Dazed and Confused! Computer Choice

[auntyjud]

Wow! After researching for endless hours, I still don't know which computer to purchase for my photo editing. Currently, I'm using an old Dell 8300 XP and when working in Photoshop
I can grab a cup of coffee, drink it, and maybe the selected process will be completed (maybe an exaggeration! But it is slow). Definitely time to upgrade. The Mac Pro quad core is the considered upgrade, but is it necessary to spend that kind of money (over $2800), or is there a computer out there as fast and efficient as the Mac Pro, or maybe even better? I know upgrading to almost anything would be an improvement, but if I'm going to upgrade, I might as well do it right. What is the computer you, as a DPS readers/contributors, recommend? Please help!

I would recommend a quad-core, like an Intel i7. I tend to avoid AMD processors, because they run a little hot.

6GB of RAM is usually sufficient.

1TB of Hard-Drive or more is recommended. I have 3TB, and 1TB is full of photos.

Most important: Get an IPS screen. This is essential for photo editing, as the color and exposure is consistant throughout the viewing angles.

So, I'd recommend ordering a Dell with the above specs. The Dell Ultrasharp monitors are all IPS, and are very good quality (I have a 22" Dell Ultrasharp).

[Rentham]

Originally Posted by auntyjud

Currently, I'm using an old Dell 8300 XP and when working in Photoshop

You and I were probably in the same boat. I did my editing on a 2006 model 24" iMac with stock specs. Working with full resolution 5DmkII files was, to put it mildly, torture. Applying a local adjustment in Lightroom or using the healing brush in PS could be brutal at times.

Originally Posted by auntyjud

The Mac Pro quad core is the considered upgrade, but is it necessary to spend that kind of money (over $2800), or is there a computer out there as fast and efficient as the Mac Pro, or maybe even better?

I'd stay away from the Mac Pro line. All indications are that Apple is going to kill it or significantly overhaul it. Who knows when that will be. Mac Rumors rates the Mac Pro as a don't buy since the latest versions are almost 500 days old, which is well beyond the average end of cycle for Mac products.

I went with the 27" iMac with the i7 quad-core processor. It is screaming fast and powers through anything I throw at it in Lightroom and Photoshop. My next step will be to juice it to the gills with RAM, but honestly it has performed amazingly in every way thus far.

And to top it off, it is an absolutely gorgeous machine.

[WooD]

I'm still using my 4 year old HP with a AMD 64x2 dual core 2.1 GHZ processor, only 4 gig of ram, and a 2 monitor set up.

I've yet to have any problems while running CS5.

[faeriegodess612]

Keep in mind when buying a computer the specs and requirements for what ALL your going to be doing on it. Mac vs PC in my opinion is a bigger debate than Nikon vs Canon. There are pros and cons of each, and you have to decide what pros and what cons you want and are willing to deal with. Now, if I remember right ( someone correct me if my info is wrong. ) Macs are not stand alone upgrade-able. Meaning, if you want to upgrade it, you have to buy a whole new one. Anything and everything that you buy for a Mac has to come from Mac. Meaning, that you can't just go out and purchase a better Nvidia Graphics Card and have your computer savvy nephew install it for you. While with a PC you can. PC's are completely customizable. On a Mac, everything from software and hardware HAS to be installed by a Mac approved dealer. With a PC, anyone with the knowledge can do it. Most computer geeks/nerds ( like my husband, and the guys at the local computer store that isnt a big box we-really-dont-know-what-we're-talking-about store.) go PC. Why? Because you get to pick and choose what you want to go into it. You can customize your specs with a PC, and have the option to upgrade later if you want. Some build from scratch, others start with a brand with good specs, then upgrade as needed.

Also, when my HP Pavilion Notebook's version of Win7 ( commonly referred to as an OS= operating system ) crashed, before I knew that's what went wrong I went out and bought a new desktop. Even as much as I know about computers, I didnt realize that they don't all come in one box anymore. The tower, the monitor, and the speakers all had to be purchased separately. If you decide to go PC over Mac, you have to decide if you want a specific brand.

I bought an HP Pavilion desktop with an AMD Athlon II 645 processor, 1 TB hard drive, 6GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics card, DVD burner with LightScribe, and wireless LAN. Meaning I dont need an ethernet cord to get internet. I bought the HP 20 inch WLED monitor that was suggested with it. I looked at the other monitors, but I still like this one. It had good color clarity and contrast. I spent a lil more on speakers because I wanted the better sound. The tower was on sale and was $480, the monitor $130, and the speakers $40. I also bought a webcam and got a GeekSquad package, so that all made my grand total about $840. Not cheap, but a lot less that the $2,000+ for a Mac.

Logitech is a good quality computer accessory company. I went HP because everything I have is HP. ASUS is new to mass producing computers, and they may seem like the brand with less to offer, but theyre actually one of the best lesser known companies. Theyre cheaper than most others at the moment because theyre unknown to the general population. One of the new big things right now is these All-in-One touchscreen "desktops". All they really are is a laptop with a separate keyboard, and the screen is touchscreen. They dont have the capabilities of a desktop in memory, upgrade-ability, and performance. Don't let a salesperson try to talk you into one because its the new thing.

Hope any of this helped. There are people on here that know WAY more about Mac's because they have them. I just know mostly the bad stuff because I've always gone for the computer nerds, and of course married one, so, I'm kinda PC biased.

[Rentham]

As someone who uses both PCs and Macs every single day, I'll go ahead and clear up some of these points:

Originally Posted by faeriegodess612

Macs are not stand alone upgrade-able

It depends on what Mac you are talking about. Some are not upgradable at all, some like the iMac have accessible bays for adding RAM, and some like the Mac Pro are highly extensible.

Originally Posted by faeriegodess612

On a Mac, everything from software and hardware HAS to be installed by a Mac approved dealer.

Sssh, don't tell the Apple Police I've installed all my own software and RAM.

Taking sides in this debate is just pointless. It boils down to what experience you prefer. Macs appeal to me because of the aesthetics, design, interface, build quality, and overall experience of using Macs.

Some people get off on building their own computer from the ground up. I used to. It was around the same time I was big into Dungeons & Dragons, Warcraft, and not having a girlfriend. These days I'm much busier. I just want something that helps me get things done without having to rip the damn cover off to tinker. Hardware aside, OSX beats the living shit out of any Windows offering in terms of personal use and small business management.

Can you do everything you need to do on a PC? Of course. But in my experience (again, extensively using both systems) I find things to be easier and more enjoyable to do on a Mac. Clearly Macs are more expensive and if you are solely concerned about specs then PCs will always be the better value. But if you value the other things Macs bring to the table, the choice is pretty clear.

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by Rentham

Can you do everything you need to do on a PC? Of course. But in my experience (again, extensively using both systems) I find things to be easier and more enjoyable to do on a Mac. Clearly Macs are more expensive and if you are solely concerned about specs then PCs will always be the better value. But if you value the other things Macs bring to the table, the choice is pretty clear.

LoL.. I'm going to take the opposite point of view here.. I've got both Macs and PC's, and I prefer the PC. I think basically I find I can get a similar exprerience of using Lightroom and Photoshop and only spend half the money or less.

I think basically it depends on you. If you're used to Windows XP on an old Dell, then Using Windows 7 on an quad core i7 processor, 64 bit O/S and 6-8Gb ram, you're going to feel like you're driving a Porche.

Yes, the experience on a Mac is often nicer, but not THAT much nicer compared to the extra price, and compared to your change of experience to either from your current system. I think you have to bear in mind that whichever system you buy, you're going to want peripherals, which again will cost more with Macs. And in another few years you'll probably want to upgrade, that time is likely to come sooner with the Mac becuse it's already been on the Market for a significant length of time.

Personally I would buy the PC, and then spend the change on a Macbook Air, nd have the best of both worlds

[CurlyCorry]

I currently run both PC and Mac and between the two, if I could punt the PC out the front door, it would be gone. Windows OS requires me to be a computer geek. I spend more time fecking with updates and clicking "continue" than i do, using the machine! i just recently, because of getting the blue screen of death, updated my OS to Vista. The computer is still running like shit, update, update and oh... wait, whats that little icon... oh, its UPDATING! Every single time I turn the machine on, its got an update. SO, which new computer would i recommend? iMac.

:::: runs off to click continue on the laptop::::::

Originally Posted by CurlyCorry

I currently run both PC and Mac and between the two, if I could punt the PC out the front door, it would be gone. Windows OS requires me to be a computer geek. I spend more time fecking with updates and clicking "continue" than i do, using the machine! i just recently, because of getting the blue screen of death, updated my OS to Vista. The computer is still running like shit, update, update and oh... wait, whats that little icon... oh, its UPDATING! Every single time I turn the machine on, its got an update. SO, which new computer would i recommend? iMac.

:::: runs off to click continue on the laptop::::::

Dude...you're complaining about a computer running a 10-year-old operating system, and then say you've just updated to a 5-year-old operating system (and everyone admits that Vista was a POS). I would guess your computer is just as old.

Windows 7 has been out for a while now. Upgrade.

As for the updates, it's only once a month...the second Tuesday of every month (i.e. last night).

[Krusty79]

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

Dude...you're complaining about a computer running a 10-year-old operating system, and then say you've just updated to a 5-year-old operating system (and everyone admits that Vista was a POS). I would guess your computer is just as old.

Windows 7 has been out for a while now. Upgrade.

As for the updates, it's only once a month...the second Tuesday of every month (i.e. last night).

+1 on Vista being a POS. I would rather go back to XP. Why change the menus to make them less intuitive? Oh yeah, Microsoft needed another product to sell. I'm thinking of paying to upgrade to windows 7.

Macs do have the advantage of a more stable OS and fewer a-holes attacking them with viruses, but they are also a small % of the pc market and you will definitely pay a premium for a Mac.