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TOM
16-10-2009, 9:10pm
I have been a PC user always. These Apple computers do sound enticing however, even though they are expensive. I just priced an iMac Pro and it came to $27 000, but I guess I really didn't need four graphic cards and 32Gb of RAM. I have been looking at the Mac Mini, and it looks like a great little desktop computer. My current PC is, by no means, a stellar performer, but I did throw a $1000 video card in it about 18 months ago, along with another two gig of ram (i now have 4gb). It has got a bottom of the range core duo or something in it and a generic 7200rpm hard drive.

The Mini Mac that I have priced up is cheap, but it won't take anymore upgrades. It has a 2.26 core 2 duo, 4gb ram, 320gb 5200rpm drive.

My questions: will the Mac Mini perform at least as quickly as my current PC, and be able to competantly run my PC versions of Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS3? Would Aperture 2 be a better option on a Mac? Would my Samsung Sync Master 226BW monitor connect seemlessly to the Mini? What is iWork like compared to Office, and can I sync my iPod Touch to iWork? Anything else I should know?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Gregg Bell
16-10-2009, 9:18pm
you can get MSoffice, and Open office for mac.

JM Tran
16-10-2009, 9:21pm
LOL a 27k Mac Pro? Making the new Toy Story movie on the computer Tom? :)

I looked at the Mac Mini too a while ago, but the staff I spoke to at the Apple Centre said my current PC which is similar to yours, with a less powerful card, will run better by handling more threads simultaneously or something, im not an computer expert.

the inability to upgrade further was the stopping point for me, I dont want to buy into a system where I cannot upgrade later on if I wanted to.

bigdazzler
16-10-2009, 9:32pm
I dont know much about the mini mate but I can tell you my 24" imac 2.8GhZ/4GB ram/320GBHDD runs Aperture/PS/Safari/macmail/MS Office and anything else I want simultaneously like a dream .. ;)

My 13" macbook 2.0GhZ/4GB ram/160GBHDD is just as nice to use .. only thing that stops me doing serious editing is the small screen.

I love my macs :D

DAdeGroot
16-10-2009, 9:42pm
Well unless you install Windows on it, then no, it won't run your current PC versions of those packages. You'll need OSX versions.

You'll also need the optional mini-DisplayPort to DVI adapter for your monitor, but otherwise it'll plug in an work just fine.

Haven't really used iWork. Office 2008 plays well with Office 2007 on PC, if interoperability is something that's important to you. I rarely use office apps, so can't comment greatly on them.

Personally I'd find a MacMini too limiting, both in performance and expandability, although they do look tempting for a media box, or even a kids box.

The higher end iMacs are quite usable, but I'd be after a MacPro for my next Mac purchase.

OutCast
16-10-2009, 9:43pm
if you're going for a mac mini it will be the first of many macs. I started two years ago when apple first made the switch to intel.

If I was going to buy a mac mini now - which is a GREAT starting machine - I'd throw in a SSD disk (after market). I found the disk access quite slow.

Also the graphics performance for photo stuff is not ideal.

I've gone through mac mini -> imac -> macbook pro -> now with a mac pro.

I'll be looking at a tablet should they produce something next year.

TOM
17-10-2009, 2:46pm
hey thanks for the advise guys. i am starting to think that i'll go for the macbook pro, and just plug into my 24" monitor when i'm not out and about. it sounds as though the mac mini might be a little underdone for what i need.

bigdazzler
17-10-2009, 2:54pm
hey thanks for the advise guys. i am starting to think that i'll go for the macbook pro, and just plug into my 24" monitor when i'm not out and about. it sounds as though the mac mini might be a little underdone for what i need.

Thats a great idea mate, I bought my macbook about 4 weeks after my imac and as much as i wanted to I just couldnt stretch the budget to a MBP.

This way you have the power, portability, and the screen real estate when you need it. Once you go mac you never go back mate .. Enjoy :th3:

TOM
17-10-2009, 3:04pm
okay, it might be a macbook Dazza, not sure yet. can anyone tell me if another keyboard can be connected to the mac whilst it is in dock on my desktop, and can i use the monitor on the mac aswell as the desktop monitor at the same time (dual monitor setup)?

DAdeGroot
17-10-2009, 3:08pm
okay, it might be a macbook Dazza, not sure yet. can anyone tell me if another keyboard can be connected to the mac whilst it is in dock on my desktop, and can i use the monitor on the mac aswell as the desktop monitor at the same time (dual monitor setup)?

Yes, any USB keyb can be plugged in and will most likely work (I'm currently using a Sun Type 6 keyb on mine).

And you should be able to dual monitor on a MB / MBP. Definitely could on the older iBooks and PowerBooks.

bigdazzler
17-10-2009, 3:14pm
im not sure mate but i cant see why you wouldnt be able to USB a keyboard to the macbook .. im assuming you mean so you can connect the external monitor and keyboard to the macbook then just push it aside and work from the peripherals on the big screen yea ?? as for dual monitors ive seen the guys in the Apple Store doing workshop demos using the macbook and an external display screen mirroring everything theyre doing, so based on that I cant see why not.

Before you buy anything TOM, check out the Apple Refurbished Store (http://store.apple.com/au/browse/home/specialdeals) .. same warranty/return/service conditions as new products, and some significant savings to be had .. I saved nearly $600 off RRP on my imac.

TOM
17-10-2009, 3:53pm
thanks guys, and those refurbished units look appealing. i don't really want to mirror the image from both screens, but have, say, the image on my big screen and tools on the other (photoshop).

NGP
17-10-2009, 4:00pm
there's a lot of talk about a new product refresh of iMacs, MacBooks/Pro and Mac Mini possible this Month, so if you're not in a hurry maybe worth to wait a little.

now personally I'd grab the base model (just upgrade the CPU if needed) and buy other bits and peaces (RAM, HDD, etc) what ever is consumer upgradable without breaking the warranty somewhere else since they are way over priced with Apple. you can save a lot of money.

ameerat42
17-10-2009, 4:04pm
Ahm-m-m! Look to the left in case I'm coming from that field, but a friend of mine runs a complete Apple Mac setup on an PC. He runs the latest AM operating system. (I don't know exactly what that is, though.) Dunno if you know about this, but it saved him heaps on hardware. His only (very mild) lament was that he might be able to use an Apple Mac keyboard with its own keys. Just a thought, since I was using it for the Internet just last week. Am...

TOM
17-10-2009, 4:11pm
interesting option, but i think that i would go the Apple route. NGP, do you mean grab the macbook as opposed to the macbook pro? what are the main differences apart from appearance.

landteacher
17-10-2009, 4:11pm
Tom. THE only complaint with my imac is the absolute c##p apple mouse. Get a wireless microsoft mouse,$35.00, and make it a great experience.:th3::th3:.
Mick.G.

NGP
17-10-2009, 4:14pm
Ahm-m-m! Look to the left in case I'm coming from that field, but a friend of mine runs a complete Apple Mac setup on an PC. He runs the latest AM operating system. (I don't know exactly what that is, though.) Dunno if you know about this, but it saved him heaps on hardware. His only (very mild) lament was that he might be able to use an Apple Mac keyboard with its own keys. Just a thought, since I was using it for the Internet just last week. Am...

Chameleon EFI is the magic word.. but it won't run with every hardware, so you have to check the compatibility chart to see what works and what doesn't. but even so, there are still issues and it can bit of a hassle with driver compatibility/hacks.. personally I'd rather buy the genuine Apple product.

Analog6
17-10-2009, 4:20pm
Macs use their RAm more efficiently and in many cases are faster than a PC. And there is the huge + that you are relatively safe from viruses and trojans because the low lifes write them for PCs (in the main). You won't be sorry if you go MAc.

TOM
17-10-2009, 4:23pm
I've already got the microsoft wireless mouse, so all i need is the Macbook right, and i should be in the land of milk and honey!

NGP
17-10-2009, 4:27pm
interesting option, but i think that i would go the Apple route. NGP, do you mean grab the macbook as opposed to the macbook pro? what are the main differences apart from appearance.

I was talking more of the individual components like Hard Drives, RAM, etc.. since those components drive up the price of your new system. as an example when I buy a new 8-core Mac Pro I buy the base model and upgrade in the options the two CPUs only (I could upgrade those myself too but is bit of a hassle).. once I get the tower I buy 4x 2TB HDDs, 6x 2GB RAM sticks and graphics cards through my IT distributer (you can get it through any store) and put them in myself.. same with my MacBook Pros I throw in my own HDD and RAM upgrades.. you probably can save anything from a few hundred dollars to a few grand that way..

bigdazzler
17-10-2009, 4:50pm
NGP is right TOM .. as for HDD and RAM upgrades dont ever buy them when you buy the machine. Apple will try to suck the blood from you in that regard. I bought both my machines with the stock 2GB RAM and then bought my 4GB upgrades from www.epowermac.com.au (AP sponsor) the very next day for about 1/4 of the price Apple wanted.

Prang
17-10-2009, 5:52pm
The windows 7 is out next week I think and I have seen it running a movie and 2 other applications on a single core processor and 512 of ram.

You probably don't have Photoshop either Tom but if you do I believe PC and Mac are separate products which would be another cost.

Good luck with it.

TOM
17-10-2009, 6:20pm
Yeah I have cs3 and lr2, so I'd be up for those two items again

bigdazzler
17-10-2009, 6:22pm
Yeah I have cs3 and lr2, so I'd be up for those two items again

yep thats the downside ..

MATT
17-10-2009, 6:45pm
I've already got the microsoft wireless mouse, so all i need is the Macbook right, and i should be in the land of milk and honey!

I thought it was just me... :th3:

I have an 20in Imac with a secondary Dell s-ips panel.. If I had my time again, I would have invested the Mac money into a new PC. Not saying the Mac is no good, I like it but I don't buy into the hype..

MATT

bigdazzler
17-10-2009, 6:54pm
I like it but I don't buy into the hype..


There is a little bit of that hype surrounding Apple products but it dont change the fact that they just work .. I switched a year ago and i can honestly say that this thing has not missed a single beat, no freezing, no hangups, no anything that it shouldnt do .. Cant ask for much more than that ;)

Prang
17-10-2009, 7:15pm
LR2 is ok but CS3 is not I believe.

MarkW
17-10-2009, 7:34pm
Tom
I use a MacBookPro (late 2008 version) with a 23" cinema screen, an Apple bluetooth keyboard and a logitech bluetooth laser travel mouse.

One of the tings you will find is that there are never enough USB ports - one for the printer, one for for the external HDD, yadda yadda yadda. By using the bluetooth systems you free up the USB ports. Downside - the Apple keyboard has no numeric pad and delete is fn + del, but you get used to it.

Personally if your going to PP on a Mac notebook using CS3/4 whatever then a MBP is really the minimum especially when you get to stitching a few images together. Of course the more RAM the better and 4Gb on a MBP is considered the max. There are chips out there which will give you 6Gb from an 8Gb buch of sticks but I've never found the need. I also do recommend a screen other than the laptop screen for PPing. The Apple cinema screens are LED backlit just like the new high priced TVs and you will find tht they are over bright therefore you need to compensate your printer. Once set its fine.

Mac are certainly a great way to go but:

They are expensive to buy
The software suited to Mac is just not there like Windoze and quite often its more expensive.

On the plus side they are far better at graphics than any other machine I have ever used.
They are intuitive to use
In many cases the software that you install is just one file (not the case for CS3) unlike Windoze which installs hundreds or thousands of files for one app.
There is no registry to try and clean
There are only a couple of viruses and you actually have to give permission to them to be installed before they become a problem. No virus software needed.
You don't have to defrag your HDD

MarkW
17-10-2009, 7:36pm
LR2 is ok but CS3 is not I believe.

Wrong

CS3 works just fine - its what I use

TOM
17-10-2009, 7:47pm
aaarggh...too many decisions

bigdazzler
17-10-2009, 8:00pm
Wrong

CS3 works just fine - its what I use

surely youre using a mac OS version of CS3 though Mark ??

TOM has been using CS3 on a PC .. so his copy wont work on a mac, unless CS3 is somehow different to CS4, because you most certainly have to purchase the correct software for your platform. There is no universal version.

Prang
17-10-2009, 8:34pm
Wrong

CS3 works just fine - its what I use

Yes what I was saying is Toms PC version probably will not work on a Mac but Light room 2 is dual install for PC and Mac.:)

MarkW
17-10-2009, 9:27pm
didn't read full post

MarkW
17-10-2009, 9:34pm
Yes what I was saying is Toms PC version probably will not work on a Mac but Light room 2 is dual install for PC and Mac.:)

Is LR protected by Adobe by online registration? If it is similar to CS3/4 you will have to purchase another license for it as your current registration would be PC. One way or another they are going to get you.

MATT
17-10-2009, 10:07pm
There is a little bit of that hype surrounding Apple products but it dont change the fact that they just work .. I switched a year ago and i can honestly say that this thing has not missed a single beat, no freezing, no hangups, no anything that it shouldnt do .. Cant ask for much more than that ;)

I do agree, but I switched from XP to Vista 64 on my PC and I have not had any Blue screen freezes or any weird behavior.

But essentially they both do the same..

I know you can run Mac OS on a PC platform with some mucking around, however if the OP ends up not liking the MAC you can easliy run Windows as a normal PC..

But if I had my time again. It would be a Quad PC with some nice 24" 8 bit panels.

Good luck to the OP.. The 24 imacs are sexy though..
With CS I read somewhere once that another person that switched cantacted Adobe and swapped his PC license for a MAc license.

MATT

dmdigital
18-10-2009, 12:20am
Adobe will let you transfer your Windows licence to a Mac licence for a small fee. I think it was about $50 nearly 18 months ago when I enquired. Give their support line a call and they can tell you.

The two things you want are system and graphics RAM. As all the new iMac's and MBP's come with 4GB or 8GB system RAM isn't an issue but choose one with a decent graphics card for a desktop as the base models share system RAM for graphics.

That said though...

I have a 13" MPB and it is as good as my 24" iMac even though the MBP shares graphics memory and the iMac doesn't. Vista drove me to Mac early last year and I am sooooo pleased I moved away from windows.

Also after just spending 3 months travelling I can thoroughly recommend the 13" MBP over a smaller eeePC or similar. Comparing functionality with others whilst travelling the whole design, battery life etc of the MBP is brilliant for a small portable notebook computer.

nisstrust
18-10-2009, 4:59pm
i wouldn't recommend the mac mini, because of the limitations of further upgrades.
Have you considered a 2nd generation Mac Book Pro 15" or 17" model. Talking about the Santa Rossa or Penryn cpu models not the later unibodies. I recommend these because you can pick them up a lot cheaper than the newer unibody MBP's, and there is room for upgrades plus you get the added flexibility of a portable notebook.
The pluses are 64 bit compatible for use with snow leopard OS-X, especially useful with LR 2.5 a 64 bit program as you'd know.

I myself have a 2.4ghz C2D, with 6gb Ram, 80gb Intel SSD, with all my LR catalogs on a Raid-1 Mirror, off a pair of 1Tb seagate 7200rpm drives via esata express card port, i could not be happier as the thing is blisteringly fast.

TOM
18-10-2009, 5:13pm
Wow, you lost me at Santa Rossa

MATT
18-10-2009, 5:26pm
The pluses are 64 bit compatible for use with snow leopard OS-X, especially useful with LR 2.5 a 64 bit program as you'd know.

t.

I cant get my Imac to go into 64bit mode, followed online stuff still no dice...

MATT

nisstrust
18-10-2009, 6:22pm
I cant get my Imac to go into 64bit mode, followed online stuff still no dice...

MATT

Checked the wiki and the only K64 cabable ones are these:

iMac iMac8,1 Capable

iMac iMac9,1 Capable

keys '6' and '4' on boot up should do it, and check then.
Otherwise ... humm...

Tom check out the refurb store, always some well priced macs on there.

MATT
18-10-2009, 6:26pm
Checked the wiki and the only K64 cabable ones are these:

iMac iMac8,1 Capable

iMac iMac9,1 Capable

keys '6' and '4' on boot up should do it, and check then.
Otherwise ... humm...

Tom check out the refurb store, always some well priced macs on there.

Thanks yep tried that I believe mine is compatible..

Good tip for Tom there also full warrenty and all.

MATT

NGP
21-10-2009, 10:09pm
Thanks yep tried that I believe mine is compatible..

Good tip for Tom there also full warrenty and all.

MATT



to be sure enter into the terminal following command:

ioreg -l -p IODeviceTree | grep firmware-abi


if you see <“EFI64”> then it should be 64bit compatible but if <“EFI32”> it will not be and you will only be able to run in 32bit mode.. make sure to update all your apps before switching to 64bit mode if compatible.. for a more permanent 64bit boot you can also edit the Apple Boot.plist