At the risk of starting the Mac vs. PC thread again....

ausrere

ausrere

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Lisa
Ok guys, my sister is soon to send her son off to college. She's planning on giving him a laptop for his HS graduation gift. The kid is begging for a Mac. Problem is I'm the so called computer guru in the family, and I have almost ZERO experience with Macs. So..I need some help here.

Her budget is in the $2500 range. His degree will be in Radio-Television-Film. He does not like the Mac Air...he says it feels to "flimsy", but apparently isn't getting any direction from his program on what they recommend. Any suggestions on which model, configuration, accessories??? My sis waits until the last minute to ask me this :rolleyes:, so special order from somewhere probably isn't going to work.

Thanks!
 
my son and his girl friend are both sophomore film students. The both have Macbooks (used, around $900) and are serving them well. My son says he "needs" to upgrade to a Macbook Pro next year to do more "high horsepower" film editing

my son corrected me on the price
 
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ausrere said:
Her budget is in the $2500 range. His degree will be in Radio-Television-Film. He does not like the Mac Air...he says it feels to "flimsy", but apparently isn't getting any direction from his program on what they recommend. Any suggestions on which model, configuration, accessories??? My sis waits until the last minute to ask me this :rolleyes:, so special order from somewhere probably isn't going to work.
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MacBook Air is not a good choice for anyone who isn't going to have another computer. It's a second computer.

I'd say that for such a media-heavy major, he's gonna need as much screen space, RAM, and hard drive space as possible. The MacBook's 13" screen is going to be a bit cramped. The 17" MacBook Pro would be ideal, but the budget would have to increase a bit.

So, I'd suggest the 15" MacBook Pro - In the store, click "MacBook Pro" and then choose the one in the middle ($2299 education price). Take that last couple hundred bucks and buy some good-quality RAM (buy anywhere BUT
Apple, their build-to-order RAM is way overpriced) to take him up to 4GB.

Another thing to consider is software. Can he get any special deals on software from the school, and what software will they be using? The pro apps are seriously high end, and seriously expensive, but the "express" versions are "prosumer" level and have user interfaces pretty much identical to the pro apps. For video, Final Cut Express. For audio, Logic Express. Each of those can be installed asa build-to-order option for $179 but the school may be able to get better deals on those. If nothing else, the consumer-level iMovie and GarageBand will come for free with the computer and that'll get him started at least. But, talk with the school on this.

Hope this helps! :yes:
 
My wife and I both have Macbook Pro units and my oldest girl has a Macbook. The units have been perfect. I will say that after my girl's years of boarding school it has taken it's toll on her unit. She will get a pro unit before college this year. You just can't go wrong with a Mac.

Kevin
 
I got my niece a MacBook Pro for her HS graduation. That was 3 years ago and her MAC is still going strong, she loves it and still raves about MAC and how she will never go back to PC again. Many of her classmates are having to replace broken PC (Dell, HP, etc.)
 
Another vote for a 15" Macbook Pro, if it has to be a notebook. It will have the wheaties to run the film editing software, but is more portable than the 17"-er. Best bang for the buck would be a previous-generation Apple refurb for approx. $1700. Go to store.apple.com, scroll down and look for Refurbished Mac down on the lower left of the page. A new one can still be had at Amazon.

Portability costs money. Your sis can get even more processing power and hard drive space for a lower price with an iMac. Again, the refurbed previous-gen are a great deal. The 24" 2.8 GHz model with 2GB RAM and 500GB hard drive is $1599. Sweet.

Don't buy the Applecare directly from Apple. It can be found cheaper at places like MegaMacs or LA Computer. I consider it a must for laptops.

-Rich
 
rpadula said:
Another vote for a 15" Macbook Pro, if it has to be a notebook. It will have the wheaties to run the film editing software, but is more portable than the 17"-er. Best bang for the buck would be a previous-generation Apple refurb for approx. $1700. Go to store.apple.com, scroll down and look for Refurbished Mac down on the lower left of the page. A new one can still be had at Amazon.

Portability costs money. Your sis can get even more processing power and hard drive space for a lower price with an iMac. Again, the refurbed previous-gen are a great deal. The 24" 2.8 GHz model with 2GB RAM and 500GB hard drive is $1599. Sweet.

Don't buy the Applecare directly from Apple. It can be found cheaper at places like MegaMacs or LA Computer. I consider it a must for laptops.

-Rich
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And occasionally from http://www.smalldog.com

OWC http://www.MacSales.com is a very reputable and honorable source for RAM. If you get the Samsung RAM it's the same as what Appel installs. (There's a consideration that Apple may make you go to the factory RAM if you have trouble. Samsung IS "factory RAM.") OWC offers a RAM trade-in deal but you'll do better to sell your original RAM on eBay.

You can do slightly better on price by buying an Apple refurb. Click on the Red Tag at http://store.apple.com Refurbs are actually more burned in than new ones and have the same warranty.

I was going to suggest you consider an iMac with MacBook Air combo, but you'd be slightly over budget. That's the hot setup for home and portable use.

I use my Macbook Pro for everything and works fine.
 
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Ideal situation. He gets a MacBook Pro, and you get out from having to be his computer expert!
 
I am very happy with the 15" Macbook Pro I have. I did do a number on it on my last motorcycle trip. I suspect a lesser laptop might not have held up to the abuse.
 
Thanks guys... I've passed on all the info to her. I suspect she'll go with the Macbook Pro. I appreciate the advice!
 
gprellwitz said:
Ideal situation. He gets a MacBook Pro, and you get out from having to be his computer expert!
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Which is 'zactly why I gingerly guided the GF to get an iMac...which made me hafta get one or two or...
 
Skypilotcfii said:
MacBook or MacBook Pro - use Parallels to put Windows on also.
Some things in College require Windoze.
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Well, in a Business or Engineering type of discipline maybe - I'd bet that the Radio-TV-Film major can easily be done Mac-only, and that department probably uses Macs exclusively.

A lot of people have found Apple Refurbished to be a good buy.
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Yes, I've heard the same thing from numerous sources. The model I mentioned above is available for $150 less than the educational discount as a certified refurb here: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FB134LL/A

GET Applecare - extends warranty to 3 years and on a Laptop - it is worth it.
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Agreed. It is the ONLY extended warranty type thing I will buy.

Vista sucks big time - use XP Pro!
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Or don't even bother with Parallels or Windows - It might not be needed, and if it is, it's a lot cheaper to see if the software will work with CrossOver which doesn't require you to run a copy of Windoze at all.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Well, in a Business or Engineering type of discipline maybe - I'd bet that the Radio-TV-Film major can easily be done Mac-only, and that department probably uses Macs exclusively.



Yes, I've heard the same thing from numerous sources. The model I mentioned above is available for $150 less than the educational discount as a certified refurb here: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FB134LL/A



Agreed. It is the ONLY extended warranty type thing I will buy.



Or don't even bother with Parallels or Windows - It might not be needed, and if it is, it's a lot cheaper to see if the software will work with CrossOver which doesn't require you to run a copy of Windoze at all.
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Wait...people still buy Windows? ;)

err...that is, of course they do, they just lose their serial numbers all the time....
 
from my son the film student - "Most of the time school's book store will have the academic version of required software for particular classes for about half retail price. If not, use the education discount at the apple store for Final Cut Pro Studio for $699."

from my son-in-law, a producer working in the industry " Ditto the above. Get 'Pro Tools' for audio editing.

Both say "Get the pro version of Final Cut or Avid. Majority of the industry will use one or both.

Anything else, e.g. iMovie and/or Garage Band, is like saying "I'm a proficient pilot - I have hundreds of hours on MS Flight Sim." You're just going to instill bad habits that will have to be unlearned later. (my analogy and weak attempt to make it aviation-related!)
 
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gkainz said:
from my son the film student - "Most of the time school's book store will have the academic version of required software for particular classes for about half retail price. If not, use the education discount at the apple store for Final Cut Pro Studio for $699."

from my son-in-law, a producer working in the industry " Ditto the above. Get 'Pro Tools' for audio editing.

Both say "Get the pro version of Final Cut or Avid. Majority of the industry will use one or both.

Anything else, e.g. iMovie and/or Garage Band, is like saying "I'm a proficient pilot - I have hundreds of hours on MS Flight Sim." You're just going to instill bad habits that will have to be unlearned later. (my analogy and weak attempt to make it aviation-related!)
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You usually get one of the eleventy-seven versions of Pro tolls free when you buy any M-Audio hardware.

Final Cut Studio Pro includes Soundtrack Pro which is perfectly fine.
 
So long as it says "Intel Inside", I don't care. :D :D :D

Oh yeah, Apple doesn't put those stickers on their products. Doesn't matter, our silicon is still there. :D
 
gkainz said:
from my son the film student - "Most of the time school's book store will have the academic version of required software for particular classes for about half retail price. If not, use the education discount at the apple store for Final Cut Pro Studio for $699."
Click to expand...

Yeah... It's just awfully pricey still.

Anything else, e.g. iMovie and/or Garage Band, is like saying "I'm a proficient pilot - I have hundreds of hours on MS Flight Sim." You're just going to instill bad habits that will have to be unlearned later. (my analogy and weak attempt to make it aviation-related!)
Click to expand...

That's why I suggested the "Express" versions which have the same user interface and many of the same capabilities as the Pro stuff. Gotta fly a 172 before the Learjet too. ;)
 
SkyHog said:
Wait...people still buy Windows? ;)

err...that is, of course they do, they just lose their serial numbers all the time....
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I just bought Vista for home to put on my MacBook Pro.

The reason is that Golden Eagle and Jeppesen do not have a Mac version. So I added Vista and VMFusion. So far so good!
 
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