Graphic Design Major looking for help

Im going into my Freshman year of college and I am a Graphic Design Major. MY father is having a tough time figuring out what laptop would be best for me. Price does not matter when it comes to my career and schooling. I have been looking at http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&a1=Usage&v1=Entertainment&series_name=dv9500t_series. My fathers friend owns his own graphic design company and feels macs are a must. This brings me to my question. I plan on also playing World of Warcraft on this laptop. Would it be better to get a 17" or 15.4"? I hear that the higher the resolution the better it is, because you can see more on the screen with photoshop. So is the 15.4" with the 1440 resolution better to get than a 17" with either the 1680 or 1920 resolution? Im at a complete halt. Mac vs PC and screen resolutions. Glossy vs. matte. Can someone please help me?

Well I would go with a mac. I am a sophomore and I also have buddies that are graphic design majors, once I stepped inside their class and wow, so many G5 about 40, most if not all of my universitie's classes have macs. If I were you take a look around and what others are running, go with the flow man.. (of course it they are PC's then go against the grain, get a mac About screen resolution go with the 17 incher since money is no option. The more resolution the better it looks, clearer, sharper, but the smaller the text is, at least in my experience. I have a matte because I just never like glossy I don't want to see myself in a mirror every time I boot up OS X.

My specs:

Intel C2D @ 2.16 Ghz
1 GB RAM
120 GB HD
w/ boot camp

Never had a problem with it, I never used PS but I have used Blender, Solidworks, AutoCAD, the Gimp, Inkscape. 1 GB is good but you can always get two.

Hope that helped...phew my fingers hurt

I'm a film major and going into my senior year. My area of concentration is post-production so I use photoshop, after effects, avid, motion etc.

I would definitely reccommend a mac over a PC (backstory- I've always used a PC until just recently- last week I purchased my first macbook pro- a 17 in, let me know if you want more details on my machine).

Macs just work extremely well. I know way more then the average pc user and for some reason my pc ALWAYS slows down after about a year and a half. I had worked on macs a ton before switching and finally decided to go with one becuase my pc laptop was seriosuly shitting the bed (the battery life, the screen etc. and I had a top rated brand by CNET.com)

As for glossy or matte screen- I'd definitely go with matte (though some will argue that a glossy screen will give you slightly better colors). To me the glare of the gloss is absolutely HORRENDOUS. One of my friends got glossy for whatever reason and I couldnt get over how difficult it was to look at because of the glare. Though as you get more and more serious about color you'll want to look at your stuff on a CRT because it gives you a more even color range (as LCD/plasmas seem to favor green- though its a very slight favor).

As for the 15 or 17in. I'd go with the 17 in for A. the screen space and B. the hi-res display (its an upgrade). You can see more and with the hi-res display you can view full 1080p content at full screen.

If you have any other questions let me know, I check these forums a lot.

I feel i would like the 1900resolution but im also afraid it might be too small. I do play some games too and I dont want the video card stressing over dropping the resolution from the screens native. If i play any games it would be World of Warcraft, the new starcraft coming out, old warcrafts. This is probably the hardest decision ive had to make in a while. I love the look of the dv9500t. It's so slick, but it just doesnt have that protective feel of the mac. My friend has the 9000t and the screen is made of some plastic crap. Macs are solid, but also have a plain feel to them. Anymore personal experiances or just knowledge of macs from anybody would be great.
Oh and I have been reading that the mac's glossy is rather amazing compared too other companies.

I would also like to know whether to get the glossy or matte screen if I'll be doing a lot of design work on my MBP. I love how the glossy screen makes colors pop but if it affects my ability to do my work, I'd much rather have the matte screen.

my friend has the matte and it looks amazing, never seen a glossy

ive seen both- get the matte. the glossy really sucks- its like a bad mirror

You cant go totally on what everyone else says and thinks. I have a MBP with a Glossy screen and am also a graphic design major and i love it. Its all on personal preference. Go to the store and check them out for yourself. That is the only way you will make the right decision. I went though asking and getting opinions, but you get so many different ideas and thoughts its ridiculous. And as far as everyone who is talking about the glare being an issue, it seems to only come from people who are against them or dont own them. Cause i have NEVER EVER has an issue with glare. also, it is a laptop so if you have a small spot of glare, turn it a half an inch, or just move. not a big deal what so ever.

Bottom line, go to the apple store, or an apple authorized dealer and check for yourself. Make yourself happy, not others.

-Dave

I feel i would like the 1900resolution but im also afraid it might be too small.

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You can always quickly change the resolution to match what you're doing. When you're playing video games or doing graphics work pump it up to full res. For regular computing bring it down a notch.

ive seen both- get the matte. the glossy really sucks- its like a bad mirror

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I've used both... in many different settings. The glossy is only bad in outdoor settings. My comp is glossy and I use it by windows all the time, a simple shift of the comp fixes any glare, and I prefer the colors. Still, for what you're using it for, matte is probably a must.

If you are going into graphic design, then the matte screen is a must. Glare or no glare, a glossy screen will distort your colors. For graphics work of any kind you need to have the truest colors possible on your screen.

Screen size isn't an issue because you can always attach an external monitor (which is also very handy with graphics work anyway).

17" Matte Mac.

I would recommend the 17" matte, thats what I use and it works absolutely perfect for everything I do. I dont really see a need to get the hi-res version because I dont think it will help much, but if you are undecided on which resolution to get then a trip to the apple store is a must.

The best thing for you to do is look online and figure out what you want, then go to the apple store and really look at these things and compare them.

MacBookPro...

xAmrick said:

Im going into my Freshman year of college and I am a Graphic Design Major. MY father is having a tough time figuring out what laptop would be best for me. Price does not matter when it comes to my career and schooling. I have been looking at http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&a1=Usage&v1=Entertainment&series_name=dv9500t_series. My fathers friend owns his own graphic design company and feels macs are a must. This brings me to my question. I plan on also playing World of Warcraft on this laptop. Would it be better to get a 17" or 15.4"? I hear that the higher the resolution the better it is, because you can see more on the screen with photoshop. So is the 15.4" with the 1440 resolution better to get than a 17" with either the 1680 or 1920 resolution? Im at a complete halt. Mac vs PC and screen resolutions. Glossy vs. matte. Can someone please help me?

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MacBookPro 17" Matte & Glossy is for you to decide. I know Graphic Designers that have both. It's a personal preference. I 'd suggest the 17" . Yes, it's a bit heavier but you'll appreciate the screen size in the long run. Make certain that you purchase a **** good bag! you dont put a 3K Apple in a cheap bag. Peace! best of luck in school.

I summon you! From the grave!

Definitely go with the Mac. Get either the 15.4 or 17. Definitely get it glossy. You should also maybe buying of the external apple displays. I have the 30" and it's worth the extra expense. The pixel ratio on it is unbelieveable, and would be great for graphic design.