I have a G5 Quad and I use Flash 8 & Illustrator CS2 alot. I am in the market for a new laptop and want to know if a Macbook is powerful enough when using Flash 8 and Illustrator sufficently or should I go with the Macbook Pro?
For Flash and Illustrator, you won't notice a difference between them (currently)—the MacBook Pro only has a slightly faster CPU and neither Flash nor Illustrator use the GPU, which is the only real advantage of the MacBook Pro.
Although Joe's right—MacBook Pro's are probably going to get a new CPU within a month, and I think the MacBook's are probably going to stay behind for a while. So I would wait a month or two, and see what the processor differences are like then.
The "slowness" of PPC apps on Intel computers is overrated (as long as you load up on RAM). Since most PPC programs like Photoshop aren't multithreaded anyway, it does the emulation on one core while running the program on the other. You don't notice it at all while you're using the program. But if you let Photoshop slip into the background and then start using it again later, good god you're in for a wait while it loads it all up into RAM
Of course, no laptop is currently as fast as your G5 Quad was.
I think I want to hold off on the Intels until Adobe realises Cs3 and Flash 9. Until then I was thinking of getting a used powerbook to tide me over. I know somebody who is selling their 12" powerbook for $1100. It is only 6 months old and comes with a carrying case as well as other stuff. There is still 6 months warranty left on it, which I would bump up to the 3yr. Is this a good deal?
Its just a temporary measure and I do most of my work on my desktop, but just really need something for when I am out on the road or taking classes. Something inexpensive to tide me over for the next year until Cs3 & Studio 9 come out. I don't really want to kick down high $$$$ for a 15" or 17" powerbook when I plan to only use it for a year. The 12" is the cheapest and I really want to wait till Cs3 and studio 9 come out as well as updated Macbook Pros'. I have looked on Ebay and $1100 doesn't seem too high a price for a 6 month old 12" powerbook, as most seem to be going for around that mark
Comments
Although Joe's right—MacBook Pro's are probably going to get a new CPU within a month, and I think the MacBook's are probably going to stay behind for a while. So I would wait a month or two, and see what the processor differences are like then.
The "slowness" of PPC apps on Intel computers is overrated (as long as you load up on RAM). Since most PPC programs like Photoshop aren't multithreaded anyway, it does the emulation on one core while running the program on the other. You don't notice it at all while you're using the program. But if you let Photoshop slip into the background and then start using it again later, good god you're in for a wait while it loads it all up into RAM
Of course, no laptop is currently as fast as your G5 Quad was.