Computer geeks, this non geek needs help
Apr 10, 2015 17:01:38 #
Hello all,
Turns out my new computer does not even have a graphics card & my IT guy tried to put one in & it would not or could not work... Now, my Lightroom is SOOO slow & I can not get all the Topaz to work. I want a computer that is fast.
So, I need a new, new computer! I'm thinking of going to an Apple. That is my first decision I need to make. Not sure how much a good but not professional one will cost. Anyone know a ball park price. I just need Lightroom, Photoshop Elements, Topaz, Perfect Effects 9 & what ever else may come out in the next few years to work at a reasonable speed. I'm not professional, don't do gaming.
Any help on what to buy would be greatly appreciated. Mac or not?
What do I need to look for in the components. 2 TB memory, what ram, what processor, any specific graphics card. Is it different between a mac & say a Dell in what I look for?
I understand the mac does not have virus issues like the others, is that true? I seem to do something a lot that gives me ad ware etc.!?
Now that you know what a computer person I am not. I would appreciate any and all info you would be so kind to pass along as well as questions I should have ask but did not.
Beth
P.S. our internet provider can only get us a speed of 9.82 Mbps & upload of 0.89 (we live in a small town in the mountains..) does that even make a difference when using say Lightroom?
Turns out my new computer does not even have a graphics card & my IT guy tried to put one in & it would not or could not work... Now, my Lightroom is SOOO slow & I can not get all the Topaz to work. I want a computer that is fast.
So, I need a new, new computer! I'm thinking of going to an Apple. That is my first decision I need to make. Not sure how much a good but not professional one will cost. Anyone know a ball park price. I just need Lightroom, Photoshop Elements, Topaz, Perfect Effects 9 & what ever else may come out in the next few years to work at a reasonable speed. I'm not professional, don't do gaming.
Any help on what to buy would be greatly appreciated. Mac or not?
What do I need to look for in the components. 2 TB memory, what ram, what processor, any specific graphics card. Is it different between a mac & say a Dell in what I look for?
I understand the mac does not have virus issues like the others, is that true? I seem to do something a lot that gives me ad ware etc.!?
Now that you know what a computer person I am not. I would appreciate any and all info you would be so kind to pass along as well as questions I should have ask but did not.
Beth
P.S. our internet provider can only get us a speed of 9.82 Mbps & upload of 0.89 (we live in a small town in the mountains..) does that even make a difference when using say Lightroom?
Apr 10, 2015 17:41:40 #
MacBook Pro 512gb ssd drive 16gb ram 2 extra external 1 or 2 tb drives for storage and backups.
That is if you want a laptop
Otherwise you can swap it out with a 24" iMac
That is if you want a laptop
Otherwise you can swap it out with a 24" iMac
Apr 10, 2015 17:42:59 #
If your computer, (I assume a Windows PC) has a slot for the graphics card, it SHOULD work...
There might be an issue with the driver and your system.
Please respond with what computer you bought and what graphics card you bought.
As for MACs, they ARE easy to use. There ARE viruses attacking MACs but they are so few and far between that it's a very small concern.
The other issue you need to consider is whether you want to re-purchase MAC versions of software that you already bought for your Windows machine.
Anyway, pass on the info and maybe we can figure out what works best for the best bargain for you.
BC
There might be an issue with the driver and your system.
Please respond with what computer you bought and what graphics card you bought.
As for MACs, they ARE easy to use. There ARE viruses attacking MACs but they are so few and far between that it's a very small concern.
The other issue you need to consider is whether you want to re-purchase MAC versions of software that you already bought for your Windows machine.
Anyway, pass on the info and maybe we can figure out what works best for the best bargain for you.
BC
Apr 10, 2015 17:46:03 #
Since I appear to be the first poster, I am going to partially give you input on a couple of the issues you ask about.
Well, I was when I started typing
First, "small town it the mountains is a red flag". How far is it to the nearest service center for MAC? Does your IT guy not work on MAC? That would not be surprising, since the market for MAC is so small.
Know this, MAC (Apple) has never exceeded 10% of the personal computer market in the United States, perhaps worldwide. The common retort is that MACs don't need service so why worry.
That may have been true when MAC parts were proprietary. However in the last decade MAC's are pretty much built with the same parts off the same shelves as other PC's, Windows or other.
Ball park, tough to answer because it is so much based on configuration as you are finding out. I would set the MAC/PC question aside until you know what you need in the computer. That's a much better approach. Since the parts are pretty much the same, it will be to your advantage to determine configuration for the hardware. The common answer to that is the fastest CPU you can afford (hopefully Intel i7 or comparable), the biggest hard drive you can afford and as much RAM as the computer will hold up to the amount your can afford... (that didn't help did it)
Then you can get back to the "ball park" price per operating system. My answer on that would be that the MAC will cost you 40% more than a similarly performing Windows or other OS PC.
example.... first pick the performance. Then if a $750 PC gives you the performance, you would likely spend a bit over a $1000 to get that performance in a MAC.
MACs and Viruses... Myth for the most part. Even Apple says be sure to run security protection on your MAC.
The only reason you don't often hear about MAC's getting virus', is because of the small percentage of actual incidents and the 10% max market share for 30 years. No Growth other than the growth of the overall market.
Then there is also result related to the small market. Hackers perceive MACs as the underdog vs. Microsoft and would prefer to BOTH attack Microsoft as the dominant player AND a larger target creating more distress in the market.
Put simply, MAC is just not big enough to bother with in most hackers minds. Plus for MAC but no guarantee you won't get hit if you try to defy the odds and not sercure your computer with security software.
Then there is the current flux in the Operating System. You can only buy Windows 8/8.1 on the PC side, and that operating system has been a top shelf loser. Absolutely bogus, although some have managed to make it work. There is a free, five minute fix for it's biggest problem, but generally people would rather whine and complain and do anything to avoid Microsoft if they can. What does that fix. I ran Windows 8.1 with the fix for two years and it was rock solid and fast.
For the last 3 months I have been running the upcoming Windows 10 on the Windows Insider Program. That involves people who get to run the OS to test and provide input for enhancement. I'm on the third preview build and every one has been flawless, both in terms of running all my equipment, AND all my programs.
I should add here that I have been a PC consultant and Tech for 25 years, and did on-site repair for DELL for five year during that period.
Summarizing.... access to service. MAC's need service on a par with PC's, because internally they are the same on important parts.
MAC may seemingly have a current lead on the operating system. At this point, with what I am experiencing on Windows 10, I think MAC users are in for a real surprise.
Last, the Minority position of MAC in the productivity market, while their creativity is bleeding off to toy watches, and other devices. Oops, did I actually say that out loud??
Lets see what others have to say. Clearly I have voiced an opinion. What does your IT person say. I'm surprised your post does not say that your IT person told you to "Just get a MAC!"
Well, I was when I started typing
First, "small town it the mountains is a red flag". How far is it to the nearest service center for MAC? Does your IT guy not work on MAC? That would not be surprising, since the market for MAC is so small.
Know this, MAC (Apple) has never exceeded 10% of the personal computer market in the United States, perhaps worldwide. The common retort is that MACs don't need service so why worry.
That may have been true when MAC parts were proprietary. However in the last decade MAC's are pretty much built with the same parts off the same shelves as other PC's, Windows or other.
Ball park, tough to answer because it is so much based on configuration as you are finding out. I would set the MAC/PC question aside until you know what you need in the computer. That's a much better approach. Since the parts are pretty much the same, it will be to your advantage to determine configuration for the hardware. The common answer to that is the fastest CPU you can afford (hopefully Intel i7 or comparable), the biggest hard drive you can afford and as much RAM as the computer will hold up to the amount your can afford... (that didn't help did it)
Then you can get back to the "ball park" price per operating system. My answer on that would be that the MAC will cost you 40% more than a similarly performing Windows or other OS PC.
example.... first pick the performance. Then if a $750 PC gives you the performance, you would likely spend a bit over a $1000 to get that performance in a MAC.
MACs and Viruses... Myth for the most part. Even Apple says be sure to run security protection on your MAC.
The only reason you don't often hear about MAC's getting virus', is because of the small percentage of actual incidents and the 10% max market share for 30 years. No Growth other than the growth of the overall market.
Then there is also result related to the small market. Hackers perceive MACs as the underdog vs. Microsoft and would prefer to BOTH attack Microsoft as the dominant player AND a larger target creating more distress in the market.
Put simply, MAC is just not big enough to bother with in most hackers minds. Plus for MAC but no guarantee you won't get hit if you try to defy the odds and not sercure your computer with security software.
Then there is the current flux in the Operating System. You can only buy Windows 8/8.1 on the PC side, and that operating system has been a top shelf loser. Absolutely bogus, although some have managed to make it work. There is a free, five minute fix for it's biggest problem, but generally people would rather whine and complain and do anything to avoid Microsoft if they can. What does that fix. I ran Windows 8.1 with the fix for two years and it was rock solid and fast.
For the last 3 months I have been running the upcoming Windows 10 on the Windows Insider Program. That involves people who get to run the OS to test and provide input for enhancement. I'm on the third preview build and every one has been flawless, both in terms of running all my equipment, AND all my programs.
I should add here that I have been a PC consultant and Tech for 25 years, and did on-site repair for DELL for five year during that period.
Summarizing.... access to service. MAC's need service on a par with PC's, because internally they are the same on important parts.
MAC may seemingly have a current lead on the operating system. At this point, with what I am experiencing on Windows 10, I think MAC users are in for a real surprise.
Last, the Minority position of MAC in the productivity market, while their creativity is bleeding off to toy watches, and other devices. Oops, did I actually say that out loud??
Lets see what others have to say. Clearly I have voiced an opinion. What does your IT person say. I'm surprised your post does not say that your IT person told you to "Just get a MAC!"
Apr 10, 2015 17:48:04 #
Cdouthitt wrote:
MacBook Pro 512gb ssd drive 16gb ram 2 extra external 1 or 2 tb drives for storage and backups.
That is if you want a laptop
Otherwise you can swap it out with a 24" iMac
That is if you want a laptop
Otherwise you can swap it out with a 24" iMac
24? You mean a 27" They only come in 21.5 & 27.... and the 27 is great!
Apr 10, 2015 17:50:38 #
Photolady2014 wrote:
Hello all, br br Turns out my new computer does n... (show quote)
Look into Dish Satellite
Apr 10, 2015 18:03:28 #
Photolady2014 wrote:
Hello all, br br Turns out my new computer does n... (show quote)
Switching to Apple is not a bad idea. The hardware and software are speced by Apple, so the internals may be a bit better put together than normal PeeCee's.
What I found with PC's, every year and a half it was time to upgrade due to slowness, with a Mac, they run as fast 10 years later as the day you bought them.
While Windows is constantly needing virus and malware protection running 24x7, and still gets hacked or infected, OSX, based on BSD UNIX is inherently better secured, that and the fact that hackers don't go after OSX at this time make it a pretty safe system to use.
In my opinion, going Apple and paying the "apple tax" buys you a better system that will last many many years.
To answer your other question, a slow internet connection will not cause Lightroom to run slowly. Upgrades being downloaded will of course be slow, but normal running of the program and editing will run at normal speeds.
Be sure to get enough ram in either a laptop or desktop. 8 GB may be useable for the most part, but 16 is a much better option. You mentioned 2TB of memory, but I suspect you mean disk space - 1TB is probably plenty for an internal, then add additional as needed as external disks over either USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt.
RAM in an IMAC 27" is user upgradeable thru a door in the back.
FYI - I have run MAC's for years now and never has anything infected my systems. That may change in the future, but so far all my Mac's run without virus software running constantly.
Apr 10, 2015 18:08:58 #
Photolady2014 wrote:
Hello all,
Turns out my new computer does not even have a graphics card & my IT guy tried to put one in & it would not or could not work... Now, my Lightroom is SOOO slow & I can not get all the Topaz to work. I want a computer that is fast.
P.S. our internet provider can only get us a speed of 9.82 Mbps & upload of 0.89 (we live in a small town in the mountains..) does that even make a difference when using say Lightroom?
Turns out my new computer does not even have a graphics card & my IT guy tried to put one in & it would not or could not work... Now, my Lightroom is SOOO slow & I can not get all the Topaz to work. I want a computer that is fast.
P.S. our internet provider can only get us a speed of 9.82 Mbps & upload of 0.89 (we live in a small town in the mountains..) does that even make a difference when using say Lightroom?
I take it that moving to a city is out of the question? :D
Whatever the brand, get at least a Core i5, 16GB of memory, and a 1TB hard drive. A flash drive - SSD - will save lots of time with disc access, like when booting and shutting down. You can use an external drive for storing data if the internal drive isn't large enough.
A MacBook Pro could be outfitted very well, and you could easily take it when you travel. Don't rule out refurbished Macs. That's what I got.
Don't rush into this. Computers will be available for a long time. Let us know what you decide.
Apr 10, 2015 18:15:29 #
Dngallagher wrote:
24? You mean a 27" They only come in 21.5 & 27.... and the 27 is great!
Sorry typing on an iPhone. 27 I meant.
Apr 10, 2015 18:24:28 #
bearcat wrote:
If your computer, (I assume a Windows PC) has a sl... (show quote)
MSI ATI Radeon HD6450 1 GB DDR3 VGA/DVI/HDMI Low Profile PCI-Express Video Card R6450-MD1GD3/LP
For a DT Lenovo NE3-0028 computer.
Hope this means more to you than it did to me! My computer guy took the card back to his office & it worked there, just not on mine. He said power may a problem... we gave up. I don't even know if he works on mac, I have never ask. I just have a semi pro photographer friend who said go mac. & nephew who is a graphic design person who said go mac.
Thanks for taking your time to respond to my questions.
Apr 10, 2015 18:25:09 #
I too have been using Macs for years without any virus problems. The hardware in each machine is specific to that type machine and OS X is tailored to the hardware where as Windows has to have drivers for everything that might get installed so it is very bloated with stuff you will never use.
If you want a desktop, go with the 21" or 27" iMac if a laptop the 15" would be the best bet. If you are anywhere close to an Apple store, go in and tell the staff what you want to do and the software you want to run and they will steer you to the best choice for you, NOT necessarily the most expensive. The Apple sales folks dare not paid on commission.
Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
If you want a desktop, go with the 21" or 27" iMac if a laptop the 15" would be the best bet. If you are anywhere close to an Apple store, go in and tell the staff what you want to do and the software you want to run and they will steer you to the best choice for you, NOT necessarily the most expensive. The Apple sales folks dare not paid on commission.
Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
Apr 10, 2015 18:30:01 #
Kuzano, I take it you are not a mac fan. As I mentioned in another reply I don't know if my computer guy works on macs & I don't know how close a store/repair place is. I did us a mac years ago when I worked for a newspaper & my graphic design nephew says mac. I have not picked their brains yet.
From what I heard at a photo club meeting they said the new Lightroom will require windows 10. I have 7 now. I take it you like 10. When will it be out? Looking on Newegg at computers some say they come with free 10 upgrade when available.
Thank you for taking time to respond to my questions.
From what I heard at a photo club meeting they said the new Lightroom will require windows 10. I have 7 now. I take it you like 10. When will it be out? Looking on Newegg at computers some say they come with free 10 upgrade when available.
Thank you for taking time to respond to my questions.
Apr 10, 2015 18:34:00 #
Cdouthitt wrote:
MacBook Pro 512gb ssd drive 16gb ram 2 extra external 1 or 2 tb drives for storage and backups.
That is if you want a laptop
Otherwise you can swap it out with a 24" iMac
That is if you want a laptop
Otherwise you can swap it out with a 24" iMac
I had not thought about a lap top because the one that we do have, I can never get the angle of the screen so it looks right. Photos are too dark too something depending on the screen angle. In fact I quit looking at my photos while on a trip because I was getting frustrated, they either looked great & I got home to regular screen and look bad or just the opposite...
Apr 10, 2015 18:35:59 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I take it that moving to a city is out of the ques... (show quote)
Thanks for the info, no I think I love my little piece of the mountains & I don't like traffic. A traffic jam here is when a heard of Elk cross the road!
Apr 10, 2015 18:38:03 #
Photolady2014 wrote:
MSI ATI Radeon HD6450 1 GB DDR3 VGA/DVI/HDMI Low P... (show quote)
Is this what you have? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0AJ27C4285
I'd say slow down and take a breath before throwing more money at hardware. That's not a bad computer - a graphics card will not make LR run faster - it won't hurt things but it wont necessarily help either.
I have both Mac and Windows machines. Macs aren't really any faster, it's sort of like buying a VW vs a Chevy - they both do the same thing but the Mac is very nice to drive.
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