Which imac is best for graphic design. PC or Mac: what should a designer choose? A short digression about SSD drives

Choosing equipment for a designer is an extraordinary goal. The point is that main tool graphic designer - laptop. It is thanks to this device that beautiful logos, sketches and brand books appear.

The reliability of the selected equipment determines the productivity of the designer and, as a result, the outcome of the work performed. How to choose

What parameters are taken into account when choosing?

When choosing a compact device, experienced designers advise paying attention to the following characteristics:

1. Screen, namely matrix type and resolution;
2. Reliability of device assembly;
3. Availability of required interfaces, including USB and HDMI;
4. Availability of SSD disk;
5. Availability of backlighting on the keyboard module;
6. Good hardware to work with the software used ( Adobe Photoshop, CorelDraw and so on).

MacBook Air 13 2017

Technological parameters:

• Core i5 processor, clock frequency which is 1.8 GHz;
• RAM – 8 GB;
• 256 GB SSD storage;
• Diagonal 13.3 inches;
• Display dimensions – 1440x900 px.

Why do designers choose this model?

In reality, the choice is determined by a number of reasons.

Firstly, most experienced designers do not want to install Mac OS as a secondary system on a device running Windows.

Secondly, Mac system OS is an ideal option for working with software such as Sketch and XCode, since many designers, in addition to creating web resources, are engaged in drawing interfaces for smartphones.

Thirdly, MacBook Air 13 is a small but at the same time powerful gadget that allows you to work remotely from anywhere on the planet.

Autonomy

The length of the work pleased many experts. The device sits down after about 9 hours if you work quietly. Speaking in simple words, do not run too heavy software, reduce the sharpness of the display. If a person uses it to watch videos or works hard, opening a couple of heavy applications at the same time, then the MacBook will work slightly less, about 6 hours.

Working with design

Designers note that Adobe program Photoshop opens instantly, even if you launch it at the same time as Illustrator. Everything responds promptly.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the gadget in question is a productive laptop that copes with all tasks assigned by the user. It will be an excellent solution for web specialists, creators of programs for smartphones, website and interface designers, and even for video editing.

Have you noticed how the MacBook line has grown over the past few years? Previously, you had to choose between the powerful Pro and the compact Air. Now the lineup includes five (!) laptops and a dozen modifications.

It’s not easy even for fans to understand them, let alone for new users. I will try to ease the pain of choice and tell you which MacBook to choose in 2018.

MacBook Air

MacBook Air is the most affordable, but also controversial laptop in the line.

The design hasn't changed for six years, but it still looks fresh. The brushed aluminum body is beautifully built and, by the way, stronger than modern MacBooks. You have to try hard to damage or scratch it. New MacBooks have become much more delicate, so they develop chips from scratch.

MacBook Air weighs just over a kilogram, so you can carry it with you all day long and work wherever it is convenient. Despite its compact size, battery life consistently lasts for 10–12 hours. You can easily work with photographs and texts, even edit simple videos.

The usual ports are in place. There is a pair of USB and an SD card slot, which is missing in new Pro.

The last (but not least) argument in favor of the MacBook Air is the price. This is the most affordable laptop Apple and, in my opinion, best option in the segment up to 70 thousand rubles. Prices for new MacBooks they start from 100 thousand, and not everyone can afford them.

However, if you decide that the MacBook Air is the ideal laptop, take your time.

The MacBook Air has an outdated display in every sense with a resolution of 1,440 × 900 pixels. It quickly tires the eyes, the picture is faded and grainy. You can't look at the new Pro without tears.

The second disadvantage is old keyboard and a trackpad without Force Touch. Typing on a butterfly is more convenient and faster. You get used to the short key travel and don’t want to go back.

I don't recommend buying a MacBook Air. It has a frankly bad screen, an old keyboard and not the thinnest and lightest body. New models bypass it in these parameters. The main advantage is the lowest price among all MacBooks. But you obviously buy outdated device. I am sure that after the summer presentation the MacBook Air will be removed from sale and it will become history.

If you need a small laptop, pay attention to the following model.

MacBook

macworld.com

Next in the lineup is the MacBook. Just a MacBook.

If the MacBook Air is compact, then the MacBook is tiny. It weighs 900 grams, sometimes you check whether you forgot to take it with you. Sizes smaller than 12.9 inches iPad Pro. This super mobility makes it indispensable on business trips and travel. You can work comfortably on a train, in a car, or anywhere.

The screen on the MacBook is excellent and second only to the Pro models. Diagonal - 12 inches, resolution - 2,304 × 1,440 pixels, thin frames around. The picture is bright and rich, watching movies and editing photos is a pleasure. It is curious that the baby has impressive autonomy - on average 8–9 hours. During the working day, you can forget about the outlet.

The MacBook has passive cooling. There are no coolers, so it works silently. It does not heat up much, only in the most resource-intensive applications.

The MacBook is the first Apple laptop to feature a butterfly keyboard. I got used to it quickly, I like the short key travel, and now it’s inconvenient to work on another keyboard. It feels like your fingers are falling through.

thenextweb.com

When Apple introduced the first generation MacBook in 2015, many did not take it seriously. Small, weak processor, only one USB-C port. “Dear typewriter” - that’s what they called him. For me, it was the main computer that coped with all tasks. I often went on business trips, wrote posts on the road, and processed photographs.

Of course, he was inferior in speed MacBook Pro, but this is a case where size matters. In 2017, the third generation was introduced with two processors - the mobile m3 and the “adult” i5. The laptop noticeably increased in speed and learned to easily cope with heavy software.

I solved the problem of the only port by purchasing a 27-inch monitor with USB-C. On the road, the laptop remains small and convenient, while at home I work in front of big screen. I connect the peripherals directly to the monitor; there is a USB pair for this. In the process, the monitor also charges the MacBook. All this through one USB-C port - this is the wireless future.

The only drawback of the MacBook is its high price. Costs the same as a MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar. If performance and number of ports are more important, pay attention to it.

If you need a mobile, fast and beautiful laptop, MacBook is the best choice.

MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar

The youngest model in Apple's line of professional laptops. It was presented as the successor to the MacBook Air. It's smaller, more powerful, with a new keyboard and a stunning display. It differs from older models, in fact, in the number of ports and the absence of a Touch Bar.

A pair of USB-C is enough to connect a monitor and accessories. But we’ll write down the lack of an SD card slot, a fingerprint scanner and a discrete graphics processor as disadvantages.

If the MacBook is a fashion item, then the MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar is a practical option: it covers most of the tasks of the average user.

It is worth overpaying about 20 thousand rubles for a model with? Probably not.

MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar

The MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar may seem like the perfect laptop. Good iron cool screen with wide color gamut, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, a fingerprint scanner and a Touch Bar.

But in 2017, Apple reduced the battery capacity from 5,800 to 4,300 mAh, which eliminated the advantages of the laptop. The battery lasts for a maximum of five hours, which is absurd for a work tool.

Is there any use for the Touch Bar? Probably not. You can find a use for it, and you will find it; it’s not for nothing that you overpaid. But it does not make the workflow more convenient. Think of it as a nice addition, but not a reason to buy a laptop.

I do not recommend buying the 2017 MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar. It is better to take the version without Touch Bar or the 2016 model with a more capacious battery.

MacBook Pro 15

A universal laptop for any task. Already in the basic configuration - quad-core i7 with a frequency of 2.8 GHz, 16 GB of RAM, Radeon Pro 555 graphics with 2 GB of memory and Intel HD Graphics 630. Depending on the tasks GPU switches automatically. The top version comes with a Radeon Pro 560 with 4 GB, but you’ll have to pay about 30 thousand rubles.

The prices for the MacBook Pro 15 are scary, but they choose it for specific tasks. This solution is not for everyone, but it is worth the money.

It has a stunning 15.4-inch 2,880 x 1,800 pixel display, a giant trackpad, and awesome sound. With such speakers, there is no need for additional acoustics.

The battery, fortunately, has not changed compared to last year and lasts an honest 6-7 hours.

The only downside is the lack of an SD card slot. Why it didn’t find a place in the Pro models remains a mystery to me.

Verdict

• MacBook- a beautiful thin laptop for those who value mobility. An excellent solution for working with text or editing photos on the go.
• MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar- for those for whom productivity is not enough regular MacBook and one port, but I want to have a small and light laptop. Worthy replacement MacBook Air.
• MacBook Pro 15- a professional tool for which you will have to pay a considerable amount. He can handle any task, be it working with graphics or photography. At the same time, it remains a compact and thin laptop.

I definitely don’t recommend buying a MacBook Air. And think several times about whether it’s worth paying extra for the MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar.

or is it a Mac?

Hi all! There is a very important topic that I wanted to talk about... actually, not very important... a little important... Okay, just a topic: what to choose: Mac or Windows?

Why do we even need these Macs or Windows?

If fate played a cruel joke on you and you began to make a living doing graphic design, then in the realities of the market you will hardly be able to get good money by drawing posters on sheets of whatman paper for a children's dance school in Smolensk.

Therefore, the obvious solution would be to strive to work in modern areas of the industry. And, of course, if you decide to offer your design services on the digital technology market, you need a tool with which you will do this, God forbid, design.

This brings us to the topic of this article. In it I want to talk about what tool, namely a computer, you need to take (buy) for work. And at the same time about the realities of a designer’s work (but, in general, it’s better to change your mind before it’s too late).

It must be said that this article does not pretend to be an expert in the technical aspects of the issue and only reveals my user experience. And even then only in terms of working with raster and vector graphics when creating website layouts, identity and printing.

And also, since this is an argumentative article, it is written in my characteristic sarcastic-cynical manner, sorry.

Price for Windows computers

Let's consider a standard situation. If you come from an ordinary middle or working class family, then you have to work hard to eat. And if, despite all my warnings, you decide to make money by design... Although, if you are an elite, then why should you torture yourself with design or work at all, logically? - Logical.

For starters, you most likely have a PC. Well, after all, almost every family now has some kind of computer. Fulfilling first orders, dumping, comprehending the secrets of the Universe, you upgrade, gain knowledge and experience, and at some point you realize that you want to improve your technical equipment. Why? Yes, because this bucket lags and freezes, taking up your time.

And you come to the store to buy yourself a new PC. Due to the crisis and sanctions, prices for computers and components have increased (but the cheese is now ours, tasty and not expensive (no)) ... some more, some a little less. For example, in 2011 portable hard drive 500 GB could be bought for 600-1,000 rubles. Now it will cost at least 2,700 rubles. Only 4 times... because they can, but you still buy it.

A laptop will cost more than a desktop PC with similar performance, but if you round it up, it will be about 40-50k. Still, this is an average situation, since assembling a computer is a very individual story and is designed to understand your goals.

I think that this is, in principle, an adequate price, given the average salary of a designer (there is a lot to be said about the average salary of a designer; it would be better to write a separate article about this).

In any case, having bought a PC for 50k, you will feel comfortable solving problems that can be assigned to a graphic designer. And, yes, it will be a PC running the Windows operating system.

About versatility

Well, what about the cries that the poppy is better for design? Designers love to work on Macs, and if you read the vacancies of top companies, one of the bonuses will definitely be “a workplace with a powerful iMac.”

And if you look at the situation without the emotions that arise when contemplating them appearance? After all, in essence, I need this thing so that I can solve problems with its help.

Having realized this, you begin to understand that in many ways the choice is highly dependent subjectively on the individual and his goals. For example, I work with 2d graphics and do not feel inconvenienced by the fact that the same 3d Max does not work on a Mac. And for some this would be a decisive factor in choosing equipment. By the way, the Mac does not have corel draw - which, without a doubt, is a huge plus)))

In this sense, a computer with an operating system Windows system It seems to me a more universal solution. All the products that I personally use on macOS, no matter how cool they are, have a replacement for Windows.

Mac pricing

To prove that Mac is better PC on Windows, there are always a lot of emotional arguments in the spirit of: “Mac is better because it is better.”

But let's look at the price: at least 80k. Including very reasonable statutory fees of approximately RUB 12,729. Thanks to the government for the fact that I have to pay an extra 12k rubles in order to work without stonewalling.

Yes, on the one hand, you get a completely finished machine with a very cool screen, turn it on - and go ahead, create masterpieces, but on the other hand - 80 for the minimum configuration! And, I don’t want to offend anyone, it’s pretty miserable.

In 2k18 - operating system on your hard drive, seriously? I’m not a hardware specialist, but I still want 16 GB of RAM simply because when 8 and these two AI + PS are running, there are lags.

Therefore, ok, we take it for 110k, and we simply pay 2 times more than for a PC, which will be even more powerful.

With laptops the prices are even tougher. If you want to get a nice mobility bonus (which is actually really cool), you will have to spend at least 150k rubles.

By the way, recently Apple management had to apologize for problems that users of the new (top-end) Macbook Pro had with the laptop overheating. The corporation explained that disturbances in the cooling system appeared due to flaws in the software.

It's okay... Apple, it's only 400k money, a trifle, forget it and let's move on with our lives.

A short digression about SSD drives

By the way, at a certain stage they began to appear on the market SSD drives. I first got one of these for myself 5 years ago and it feels like I got rid of a curse (or a long-term runny nose). In short, it was really cool, and if in 2018 your operating system is not installed on an SSD, you know how to help yourself fix everything.

A little about design prices

I consider this issue with computers that do not fly in a vacuum, but are closely related to the financial situation of an ordinary person who must earn money to buy food, pay for housing, and so on.

In this article, I tried to be objective and take into account the experience of developing myself as a specialist from the bottom stage to the current level... well, let's call it a kind of middle stage.

After graduating from university, I looked at job advertisements in my city and rarely saw salaries exceeding 20k rubles. This was the maximum and, of course, such positions required a person with experience. While tracking vacancies, I only once came across an absolute record of 30k.

There may be many objections and options in terms of finding remote work, which was a worthy alternative for me. But still, in most cases, companies are looking for remote employees to save money, and the salaries there are not too high. They are reluctant to give raises and do not carry out indexation.

On the other hand, if you are handsome and sensed in time where the wind of change in the design services market was blowing, were able to learn the necessary skills of the same UX / UI designer, live in the capital or in a large city, then your financial situation will be different, for the better .

You criticized Mac, but what kind of designer are you?

For six months of rather merciless use of my MacBook, it never gave an error or froze, as happened on the PC. It's quite nice when in the morning you don't have to redo all the work you did all night.

Speed ​​of work. It's really fast, but this may be due not only to hardware manufacturers, but also to software.

Well, it creates an amazing user experience, all these transitions, animations and transparency seem to push you to create something beautiful. Perhaps this is why many designers give their preference to computers running macOS.

The Mac doesn't bother you with the hassle of reinstalling the system, drivers and software; it all happens very conveniently.

Probably in half a year I couldn’t find fault with anything. Some issues associated, for example, with a different keyboard layout, can be justified by habit, and not by the fact that it is worse or less convenient.

So I would say that for me there are no downsides to working with a MacBook.

About the mouse

By the way, if you are going to make layouts, and not sit on social networks, relaxingly scrolling through your news feed and drinking coffee, then you don’t need this thing.

Buy a mouse with a normal wheel or a larger one; working with a magic mouse is a pain.

Conclusions

Choice in principle, like the choice of equipment for work, is a very cool thing. Unfortunately, due to the widespread undervaluation of design prices, there is often no such choice, and you have to be content with what you can afford, limiting yourself in some way.

If you are new to design, have just received your education, and are limited in finances, then there is no point in trying to buy yourself a “cool computer on MacOS”, terrorizing your mother or taking out a loan, so that you can then eat only instant noodles.

Magic will not happen, and, in any case, the determining influence on the quality of your design and your level of income will not be your technical equipment, but your experience and skills, plus the ability to sell them profitably. And this can be developed on a Windows PC.

If you feel like your technology is slowing you down on things you can do faster and better, then maybe you should just upgrade your car. There is no point in stupidly following the brand, since Apple is in many ways an image company and by buying their products, you are overpaying for the brand. In any case, it’s definitely not worth tolerating lags, 100% info.

I would advise you to try working on a Mac, ask fellow designers for their opinions and have them describe their experience.

Still, many people switch from a PC to a Mac for a reason; perhaps stability in work, confidence that the equipment will not let you down at an important moment plays an important role in choosing equipment. Exclusive design software for Mac works better than its Windows counterparts.

Well, in conclusion, it must be said that the choice of equipment is a very subjective matter. The reasons that guided me will not be so decisive for another person, simply because everyone has their own goals, objectives and plans.

So. Last weekend I bought myself a MacBook Pro without a retina display, but with 8 gigabytes of RAM on board, a 128 GB SSD drive and a Magic Mouse to boot. Perhaps this is one of the best acquisitions in recent times. Don't trust the gopniks who criticize Apple technology. They are either idiots or simply cannot afford to buy it :).

Why did I choose Apple?

It's very simple. The speed and quality of work increases almost 2 times. If you are a designer or programmer, layout designer or webmaster, you simply need a Mac. No, I'm serious. After working with it for a month, you will no longer be able to fully feel comfortable using Windows.

Note to the hostess
If you are a designer and come to work in an office where they offer you a PC, feel free to turn around and run away!

Many people say that Apple is a waste of money. I thought so too, but no. It turned out everything was completely the other way around. Convenience and comfort of work, which cannot be expressed in words, believe me, is worth the money.

And you don’t have to buy a new one at all. There are plenty of places where you can buy a great used MacBook, iMac or Mac mini - at a pretty good price. For example, on Avito.

I didn't buy an iMac or Macmini for two simple reasons: I have an iMac 27 at work and it’s enough for me. And also, you can't really work with him in some cafe, train or somewhere else. Actually, that’s why I also took not a 15-inch screen, but a 13. Well, of course, not only for this reason. Still, 15 inches costs an order of magnitude more. But I don't need him. For surfing, writing articles and even minor work in Photoshop, 13 is enough. And for more serious things, Jobs came up with Apple cinema display 27.

Also I gave up my MacBook retina display - due to its poor repair ability. The point is that it RAM It is sealed and there is no way to expand it. Absolutely. No. That is, if you bought a Pro with 4 GB of RAM, you will continue to use it for the rest of your life (MacBook). It also has a non-separable display and special screws that cannot be unscrewed with a regular screwdriver. In addition, it is also not possible to change the SDD disk to a more capacious one. I don’t really need such a pun, so I didn’t bother.

By the way about the disk. I also did not take a 512 GB SSD. What for? It costs more - but there is no benefit. If there is not enough space, which I, of course, doubt, you can buy an external SSD in the form of a flash drive. As far as I know, there is already one for 512 GB. Could have taken HDD drive per terabyte, but they are much slower than SSDs.

A little about the display. Since I took the Mac for work, and I work as a web designer, the screen parameters are very important to me. The brightness of the LED backlight is approximately 300 cd/m2, and the contrast is 623:1, which in my opinion is an excellent result. Yeah. Large viewing angles and color rendition are beyond praise. The glossy surface of the screen doesn’t bother me at all, probably because there’s a wall behind me ☺ and there’s nothing special for it to reflect.

And a few more points. Mac is perfect not only for designers/programmers/layout developers and other Internet workers, but also for information businessmen and bloggers, who often pamper their readers with shitty lessons and shitty courses. The thing is that the mac is so cool that it does not require ASIO drivers to work with sound. This means that you can buy an external audio speaker and not worry about the settings at all. And the most important thing is that it is absolutely silent. At all. Not a single sound. It feels like there is no cooler inside for cooling. Compared to my current HP, which can drown out the sounds of the highway outside the window, this is just a fairy tale.

But there are also disadvantages. More precisely one. Due to its body made from a single piece of aluminum, when working with a macbook on recharge - There is a slight tingling sensation in the area of ​​the left hand. Looks like it's electrocuting the body. But you can live with this.

In conclusion

Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase. If you think that apple products are too expensive, that’s your business. But I think that it’s better for me to overpay 10-20 thousand now and significantly recoup it in the future, thanks to all the above advantages.

I would appreciate a retweet of this post.

MacBooks are at the heart of design, and it's safe to say that a significant portion of web designers are looking for the professional information they need using a MacBook. However, to get the most out of this amazing machine, you must install some tools that will enhance your design experience and capabilities. Many people choose to use these tools because they don't feel the need to know anything about coding. When you don't worry about small details, it becomes much easier to focus on expressing your creativity .

More and more tools are being created every day, and in this article we would like to introduce the hottest web design tools for MacBook in 2016. Make sure you have installed the following.

It is an ideal tool for interface design. When it comes to using this designer design tool, you will see that designers of all levels can achieve amazing results with it. He promises that the end result will look professional. Sketch is the perfect tool for any modern graphic designer, and when you use it, you will notice the effect on everything you create. It has great features including shared styles and symbols which are incredibly helpful when you need to reuse certain elements. Your work is guaranteed to look stunning from the moment you start the project until the very end.

Sometimes, all you need is a little inspiration to realize an amazing design. The first thing this app will do is help you organize everything. So you can find exactly what you need, when you need it. You can easily organize all your images and screenshots for future use. The tool is incredibly easy to use, and only has features that are useful. For ease of access and viewing, you'll see your images arranged in a grid that you can easily customize to appear full screen. As a native MacBook app, you can trust it to get the speed you need to get your work done.

The tool is a collection of applications that you will need to get your job done if you are a web designer. This includes Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and Extension Manager. This tool ensures that all your creative apps can easily be in one place. When you have an idea and want to work on it before you forget about all the intricacies, having this tool will go a long way in enhancing your overall design experience. Creative Cloud can be used on mobile devices as well as desktop.

You may need to create prototypes as part of your design development plan, and this will help you with this application. It stands out from others because of the speed with which you can get the results you want. As a tool, you'll find that its desktop app helps you create professional designs and share them as quickly as possible. If you are not sure about using Axure and whether you need it, you can try the free one first trial version product. However, as soon as you try the tool in use, you will immediately decide to buy it. For even more quick access to Axure, you can choose the Google extension.

With a lot of web designs requiring compatibility with mobile devices In addition to desktop computers, it makes sense to acquire this tool, which will allow you to optimize such development. To create great app, you need a tool that will work with iOS systems, including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Man, and Apple TV.

When writing code, you will find that the programming language is quite fast, ensuring that you can code faster than ever before. This, in turn, makes the whole process much easier. One feature you'll likely really love is the interface testing feature, which allows you to keep a record of your app's actions while it's running. This allows you to generate tests and a map of your progress.

This is the last one newest tool for coming up with brilliant responsive designs on your Mac Book. You will enjoy using it because it has a simple interface that you can navigate easily. After using Homebrew just a few times, you'll begin to wonder how you ever managed without it. The tool makes it easy to customize your layout in real time, and also make adjustments when you notice that it doesn't meet your requirements. The best thing about the tool is that you don't need to have any coding knowledge to get the right result.

The best way you can grab the attention of someone in your chosen market is to ensure that there is something on the site that is captivating. It has been observed for a long time that GIFs have a similar ability. It is nothing more than a regular photograph with some movement added to it to add interest. These are not videos, as GIFs are usually quite short in comparison. With your MacBook, the tool will select an area on your desktop and then immediately save it as a GIF file. This has an impact on overall performance, leading to a higher level of efficiency for your site.

The next time you're sitting in front of your MacBook, wondering how you're going to create something fantastic, keep this list in mind as a guide. You will find that with practice and time, you can significantly reduce the number of hours you devote to web design. It's worth it to get the hang of these tools because they'll likely keep up to date and you'll be able to continue using them for a long period of time.