PC vs. MAC / MAC vs. PC -- Adobe Photoshop

[Jim Macris]

Hello everyone – I have tried researching this subject before posting my question. With your information I hope to make a sound decision.

I have heard many great comments regarding MAC computers for which I am considering switching to a MAC platform from a PC. My preference would be a desktop but I have not ruled out a laptop.

Does the MAC version of Photoshop provide enhanced processing and increased editing capabilities that are not available on the PC version of Photoshop? In other words, is there a technical and / or hardware advantages over the PC when editing with the MAC version Photoshop or is this just a personal preference with no real inherent processing/editing capabilities other than look and feel?

Thank you in advance for your kind and informative comments.

[pilotgolfer]

I've worked on both, and personally, a Mac seems better for editing with any of the Adobe products I've worked on.
As far as Photoshop, you can do the same things on both Mac and PC. I have photoshop on my laptop here and we have Macs here at school for it.
PC's run photoshop just fine, but I honestly prefer Macs for editing and whatnot along those lines.

Hope this helps.

[cja]

I have been using a Mac for just over a month and it does everything that a Windows PC does but differently. It takes a bit of getting used to but its simpler while being just as effective. In addition there is far less malware out there for MACs so the threat of getting nasties on your PC are far less.
The other good thing is that the MAC is designed with photography in mind and you will find that you can open almost any RAW file without having to download the Codecs first. Aperture 2, the MAC version of Light Room is a just as good as the Adobe product and comes in at a third of the price although it is certainly not designed to be replacement for Photoshop!

So far My MAC has not missed a beat and I am very happy with it. The Mini is just 6inches x 6 inches x two inches deep yet packs the same punch as a good desktop PC.

[justtosim]

Hi Jim,

As I'm working in the graphic industry I've been using Mac for quite some years now. Besides I also had some experience with Windows PC's but it never convinced me to work smoother than a Mac, and it's operating system: Mac OS X. At home I also use an iMac for photo editing and screening on Jetphotos.net.

Apart from 360º scrolling with Apple's Magic- or Mighty Mouse the experience in Photoshop will be more or less the same, The real advantage of using Photoshop on Macintosh happens in the Finder (Mac-name for Explorer) where you can quick-view many files with a hit on the space-bar. This also works for PDF and PSD files. In Finder it's also possible to search photos by their metadata, for example you could sort out all photos that were taken with ISO 400 or higher, or find photos by the day they were taken, or even their GPS-coordinates.

The overall experience on a Mac will be different but I'm sure you'll get used to it. Apple's hardware quality of today is outstanding, and believe me, you won't miss the viruses, spyware and addware.

Simon

[PMN]

I'm a very recent Mac convert and I have to say, I wish I'd have changed years ago! My last two computers have been Sony Vaio laptops (chosen for their superb screens) and when they worked they served me well, but as seems inevitable with PC's, they eventually screw up! I've been after an iMac for quite a while and only recently finally decided to get one, but a mere few weeks after I made the decision my laptop packed up. That said, it packed up just as Apple announced the update of the iMac and the introduction of the 21.5 and 27 inch models, so I splashed out on the 27 inch which I'm using for all my editing and JP screening. It's nothing short of stunning. It's quick, reliable, doesn't stutter or confuse itself like my PC's have, it runs CS4 with dream-like effortlessness and basically, it just works. The screen is also absolutely stunning, and I mean stunning. Its resolution, clarity, contrast and colour are the best I've ever seen and it's a joy to use and an absolute pleasure to edit on.

In terms of use, PS on a Mac is essentially the same as on a PC, just with slightly different shortcuts. As a long time PC user I always shy'd away from Macs and never had any inclination to learn my way around them, but after just one day with my iMac I was using it every bit as naturally as a PC. They're incredibly easy to learn your way around because everything is where you expect it to be; they're more logically laid out than PC's so everything's easier to find.

Basically, get one. You'll love it! It takes a bit of quality time with a Mac to discover PC's truely are in the dark ages of computing, and I'm really not joking!

Paul

[B7772ADL]

Well, I'm one for the PC camp here. As much as i'd like a mac, the cost is the main problem. I have a self built quad core pc at a fraction of the cost with a Dell LCD, running Win7 pro. It absolutely flies and is very, very stable. Given that the Win7 interface is modelled on OSX, why pay the premium

[chris78cpr]

Well, I'm one for the PC camp here. As much as i'd like a mac, the cost is the main problem. I have a self built quad core pc at a fraction of the cost with a Dell LCD, running Win7 pro. It absolutely flies and is very, very stable. Given that the Win7 interface is modelled on OSX, why pay the premium

Win 7 interface has COPIED not 'modelled on" oOSX.

Simple fact is, yes macs cost more but... Macs are.... more stable, more fun, more useful, simpler, better looking and just overall better.

If you want a computer that does what it does get a PC.

If you want a computer that does what it does well, effectivley whilst also looking like something that doesn't look out of place in a designer home then get a Mac.

I know what i'd do! (I have a MacBook Pro/Powerbook G4/iMac 20" and soon to be a 27" iMac too!)

[justtosim]

Well, I'm one for the PC camp here. As much as i'd like a mac, the cost is the main problem. I have a self built quad core pc at a fraction of the cost with a Dell LCD, running Win7 pro. It absolutely flies and is very, very stable. Given that the Win7 interface is modelled on OSX, why pay the premium

Yes, a Apple is more expensive. But if you're planning to stay up-to-date and want to buy a new Mac every two or three years, I'm not so sure about that.
Macs keep their value.

My last three Macs were sold on Ebay for about 80% of the original price, after using them for over 24 months. Consider a 2003 iMac would even be sold for half the original price, today.

If I would have bought PC's instead I would have lost a lot more money, so in that case, what is more expensive?

Simon

[Jim Macris]

Thanks for all the great advise everyone... Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. I will be posting some final thoughts about the Mac in a few days..

[cja]

The thing is that if you do a true like for like comparison of Mac V Pc you will find that there is little to choose between the two. For example remember that not all intel 2.0ghz core duo processors are the actually the same nor are all 320GB hard dirves or graphics cards of the same specification. Furthermore all Apple screens have been LED for sometime which leaves LCD technology far behind. So when you see that Windows PC for £359 Just check the spec properly before you decide that it provides a fair comparison to a MAC and is therefore cheaper. For those on a tight budget who already have a good monitor a MAC mini is well worth a look.

Then there is the question of software much of which is far cheaper than its Windows rivals. For example Photshop 8 for MAC includes Bridge which I understand is not included with the Windows version.