Alright tech people, I have a question:
It's about time that I learn how to use several programs in Adobe Creative Suite (i.e. Photoshop, InDesign)that is necessary for survival and advancement in my line of work (journalism).
I'm planning on self-teaching myself, but I'm wondering what would run those programs better: MacBook Air or MacBook Pro? I really like the look and updates made on the new Pro, but I'm leaning towards the Air because it's more within my price range.
Or should I go PC on this one?
First of all I don't have a Mac, so my knowledge is limited to whatever articles I've read and also my experience with ultra-portable PC laptops. And I can tell you Photoshop Elements runs slow with other applications running on 1 GB of RAM.
I think when you're considering whether to get Macbook Air or Macbook Pro, you also need to think about what you're going to use it in general. Macbook Air doesn't come with an optical drive (CD/DVD), so you will have to connect it to an external optical drive (that's one USB port gone). Plus, the hard drive capacity is very limited on Macbook Air. If you're dealing with large files on Photoshop, your hard drive is going to be filled pretty soon. Which means you will then have to connect an external hard drive to it (that's another USB port used up).
Macbook Air is great as a secondary device, something ultra-portable that can still do a lot more than an iPad. If you need a computer on the field that can download wires, do word processing and basic templates so you can submit your stories quickly, Air is a great option. But if you're looking for a primary device, and you're going to deal with manipulation of big files (pictures, video footage, etc) then I think you'd be better off with Macbook Pro. And since you're considering Air, I'm guessing you don't need a big display screen. So you can go with a 13-inch Pro.
A 13-inch Macbook Pro that already comes with 4GB of RAM, 320GB hard drive, CD/DVD drive and faster i5 processor costs roughly the same as an 11-inch Macbook Air with 4GB of RAM with only 64GB hard drive and Core Duo processor + a SuperDrive.
Of course if price is really a factor, you can always go with a PC. I'm a fan of the Sony Vaio laptops. I think they have the best display screen among the laptops. Oh, but this is an Apple forum, huh?