amy g. Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Dd has started her first semester of community college. She was given a modification allowing her use a computer for all in class assignments and tests. Right now, she has a desktop, and an extra large laptop she inherited when my dad died. The lap top quit working, and needs a new fan. This has created a bunch of problems, because all of her business info is on that laptop including insurance information and the artwork for her labels. I bought Miss Beautiful a cheapie $300 laptop for school and I'm so glad I did because she has already cracked the screen. I'd like to get Miss Good a 13 inch MacBook pro that she can use for her graphic design, updating her website and her take to class to do school work on. I can't decide if the benifits outweigh the extra cost. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 considering all the heck our current Dell laptops are giving us (they are barely 2 years old) and have always given us and the fact that my kids iMac works like a dream and hasn't given us a lick of trouble since we bought it about 5 months ago, I'd get the Macbook for her. My BIL is a graphic designer and always prefers to work on a mac over a PC when it comes to that stuff. I'm pining for a macbook pro of my own, but it's just not in the budget right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I'm not a Mac person. But I honestly think Macs can't be beat for the graphic design stuff. I would go with the Macbook and I would also spring for AppleCare even though it bumps up the budget - I normally don't approve of exteneded warranty programs, but cost of repair on Macs and the technical support make this one worthwhile. We bought DD18 a Dell Vostro laptop last year and it's been great - but she's a music major, so her needs are a bit different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 We did. Dh didn't want to spend the money for a MacBook, especially since this is dd12's first computer. However, the more I researched, the more I favored the MacBook. We wanted a computer that lasted, not something we would have to replace in a year. It made more sense to us to spend more money upfront on the Mac than to continue to spend money upgrading a pc. Also, if you buy a Mac before the 21st (or sometime around then) you get a $100 iTunes gift card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 A macbook pro is the way to go! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Dd18 just started college, and will do graphic design and photography. She got a MacBook PRO. Make sure yours is a pro (not the lower white one), you need that level to run Adobe Creative Suite. We also got Mac Office 2011 for her as well, she needs Word and Power Point for regular assignments. Also, get Apple Care!!! Then you are covered for repairs for 3 yrs. Apple's site has student discounts for computers as well as Apple Care. You save quite a bit, around $100 for the computer, and $75 for Apple Care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 A macbook pro is the way to go! :D :iagree: I know several people in graphic design who can't live without theirs. Oh, and I agree with the previous statement about AppleCare. You definitely want that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Casting my vote for the MacBook Pro, as I am posting from my MacBook Pro. :tongue_smilie: You might want to consider a larger screen, though, because if she's going to be doing a lot of graphic stuff, a 13" screen is pretty small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 The reason I dont want the larger screen is because she needs to carry it from class to class in her backpack with her books. I will get apple care. They have already replaced several iPhones for this kid. Her otterbox defender is just a few months old, and needs to be replaced. We can't figure out what happened to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Look out for refurbished deals. On the Mac website 'refurbished' usually means that it has been returned and the hard disk reconfigured, rather than anything more extensive. My refurb looked brand new. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 You will also need to get a separate mouse, design on just the key pad, well...... you need the mouse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 :iagree: I know several people in graphic design who can't live without theirs. Oh, and I agree with the previous statement about AppleCare. You definitely want that. And yet I have a number of friends who are professional graphic designers who never touch a Mac if they can help it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Mac is the industry standard for graphics, so if that's what she's wanting to do, by all means get the Mac! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 You have a few days, I think, to take advantage of the $100 back... I'm not sure if that's on top of the $$$ of with the educators/or student discount. I love my MacBook Pro and don't even take full advantage of it. My brother got one for his son with the special key board protector that works with the program he bought... SO flippin' cool. Otherwise the $3.00 or so one off AmazonPrime is nicer than the Apple one.... :) Also, if you want, you can purchase the connector that works with a bigger screen for when she's working at home... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Dd has started her first semester of community college. She was given a modification allowing her use a computer for all in class assignments and tests. Right now, she has a desktop, and an extra large laptop she inherited when my dad died. The lap top quit working, and needs a new fan. This has created a bunch of problems, because all of her business info is on that laptop including insurance information and the artwork for her labels. I bought Miss Beautiful a cheapie $300 laptop for school and I'm so glad I did because she has already cracked the screen. I'd like to get Miss Good a 13 inch MacBook pro that she can use for her graphic design, updating her website and her take to class to do school work on. I can't decide if the benifits outweigh the extra cost. What do you think? When people ask dh what to buy, he always tells them to buy the most they can afford right now. It looks like beautiful is 13 and good is 18? At 18, I'd think she could handle it and not break the screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Thanks everyone. We already have the pad thing and stylus for drawing. I forgot what it is really called. I don't think she would break the screen, but she is really hard on phones. She can actually pay for it herself out of her company money, and claim it as a business expense. She just has a very frugal personality, so she said to just buy a fan for the laptop she already has. I would like her to have something lighter and more reliable. I'll talk to her some more about it when she gets out of class. It sounds like a refurbished one with AppleCare may just be the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 You might also look into getting her a hardshell case for the computer. ipearl makes some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 Thanks! I ended up ordering a refubished one. I think it will be perfect for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajunrose Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Macbook!! I also do graphic design and make soap and labels, etc. I do it all on my 13" macbook. I am sitting right next to a 21" computer screen that i can hook up to but the macbook is enough for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Normally I would say that an inexpensive windows computer is good enough for a student, but if it is in the area of art, Mac is the way to go. My daughter goes to a school for graphic art, advertising design, and architecture, and every single student has a Mac. That is all the school has as well. My daughter has the Mac Pro and loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I would go with the MacBook, because you get what you pay for and Apple stuff tends to last a very long time. It is great for design stuff too. We bought a cheap lap top for our kids last year, and I so regret wasting tht money. A Mac would still be working right, and it would have plenty of room for my son to design games, but now we are out the money from last year and we have to buy a MacBook Air this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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