Good laptop for Graphic Design..

[LH4]

Well i am starting college this Fall and i want a good laptop that can handle running multiple design programs at a time without crashing. i will be using such programs a Dream weaver, Photoshop, in design (basically all those adobe design programs), 3D Studio Max (need it to run 3D design programs very well), and i will have some video/audio editing on there... i'm going into design. so i think i do want a bigger screen... but you think i should look for a smaller one for the portability?

i don't want a Mac at this point. i know it's the best one for graphic designers but i would rather stick with Windows during college, then when im done i'll get a Mac.

Price Range... i am trying to keep it under $2000, i am looking at around $1500. i found these two Laptops that i feel are reasonably priced:

Gateway - Laptop with Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology - P-6860FX

and

Best Buy Canada Web Store: Computers: Laptops: Acer Aspire 18" Laptop featuring Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5750 (AS8920-6952) - Bilingual#

would any of these be a good choice for my use? if not, can you post what would be? also, please keep it retail. i don't want to buy online, i'de rather go look at it in person and then buy it

 

[gbjbany]

hmm tough task, no mac, no online

But go as high end graphics and Processor as you can afford. HD and Memory can be added (normally)
This page might help. Shop for Intel® Products by Category

I also see laptops at costco so might want to see what they have or Fryes (www.outpost.com)

 

[mastermesh]

The BEST gaming laptop - CNET Laptops Forums

 

[charper1]

I would go this route as opposed to either of those you listed above AND you should be able to get these custom HP laptops at some retail stores.



HP Pavilion HDX Notebook #KR835AV
click above


Total: $1,793.99 ($200 instant rebate and FREE shipping) I would also not rule out online where you will get a better value for your money and based on the retail stores you are looking to buy from, online will have just as good of repair and customer service; so don't sweat that.

* – Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
* – Intel Core2 Duo Processor T8100
* – 20.1" diagonal WSXGA+ High-Definition HP Widescreen Display (1680 x 1050)
* – 4GB DDR2 System Memory
* – 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTS
* – HP Imprint Finish (Dragon) + Microphone + Fingerprint Reader + Webcam
* – Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection and Bluetooth(TM)
* – 320GB 5400RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (160GB x 2)
* – LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
* – Integrated HP HDTV Hybrid TV Tuner and 4 Altec Lansing speakers +the HP Triple Bass Reflex subwoofer
* – 9 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* – Power Pack software - muvee autoProducer Premium, Cyberlink DVD Suite Premium and Serif Web Plus
* – System Recovery DVD with Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)
* – Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
* – HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

 

[TheForce]

LH4-

This will sound strange to some who know me but if you are in college and know that some of your applications will be MAC based and some will be PC based, I will suggest you go both using a MacBook Pro. I have one here and with a Mac based software called Parallels you can be both with a very fast switch. I have a MacBook Pro here and run many PC based programs, access the internet on both IE as well as Safari, I use Photoshop on the PC side, Vegas editing for video on the PC side and use MS Office there too. On the Mac side I have Final Cut Studio. You see, I'm in a similar dilemma of needing to speak both systems and the Mac platform will permit this.

Now to be technically accurate, you can do the same with a Dell but the trick there is a hack to install OS X on the PC which is not legal as Apple protects their distribution of OS X. A few have done it and it works but the trick is activation of the Mac software. Using a Macbook with intel processor keeps everything legal.

To have a dual Mac- all you need to do is be sure you buy one with an intel processor dual core 2 with 2 Gb of ram and a hefty hard drive. I have a 120 Gb drive but sometimes wish I would have opted for the bigger one. Not having that I bought an external 200Gb La Cie with FW 800 .


The cost is about the same with processor and ram and hard drive being equal to buy either a Macbook Pro or a Dell XPS PC. But with about a $200 additional to the Macbook Pro and you'll be dual platform! ( Windows XP Home OEM version $130 + Parallels $70 )


PS- My daughter teaches computers and also has a MacBook with Parallels windows XP. (Not the PRO) she suggested checking into all student discounts. Apple has a student purchase program but you will need your student ID to get it. As a teacher, she just bought Photoshop CS3 for web designers at about 15% of retail with her teacher credentials.

 

[Neilkn]

I concur 100% with Don's assessment. The Macbook will give you the best of both worlds now, allowing you to take full advantage of both Mac OS and Windows programming on one system. That is excellent advice.

 

[mastermesh]

also - ask stores about student discounts and software pricing...and look into freeware alternatives for software-blender has come a long way, gimp, and others too

 

[LH4]

Wow thanks for all the replies guys, and sorry i haven't been around to reply to them faster. Don your reply is very interesting, and brings up a great point. i didnt even think of some of the programs that i will be learning in college will only be compatible with one of the os's.

i found a laptop that i REALLY like, a Sony. it's the new FW series. i actually put a $340 deposit on it this Saturday. i got the top model they had in store for $1699.99. i guess i have one week to decide whether i want it or not. i can get my money back unless i take it home which i haven't yet. it's either going to be that one or the macbook pro... i'll decide after i talk to the instructor.

 

[TheForce]

LH4

I selected the Pro version as opposed to the basic Mac Book because of the firewire 800 port which the lesser laptop didn't have. It was important to me because of the basic recommended requirement for Final cut and HD video editing. The pro will set you back more money. My daughter has the smaller Macbook and has win XP and parallels running with Adobe CS3 and a few other programs. She uses the Miscrosoft Office on the XP side. If money is an issue consider not getting the pro but maybe extra ram and bigger hard drive. Look at all your options carefully. BTW- today you can also add wireless EVDOA adapter from Verizon for broadband internet that was not an option when I bought mine. I will tell you, however, that the Mac works much easier for wifi connect as compared to set up with the PC. Once you connect the Mac to your wifi encrypted network, the PC side is also automatically connected. You don't have to do it twice.

 

[empire29]

I agree with Don as well - you can also use Bootcamp to boot natively into a Windows install (so it wont be running inside OS X, you laptop will boot INTO windows) ..

I also suggest avoiding building a OSX86 Laptop (a "windows" laptop that runs a hacked OS X kernel.. its fun for enthusiasts (ive have OS X and WinXP running on my home PC) but its a bit of a hassle especially when upgrading between versions of OS X (ex. 10.5.3 -> 10.5.4) ..

macbook pro ftw! plus its so mobile.. not a big brick like those x86 laptops.

 

[TheForce]

empire29

I chose parallels because it was convenient to switch back and forth but the guy at the Apple store said that Boot Camp still ran inside of OSX. Was he wrong? If you are correct, wouldn't there be a memory advantage to using Boot Camp in that all your ram would be available for windows XP? It would be a trade off then I suppose.

I think further discussion on using OS X on a PC would venture into forum rules violation. Simply put, possible, not easy to do, and it is illegal as well as inconvenient to use with internet connection.