$2,500 to spend (hardware recommendation)

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I got my company to commit to getting me a mac so I can work with files from my ad agency in their native format. I have been working in Windows Adobe CS Suite and they work in Mac Adobe CS Suite and we have been wasting money on both sides playing around with issues on production files (fonts / kerning / having to repoint to links, etc.)

I will be working with Photoshop / Illustrator and InDesign files - with some being as large as 50 - 100 meg.

I am looking for hardware recommendations (I know - load up with as much RAM as you can afford!) on what I should get with my $2,500.

I don't necessarily need a laptop, but if I can get one that I'll be happy with performance-wise, I wouldn't mind having the portability.

I have a dual monitor setup for my windows machine at work so I can recycle a monitor and use that with a laptop as well. I will also still use my current m$ft machine for database applications that can't be converted - so I don't mind having both OS's on my desk.

Any thoughts on what would be a good solution for me?

Thanks - Dennis
 
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Quad 2.8GHz Mac Pro is $2250. Add a monitor and you're looking at $2500 well spent.
 

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The question that first comes to mine, is the new software part of the $2500?
 
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The 2.8 GHz 24" iMac with 2 GB of RAM and a 750 GB hard drive is right about that price point as well. That would be my recommendation.
 
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Quad 2.8GHz Mac Pro is $2250. Add a monitor and you're looking at $2500 well spent.

Getting the lowest priced processors and the cheapest monitor (20") you are still at $2,898 before tax. That's just a little out of his price range (over $500)... at least according to current prices on their website.

I think his best option is for the iMac 2.8ghz Extreme for $2,299. After tax he's right at the price point he's looking for and it will easily do what he's asking of it and then some.
 
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He's also going to need to purchase the photo editing software being used by his advertising agency. I'm assuming that's Photoshop. Tack on another $200 for that + tax.
 
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Getting the lowest priced processors and the cheapest monitor (20") you are still at $2,898 before tax. That's just a little out of his price range (over $500)... at least according to current prices on their website.

I think his best option is for the iMac 2.8ghz Extreme for $2,299. After tax he's right at the price point he's looking for and it will easily do what he's asking of it and then some.

Everyone knows not to buy the Apple monitors if you're on a budget - he can stay in the budget by buying memory seperate and keeping his current monitor.
 
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Getting the lowest priced processors and the cheapest monitor (20") you are still at $2,898 before tax. That's just a little out of his price range (over $500)... at least according to current prices on their website.

I think his best option is for the iMac 2.8ghz Extreme for $2,299. After tax he's right at the price point he's looking for and it will easily do what he's asking of it and then some.

I never said he had to use an Apple display. He's already got two and can give one up. He might not need a monitor. I was just saying, if he needs one, he'd have some $ to use.

He's also going to need to purchase the photo editing software being used by his advertising agency. I'm assuming that's Photoshop. Tack on another $200 for that + tax.

He said "they" use Mac so he could use their Photoshop copy if it came with multiple licenses. Photoshop costs $650. The upgrade is $200 so if you assume he needs to buy new software for his new platform, you should assume he needs the full version, not the upgrade.
 
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Photoshop costs $650. The upgrade is $200 so if you assume he needs to buy new software for his new platform, you should assume he needs the full version, not the upgrade.

He did say that he already had the Windows version, which Adobe will swap for the Mac version for free, or "cross-grade" to the latest Mac version at upgrade pricing if it's an older one.
 
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quad 2.8ghz mac pro then add as much aftermarket, non-apple ram as possible.
 
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He did say that he already had the Windows version, which Adobe will swap for the Mac version for free, or "cross-grade" to the latest Mac version at upgrade pricing if it's an older one.

I know all of this. I never said he had to buy Photoshop. What you read is my comment about another post that said he had to pay.
 
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Cheapest Mac Pro is $2,299.00 + tax.

Otherwise, try the 24" iMac for $1799 + tax. Plus a few dollars for another gig of RAM from another company.
 
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Thanks for input - been away for a few days

With regards to the software question - I have the Full CS2.3 suite for windows. I was not aware that I can get either a discount or a full swap out for the MAC version - if so that's sweet.

Let's for sake of argument just call the $2,500 for hardware only. I plan on using my exisiting Acer AL2016W (20" widescreen monitor) with the chosen Apple hardware. I figure that way I can get as much computer as possible for the $2,500

I did not see anybody recomending any of the Laptops options. Do I take it that they are just nor powerfull wnough to do what I am sugestion or the price point for said machine is out of my range?

Anyway - thanks for all the feedback past and future. This place rocks!!!
 
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I don't like laptops, that's why I didn't suggest one. The only one I would suggest is the 15.4" 2.4GHz model. The MacBook is too weak for your needs and the 2.2GHz only has a 128MB video card.:(
The thing is, the 15.4" 2.4GHz model is $2500 without tax. The Quad 2.8GHz is a far better purchase IMO.
Go to the Apple store on Michigan Ave. and test the two. They should have Photoshop for you to play with.
 
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I did not see anybody recomending any of the Laptops options. Do I take it that they are just nor powerfull wnough to do what I am sugestion or the price point for said machine is out of my range?

The MacBook Pro has the power (an iMac is pretty much a MacBook Pro in a different case), it's just that we thought that you'd need a physically large screen since you need to do design.
 
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Just remember to look up some sites for ram and factor that into your $2500. As 2-4GB of it is really nice.
 

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