searching for a suitable laptop for an art student!?

Question

I am currently preparing to applying to an art/design college to attend next fall.

I'm going to be working with alot images and pictures so I'm going to need a strong graphic card and memory card that'll be able to handle all my tasks and files. I also need a large screen to work with. Since I'll be thousands of miles from home, ease of portability: I need something light-weight and thin. It also means I need a long lasting battery life. Plus, I've been using PC all my life so if I have to use other things, I want it to be user friendly, and it must be durable and last AT LEAST 2 years without breaking or disfunctioning.

I checked out Apple's Macbook Pro, and it did meet some of my conditions but I wasnt sure if it was suitable for my art.

pretty design would be good..price isnt considered as much if it meets all my conditions.(but it'd be nice if I could get it cheaper.)

please, feel free to make any recommendations. be sure to include detailed information. Thank YOU!

Answer 1

an equivalent to the MacBook Pro (MBP) is still the HP dv9000t with 17inch display. it's technically about the same except the operating system, but you get the better graphics card.
it also looks better than the MBP and you have the opportunity to customize it yourself. finally it will also be cheaper than the MBP and you can spend your money for the appropriate (art) software.

HP homepage
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&series_name=dv9000t_series&a1=Usage&v1=Entertainment

Answer 2

Hey! I'm the girl with the "Emotional Wreck" post. Thanks so much for all your kindness! You're so sweet! (I bet the whole Yahoo community thinks I'm this crazy, psycho teen with major issues now.) Anyways, since you helped me out, I'll help you out! :)

Actually, there is a "tablet" that is specifically designed for the artistic field: a Wacom Cintiq. You can draw directly on it and it has quite a generous and vivid screen plus it's very pressure sensitive (it'll respond just as you want it to). It's really amazing what you can do on it! However, it's quite pricey at around $2,500. Yeah, that's a pretty bulky price tag... :/ I suggest that you buy a refurbished or good-quality used one if you want a bit of a pricecut.

Also, Wacom is well known for its tablets that you can hook up to a PC or a Laptop (though I would suggest a PC only because it has more power). These like mousepads with no screen on them. Instead you look at your computer screen while drawing on the little pad thingy. Yeah, it sounds complicated but you'll get used to it quickly. The great thing is, these are a lot cheaper (range from $99-800). And of course, if you follow the advice I have stated earlier, you could get them for even cheaper than the price I listed.

I hope this helps, sweetie! (We should stay in touch! [e-mail])

Answer 3

In my humble opinion I would get a Mac. No they are not as cheap as a PC lap top but you will not be sorry. Your passion is obviously going to be art so be willing to spend the money to feed your passion and get what is known historically as the best computer for anyone in the arts or art design and that is a Mac. I had taught computers in high school for 6 years and they had both types (PC & Mac) and guess which type was used in all the art classes? I own a PC because of my profession but I know better when it cames to art and what I would buy if art was my field. My wife went from owning a PC to a Mac because she loves the Arts and her learning curve was very small in getting to know the Mac operating system. Yes you will need to relearn the OS 10 in a Mac but it is very quickly doable.

Last, the Mac book pro is an outstanding piece of computer hardware. You could not do any better. Hope I helped.

Edit update,01/05/07: If you are allowing yourself to be swayed towards a PC, then before you buy, all I ask is for you to try a Mac first and see for yourself. Afterwards it will be only then that you will understand what all the fuss is about as to why people in the arts, most of the time, buy only Mac's. Ask fellow artist and go to Mac web sites and see for yourself. It is not just all about the hardware but it is about the way the Mac is art user friendly. Like I said go try one first and you will see and your way will be made clear.

Answer 4

nicely look on the specs, like the cpu. a larger performance CPU will make a great massive difference like 3.0 ghz and above. also look on the RAM, something with 8 gigs and above might want to artwork. also video playing cards make a huge difference, ascertain you get a operating laptop or computer with a strong nvidia or different sort video card it truly is able to operating your courses. in case you get a operating laptop or computer with a strong CPU,RAM,and VIDEO CARD/GPU. you should be wonderful. in case you do not have those extreme performance factors, then your computer seriously is unable to run your courses properly. likely very sluggish and laggy.

Answer 5

get something that isnt too fancy or anything. Get a small-like laptop that has the best painting tools, Microsoft Paint (for starters) Photoshop, imageready, and if the student's into 3d modelling (a form a computer art) you could get him something like 3DS Max or Milkshape 3D.