Getting a Macbook

Justinx14 · 08-17-2008, 04:58 PM

I am looking to buy a Macbook sometime in the near future. (As soon as I get the money, lol)

It will mostly be for school projects. But I also hope to start making videos, creating graphics, and maybe even learning flash or something similar.

But I was wondering should I get 2G or 4G of RAM on it?

Programs I will be putting on there for sure is:
1. Final Cut Express 4
2. Microsoft Office 2008 (For Mac obviously, lol)
3. Something like Adobe Photoshop
4. Something like Flash

But I would not be getting something like Photoshop and Flash for sometime after I get the Macbook.

Which RAM would be best to go with? The 2 or 4G?
Also, I should be fine with a 160G Hard Drive right? Or should I get the next step up? Or just buy a External Hard Drive when (or if) it ever gets filled up?

Thanks in Advance!

MonkeyDog82 · 01-24-2009, 05:51 PM

For FCE, you'll want to have 4 Gs of ram. your 160G HD is fine but get a fast/big external and edit off of that.

ArturoYee · 01-25-2009, 03:48 PM

My opinion:
Get as much memory as you can afford - it never hurts - can only help.

I would invest in an external hard drive - if you can afford it, get one with USB & Firewire. You can do more with a firewire drive on a MAC - if you partition it.

You can image your MacBook drive onto a firewire drive/partition and run out of it for testing or in case your drive on your MacBook drive fails. Great way to test software installs/updates - update the "spare" drive, then the MacBook after you confirmed that upgrade works.

sinclair_tm · 01-25-2009, 05:41 PM

Um, did you look at the date? It's over 4 months old. I'm sure the poster already has gotten a Macbook, or something else. Please don't bring old posts back to the top.

08-17-2008, 04:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
Justinx14 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 28 OS: Vista Home Premium SP2	Getting a Macbook I am looking to buy a Macbook sometime in the near future. (As soon as I get the money, lol) It will mostly be for school projects. But I also hope to start making videos, creating graphics, and maybe even learning flash or something similar. But I was wondering should I get 2G or 4G of RAM on it? Programs I will be putting on there for sure is: 1. Final Cut Express 4 2. Microsoft Office 2008 (For Mac obviously, lol) 3. Something like Adobe Photoshop 4. Something like Flash But I would not be getting something like Photoshop and Flash for sometime after I get the Macbook. Which RAM would be best to go with? The 2 or 4G? Also, I should be fine with a 160G Hard Drive right? Or should I get the next step up? Or just buy a External Hard Drive when (or if) it ever gets filled up? Thanks in Advance! Last edited by Justinx14; 08-17-2008 at 04:59 PM.

01-24-2009, 05:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
MonkeyDog82 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 4 OS: Mac OS X	Re: Getting a Macbook For FCE, you'll want to have 4 Gs of ram. your 160G HD is fine but get a fast/big external and edit off of that.

01-25-2009, 03:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
ArturoYee Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 134 OS: XP Home, OS X 10.5 MacBook	Re: Getting a Macbook My opinion: Get as much memory as you can afford - it never hurts - can only help. I would invest in an external hard drive - if you can afford it, get one with USB & Firewire. You can do more with a firewire drive on a MAC - if you partition it. You can image your MacBook drive onto a firewire drive/partition and run out of it for testing or in case your drive on your MacBook drive fails. Great way to test software installs/updates - update the "spare" drive, then the MacBook after you confirmed that upgrade works.