sus Loc: Ripon,Ca

MacBook pro is the best computer purchase I ever made. I bought it for my photography only. I also bought the one year of training. Before. I ever we t to a one on one session I was using it and loving it. I've had it almost a year. If there is a problem you can take it to the "genius bar" at the apple store for free. I have never needed them. It comes with a program called iPhoto but I upgraded to Aperture which works with plug ins if you use them. I take a class when I have a list of things I want to do in Aperture and spend 60-90 minutes with an Aperture pro. Since I bought it my husband has too. Cursing at the computer quit when the pc was replaced with Mac.

CAM1017 Loc: Chiloquin, Oregon

I would not consider anything other then a Mac. They are the standard by which everything else is judged and the one used by most serious photographers. The extra money is well invested. You just need to figure out the one you want. The more RAM and storage the better.

slickrock Loc: jacksonville

From Luminous Landscape http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/macbook_pro_retina.shtml

nicelights Loc: 30 miles east of LA

By all means go with the Mac. They have always been the computer-of-choice for the graphic design crowd and with good reason. Graphics was the primary focus of Apple early on.
Great friend is a pro she has a Mac. Worked with other pros as well, all have Macs.

batcat09 Loc: Mandeville, Louisiana

Thank you so much for your feedback. I think I will get the MacBook Pro with the retina display along with a separate (larger) monitor. You guys, and(gals) rock. I have learned so much from this forum in just a couple of months. I feel like I have a group of mentors at my fingertips. Batcat09

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Still too many choices! Do I get the basic 13" or the basic 15"? Would I see a difference between the Core i5 and the Core i7? Would I see a difference between the slower i5 and the faster one. Same with the i7?

Too many choices!

AlanK Loc: No. Califorina

Jerry, there really is only one choice if you plan to edit photo's on the laptop, that's the 15" MBPro with Retina display! This is the ONLY laptop Apple sells that will take 16 GB of RAM, and that extra RAM is supposedly a real chore to install later - get it with the the computer. Also get the i7 processor.

If you shoot RAW with lots of megapixels you will want the fastest processor, full load of RAM, SSD drives & the external CD/DVD drive! Now you're looking at spending around $4,000, Mac's are NOT cheap but they seem to last!

My wife's 17" MBPro's built in video chip fried the main logic board last Wednesday. Took it to the Apple Store, they have a "one price" repair, $310 to fix ANYTHING and give a 90 warranty. Apple replaced the logic board, video chip and the wifi antenna in TWO, yes 2, days for $310! And we live in rural No Calif., 2 1/2 hours north of SF.

I have a newer 17" MBP with 8 GB Ram and a "hybrid" 750 GB hard drive (part SSD, part 7200 rpm drive), and it will process my images from my D800 (slowly ;~).

I know I'm bummed they've dropped their 17" line, talked with Apple rep and he said they didn't sell enough 17" to keep the line going, and we'd definitely NOT see a Retina display in 17"... That a lot of lost real estate, and a loss of a sale, maybe!
Alan

CAM1017 Loc: Chiloquin, Oregon

I'd suggest the 15" with extra ram. I have 4GB which seems good for me. My raw files are in the 20-22 MP range to start and the processing time is good. Get the biggest storage drive you can afford. Not sure about the i5 vs i7. Suspect either would be fine and would go for the lower cost one. I have a 2.26 GHz intel core 2 Duo processor. The machine is a MacBook 13" late 2009.
The storage drive is 250 gig. I now wish it was larger.

AlanK Loc: No. Califorina

On the older MBPro's you can swap out the hard drive pretty cheaply and it'll make a big difference. My 17" is from 2009 (unibody design, can't easily remove the battery) with a 350 GB 5,200 rpm hard drive. I pulled it out and installed a 750GB "hybrid" drive, uses some SSD tech and it's also running at 7,200 rpm and both make a difference. Cost about $175 for the kit from OWC.

I always go for the fastest processor, the most ram and the biggest hard drive, even if I can't afford them LOL.

My RAW files open in PS at over 200 MB each, without any layers, and these take time to process. I use LR 4.1 & PS CS5 Extended, external SATA Scratch for PS.

Alan

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

If I waited till I could afford things, I wouldn't have anything! Life goes on. :D

AlanK Loc: No. Califorina

Jerry, a guy after my own heart ;~). I've got one son and all I plan to leave him is 2 home mortgage's and several maxed out credit cards lol. And lots of camera gear!!

Alan

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Years ago, I read a book entitled, "Die Broke." The idea was to pay cash for everything, give away your excess money before you die so your relatives won't be eagerly awaiting your death, and don't leave lots of cash lying around when you're gone. Enjoy it while you're alive.

What I took away from that was, "Spend it all, and more, before you die."

smartone

if you can take th hp back and get an asus or toshiba they are the 2 top hp is at the bottom of the barrel for computers

deej

Speed and ram, get the most and fastest that way it will stay performing much longer. Ohhh, Jerry, I forgot to mention, Apple always sells the newer operating systems released at very reasonable prices much unlike MS that rips your head off. Check out their prices for further reasons to make the switch. My next laptop will be a MBP, just biding my time for the PC to slug up and making other purchases that are slowing me down.

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

Love my Mac-Pro. It is very user friendly .