Need New System

penguinunitpenguinunit
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
My parents Dell is starting to slow down and I need a new system. I need to have a video editor, sound editor, internet browser, and a word processor all thru at once with no slow down. I’m thinking about the 20-inch: 2GHz Intel. I need it to last 4 years(just an average) see I’m in college so I would also use it for school work. I would max it out with 2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM and the ATI Radeon X1600/256MB. Is this going to get me thru the years? The videos I make are up at myspace.com/dirtyroadstudios but I plan on making longer and larger videos. How is Apples word processor or would I need to get Microsoft? I need to make DVD’s and CD’s is all that on the system or do I need to get programs? I want to be able to make some cool DVD’s with nice menus. Last thing what’s the difference between AirPort Express Base Station with AirTunes and the AirPort Extreme Base Station (with modem and antenna port)? I have a DSL connection in the other room so I just need basic wireless that will let my hook up the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Revolution when it’s released. I get the student discount and I’m paying with a credit card so I have a $2000 limit. Thanks for all the help I can’t wait to get my hands on a MAC. If this system will not make the four years could you help me with something that could? I also been looking at Sony. Also will I be able to go over 2G of rar in the future?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    digital dudedigital dude Posts: 3member
    Airport Extreme contains the 802.11g format along with the pithy dial-up modem. Please note that current Airport?s are now considerably dated while newer and more robust access points and routers are available that offer Pre-N technology such as Linksys w/SRX and Netgear with MaxRange. Your budget of 2k is a bit shy of the full-up iMac you?re considering (2Ram & 500HD). The current student discount price is: $2,326.00 plus tax, plus another $119.00 if you purchase Apple Care (recommended). The Mac may well be a better solution than Sony with respect to the OS alone. Either machine will be a bit of a stretch after 3-years given the strides in emerging technologies with respect to software and hardware.

    Regards,

    Digital-Dude©
  • Reply 2 of 6
    thegreatlukethegreatluke Posts: 65member
    To answer your other questions, you will have no problems with DVD- and CD-making and all of that. Macs are made for those things. I recommend you check out iLife, which is a free suite of applications included with each Mac. For word processing, I recommend iWork, which is like an amazing version of Microsoft Office. iWork costs USD 50, I believe, with the college discount. A free 30-day trial of iWork is included with each Mac.



    Though I recommend an iMac Core Duo, you need to watch out and make sure that applications you buy are universal binaries. If it's a non-Universal app (such as Microsoft Office:mac, right now) that you install, a nifty component in Mac OS X for Intel called Rosetta will translate the code for you, though it takes a speed hit. iWork and iLife are both Universal.



    For Internet, Safari (included) is good, and there's also Mozilla Camino, which is Universal. I believe there's a Universal beta of Firefox available, but the beta is buggy and you probably wouldn't want to use it until a final Universal version comes out. Also, there's Shiira, which is like Safari on steroids. For video and sound editors, use iLife's iMovie HD and GarageBand, respectively; and for Word processing, use iWork's Pages.
  • Reply 3 of 6
    turboturbo Posts: 31member
    Wouldn't he have a year to purchase applecare though? I know it would be safer to go ahead and get it. I think I am going to have to wait at least a month to purchase my applecare.
  • Reply 4 of 6
    adamraoadamrao Posts: 175member
    Don't worry about the word processor. If you're in college, you can usually get Microsoft Office 2004 for about $8-$10 on a license. Just ask your bookstore about it.



    iWork is nice. But it's not Microsoft Word. You have to decide whether that's important to you or not. Starting my PhD this fall = Microsoft Word is very important to me.
  • Reply 5 of 6
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    You might want to look into LaTeX for a PhD.
  • Reply 6 of 6
    dr_lhadr_lha Posts: 236member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    You might want to look into LaTeX for a PhD.



    Seriously. Anyone who would choose to write a 150-300 page document in Microsoft Word has never written a 150-300 page document in Microsoft Word!



    Latex is the way to go, definitely. Its what I wrote my PhD thesis in.
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