[joachim]

[quote name='PuxaVida' timestamp='1330160148' post='16147']

I've heard that unlike Windows, Mac's OS has a built in color profile management tool. Is that useful?

[/quote]



Hi Serkan,



A few pointers from my end (moved from Windows XP to MacOS in the last year - did use Windows 7 at work for a bit) on the questions you raised. At work I have a 15" inch MacPro (2010 model with dual core i7) and at home a 21.5 imac 2.7 GHz. For image editing I use Apple's aperture and Olympus Viewer 2 software. I did some movie editing on the proBook but didn't really get a go on the iMac.

• If you don't need the portabitliy for what you want to do you should be looking into an iMac. These have a far superior thermal design. I never got the imac to heat up, while macbooks get hot when you put computation load to them. You will burn your legs if you use is as a "laptop"! iMacs have desktop components (e.g. 65W processors or more in case of the top of the line 27" inch model), while the laptops have, as the name says, laptop compenents (e.g. processors top out at 45W of head dissipation). The graphic cards and disks are also of different breed. Memory parts are the same across both product lines (1333 MHz, so there will be no difference here). You can hook your existing monitor to the iMac and use a dual display setup. In general I feel iMacs offere the "best bang for your buck".
• If you indeed need the portability, you need a 15" or 17" inch model. In the small case of a 13" or 11" model they do not manage to put in a proper graphics card (even more severe thermal design constraints). Only the 15" and 17" models have quadcore processors.
• While in the pro books and iMacs the memory modules are user servicable they are not in an Airbook. An airbook has 4 GB max, which might be insufficient. My advise would be to start out with 4 GB and buy more memory (not from Apple, they still charge insane prices and Steve is not around any more to put his blessing hand on it - sorry for the cynicism) if you are badly swapped (can be monitored).
• Airbooks have reduces spec thunderbold connectors. For what you describe (external disks and monitors) you might need a full spec one in the long run.
• To compare performance between the Mac lines I found http://www.macworld.com/article/162105/2...suite.html very helpful. You have to study the details. Many of their benchmarks are heavily influenced by the transfer speed between the internal disk and the processor. Since you intend to use external disks you have to account for that effect.
• On graphic intensive work, small iMacs get a slight advantage over similar spec-ed (same processor & graphic card) 27" models since they do not need to serve that huge monitor. On the other hand on a large monitor you just have more work area. A 27" monitor is huge.
• iMac monitors are very good. Macbook monitors are not really suitable for imaging work. As most (all?) laptops they change brightness when changing seat position
• An Apple monitor adapter is about $30 - don't bother with aftermarket.
• For my iMac I use a 2TB Hitachi USB disk, for my work laptop I have a 1TB Western digital firewire disk, which I use for time machine. That works - in my experience USB is fine for time machine. A lot of the time, when writing backups, the software is not cooking at the bandwidth limit. If I do major changes, e.g. OS-upgrade, a back-up can take time, but then this is a fully automatic process running in the background and typically doesn't interfere. Don't buy an Apple product here. Enjoy http://timecapsuledead.org/
• Yep there is a colour engine build into a mac. In my experience it works and all software I have is using it. Not sure I understand your question correct, in case you are new to colour management: Without a colour engine you are wasting your time. I had colour managment also under windows XP. It is a must have for serious photographers.
• 15" and 17" macbooks are that heavy, that I wouldn't like to carry them on a daily basis - you might want to look into a double solution. An iMac at home for serious work and something really light (airbook or ipad) to show your work while on the move.
• To get windows access, you can have boot camp or install a virtual machine (macbooks and air books get hot if you do serious stuff in a VM).
• After some learning curve I don't miss windows at all and don't have it any of my Macs. You can have office for Mac - that would for me be a reason to install windows. I don't like office but for work I have to use it. The days I could ignore emails with office attachments are over - I got away with that a long time.
• Macs don't offer good blueray support. If that is important you are a bit lost. Airbooks require external DVD drives.

Ok, I think you got a few pointers here.





Best wishes

Joachim