i want to buy a macbook but dont know what i need

Yo!
thanks for looking... I am a photography student, i want to get a macbook as I am familiar with them. i will be using it mainly for photoshop, maybe final cut express HD but basically so i can facilitate a freelance photography business when i finish uni. ive looked at the macbook options in the store but i dont know which one to get or what to upgrade eg do i get the cheapest and upgrade the memory and use an external hard drive or should i just spend as much money as i can??
I have no clue, please help!!
Many thanks
hannah

Posted on Oct 4, 2007 7:16 AM

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4 replies

Oct 4, 2007 7:30 AM in response to spannah

Photoshop CS3 and Final Cut Express HD both run very good on the MacBook. I would suggest not getting the cheapest as they do not have the super drive which allows you to burn DVDs. I back up my photos, music, and video projects on DVD-RW for safety and convenience. No matter what I suggest you get an external drive also. I use a 250 gb drive to keep everything on except for current projects. That way I always have plenty of room on my drive for anything I might be working on.

For FCE-HD and CS3 you will want at least 2 GB RAM. This just makes everything run smoother. You can upgrade the RAM later yourself if you decide to. It's usually cheaper than Apple putting in the RAM.

User uploaded file

Oct 4, 2007 10:47 AM in response to spannah

User uploaded fileI bought the BlackBook Core 2 Duo because I wanted to beef up the RAM to 3 Gig as well as be able to use the 802.11n protocol wirelessly with my Mac Pro and 24" iMac. I do a lot of movie making and use FCExpress. By beefing up the RAM I am able to reduce the rendering time. I did buy the 200Gig internal hard drive for storage but also use an external LaCie 600Gig to save my projects.

The BlackBook is excellent for field work - work that you do while sitting in coffee shops or WiFi hotspots or even in your own bedroom or kitchen - and should accommodate you very well. I do a lot of preliminary work on the BlackBook then do some of the heavier graphical and special effects work on the Mac Pro.

I absolutely love my MacBook and wouldn't give it up for anything!

Tim...

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i want to buy a macbook but dont know what i need

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