Macbook Pro or Normal Notebook?

Hi all,

I want to go into the multimedia field doing flash, action script, soudn editing, photoshop ect. However I am a little unsure due to a few people I have spoken to on what I need.

Some have said I need a mac to do all the work on as I will then know how to use mac os for when I work in a company (as they will have macs). I can boot camp it to run windows also so gettign a 2 for 1.

Others have said it is unneeded and would be better off getting a normal laptop at half the price and companies will use non mac work stations.

So I'm asking you guys who do this as a profession which one is realled needed a macbook pro or a normal laptop?

Thanks

 

Those are quite the two extremes What about using a macbook.. (not a pro) instead? Regardless, I would get familiar with the mac since it's industry standard (it's not hard to adjust at all )

 

it's a matter of preference really. you dont need a mac to be a designer. but the truth is that 80-90% of design and printing firms do use macs. however, it's not required. personally i would go with a pc based notebook for now and then later on once you have developed skill in a particular area and are serious about it, then consider upgrading.

 

Just to add to ansi: that's very true. I started out designing with a windows and then "upgraded" to mac.. but there was barely a difference at all. (photoshop is the same anyways). The only difference I found that I had to adjust is how colors appear differently between these two OS

 

mac pro is costly you can get same speed Dell laptop and use with windows.

 

i do that all on my macbook, i love it. its super fast.

 

Yeah but what happens when you get a job and they give you a mac or ask you to use one and you never used one before? You're pretty much screwed.

It's just annoying that I can't use a dell which is half the price because all the jobs I looked at said you must be proficient in mac os

 

I have a design company but also go out doing freelance work in agencies. When I do this I still use a 17" powerbook which is great for all web/creative/audio apps.

However I have a Mac Pro back at base which has parallels running - which is really useful when you want to jump into windows to check web sites run pc software etc.

If you're only going to be using the laptop - I'd go for the macbook -especially if you want to be using it for a 2 or 3 years or more.