or Windows

chappo1

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subbu68

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Stef.

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subbu68

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markc

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Stef.

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Jumeirah

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subbu68

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