Macbook Advice For a Soon-to-be-Graduate

NaNaNa1

Hello Mac lovers!

I hope it's okay to post here; I'm looking for some real advice (and not from a sales person trying to sell me aftercare!) I'm about to graduate from college and enter the real world and need a laptop that's going to get me by. I'm currently rocking a HP Pavillion that only partially works (I'm talking broken fan, charging problems, no speakers and a boot up speed of 17.5 minutes as of this morning)

I work in Digital Marketing and I use Photoshop a fair bit. I'm also rather mobile. I've worked and worked to save enough to get a MB so I'll want one that will last too! I understand software stuff just fine but once someone talks hardware to me, my brain goes Homer Simpson style; I'm practically stumped by memory/hard-drives and the likes. I'm currently looking at a refurbished Macbook 12" from Apple or forking out a bit more for a MBP.

Any advice would be appreciated! I have several assignments due soon and my current laptop is about to meet a brick wall!

BreadnBuddha

NaNaNa1 wrote: »

Hello Mac lovers!

I hope it's okay to post here; I'm looking for some real advice (and not from a sales person trying to sell me aftercare!) I'm about to graduate from college and enter the real world and need a laptop that's going to get me by. I'm currently rocking a HP Pavillion that only partially works (I'm talking broken fan, charging problems, no speakers and a boot up speed of 17.5 minutes as of this morning)

I work in Digital Marketing and I use Photoshop a fair bit. I'm also rather mobile. I've worked and worked to save enough to get a MB so I'll want one that will last too! I understand software stuff just fine but once someone talks hardware to me, my brain goes Homer Simpson style; I'm practically stumped by memory/hard-drives and the likes. I'm currently looking at a refurbished Macbook 12" from Apple or forking out a bit more for a MBP.

Any advice would be appreciated! I have several assignments due soon and my current laptop is about to meet a brick wall!

Writing as the very satisfied owner of a Macbook 12 with a fully paid up Adobe CC subscription, I couldn't, just wouldn't recommend you even think about the 12 as being suitable for regular/constant use with Photoshop. I occasionally use mine with Photoshop, Lightroom and even Final Cut Pro X when I'm travelling, but there is absolutely no comparison between the 12 and a fully fledged MBP if you're intending on working fulltime with it for design purposes.

What's your budget?

NaNaNa1

BreadnBuddha wrote: »

Writing as the very satisfied owner of a Macbook 12 with a fully paid up Adobe CC subscription, I couldn't, just wouldn't recommend you even think about the 12 as being suitable for regular/constant use with Photoshop. I occasionally use mine with Photoshop, Lightroom and even Final Cut Pro X when I'm travelling, but there is absolutely no comparison between the 12 and a fully fledged MBP if you're intending on working fulltime with it for design purposes.

What's your budget?

Thanks for your reply! I'm not a constant like 24/7 Photoshop user but I'd use if my 4-5 hours a week for content creation and image editing.

I'm trying to keep under €1500 as much as I can!

BreadnBuddha

NaNaNa1 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply! I'm not a constant like 24/7 Photoshop user but I'd use if my 4-5 hours a week for content creation and image editing.

I'm trying to keep under €1500 as much as I can!

http://www.apple.com/ie/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=MF839B/A&step=config#

All My Stars Aligned

Do apple still not run the student discount scheme? It's not a huge saving if memory serves but it all helps.

FourFourRED

Hello OP: have a look here - http://www.apple.com/ie-edu/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro

€1400 for the 13" MBP. (128GB & 8GB RAM, which can be configured higher at checkout)

The processor & GPU in the 12" might not have enough bite for what you're looking to do.

NaNaNa1

Thanks for the help everyone! I went to take a look at the 12" and the MBP and I've settled on the Pro! With my Unidays discount I can get it for €1,378.83 with 8GB memory and 128GB SSD