Computer-related decisions

Still writing messages to my friends and family, but oy, there is one decision that needs to be sped up because opening the fifth (!) tag in Chrome (!!) on this my Toshiba netbook when there is only the browser and no other main application running (!!!) means it starts lagging and ceasing to play my music on last.fm in the first tab.

In short: cannot do much at all with this netbook and need a real computer ASAP, certainly before school starts.

There's always a good -- and much more affordable -- PC option around, but it's my understanding that where performance (high) and weight (low) are concerned, the latest MacBookPro 15'' with retina display is super-light yet large enough to double as a real computer; storage space is easily outsourced these days, after all. Plus, I could get PhotoShop for a student price that's acceptable.

The background is that I wouldn't say no to a desktop computer at home either, pc or mac, but this netbook is so weak that lugging it around would hardly serve my -- academic -- purpose, which presumably would require more than one programme running, and running stably. So a laptop (something I haven't owned in years) might be preferable. However, since that would be my one and only computer, it'd have to be powerful enough to run without a hitch everything I need plus some things I want. The former would be a word processor plus browser plus Adobe Acrobat reader; the latter would be Photoshop, Picasa, and the like.

Thoughts? I know I'm picking y'all's brains shamelessly these days, and giving nothing back. :/ Feel free to eyeroll and browse by.

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Tags: call for help, computer, cry for help, help!

( 11 comments — Leave a comment )

harriet_spy

2012-07-25 05:43 am (UTC)

Should be fine. Especially if you buy some cheap RAM off Small Dog Electronics and pop it in.

monanotlisa

2012-07-25 06:00 am (UTC)

Excellent, cheers!

the_grynne

2012-07-25 07:00 am (UTC)

The MacAir can't be beat for performance/weight. I have the 13-inch and it runs all my media-heavy programs + browser + word processor without any issues. I carry most of my files in an external hard-drive, but I hear that Apply will soon have their own Cloud service (to supplant Drop Box).

flaming_muse

2012-07-25 10:31 am (UTC)

I had the 13" MacBook air and now have the new 15" pro with retina display. The air is lighter, but the new laptop can double as a desktop for me... and more importantly for my husband, who does a heck of a lot more on his than I do on mine.(I'm running a hundred browser tabs, Word, Outlook, calendar, twitter, etc., but the only resource hog is the browser - he plays games and goes photo/video stuff. And we HAVE desktops, so it isn't like we don't have a choice.) The display is gorgeous, the laptop is robust and fast.

2012-07-25 05:15 pm (UTC)

Ooh, a vote for the retina! And all the applications: yes, that's definitely what I wanted to know.

Many thanks!

greenelephant

2012-07-25 02:29 pm (UTC)

I think others have already suggested a MacBook Air + monitor, so I'm just pitching in to add my voice to theirs. I have the first gen 13" MBA (bought refurb) and it's been terrific. I think that the speed bumps in the processors in the 5 years since the MBA has been available will be suitable for your PS needs. And you can pick up a non-Apple monitor for very little cash these days, giving you both screen real estate and portability.

And (allow me to spend your $$ for you), you could also buy an iPad, which has *revolutionized* the way I read pdfs and do research; I absolutely LOVE being able to annotate with both text and drawings/underlinings/highlighting, and still have searchable notes.

*steps off soapbox* (of course, you might want to save your money instead)

2012-07-25 05:18 pm (UTC)

*laugh* I do so want an iPad; I love them dearly. But I'm paying more than 50k in tuition alone this year, putting me in a debt (if with my parents: privileged person, here) I have never once been in my life, as a European.

So a good computer is a necessity, but anything beyond that is a toy, and this is no time for them, alas.

Good to hear about your MBA experiences! I'm definitely leaning towards that now. Thanks a lot. :)

pondslash

2012-07-25 03:41 pm (UTC)

Getting through grad school would've been much tougher if I'd had a desktop rather than my 2010 13" Macbook Pro. I was also enormously grateful for my dirt cheap low-end Brother laser printer, because it's so much cheaper in the long run than any printer using ink cartridges.
Helpful tip, which you might already know, but many people don't: instead of Adobe Acrobat reader, use Preview for .pdf files. Preview will let you add notes, highlight text, and copy sections and images to put into a text file. If you have lectures provided as PowerPoint, you can export them as .pdf files. With all .pdf files: open them in Acrobat Reader, select "save as" from the file menu, then open them in Preview. I know, I know, it's an extra step--but it'll allow you to add your own clarifying/useful notes during or after the lectures and to annotate academic articles as easily as if they're hardcopy.

2012-07-25 05:22 pm (UTC)

Preview! I did not know that, so thank you -- and yes, as you say: that ability would be worth a *lot*.

Been thinking about the student offer (versus the cheaper refurb one) because it does include a printer. Sure, there are conveniently priced printing options at the labs, but honestly, you know how it is: gotta turn in a paper, and half an hour before the deadline there's a brown-out, a paper jam at the computer lab, they're all out of colour ink etc. pp...

2012-07-25 05:48 pm (UTC)

that ability would be worth a *lot*.
It can be the difference between regular grad-school-level insanity and curling up in defeat! Oh, and I believe Preview is still free and pre-loaded with your Mac.

gotta turn in a paper, and half an hour before the deadline there's a brown-out, a paper jam at the computer lab, they're all out of colour ink etc. pp...
Computer lab printing is always a disaster! One thing to consider: the student offers often include other pluses (I got my iPod Touch with mine), but printers are so very inexpensive now, it might not be a great deal for you. It's going to depend on how much printing you'll need--I am ancient and decrepit, so for studying, I really needed to print out reams of stuff, mainly text and never colour, so a cheap monochrome laser printer was the best option for me. The free printers are usually very nice, and handy as a back-up for rare colour printing needs, but too expensive for the hundreds of pages I routinely ended up printing.
Also: my hands, wrists, shoulders & neck are very glad I splurged and bought the magic mouse and keyboard. Something to perhaps consider farther down the line!
BTW, I should introduce myself. My fannish name is M. Fae Glasgow (P_O_N_D on DW), and I've been reading your posts for ages on friends' lists. Since I just finished grad school in May, I can't stop myself butting in when other people are going through the mountains of decisions involved!

jwaneeta

2012-07-26 02:54 am (UTC)

Hard to go wrong with a Mac Book Pro... haven't tried Air but I hear it's good too.

monanotlisa

Miss Cellaneous