Please give me some input. Really need to make a decision soon. And I'm clueless.
thanks guys.
Okay, I'm about to graduate from college in May. I'm a web/graphic designer and once in a great while do minor 3D work.
The University I attend made us lease 14" Apple iBooks, however since I'm no longer a full-time student, I'm not eligible to rent one.
That's where my problem begins. This time last year I built my first PC, specifically to run the Adobe and Macromedia suites with ease, since the University wanted me to pay almost $600 to lease the laptop again this semester, I figured I'd just buckle down and buy the software for less then what they wanted for the laptop. For under $600 I got the Adobe Creative Suite and the Macromedia Studio MX Suite, they run like a dream on my PC. I couldn't be happier.
What would take me almost a week to do on the iBook with only 256MB, I accomplished in a day and a half on the PC with a GIG of ram. On top of being a student, I work 41 hours a week at a local TV station, so I'm no longer able to bring my homework/projects to work and finish them while I'm there.
Since this semester is my "portfolio semester" I really need a laptop more than ever so that I can continue to work to pay for school, bills, etc and still get school done. Last week my parents offered to buy me a laptop for a graduation gift, an early one due to me needing it more than ever. Trust me I realize I'm lucky and very thankful for that offer.
So I need help deciding which way to go, this is what I've come down to. Like I said, I do a lot of web design and a lot of Photoshop work and Flash work. It was a very painful experience on the 14" G4 iBook due to the 256MB.
I am looking for something that has a solid processor, something strong enough to run Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, iTunes or Winamp, etc all at the same with no hiccups. With that being said, I need AT LEAST 512MB, but prefer a GIG of ram. Video cards I'm not so sure when it comes to laptops, at home I've got an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB and it's fantastic. So you guys can help me choose the video card on the laptop.
A large screen would be nice too, I want at least 14", and am tempted to go with a 17" screen because I HATE 1024x768, which is one thing I did not like about Apple, even their high end models, many seem to only have 1024. DVD Burner is not necessary, I've got one on my PC at home, and I don't need a HUGE Harddrive, but would like one that is fast or at least the best midground of the two. 120GB at home is plenty.
After all that, THANK YOU for staying with me to this point, I've kind of come down to 3 models or so, but am definately open to suggestions.
1. HP ZD8000 - At the moment, leads the pack when it comes to my choices after reading reviews online, talking with an IT friend, and it seems I get a lot more for my buck when I configure the same or similar systems with Dell and Apple, it comes out to 400-1,000 dollars cheaper to buy the HP.
2. Dell Inspiron 9200 - Solid stuff from what I've heard, but the price is much higher than the HP and the stats don't seem to be worth the price, am I wrong?
3. Apple G4 Powerbook - I still love Apple, but their prices kill me, $2,900 for a 17" Powerbook? Are you joking? Please tell me that there is a good reason to go with the Powerbook over the HP and Dell. I wouldn't touch the 17" powerbook, price is too high, but a 14" or 15" might be an option. The other major downside is that at this point, I would almost rather have the same OS so I can transfer files from my home PC to my Notebook with less problems.
I know that all of the above models are HUGE and weigh a ton, with Apple being the exception. But at the moment, I'm not too concerned about travel issues, I won't be bringing it to class, it will be just from home to work. And that is a 10 min drive and 1 min walk each way. (Plus I have outlets at my desk where I can plug it in...I get paid to watch TV..yea it's rough I know I know) Also, I know Apple has better support than both Dell and HP and people have their own opinions and experiences with both Dell and HP support, I hear "no they're good" or "they suck!!" for both sides.
The last thing is, since this is a gift, my parents don't worry about price, but even at that, I do not want to try and bankrupt them with this, I would like to keep the price around $1,500-$2,000. I'd feel bad otherwise.
With everything I just babbled about, can you guys give me a hand and some suggestions? Thanks a ton guys for staying with me and helping out, it's greatly appreciated. I need to make a decision soon so I can continue to go on with this semester in an easier fashion.
What do you think would be suitable for my needs?
Am I doing overkill with those 3 models?
What would you suggest?
Thanks again guys.
Erik

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