Whatcha workin' with?
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- CincodeMayo
My 2011 MacBook Pro is on it's last legs. I'm pretty sure updating it with El Capitan will just kill it.
Need something new. MacBook Pro Retina. 13" probably – I like how easy it is to carry around. This is my freelance computer so I don't use it all day and I'm pretty used to designing on the 13".
Any thoughts on how powerful it should be? Do I need to upgrade the memory or processor if I'm mainly using Adobe CC? I don't do a lot of video stuff. Mainly Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects, maybe Lightroom or Apple Photos.
Been a while since I purchased a computer so any help is much appreciated.
Thanks QBNers.
- ********0
Why do you think El Capitan will kill it? (hah @ this sentence)
- bklyndroobeki1
It probably won't kill it. How much memory do you have installed?
- That doesn't matter. 512MB here booyyyeeedjflkdsajf kdvdkcxv, *crash*kona
- you only have 1/2 GB of RAM?monospaced
- iCanHazQBN0
I design on a 2011 Macbook Air 13" that's also slowing down. I only use PS, Illustrator, and InDesign, so I don't require much power.
I'm holding out for an updated (hopefully thinner) Retina MacBook Pro 13". The current ones just seem too heavy and thick, and I think for the next update they might slim down.
I think anything with "Pro" after it would be fine for what you need. Just depends on if you want to wait and see what the next Pro laptop will look like.
These guys say "Don't Buy" the current one.
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com…- Oh, I guess they're "Neutral" regarding the current Retina Pro. My bad.iCanHazQBN
- CincodeMayo0
@docpoz – Yosemite completely slowed down my computer. I've done disk utility and repair numerous times. Even reinstalled Yosemite. Nothing helps. Can't imagine El Capitan would do any better.
@iCanHazQBN - Yeah, being that it's neutral and they updated it in March 2015, I can't imagine a brand new model is coming anytime soon. Otherwise I would've tried to hold out. Might need to pony up sooner than later.
- Yosemite sped up my machine. So inconsistent.monospaced
- Yosemite was OK on my 2010 Mac Pros, but often jerky in the Finder with lots of files/media and it felt clunky. El Capitan is buttery smooth on the same setup.evilpeacock
- maquito0
At home: 2011 Macbook Pro 13''... Almost dead.
Agency: Monster 2015 iMac 27'' Retina, what makes it even worse for the old one.
- ********0
@cincodemayo - have you tried upgrading your RAM? It has worked for me. I'm curious to know if El Capitan is actually less resource heavy.
- I've heard it is less resource heavy using a few iOS tricks along the way to do it. Like metal. I hope it shows in everyday use.monospaced
- hmm. I may have to get it********
- Do it, but ideally you wipe the drive and install El Capitan fresh, then use Migration Assistant to import your data from a backup. Just in case.evilpeacock
- CincodeMayo0
Yeah, RAM is upgraded. I think I went from 2 to 4? Or 4 to 8? Did it when I bought it so I'd have to double check.
I'll probably wait a bit and then install El Capitan just to see if it speeds things up. If that doesn't work, it'll probably be time for a new one.
- El Capitan will run speedier on older hardware, but you will want 8 GB of RAM for Yosemite or newer. And an SSD instead of a hard drive.evilpeacock
- cannonball19780
dude backup, wipe it, graduate it to your porn computer.
- lolbklyndroobeki
- way too small of a screen for porn.VectorMasked
- CincodeMayo0
After a good amount of research, I'm leaning towards a 15" Retina MacBook Pro i7 with 16GB RAM and 256GB. It's a refurb though. Never bought a refurb.
Anyone have experience buying one? Any issues or all OK if I buy direct from Apple?
- bought the same one. also refurb. works great. i only ever buy refurb machines.lvl_13
- Refurbs direct from Apple have the same warranty as new machines, they just come a bit cheaper. I've bought many for my employer with no issues, ever.evilpeacock
- i'm on a 6 year old rerub 27" imac. bought ram on crucial. super happy with it. yosemite helped it use ram better, but my photos now destroy lightroom :(jaylarson
- All my Macs have been refurbs and they're totally fine. I did get one that had a warped aluminum case though. Returned it no prob, no questions asked.nocomply
- sofakingback0
MacBook 17in, early 2011
Yosemite 10.10.52.3 GHz Intel Core i7
16GB 1333 MHz DDR3Samsung SSD 850 PRO 512GB
-------
Got this bad boy brand new and added the hardrive later. I use it everyday and the only time I ever notice any slow down or have any issues is when I look at the gif animation thread on this site lol
For a time I was using Chrome and I swear it was messing with my computer, fan would always come on. Switched to Safari and no issues now.
I really like the big screen and the fact that its matte, but I can see myself getting something smaller/lighter...
if it works well I guess theres no reason to consider a replacement right? going on 5 years, pretty good right?
- I dropped an SSD into one of these we had laying around at work and it's still running great.evilpeacock
- The SSD made a world difference, its like I got a new computer. I did a clean install too.sofakingback
- CincodeMayo0
@sofakingback You're lucky! Definitely hold on to that machine. My 2011 13" is getting slower and slower everyday. Just yesterday the AC adapter stopped working. Something new almost daily.
Trying to decide between a top of the line 13" or an entry 15" with possibly a storage upgrade. I use a 13" now, but I think I'm leaning towards a 15". Thinking the extra space wouldn't be a bad thing.
- One of the best computers i ever owned was a mid to low level iMac, used 6 months from the original owner. I think I spent $1k. it lasted forever with no issuessofakingback
- Then I went the opposite route with the Laptop, top of the line everything. $3k neighborhood. Amazing computer.sofakingback
- I think you can get by with a regular referb. and then get a new one sooner with-out feeling bad because it was cheaper. Its tough ditching a $3k machine. lolsofakingback
- pango0
I have a late 2010 15" MBP
I have upgrade the hard drive to 750G Half SSD, 8G Ram,
Constantly doing dick repair verifying, and permission verifying once every 2 weeks.
Still runs almost as fast as when it was new.
although i have a feeling the video card is gonna burn out soon.- DISK!! God damn it DISK!!!pango
- sure you are... always repairing the ol' disk.sofakingback
- sausages0
mid 2012 15in MBP retina with 16GB RAM and 250GB SSD. It's a great machine. Solid as a rock and fast. It craps all over the Mac Pro I use at work (Although that's down to the SSD I think).
Upgrading to El Crapitan seems to have done it some good as well. Seems faster for online and networking stuff.
- Ben990
Dell Studio XPS 9100
Bought it in 2011 for 2,287.61$
Running Windows 10
Intel® Core™ i7-930 (2,680GHz, cache de 8 Mo)
SDRAM DDR3 de 18 Gb 1333MHz - 6 DIMMs
ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 Mb GDDR5
Hard Disks SATA 3 Gb/s 2000 Go (2x 1000 Gb), 7200 tr/min, Raid 0
Blu-ray (8x BD-R, DVD+/-RW) DVD+RI've got 4 USB external hard disks connected to it also.
Still running super smoothly, no sign of slowliness in view.
- the i7's are holding their value pretty good. very nice set up********
- the i7's are holding their value pretty good. very nice set up
- ********0
Acer Aspire V
~ win10
~ 16gb ram
~ 500gb hdno ssd, but it can hold 500tb ssd i believe.
pros: runs everything perfect, ive had Ai,Dw,Ps running on 2 external monitors without skipping a beat. graphics run smooth for games such as diablo 3, HoN, etc..
only con was the touch screen because I always have someone rubbing their kfc fingers all over it. originally bought it brand new with a dead battery right off the start but i got it replaced.
- ********0
- PonyBoy0
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch)
2.6 GHz Intel Core i7
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2048 MB
500 GB SSDThis little laptop screams... running 2 screens... zoom.
photoshop opens in about 3.5 seconds (if that)... love SSD drives
- VectorMasked0
15in Macbook Pro — late 2013/retina
2 GHz Intel Core i7
8 GB of ram
Intel Iris Pro 1024 MB
256SSDOverall no issues really. But the wifi is the worst I have ever seen.
PS, illy and ID open in like 2 seconds.Do miss my previous machine. Another 15in Retina Macbook Pro, but maxed out in every department. 16GB, SSD... Def a lil quicker that my current one.
- srhadden0
Samsung 15,4" New Series 9 Ultrabook
upgraded to 16 GB RAM
Intel Core i5 - Windows 8
128 GB SSD
boots within 15 seconds, runs Cinema4D without a glitch, crashed maybe once or twice in the two years since I got it, battery lasts 8 hours, beautiful workhorse. If this one ever breaks I'll probably assemble myself something at bto.eu
- Fax_Benson0
Sony Vaio Z3 (13in)
2 GHz Intel Core i7
8 GB of ram
256 GB SSDJust over 3 years old and still pretty quick - and not much bigger than a tablet, so nice and portable. Surprised they sold so few and then dropped vaio. Amazing machine.