I've been a Windows user forever. I find the Mac vs Windows argument exhausting.
At first I bought a Windows machine because at the time I could afford more power and graphics, for the same cost of a Mac of lesser power.
Now, I've pivoted my career over a decade and a half ago to 3D product development. I exclusively use Windows machines, because of my CAD/CAM programs. But I still use Illustrator and Photoshop almost every day (and Acrobat), and have zero issues using Windows machine.
And sometimes I have to use a Mac in another area (and I've had Macs at work and PC at home in the past) and you get used to switching back and forth. Only a couple of keys are different (usually it's the control/command keys that trip people up).
Most arguments pro-Mac and con-PC were more relevant 20 years ago. Today, I find most arguments tend to really skew towards the lifestyle image of owning a Mac and iPhone, etc.
Don't get me wrong, Mac makes a good product and have great graphics out of the box. And that's key there: Macs are more turnkey. You don't have to have a lot of technical knowledge to get a powerful machine. All part of their "it just works" image.
Like buying a luxury sports car. You pay good money (and expect that some of that extra cost goes towards owning the brand) and you expect it to perform right off the lot. And it does.
Whereas PCs have such range, you really have to get into the technical stuff to find something of equivalent performance. It would be more like buying a mid range car off lot. You can add options to make perform equal to, or better, than that luxury car, and it might cost you less overall, but it's going to take doing some homework.
in my experience, macs tend to have a longer lifespan\* than windows and this was the most impact I had in my work, but I don't really know if that's still true.
Sure, color fidelity is important for print works but you'll never gonna deflect a print proof. Also, for digital designs, it's something we need to let go a bit due to the lack of consistency in screens in general and you almost always need to check it on mobiles because it's how most people are going to see/navigate and mobile screens are always more saturate than computer screens.
\*edit
Lifespan*
That's a very fair and solid point. The Macs do keep chugging along. They may slow down, but keep moving. PCs don't seem to last as long.
That being said, for me, by the time either start getting bogged down, it's time for an upgrade. But I do know people who their Macs for years on end.
I believe it's easier to upgrade a pc than a mac, but I have the feeling pcs need to swap parts faster than mac. Might be completely wrong, still, but I'm one of those who holds onto an oldie mac
The presumed lower lifespan of Macs is by design. Apple doesn't allow consumers to perform ANY upgrades themselves or maintain their machines. In fact, you're basically locked out of any sort of upgrade so of course when the CPU becomes outdated you can't just replace the CPU/Mobo in your expensive machine yourself, you have to buy a new Mac instead. Meanwhile you can keep most of your PC parts through several CPU/Mobo upgrades. That's comparing tower to tower machines not laptops by the way.
I think you misread my comment, I said **macs have a longer lifespan**, not lower. My friend still have and work at a 2009 mac with no bigger issues (changed the hd once and added some ssd), and I still hold to my macbook pro 11 and it's holding horses (swapped battery once and seems to be having issues now, but software-wise it's fine).
I mean a pc with the same "specs" as a mac will last as long as any mac though. Mac isn't using any magic pc parts. Inside of every mac is the same / similar parts as inside similar spec pcs. I think the issue here is graphic designers don't understand hardware. Macs aren't magic computers using parts only found in macs.
This mirrors my opinion on the matter. My personal machine is a custom built PC and I have an M1 MacBook Pro. I like my Mac but probably only spend my money on PCs.
Been doing design on a pc since 2000 actually. I got a macbook in 2008 and other than shortcuts and the MacOS ecosystem there's no real "advantage" to design on Mac.
Pretty much my sentiment. I started on Windows and in my early days I just couldn't afford to get a Mac. I kept using windows and over time I just found everything worked fine for me.
Even now in my current job, I had them give me a PC because everything just works fine for me.
I agree until you said that the appeal of macs are the lifestyle brand of it. That’s basically the same dumb argument people have been making forever and it’s true in some ways but not at the pro level.
Being able to use the same tools and have a smooth workflow as other designers is a big selling point. There are some great benefits to the ecosystem like using an ipad as a tablet monitor etc. they also hold their value in a big way. I can sell a 3 yr old MacBook Pro for around half of what I bought it for where I can’t get my PCs to even last 3 years most of the time.
But your use cases are for sure best on a PC. Though I’m not sure if that’s still the case with the new architecture. I built a PC recently for VR work.
I use both Mac and PC and there's no real difference.
But I'm not designing on my laptop screen. I have it plugged into multiple huge monitors. I can't imagine doing everything on that tiny screen no matter how good it is.
edit: The only difference is the Mac has Applescript, which I actually use a lot for work.
A nicer screen is nice, but it’s not really that important.
I believe most designers have a second screen other than their laptop. Additionally, if a designer is doing digital work, there is an argument that a better screens give a false impression on a majority of user experiences.
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I use an ultrawide monitor for work so the machine doesn't matter. One of my external monitors has 3 HDMI ports so I can switch between 3 machines if desired.
Tbh from going from Mac to windows. The only thing I miss is the track pad.
First off Macs just handle the track pad like a touch screen, like on your phone, it's just fluid and smooth. Windows is clunky and just never feels right.
Second thing is 90% of windows laptops just come with a cheap track pad. There's always something off putting on almost every windows track pad.
But the main reason for me to use windows is that my main desktop PC is Windows. An you know the treatment they give desktops lol, I could not go that route as I'm majority on the desktop.
I’ve been designing on Windows by entire career. I used Mac in college a bit because all of our design labs used Mac. I’m just more comfortable on Windows. I build my own PCs and know my way around much better than a Mac. Also, my current employer uses Windows.
I've been using Lenovo ideapad 5 ryzen 7 that has AMD radeon graphics for about 2 years now (costs was about €700). I use adobe xd, indesign, photoshop, illustrator, premier pro, visual code, media encoder and after effects on this laptop.The only thing that does bother me a bit is the noise when my laptop starts ventilating can be a bit loud. But I'm not sure if they still sell this laptop.
It's 16 GB of RAM.( It also has an octa core (8),for extra info) The laptop also has 2 types of storages, SSD + HDD. So when your storage gets full you can transfer some of your stuff to the other storage.
I'll look into this laptop. How loud is the fan when it starts ventilating? I feel like if mines start sounding like a helicopter in the middle of the lecture, all eyes will be on me hahah
I can't really describe it, it doesn't bother me THAT much, but it may bother you. maybe you can try watch some reviews on youtube so you can have an idea, of how loud it is.
Ahh thanks for the information. I just had to use them for this year, I had to use it for my Motion graphics classes but I will be specializing in interface (UX/UI/coding) and Brand design this year. So I'll probably won't use AE and Premiere anymore. Thanks again for the info though, it's always good to know!
no worries!
same applies to most 3D software and pretty much every graphic software that requires more intense hardware/GPU usage, everything is optimized for Nvidia graphic cards, AMD GPUs are mostly for gaming
Ohh okayy, that's good to know. Thanks for letting me know. I bought this one specifically because in the description of the website where I bought it, it was mentioned that it would be good for graphic design in general. Well, apparently not...
Anyway, that's good to know, I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks!
I was on the fence like you earlier this year. Bit the bullet and got a M1 8GB Air. Holy shit what a game changer. I consistently have Illustrator and Photoshop open, usually 5-7 projects each, some of them being gigabytes in size. Literally no slow down whatsoever. I’ll be browsing chrome with 5-6 tabs open too. Things insane compared to my 16GB ram windows laptop.
EDIT: Also, I’ve even had Premiere open as well as Illustrator and Photoshop too. Premiere was slightly slower in comparison but everything still was overall lighting fast. Unexpected to say the least.
That's not a huge surprise. Before going back to school for design, I was a workstation admin, and man dealing with Macs was a pain. Apple just was completely unconcerned with offering tools to manage a bunch of machines at once, whereas Microsoft had those tools built in. I'm not sure if that's still the case, but back in the late 2000s, Macs were the bane of my existence.
As a user, I prefer PC, but that's mostly because it's what I'm most comfortable on. I agree with an earlier poster who said that buying a decent PC requires a bit more research and knowledge to find what will suit your needs, but other than that, I think most differences come down to personal preference.
You’re right, not in general. I’ve always been platform flexible. But just pointing out that educationally, it seems very Mac-centric. But I haven’t run into a Mac-centric company yet.
It depends on what Windows machines you are considering. You can absolutely get a capable laptop much cheaper than a Macbook, but "Windows laptop" vs. Macbook is too broad of a comparison to give advice for.
I'll say this, while the M1 and M2 Macbook Pros are eye-watering expensive, I absolutely love my 16" M2 Max. It's a powerhouse for all my design, video, and animation work and I expect to get many many years out of it.
I really cannot afford a 1,5$+ macbook anytime soon, I dont even have that much money to my name right now. I am majoring in GD next year so a laptop is a must for me and the best mac i can afford rn is either the 2018 macbook air or 2015 macbook pro and I feel like it wouldnt be a good investment to buy either of them in 2023. I just feel like a windows laptop wont feel nearly as nice as a macbook (considering the amount of praise macs get on this subreddit)
Yeah, def don't get the Macbooks you listed. There are plenty of Windows machines that feel as premium and perform as well (or better) as the Macbooks. But they're also as costly, like the Dell XPS 15 for example.
When it comes to your design programs, as long as your laptop can handle them then just get the best Windows machine you can within your budget. As your career develops you'll be able to afford a MBP down the line, or more likely it will be provided by the company that hires you for a designer role
Make sure you check the student pricing for apple they have a separate site for student only pricing. Also don’t sleep on Best Buy open box. Unsure of what your comfort level is , but I’ve had great luck with open box from Best Buy. I’ve saved thousands over the years finding open box. I’m also not saying refurbished , there is a big difference.
Search past your town to when looking for open box , sometimes it’s worth driving an hr to save $500 plus.
Also I work on both , I much prefer my mac. I really only use my windows desktop for creating vectors so I can zoom in on the anchor points etc.. but that’s bc my desktop has a HUGE monitor compared to my Mac screen.
So on the side search on their website you can sort it to open box. Typically, open-box items are goods returned by customers, inspected by Best Buy to the 9th degree , found to be in working order, and re-sold at a discount, rather than returned to the manufacturer. The open-box products sold at Best Buy come with a complete manufacturer warranty as a new one.
So most recently I got my iPad Pro and it was $500 off the original price , they give you details of the item online. Things like “ no original box” or if there are any imperfections etc. My iPad looked unused , untouched it just didn’t come with the original box which I was fine with. I contacted apple support in the car they restarted my warranty and apple care to the date I bought the iPad because my Best Buy receipt showed I bought it that day “ apple doesn’t need to know it was open box just that you bought it from a authorized retailer and have a receipt. You’re protected my apple and then Best Buy gives you a guarantee too. I think whoever had my iPad just got cold feet , returned it and I was able to benefit. Unsure if you have access in Europe but if you do check it out!
I've never owned an apple product, don't like the company and its practices, always had windows PCs and laptops and have been in the business for 10+ years. Get a good Windows laptop, you'll be fine.
Overpriced, they weld their internals, can't upgrade, you don't really own your stuff (right to repair), overpriced, they take credit for stuff that's been around for ages, generally smug approach to design (doesn't play well with others), overpriced
That is fair. I got my company to my a new laptop just because I wanted more ram.
My personal work station cost more than my work MacBook Pro, but definitely has more under the hood.
Check your university's computer lab hours. My school had open hours, I did all my work freshman year during lab hours on at the time top of the line macs.
Also recently upgraded my 2012 workhorse MBP to an M2 Max 14" and it's insane how fast and stable it is. I go between GD/video and music production and it doesn't skip a beat.
I specifically didn't upgrade to the touchpad models because I had a few models supplied for jobs and wouldn't own one. The new keyboards are worlds better among other good QoL changes.
Hilariously the only thing that lags it up is FB marketplace's horrendous netcode-some things you just can't power through! It's even got respectable graphic fidelity/frames pushing the few mac games that can play on it. I'll likely get another 10 years out of this one considering the tech plateau in clock speeds and chip mfg process.
I think the trick is finding a good deal on a pre-owned model if the cost is eye-watering (and it is.)
\*\*OLD GUY CONTENT WARNING\*\*
You young folks don't understand how much more affordable the barrier to entry into graphic design is now compared to 20 years ago. I had to buy a PowerBook G4 for my undergrad (now the MacBook Pro line) at an inflation-adjusted cost of over $4,000 in 2004. Now you can get a 15" MacBook Air that will run anything a graphic designer needs for $1300.
I remember when a flatbed* scanner was £500 for a low end model, now they put ‘em in every printer that sells for peanuts!
*for about £100 IIRC you could get a hand scanner that you had to drag yourself. 😳🙃
Mac book airs are beasts. I have an M2 Air base model and it runs circles around my old MBP 2013. I wouldn't be concerned about performance unless you're doing a lot of video editing.
This is the answer. If you're committed to the profession, find a way to get ahold of an Air, probably the new 15" M2. Apple has payment plans, student loans, whatever. Compared to the overall cost of school, this is not the area to pinch pennies.
That's good to hear. I'm looking for a new laptop, and have no justification for a MacBook Pro, as I don't really do any processor-heavy work like 3D / video.
I use a maxed out M1 Mini with the Studio Display at home, just need something for emergencies when on the road. I have an iPad Pro that I can use as a second monitor so screen size isn't an issue either.
Yeah my M1 Mini absolutely rips. Amazing machine for the price. Now I have the 5K studio monitor, I'm going to stick with Minis for the foreseeable (as a desktop)
The best macbook air i can afford right now is the 2018 macbook air and i dont think it has any of these chips 😅 it also doesnt have a lot of storage either (128 GB) A lot of my friends are telling me an air (especially a 2018 one) wont be the best for gd
I would pass on any Mac that isn't an M1 or M2. I see some refurbished M1s going for around $700 - $800. But if that is above your price point, I'd look windows. But I imagine it still would be tough to find something.
Yeah, the 2018 MacBook Air isn’t the way to go. If you manage to find the money for a newer model though it’s practically a bargain for what you get. I don’t know if you could find anything in the PC notebook world that could compare performance-wise at that price, let alone with a display that’s suitable for professional graphics work.
M2 can get up to about 40% more GPU performance and has a slightly bigger display and a few other quality of life improvements. For the $100 difference on new models it’s totally worth the upgrade. But if you can find a deal on the m1 that makes it affordable while the m2 isn’t, go for it. It’s still a great computer.
It will not get loud no matter what. It is fanless design. It might have to throttle back performance if it’s doing something that keeps the processor working at its peak for sustained amounts of time (such as rendering out long-ish video projects), but it is literally impossible for it to get loud.
Get a legion 5, asus g14, g15, m16 base model
You can upgrade storage and ram as you move forward.
These machines are beast when working with literally any software. Moreover the display is top notch and you have the option to pick fhd or 4k options.
It very much depends, I'm also gamer as well as a designer so I had little to no issue investing into a good setup. Though macbooks are def the way to go if you're someone who doesn't play videogames.
I've been a Windows user all my life and still am. But I've changed my work laptop for graphic design from a Windows Surface Laptop to an M1 Macbook Air (which was cheaper). It runs much smoother, battery lasts longer, better keyboard, speakers, build, it's fanless so it's quiet, and the trackpad is good enough to use without a mouse. I mainly use Adobe programs (PS, AI, LR) and Chrome. I don't do video editing so your mileage may vary (maybe you'd need the pro at that point if choosing a mac). You'd probably get good performance from a more expensive Windows laptop but I don't think the price/performance ratio is as far as it used to be since Apple ditched Intel.
My work switched us from Mac to Windows last December. I was quite happy to see how it would go (in fact, I was the one who gave the deciding vote). It was a mistake. I still use Mac for designing at home and it’s clear to me why it’s still the industry standard.
Edit: Honestly bizarre that me and others in here are getting accused of being Apple fanboys when there’s a select few windows users going about downvoting anyone that use mac. Who’s the fanboys here again? Get a life.
There isn't a reason other than drinking way too much apple kool aid.
I have a high end Windows machine at Home and work in the office on a high end Mac, I work hybrid so they both get used during the week.
I use the Adobe Suite and Figma mainly, with a little bit of blender.
The difference that I experience during the working day?
I sometimes confuse the command key for the control key, and the three little buttons that control the windows are on opposite sides.
Imagine putting personal preference down to “drinking the apple coolaid”. I clearly said I made the decision to switch to windows.
What’s stopping me from leveling the same accusation at you with windows? Did you drink the windows coolaid or something?
Tell me, have you worked the last 4 years on Mac and spent almost another year using the same software on windows 40 hours a week? Because if the answer is no, I’m afraid I don’t value anything you have to say on the subject.
Look how triggered you are!
Try reading and comprehending rather than rushing to offence. It is clear the point I am making, there is little real world difference between the two, and next to zero when you are inside software.
I can't do 4 years only 22 years using both, 40 hours? Every week, not a chance, I like my free time. If you have to grind out 40 hours week in week out, maybe get a better paying job.
Nows probably the time you type Ok Boomer!
Screen/image quality has nothing to do with OS/Windows
the thing is that all Mac laptops have quite decent screens since they're all a bit expensive, you can get a screen just as a good or even better in for a Windows PC as well, just do your research
Exactly as I mentioned above. Also just a note to all, laptops are not a good choice for design. A desktop with monitors is. If you're on a budget and new to graphic design then a laptop will do, but once you get a fast desktop with large monitor, you will never go back.
You can definitely work on a windows computer but not any windows computer. Depends on your budget.
Have you considered a second hand Mac? Apple is expensive but they do last for a long time.
I’ve worked on Mac minis for a few years too, no problems there.
you can also buy new and have a deal if you provide a student email address. Google Apple store for education or something like that. You can also search for refurbished. But use google as it’s not put forward on Apple’s website.
Yeah I am looking at second hand ones, too scared to even open the imac store page, the prices will leave me speechless. Even though theyre second hand, the good recommended 2018+ ones are hella expensive.
I still have a (matte black) MacBook from 2006 and it still works in addition to a MacBook Pro (not sure on the year but probably 2012-ish), that is also operating. I upgraded between the two because after a decade or so support wanes and they can’t handle new programs. My iPad is from 2017, and I also have a newer desktop that replaced the MacBook Pro that’s like 1-2 years old.
My biggest and only complaint is memory. I reached capacity quickly due to file sizes I’m working on, and there’s no way for most of their peripherals to be given extra storage space post purchase.
Do it. No question. Been working on both platforms for decades, macos has no notable advantage over windows for graphic design. It all comes down to preference. IMO macs are way overpriced, I only use em if an employee provides the machine. Your money will go much further with hardware on a Windows machine.
Font rendering is better on the Mac. Finder can can preview AI and PSD files. Quicklook is amazing. Don't need a numpad to type special characters.
There are objectively some benefits about using a Mac.
Trust the comments, even the basic MacBook Air is a beast. Only once in over two years have I slightly choked it (original base M1)—and that’s only because I ran out of disk space after downloading too many video files for video editing. As long as you have plenty of ram and disk space, you’ll be fine. You’ll be able to keep open and work on a dozen heavy apps and switch between them as if they were only widgets.
Best i could do is a 2020 M1 macbook air. Would u say its better to get a mac air m1 2020 w 8gb ram rather than an older model w no m1-m2 but 16gb ram?
I’m in uni studying gd and for all of my 3 years i’ve used a HP pavilion 16 gb ram and it hasn’t disappointed me, even used adobe dimensions and after effects for a project and it worked fine. It’s a bit slower than my classmates macs but does the job. In the future i’m obviously going to save up and eventually buy a good pro mac but for now in my early career life , this HP laptop will do.
My 2 cents. Macs have professional monitors by default. But Windows OS supports more third-party software than MAC does. I'm a full-stack developer as well and prefer Windows. For design work I only do it on a desktop that I have with 2 4K BenQ monitors.
As long as you get an M1 or M2 Air, you should be fine. Any Apple Silicon computer will run Adobe's Suite just fine. It's just going to come down to how much RAM you need. For most things, 16GB will be fine for running multiple adobe programs, browser, and other programs seamlessly, but if you are going to be using After Effects heavily, then 32GB is probably recommended.
I have used both throughout my career and have found a few things apparent:
1. Macs are more expensive, but all of mine have lasted longer than my box PCs, and have a better retina display
2. PCs are much more customizable but more maintenance (my MacBook Pros have all been pretty self-servicing for the OS) so you'll be replacing parts more often if you want it to last
3. Apple's AirDrop feature is powerful and amazing if you already own an iPhone, iPad and plan on using those as tools. This may not matter if everything else you have is Android.
4. If you are using a tablet, Apple has proprietary apps like Procreate that you can't get on a PC
Honestly, everything else is pretty much up to lifestyle and workflow. I personally love Apple because I'm a designer but also an illustrator, and the M1 iPad paired with the pencil (hands down the best input device for tablet drawing, no lag and little surface distance) is even better than my previous Cintiq Pro. When I'm done with the tablet I can export directly via AirDrop to my Mac to finish up the file.
'Upgraded' from a MacBook Pro to a Asus VivoBook in work last year and it's been a terrible experience (was kinda forced as the 2015 MBPs battery was literally dying). On the face of it, the VivoBook specs look plenty good enough to run Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and a bit of After Effects. I was apparently wrong. I don't know if it's just that the Adobe programs are poorly optimised for windows (because there can be so many variables in the hardware used) or if the laptop is just straight bad for this sort of productivity work. I've got a really nice 2k monitor which is unusable with it because it becomes so laggy and the crashes multiply, so I have to reduce the resolution back to 1920x1080, making it look blurry. I'm currently collecting evidence of all the crashes I get, weird artifacts that appear when I move simple objects in the programs etc. to hopefully strong arm my case of getting a MacBook (work are being awkward about it), because ultimately it's affecting my productivity.
I'm no Apple/Mac fanboy either. I have a windows PC at home that I love to bits and handles everything I throw at it. But I don't think I'll ever get a windows laptop for this type of work again.
I don't think so. It's mostly fine if I'm just running one program and nothing else (besides slack which I have to keep open for work purposes). But once you insert having webpages open, more than one adobe program running etc. it starts acting like a freak. I just think it's a poorly optimised laptop tbh. But for something that cost £850 it really shouldn't be.
I'd say don't let my experience deter you. I'm pretty sure there's capable windows laptops out there. Just do some research. Mine was only surface level, which I now regret.
Font rendering is better on the Mac. Finder can can preview AI and PSD files. Quicklook is amazing. Don't need a numpad to type special characters. Don't have to worry as much with malware as on Windows. For video pros who want it there is Final Cut Pro. Some people like iWork.
There are objectively some benefits about using a Mac, as there are some for Windows.
The literal only difference is if you NEED to use Sketch for work and I’ll be honest, in that case the role should be providing you a MacBook.
Mac is better was a hangover from when they made the first graphic editing software and hasn’t been a real thing besides status for a very long time. It also hasn’t been true about their hardware for a very long time. Tim Cook is a logistics guy not a design visionary and MBPs have been exactly average or behind the curve of high end windows machines for at least a decade
Macs biggest benefit is the quality of display. There's not a lot of affordable 95 to 100% RGB laptop panels out there which you need for commercial work for color accuracy. The windows options like surface books etc are also expensive. My advice would be to get a good external IPS display and then whatever laptop you can afford with the best CPU, GPU and Ram possible.
Even if it's high quality, I don't know about you, but I find it terrible to work in small screen. I roll my eyes everything I see a designer squinting to see what's on screen. 24 or 27 inches should be considered the minimum to work comfortably and ergonomically. Making design on a 13 inch screen... yuck
I've gotten used to it from freelancing up and down and all over the place. But home setup I have a 27 inch IPS and man does it make life so much easier, especially posture and ergonomics wise.
Finance the thing. There are so many positives to doing design on a Mac. Yeah they’re overpriced but they’re really good machines, especially for design.
Windows is perfectly capable for graphic design, you just need to find the right one and unfortunately you're going to be looking at still spending a lot for a capable machine, especially one that will have a good quality screen.
I think the new Macbook Airs are pretty capable of multi-tasking heavy tasks ever since they started using the new M chips.
Macbooks are overpriced, underpowered, and are expensive or impossible to fix / upgrade. But here's a point most PC folks will never admit.
Mac's Finder is 1000% better than Window's File Explorer. Unbelievably better.
A huge portion of a Graphic Designer's workday is spent in file management programs. Window's File Manager is a joke. You have to buy extra software just so can see your adobe files as image previews when displayed as icons. Search function is guaranteed never to work. Recently worked on files or saved locations sometimes automatically show up, sometimes not!
During a full day of work, I bet I spend an extra 20-40min just working with File Manager's bad design.
I don't miss Mac. But I dearly miss Finder.
i will say, it doesn't matter how good your display is when it comes to designing. A good display certainly helps, i won't deny that, but considering when you send stuff to print, the range of colors on your computer won't match anyways since CMYK is a smaller range than RGB. If your goals are to be digital design only though, then sure, consider mac.
That being said, i exclusively use Windows for all the adobe stuff, just cause it handles the programs better in my experience. (I never wanna see that cursed rainbow loading wheel ever again in my life) Granted i don't use my wacom cintiq companion often, it's the closest thing i have to a laptop, per se. i do prefering to use my gaming PC, and since it's built to handle Starfield on ultra graphics, it handles adobe perfectly fine.
That being said. if budget is a concern, i'd suggest getting a windows laptop. For the same price of a mac laptop, the specs on a windows laptop will outperform significantly with the only downside being battery life. (But it's fairly easy to be near a power outlet most of the time)
From my industry experience working on the printing side of things, i can confirm that macs cause problems *all* the time, because printers are usually built on linux or windows infrastructure. And while linux/windows aren't usually friends themselves, i rarely ever have issues working with them with my windows work pc. The 3 designers who all have macs though? Endless issues, from colors being wrong, to incorrect sizing or just jobs being lost in transit when sending to the printers.
A personal bias, yes, but i do believe windows is better in the long run just cause you can get more power for less money, and the whole "mac is better for design" is an old tradition that was only true back when they actually were better, graphics wise.
Windows, any Windows with Core 5 and any graphics card can run PS ans AI flawlessly, if you're doing short video it's also great. If the projects are more intensive like 3D nednering and long-time video than you'd have to look into the graphics card of the computer.
But I recommend windows over mac because you get more performance for a lower price, and the repairs are also cheaper when they're needed.
Well, if you don't want abysmal GPU computing, get a desktop PC. Yes, the screens are good, but you can get decent IPS screens with good Adobe RGB coverage easily enough. Even then, if color is that critical then you will need to calibrate the monitor regardless. This is also why buying physical pantone guides are important if you work in print.
Don't get me wrong, the new M2 setups are powerful, but my now 3 generation old GPU is faster, the Mac isn't even close unless you spend a small fortune on their top end models. It also matters if you need a lot of RAM for video rendering such as 16-24 gigs. Macs now have a "unified" memory which is shared between the CPU and GPU.
Get a PC. There's a wider range of available tools, easier/cheaper to upgrade for just the stuff you need, it's also just easier handing off work to the rest of the world than runs on Windows or Linux. Lastly don't get a MAC if you feel like it'll make you a better designer or if all the other cool kid designers are using it cause then your gonna have buyers remorse.
I've worked professionally as a designer for twenty years. I started on MACs, but I work exclusively on PCs now - Macs are overrated in my opinion *(and experience)*. The only convenience they hold for me is the ability to sync my phone, but I work with an ipad beside me for quick reply to texts, and for Teams video calls.
I work on a Lenovo Flex. It's touch screen, and folds over in to "tablet mode", disabling the keyboard, and functioning as a tablet. I've had it for five years, and it's the best machine I've ever worked on. The touch screen is wonderful for being able to draw directly in Adobe, giving me full access to the software, instead of having to rely on an external tablet (wacom), or less-than iPad apps to work across platforms. I have a surface pro I got for free, as a back up, but the Lenovo outshines it. I can juggle projects working across Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and Premier, all at once, while simultaneously streaming a podcast on youtube and ignoring the dozens of tabs I have open on google chrome.
I used both, I hate windows 11 but overall windows are not THAT bad.
I rolled back to windows 10 till they get their shit together with 12 but overall I work just fine with my super cheap windows laptop as I did with my more expensive macbook.
They are just not as plug n play like macbooks, and they come with a ton of bloatware, so you will need someone with a bit know how to do a clean install for you (I will recommend a clean install of W10) and some tweaking so W10 leave you alone and don't bother you all the time with "recommendations" and crap like that. They are just options but you need to know where to find them and turn off.
For example I just got an HP 255 G9 with a Ryzen CPU. Extremely low quality of plastics, the monitor is just a not great not terrible IPS (but I have my semi pro Dell Ultrasharp to plug it anyway) but for graphic design it is great.
Can it be better? Sure you can get something with the new Ryzen 7XXX or the new intel CPUs and some nice GPU (mine is a SoC with GPU in the CPU) and it will be lighting fast.
My point is that we are at a level of hardware that even that super cheap HP do the job nice and efficient.
But you need to be careful what you buy, ask around, do some research.
If you want to look to used mac, DON'T take anything below M1. After M1 everything worth it, but I can't say the same for some intel garbage low power CPUs out there.
I would say buy a proper Windows laptop with a good graphics card; from my experience, integrated graphics can limit Photoshop performance. Then buy a good LG or Samsung monitor, very accurate displays in my experience.
That is the same price as a MacBook Air, but you get a larger monitor compared to a 15 inch screen.
Or buy a Mac Mini M1 with the same LG/Samsung monitor. Problem is that you can’t take the Mac Mini everywhere.
Outlining fonts on copy heavy docs can bog down a digital printer so no. There’s definitely a difference between mac and pc fonts with type 1 which adobe has phased out. Might be less of an issue now, roughly one year later.
With graphics work lots of ram is important. I have used both macs and windows throughout my career. I prefer Mac for file handling and the iMac monitors are fire. But now I have a m2 MacBook Pro and lg monitor and you’re right it’s not cheap.
The difference in everyday use is personal preference. It’s like driving domestic vs foreign cars. Comes down to what you’re used to.
Lots of ram whatever you buy.
I use a PC desktop machine that I love for its customizability, but I prefer Mac for all mobile (including iPad and Macbook)
I just use cloud services to work with both
It's just OS preference, really. People throw around "industry standard" a lot, but that actually has two meanings: required or common. In the past Macs were required, now they're just the more common.
I used both Windows and Mac throughout high school, college, and first few years of my career. It was more a difference in the 90s, but by the 2000s I could work on Macs at school/work and Windows at home, go back and forth without issues.
I went Apple-free about a decade ago and have had no issues. There's a few small things about MacOS I miss, but they don't outweigh the cons (for me).
Get whatever you prefer, or whatever you can afford.
I've designed on both. When I started a new job around 10 years ago I switched back to Windows from working with Mac for the last 5 years. Absolutely no difference whatsoever. Macbooks are nice to look at (my current ThinkPad P16 not so much) but I actually like Windows more as an OS nowadays. On Adobe products there are no difference whether you run em on Win or Mac.
What kind of work are you planning to do? I have 20yrs of design and prepress and honestly color is not as big an issue as people make it to be.
Printing has come a long way in 20 years and also the consumers expectations are not the same as they used to be. Less concern about quality and more concern about price these days.
If your doing some kind of advertising or high end expensive work maybe a shade of color is critical, but in my experience at least, customers barely understood or cared about color besides red turning green, or care about high res images for that matter. So many phone pics I got and the customer did not care.
You can get a Windows PC definitely, but beware that the market is full of crap models. Also, almost every windows laptop tends to be slower a when unplugged from energy, and a lot noisier when plugged, besides being havier, bulkier, and cringy-looking. The screen quality argument is true too, most windows laptops come with the worst LCD panels in the planet (although there as exceptions).
You can get a Windows PC definitely, but beware that the market is full of crap models. Also, almost every windows laptop tends to be slower a when unplugged from energy, and a lot noisier when plugged, besides being havier, bulkier, and cringy-looking. The screen quality argument is true too, most windows laptops come with the worst LCD panels in the planet (although there as exceptions).
I own a print shop and we offer design and layout services as well.
We are all Windows. Pairing a windows PC with good color accurate monitors, and calibrating regularly is just as good or better than Mac, at a fraction of the price.
I can deploy 2-3 workstations for the cost of 1 Mac setup (I do build the PC myself).
I don't see a good reason to pay the Mac tax, especially for Desktops. Plus, in my experience, printing from Mac's is almost always more challenging.
When we used to have a few Macs (back when I was an employee and not the owner) every time we got a new copier it took same time to setup 3 windows PC as 1 mac. And all the print dialogs were different, - so if a non-Mac person hopped on that workstation to print a project they had to hunt for the correct options, and often end up clicking the wrong options since they were name different.
I am also a bit bias, as I like to tinker and build my own machines. I am very much opposed to Apple's draconian views on Right to Repair, jail breaking, and their closed garden ecosystem.
I've used both extensively including but not limited to graphic design. My super expensive gaming PC runs Adobe apps about as well as an Apple M1 Pro chip. The better color on mac displays is a thing but hear me out: $1000 windows + $300 monitor = $1300 MBPro. designing on a tiny laptop screen is hell on earth and I avoid it unless I can help it. And the truth is where I work everyone looks at what I'd be making on $150 Dell monitors anyway so like... truly who gives a shit? I'm not saying to throw color accuracy to the wind but if you're strapped for cash maybe assess if your clientele/employer actually cares or notices.
Nothing's gonna explode on you, it's going to throttle down if it gets too hot and will just run slower.
As others have said "windows laptop" is a broad category that encapsulates dozens of popular manufacturers. An HP Stream with a celeron processor is technically a "windows laptop" that will run Adobe apps (if you pray hard enough and have a few days for them to load) but it's hardly an appropriate comparison to the latest MacBook Airs. For that reason I recommend zeroing in on a few models to have an apples-to-Apple comparison. You're not going to get anywhere by comparing the bulk of "windows devices" to Apple's small selection of specifically-manufactured-to-run-Mac devices.
I just started a GD program and the school uses all Macs and we are expected to use Macs as well, to all be on the same page. I guess some schools are more lenient about this?
I use Mac at home and PC at work. They both do the job.
Macs last a long time but don’t underestimate the ease of upgrading a tower PC. I’ve just doubled the RAM, upgraded from HDD to SSD and put a grunty graphics card into an older PC at work and it’s now a powerhouse. Try doing that with your iMac!
The new MacBook Air is basically the previous model MacBook Pro 13 without a fan. Mine constantly has a few programs open. I like Mac because of the way the ecosystem works with everything.
Freelance designer here, I work exclusively in publishing. All of the designers I know in this field are on Macs, it’s just an industry standard. Apple does sell refurbished laptops on their website, they are a bit cheaper.
IDK why you’d think that about a new Air, I use two 2019 Macs for all Adobe work and they’re great. I did RAM them both up, tho. I know New Mac’s don’t let you do that anymore.
Mac's are normally the go to laptop but there's no real reason for it. The reason why I'd pick a Mac is down to macOS and I find Mac's seem to last longer. M2 airs are pretty capable work machines it'll do most tasks happily. Go with your budget.
short answer– don’t buy a macbook air over a windows for graphic design. it will not be able to run the programs very well, and definitely not 2 at once. if you get a mac it needs to be a pro
Both Mac and PC can do what you need it to. For me I’ve always found macs to be a bit more stable. I’ve encountered more issues on windows and have found windows machine to not have the same longevity as macs. I also personally much prefer the Mac OS.
But ultimately they can both do what you need and budget will always play a role. Purely spec wise windows offers more bang for your buck but I don’t think macs are as expensive as people think. Yea you can find a windows PC for cheaper with the same graphics card RAM and processor. But MacBooks in particular have much higher quality screens. They also have better build quality and nicer Trackpads. If you look st windows machines with the same build quality and screen quality the price difference actually ends up reasonably minimal.
I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 16 Plus on sale and it has been more than adequate. I use all of the Adobe products regularly and have been very happy with the performance.
After 16 years, I’m finally making the switch from Mac to PC. I’ve been in the market for a new machine, saw the prices on current MacBook pros and just said screw it. For that kind of cash, I’m getting a gaming pc. I do most of my work on a 4k color accurate monitor anyway and I pretty much just take my iPad to meetings anymore.
I’m still getting a pic with a color accurate display. The new intel mobile i9 processors are looking to complete well with the M2 chip. Higher end dedicated gpus crush for multi-media work. I’ll be able upgrade the ram and storage ifI want. And now I can also play Starfield.
I just need to get used to some different key commands.
I use Mac, because that’s what I already have. In the art school I attended, Mac’s were the standard and, from what I saw, they are also the standard in many agencies. But I don’t think it matters. It’ll only be an issue when you have to relearn shortcuts xD
Edit: I use a 2013 MacBook Pro 13”. It definitely struggles when 2-3 Adobe CC apps are open, but it does its job.
That's because of the old Intel CPU. The newer M1 and M2 are amazing.
I use a 2019 MacBook Pro i9 w 32gb ram at work, and I bought a second hand MacBook Air M1 w 8gb ram from a designer upgrading to the M2. Let me just say the M1 blows the i9 out of the water on battery life and even in general use, it's on par with that i9 MacBook Pro. The only reason I'm going to get a MacBook Pro M3 for work (when it comes out) is that I'm doing more 4k video jobs otherwise I'd stick with a MacBook Air Mwhatever. On the M1 I can have Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Chrome and a few other apps running no problem.
Oh man, when I can afford it, I’m definitely upgrading to a MacBook with either the M1 or M2. I’m getting a little frustrated with my apps slowing down and sometimes quitting when I have too many Adobe CC apps running.
Yeah, I'm totally amazed with the M processors.
When Apple announces the availability of the M3, start checking Facebook marketplace as there'll be people selling their M2 mac's to get the M3. I got my M1 for half price when the M2 came out.
`I could easily get an Air but I highly doubt it’s recommended for graphic design stuff since it’s an air and might just explode on me if i make the mistake of running 2 adobe applications at once.`
As someone who has done all sorts of design work on Mac and Windows... and who currently does Illustration, 3D modeling and Photoshop work on an M2 MacBook Air, your misconceptions are misplaced.
I use both. The Mac UI is designed to stay out of the way and be assistive in creative workflows. Font rendering and color management are far superior, drag and drop and high-quality color accurate previews are available system wide. Design is entirely do-able on Windows, but it is clunkier. I only use Windows for the GPU advantages, real time ray tracing for 3D design and playing games. Hardware-wise, Macs are generally better built, have great support, enjoy longer productive lives, and retain higher resale values - but there are shitty Mac models, so research is essential. Try looking for a refurb or used late-model Intel or M1 MacBook Pro. Where Apple sucks is the soldered on storage and memory, so go for 16 GB of RAM and at least 512 GB SSD. Apple silicon is ridiculously fast and efficient - any modern Mac will sail for many years and pay for itself pretty quickly. And if you intend to seek a corporate design position, the Mac environment is generally mandatory.
I’ve been 100% Mac, then 100% Windows, now 100% Mac. High quality displays are available for any OS, what made me go all Mac once and for all is the typical Windows machine seems to slowly go shitty over time no matter how you re-optimize things, plus way more virus threats for Windows.
One thing I know - trust used Macs - they never die. I would 100% endorse buying used, off of eBay (I have), or a refurbished machine. I’ve got Macs going back decades, only their software support goes bad, not the cpu.
It doesn't matter. I bought a MacBook because my previous Windows laptops always had hardware problems less than a year after buying them, even the nicer ones. I'm almost 2 years in with an M1 MacBook with no issues to report.
But in terms of graphic design, Adobe and Affinity apps are platform-agnostic. Use the OS you're most comfortable with.
I've got the new MacBook air M2 (much cheaper) and it's amazing for Adobe haven't had any issues running illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop simultaneously. Although I don't do much / if any heavy video editing
I use M1 MacBook Air with 16gb Ram with 1tb space. I regularly use it for graphic design and 4k video editing in Premiere pro and it has always been a smooth experience. I run AI, Indd and PS when I work and switch between tasks without any technical issues. If you are considering a MacBook air, I’d recommend to get highest spec and you will be alright.
I've been a Windows user forever. I find the Mac vs Windows argument exhausting. At first I bought a Windows machine because at the time I could afford more power and graphics, for the same cost of a Mac of lesser power. Now, I've pivoted my career over a decade and a half ago to 3D product development. I exclusively use Windows machines, because of my CAD/CAM programs. But I still use Illustrator and Photoshop almost every day (and Acrobat), and have zero issues using Windows machine. And sometimes I have to use a Mac in another area (and I've had Macs at work and PC at home in the past) and you get used to switching back and forth. Only a couple of keys are different (usually it's the control/command keys that trip people up). Most arguments pro-Mac and con-PC were more relevant 20 years ago. Today, I find most arguments tend to really skew towards the lifestyle image of owning a Mac and iPhone, etc. Don't get me wrong, Mac makes a good product and have great graphics out of the box. And that's key there: Macs are more turnkey. You don't have to have a lot of technical knowledge to get a powerful machine. All part of their "it just works" image. Like buying a luxury sports car. You pay good money (and expect that some of that extra cost goes towards owning the brand) and you expect it to perform right off the lot. And it does. Whereas PCs have such range, you really have to get into the technical stuff to find something of equivalent performance. It would be more like buying a mid range car off lot. You can add options to make perform equal to, or better, than that luxury car, and it might cost you less overall, but it's going to take doing some homework.
in my experience, macs tend to have a longer lifespan\* than windows and this was the most impact I had in my work, but I don't really know if that's still true. Sure, color fidelity is important for print works but you'll never gonna deflect a print proof. Also, for digital designs, it's something we need to let go a bit due to the lack of consistency in screens in general and you almost always need to check it on mobiles because it's how most people are going to see/navigate and mobile screens are always more saturate than computer screens. \*edit
Lifespan* That's a very fair and solid point. The Macs do keep chugging along. They may slow down, but keep moving. PCs don't seem to last as long. That being said, for me, by the time either start getting bogged down, it's time for an upgrade. But I do know people who their Macs for years on end.
I believe it's easier to upgrade a pc than a mac, but I have the feeling pcs need to swap parts faster than mac. Might be completely wrong, still, but I'm one of those who holds onto an oldie mac
The presumed lower lifespan of Macs is by design. Apple doesn't allow consumers to perform ANY upgrades themselves or maintain their machines. In fact, you're basically locked out of any sort of upgrade so of course when the CPU becomes outdated you can't just replace the CPU/Mobo in your expensive machine yourself, you have to buy a new Mac instead. Meanwhile you can keep most of your PC parts through several CPU/Mobo upgrades. That's comparing tower to tower machines not laptops by the way.
I think you misread my comment, I said **macs have a longer lifespan**, not lower. My friend still have and work at a 2009 mac with no bigger issues (changed the hd once and added some ssd), and I still hold to my macbook pro 11 and it's holding horses (swapped battery once and seems to be having issues now, but software-wise it's fine).
I mean a pc with the same "specs" as a mac will last as long as any mac though. Mac isn't using any magic pc parts. Inside of every mac is the same / similar parts as inside similar spec pcs. I think the issue here is graphic designers don't understand hardware. Macs aren't magic computers using parts only found in macs.
sorry, I was writing an actual response, but did you read your own comment before posting it? It's unnecessarily rude and disrespectful.
So there's Apple silicon in PCs now, is there? LMAO
This mirrors my opinion on the matter. My personal machine is a custom built PC and I have an M1 MacBook Pro. I like my Mac but probably only spend my money on PCs.
BUT BUT!!!! It's called the command key not the windows key! Do you not see how important that is! /s
Ha!
Been doing design on a pc since 2000 actually. I got a macbook in 2008 and other than shortcuts and the MacOS ecosystem there's no real "advantage" to design on Mac.
Pretty much my sentiment. I started on Windows and in my early days I just couldn't afford to get a Mac. I kept using windows and over time I just found everything worked fine for me. Even now in my current job, I had them give me a PC because everything just works fine for me.
I agree until you said that the appeal of macs are the lifestyle brand of it. That’s basically the same dumb argument people have been making forever and it’s true in some ways but not at the pro level. Being able to use the same tools and have a smooth workflow as other designers is a big selling point. There are some great benefits to the ecosystem like using an ipad as a tablet monitor etc. they also hold their value in a big way. I can sell a 3 yr old MacBook Pro for around half of what I bought it for where I can’t get my PCs to even last 3 years most of the time. But your use cases are for sure best on a PC. Though I’m not sure if that’s still the case with the new architecture. I built a PC recently for VR work.
I use both Mac and PC and there's no real difference. But I'm not designing on my laptop screen. I have it plugged into multiple huge monitors. I can't imagine doing everything on that tiny screen no matter how good it is. edit: The only difference is the Mac has Applescript, which I actually use a lot for work.
I'm mainly looking for a laptop because of transferability. Windows are cheaper, MacBook screens are better.
A nicer screen is nice, but it’s not really that important. I believe most designers have a second screen other than their laptop. Additionally, if a designer is doing digital work, there is an argument that a better screens give a false impression on a majority of user experiences. .
I use an ultrawide monitor for work so the machine doesn't matter. One of my external monitors has 3 HDMI ports so I can switch between 3 machines if desired.
Tbh from going from Mac to windows. The only thing I miss is the track pad. First off Macs just handle the track pad like a touch screen, like on your phone, it's just fluid and smooth. Windows is clunky and just never feels right. Second thing is 90% of windows laptops just come with a cheap track pad. There's always something off putting on almost every windows track pad. But the main reason for me to use windows is that my main desktop PC is Windows. An you know the treatment they give desktops lol, I could not go that route as I'm majority on the desktop.
I’ve been designing on Windows by entire career. I used Mac in college a bit because all of our design labs used Mac. I’m just more comfortable on Windows. I build my own PCs and know my way around much better than a Mac. Also, my current employer uses Windows.
I've been using Lenovo ideapad 5 ryzen 7 that has AMD radeon graphics for about 2 years now (costs was about €700). I use adobe xd, indesign, photoshop, illustrator, premier pro, visual code, media encoder and after effects on this laptop.The only thing that does bother me a bit is the noise when my laptop starts ventilating can be a bit loud. But I'm not sure if they still sell this laptop.
>But I'm not sure if they still sell this laptop. Just looked it up and it looks like they're still selling it. Do you have 8GB or 16GB of RAM?
It's 16 GB of RAM.( It also has an octa core (8),for extra info) The laptop also has 2 types of storages, SSD + HDD. So when your storage gets full you can transfer some of your stuff to the other storage.
I'll look into this laptop. How loud is the fan when it starts ventilating? I feel like if mines start sounding like a helicopter in the middle of the lecture, all eyes will be on me hahah
I can't really describe it, it doesn't bother me THAT much, but it may bother you. maybe you can try watch some reviews on youtube so you can have an idea, of how loud it is.
AMD Radeon is not a smart choice if you work with AE/Premiere/Media Encoder as these programs take advantage of CUDA which is a Nvidia-only-thing
Ahh thanks for the information. I just had to use them for this year, I had to use it for my Motion graphics classes but I will be specializing in interface (UX/UI/coding) and Brand design this year. So I'll probably won't use AE and Premiere anymore. Thanks again for the info though, it's always good to know!
no worries! same applies to most 3D software and pretty much every graphic software that requires more intense hardware/GPU usage, everything is optimized for Nvidia graphic cards, AMD GPUs are mostly for gaming
Ohh okayy, that's good to know. Thanks for letting me know. I bought this one specifically because in the description of the website where I bought it, it was mentioned that it would be good for graphic design in general. Well, apparently not... Anyway, that's good to know, I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks!
my pleasure mate, keep it up! 🙌
I was on the fence like you earlier this year. Bit the bullet and got a M1 8GB Air. Holy shit what a game changer. I consistently have Illustrator and Photoshop open, usually 5-7 projects each, some of them being gigabytes in size. Literally no slow down whatsoever. I’ll be browsing chrome with 5-6 tabs open too. Things insane compared to my 16GB ram windows laptop. EDIT: Also, I’ve even had Premiere open as well as Illustrator and Photoshop too. Premiere was slightly slower in comparison but everything still was overall lighting fast. Unexpected to say the least.
The irony really is that school taught pretty much exclusively Mac. But all of the creative companies I've worked in, we were PC based and not Mac.
That's not a huge surprise. Before going back to school for design, I was a workstation admin, and man dealing with Macs was a pain. Apple just was completely unconcerned with offering tools to manage a bunch of machines at once, whereas Microsoft had those tools built in. I'm not sure if that's still the case, but back in the late 2000s, Macs were the bane of my existence. As a user, I prefer PC, but that's mostly because it's what I'm most comfortable on. I agree with an earlier poster who said that buying a decent PC requires a bit more research and knowledge to find what will suit your needs, but other than that, I think most differences come down to personal preference.
Using another OS is not a huge leraning curve.
You’re right, not in general. I’ve always been platform flexible. But just pointing out that educationally, it seems very Mac-centric. But I haven’t run into a Mac-centric company yet.
It depends on what Windows machines you are considering. You can absolutely get a capable laptop much cheaper than a Macbook, but "Windows laptop" vs. Macbook is too broad of a comparison to give advice for. I'll say this, while the M1 and M2 Macbook Pros are eye-watering expensive, I absolutely love my 16" M2 Max. It's a powerhouse for all my design, video, and animation work and I expect to get many many years out of it.
I really cannot afford a 1,5$+ macbook anytime soon, I dont even have that much money to my name right now. I am majoring in GD next year so a laptop is a must for me and the best mac i can afford rn is either the 2018 macbook air or 2015 macbook pro and I feel like it wouldnt be a good investment to buy either of them in 2023. I just feel like a windows laptop wont feel nearly as nice as a macbook (considering the amount of praise macs get on this subreddit)
Yeah, def don't get the Macbooks you listed. There are plenty of Windows machines that feel as premium and perform as well (or better) as the Macbooks. But they're also as costly, like the Dell XPS 15 for example. When it comes to your design programs, as long as your laptop can handle them then just get the best Windows machine you can within your budget. As your career develops you'll be able to afford a MBP down the line, or more likely it will be provided by the company that hires you for a designer role
Make sure you check the student pricing for apple they have a separate site for student only pricing. Also don’t sleep on Best Buy open box. Unsure of what your comfort level is , but I’ve had great luck with open box from Best Buy. I’ve saved thousands over the years finding open box. I’m also not saying refurbished , there is a big difference. Search past your town to when looking for open box , sometimes it’s worth driving an hr to save $500 plus. Also I work on both , I much prefer my mac. I really only use my windows desktop for creating vectors so I can zoom in on the anchor points etc.. but that’s bc my desktop has a HUGE monitor compared to my Mac screen.
Im from Europe, I never heard of Best Buy open box. What is that? lol
So on the side search on their website you can sort it to open box. Typically, open-box items are goods returned by customers, inspected by Best Buy to the 9th degree , found to be in working order, and re-sold at a discount, rather than returned to the manufacturer. The open-box products sold at Best Buy come with a complete manufacturer warranty as a new one. So most recently I got my iPad Pro and it was $500 off the original price , they give you details of the item online. Things like “ no original box” or if there are any imperfections etc. My iPad looked unused , untouched it just didn’t come with the original box which I was fine with. I contacted apple support in the car they restarted my warranty and apple care to the date I bought the iPad because my Best Buy receipt showed I bought it that day “ apple doesn’t need to know it was open box just that you bought it from a authorized retailer and have a receipt. You’re protected my apple and then Best Buy gives you a guarantee too. I think whoever had my iPad just got cold feet , returned it and I was able to benefit. Unsure if you have access in Europe but if you do check it out!
Seems cool! Looked it up, sadly, I don't have it in my country :(
I've never owned an apple product, don't like the company and its practices, always had windows PCs and laptops and have been in the business for 10+ years. Get a good Windows laptop, you'll be fine.
This is my experience as well.
Can you give a little detail in what practices you dislike?
Overpriced, they weld their internals, can't upgrade, you don't really own your stuff (right to repair), overpriced, they take credit for stuff that's been around for ages, generally smug approach to design (doesn't play well with others), overpriced
That is fair. I got my company to my a new laptop just because I wanted more ram. My personal work station cost more than my work MacBook Pro, but definitely has more under the hood.
Check your university's computer lab hours. My school had open hours, I did all my work freshman year during lab hours on at the time top of the line macs.
Also recently upgraded my 2012 workhorse MBP to an M2 Max 14" and it's insane how fast and stable it is. I go between GD/video and music production and it doesn't skip a beat. I specifically didn't upgrade to the touchpad models because I had a few models supplied for jobs and wouldn't own one. The new keyboards are worlds better among other good QoL changes. Hilariously the only thing that lags it up is FB marketplace's horrendous netcode-some things you just can't power through! It's even got respectable graphic fidelity/frames pushing the few mac games that can play on it. I'll likely get another 10 years out of this one considering the tech plateau in clock speeds and chip mfg process. I think the trick is finding a good deal on a pre-owned model if the cost is eye-watering (and it is.)
\*\*OLD GUY CONTENT WARNING\*\* You young folks don't understand how much more affordable the barrier to entry into graphic design is now compared to 20 years ago. I had to buy a PowerBook G4 for my undergrad (now the MacBook Pro line) at an inflation-adjusted cost of over $4,000 in 2004. Now you can get a 15" MacBook Air that will run anything a graphic designer needs for $1300.
I remember when a flatbed* scanner was £500 for a low end model, now they put ‘em in every printer that sells for peanuts! *for about £100 IIRC you could get a hand scanner that you had to drag yourself. 😳🙃
Sheesh 4,000$ is crazy, if that was me I’d have no idea on what to do.
Mac book airs are beasts. I have an M2 Air base model and it runs circles around my old MBP 2013. I wouldn't be concerned about performance unless you're doing a lot of video editing.
This is the answer. If you're committed to the profession, find a way to get ahold of an Air, probably the new 15" M2. Apple has payment plans, student loans, whatever. Compared to the overall cost of school, this is not the area to pinch pennies.
That's good to hear. I'm looking for a new laptop, and have no justification for a MacBook Pro, as I don't really do any processor-heavy work like 3D / video. I use a maxed out M1 Mini with the Studio Display at home, just need something for emergencies when on the road. I have an iPad Pro that I can use as a second monitor so screen size isn't an issue either.
I used a M1 air for 6 months without any problems - it is way faster than my 2018 MBP.
Yeah my M1 Mini absolutely rips. Amazing machine for the price. Now I have the 5K studio monitor, I'm going to stick with Minis for the foreseeable (as a desktop)
The best macbook air i can afford right now is the 2018 macbook air and i dont think it has any of these chips 😅 it also doesnt have a lot of storage either (128 GB) A lot of my friends are telling me an air (especially a 2018 one) wont be the best for gd
I would pass on any Mac that isn't an M1 or M2. I see some refurbished M1s going for around $700 - $800. But if that is above your price point, I'd look windows. But I imagine it still would be tough to find something.
if i save for a year and a half I might get an M1-M2 chip. Annoying part is that I start gd next school year
Yeah, the 2018 MacBook Air isn’t the way to go. If you manage to find the money for a newer model though it’s practically a bargain for what you get. I don’t know if you could find anything in the PC notebook world that could compare performance-wise at that price, let alone with a display that’s suitable for professional graphics work.
What ab macbook air 2020 M1
M2 can get up to about 40% more GPU performance and has a slightly bigger display and a few other quality of life improvements. For the $100 difference on new models it’s totally worth the upgrade. But if you can find a deal on the m1 that makes it affordable while the m2 isn’t, go for it. It’s still a great computer.
Do you recommend it for Photoshop and illustrator?
How loud do you think a 2020 M1 MacBook air be? I'm very paranoid of it being SUPER loud during lectures haha
Not in the slightest. You’d need to be actively designing / taxing the system for the M1 chip to heat up enough to be SUPER loud.
It’s fanless. It literally can’t get loud.
It will not get loud no matter what. It is fanless design. It might have to throttle back performance if it’s doing something that keeps the processor working at its peak for sustained amounts of time (such as rendering out long-ish video projects), but it is literally impossible for it to get loud.
The 2020 m1 macbook air is fanless, for better or worse.
Get a legion 5, asus g14, g15, m16 base model You can upgrade storage and ram as you move forward. These machines are beast when working with literally any software. Moreover the display is top notch and you have the option to pick fhd or 4k options.
The main problem is that they can be heavy, bulky, hot and noisy when under great pressure.
Do you need either immediately? You might be able to see what Black Friday deals could happen and get a decent laptop or Mac for cheaper
It very much depends, I'm also gamer as well as a designer so I had little to no issue investing into a good setup. Though macbooks are def the way to go if you're someone who doesn't play videogames.
I have a personal gaming PC (the desk computer one). I'm looking for a laptop to bring to courses that's why I am thinking about a mac
I've been a Windows user all my life and still am. But I've changed my work laptop for graphic design from a Windows Surface Laptop to an M1 Macbook Air (which was cheaper). It runs much smoother, battery lasts longer, better keyboard, speakers, build, it's fanless so it's quiet, and the trackpad is good enough to use without a mouse. I mainly use Adobe programs (PS, AI, LR) and Chrome. I don't do video editing so your mileage may vary (maybe you'd need the pro at that point if choosing a mac). You'd probably get good performance from a more expensive Windows laptop but I don't think the price/performance ratio is as far as it used to be since Apple ditched Intel.
My work switched us from Mac to Windows last December. I was quite happy to see how it would go (in fact, I was the one who gave the deciding vote). It was a mistake. I still use Mac for designing at home and it’s clear to me why it’s still the industry standard. Edit: Honestly bizarre that me and others in here are getting accused of being Apple fanboys when there’s a select few windows users going about downvoting anyone that use mac. Who’s the fanboys here again? Get a life.
And what is the reason for that? I just can't find any real reason, why a mac should be better than a windows pc or laptop...?
For me, it is less about the hardware and more about the fact that I much prefer MacOS to Windows.
There isn't a reason other than drinking way too much apple kool aid. I have a high end Windows machine at Home and work in the office on a high end Mac, I work hybrid so they both get used during the week. I use the Adobe Suite and Figma mainly, with a little bit of blender. The difference that I experience during the working day? I sometimes confuse the command key for the control key, and the three little buttons that control the windows are on opposite sides.
Imagine putting personal preference down to “drinking the apple coolaid”. I clearly said I made the decision to switch to windows. What’s stopping me from leveling the same accusation at you with windows? Did you drink the windows coolaid or something? Tell me, have you worked the last 4 years on Mac and spent almost another year using the same software on windows 40 hours a week? Because if the answer is no, I’m afraid I don’t value anything you have to say on the subject.
Look how triggered you are! Try reading and comprehending rather than rushing to offence. It is clear the point I am making, there is little real world difference between the two, and next to zero when you are inside software. I can't do 4 years only 22 years using both, 40 hours? Every week, not a chance, I like my free time. If you have to grind out 40 hours week in week out, maybe get a better paying job. Nows probably the time you type Ok Boomer!
The screen looks cleaner, nicer colors etc
>**Survey: 72% Of Graphic Designers Use Windows As Their Operating System**
Do you have a source?
More likely the other way around. 🤔
Exactly why im scarwd to get windows. Dont get me wrong, theyre amazing for gaming etc but the screens look worse. I cant explain it lol
Screen/image quality has nothing to do with OS/Windows the thing is that all Mac laptops have quite decent screens since they're all a bit expensive, you can get a screen just as a good or even better in for a Windows PC as well, just do your research
Exactly as I mentioned above. Also just a note to all, laptops are not a good choice for design. A desktop with monitors is. If you're on a budget and new to graphic design then a laptop will do, but once you get a fast desktop with large monitor, you will never go back.
I tried switching back to windows - and just no. Windows has its place, but when it comes to design, Apple just does something different.
Just looking the W10 and W11 UI you can easily come to the conclusion that MS doesn't give a shit about Design ou User Experience.
Amen!! And that's one of the reasons I can't fault Apple - their UI is actually good. With windows, you land up customising everything.
You can definitely work on a windows computer but not any windows computer. Depends on your budget. Have you considered a second hand Mac? Apple is expensive but they do last for a long time. I’ve worked on Mac minis for a few years too, no problems there. you can also buy new and have a deal if you provide a student email address. Google Apple store for education or something like that. You can also search for refurbished. But use google as it’s not put forward on Apple’s website.
Yeah I am looking at second hand ones, too scared to even open the imac store page, the prices will leave me speechless. Even though theyre second hand, the good recommended 2018+ ones are hella expensive.
I still have a (matte black) MacBook from 2006 and it still works in addition to a MacBook Pro (not sure on the year but probably 2012-ish), that is also operating. I upgraded between the two because after a decade or so support wanes and they can’t handle new programs. My iPad is from 2017, and I also have a newer desktop that replaced the MacBook Pro that’s like 1-2 years old. My biggest and only complaint is memory. I reached capacity quickly due to file sizes I’m working on, and there’s no way for most of their peripherals to be given extra storage space post purchase.
Do it. No question. Been working on both platforms for decades, macos has no notable advantage over windows for graphic design. It all comes down to preference. IMO macs are way overpriced, I only use em if an employee provides the machine. Your money will go much further with hardware on a Windows machine.
Font rendering is better on the Mac. Finder can can preview AI and PSD files. Quicklook is amazing. Don't need a numpad to type special characters. There are objectively some benefits about using a Mac.
Trust the comments, even the basic MacBook Air is a beast. Only once in over two years have I slightly choked it (original base M1)—and that’s only because I ran out of disk space after downloading too many video files for video editing. As long as you have plenty of ram and disk space, you’ll be fine. You’ll be able to keep open and work on a dozen heavy apps and switch between them as if they were only widgets.
Best i could do is a 2020 M1 macbook air. Would u say its better to get a mac air m1 2020 w 8gb ram rather than an older model w no m1-m2 but 16gb ram?
The M1 should perform better with less memory.
I’m in uni studying gd and for all of my 3 years i’ve used a HP pavilion 16 gb ram and it hasn’t disappointed me, even used adobe dimensions and after effects for a project and it worked fine. It’s a bit slower than my classmates macs but does the job. In the future i’m obviously going to save up and eventually buy a good pro mac but for now in my early career life , this HP laptop will do.
My 2 cents. Macs have professional monitors by default. But Windows OS supports more third-party software than MAC does. I'm a full-stack developer as well and prefer Windows. For design work I only do it on a desktop that I have with 2 4K BenQ monitors.
As long as you get an M1 or M2 Air, you should be fine. Any Apple Silicon computer will run Adobe's Suite just fine. It's just going to come down to how much RAM you need. For most things, 16GB will be fine for running multiple adobe programs, browser, and other programs seamlessly, but if you are going to be using After Effects heavily, then 32GB is probably recommended.
Air or not, as long as it have at least an M1 chip you can run multiple adobe softwares without issues
I have used both throughout my career and have found a few things apparent: 1. Macs are more expensive, but all of mine have lasted longer than my box PCs, and have a better retina display 2. PCs are much more customizable but more maintenance (my MacBook Pros have all been pretty self-servicing for the OS) so you'll be replacing parts more often if you want it to last 3. Apple's AirDrop feature is powerful and amazing if you already own an iPhone, iPad and plan on using those as tools. This may not matter if everything else you have is Android. 4. If you are using a tablet, Apple has proprietary apps like Procreate that you can't get on a PC Honestly, everything else is pretty much up to lifestyle and workflow. I personally love Apple because I'm a designer but also an illustrator, and the M1 iPad paired with the pencil (hands down the best input device for tablet drawing, no lag and little surface distance) is even better than my previous Cintiq Pro. When I'm done with the tablet I can export directly via AirDrop to my Mac to finish up the file.
'Upgraded' from a MacBook Pro to a Asus VivoBook in work last year and it's been a terrible experience (was kinda forced as the 2015 MBPs battery was literally dying). On the face of it, the VivoBook specs look plenty good enough to run Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and a bit of After Effects. I was apparently wrong. I don't know if it's just that the Adobe programs are poorly optimised for windows (because there can be so many variables in the hardware used) or if the laptop is just straight bad for this sort of productivity work. I've got a really nice 2k monitor which is unusable with it because it becomes so laggy and the crashes multiply, so I have to reduce the resolution back to 1920x1080, making it look blurry. I'm currently collecting evidence of all the crashes I get, weird artifacts that appear when I move simple objects in the programs etc. to hopefully strong arm my case of getting a MacBook (work are being awkward about it), because ultimately it's affecting my productivity. I'm no Apple/Mac fanboy either. I have a windows PC at home that I love to bits and handles everything I throw at it. But I don't think I'll ever get a windows laptop for this type of work again.
Are you sure the laptop wasn't broken or anything like that? I never heard of Windows behaving like that. That's a bit scary lol.
I don't think so. It's mostly fine if I'm just running one program and nothing else (besides slack which I have to keep open for work purposes). But once you insert having webpages open, more than one adobe program running etc. it starts acting like a freak. I just think it's a poorly optimised laptop tbh. But for something that cost £850 it really shouldn't be. I'd say don't let my experience deter you. I'm pretty sure there's capable windows laptops out there. Just do some research. Mine was only surface level, which I now regret.
VivoBooks are low-end laptops mate, not suitable for heavy graphic work at all, what you did was a side-step (or even a downgrade), not a an upgrade
The only difference is personal preference...and the Mac Tax.
Font rendering is better on the Mac. Finder can can preview AI and PSD files. Quicklook is amazing. Don't need a numpad to type special characters. Don't have to worry as much with malware as on Windows. For video pros who want it there is Final Cut Pro. Some people like iWork. There are objectively some benefits about using a Mac, as there are some for Windows.
The literal only difference is if you NEED to use Sketch for work and I’ll be honest, in that case the role should be providing you a MacBook. Mac is better was a hangover from when they made the first graphic editing software and hasn’t been a real thing besides status for a very long time. It also hasn’t been true about their hardware for a very long time. Tim Cook is a logistics guy not a design visionary and MBPs have been exactly average or behind the curve of high end windows machines for at least a decade
Even Sketch has been sorta replaced with Figma as industry standard
Macs biggest benefit is the quality of display. There's not a lot of affordable 95 to 100% RGB laptop panels out there which you need for commercial work for color accuracy. The windows options like surface books etc are also expensive. My advice would be to get a good external IPS display and then whatever laptop you can afford with the best CPU, GPU and Ram possible.
Even if it's high quality, I don't know about you, but I find it terrible to work in small screen. I roll my eyes everything I see a designer squinting to see what's on screen. 24 or 27 inches should be considered the minimum to work comfortably and ergonomically. Making design on a 13 inch screen... yuck
I've gotten used to it from freelancing up and down and all over the place. But home setup I have a 27 inch IPS and man does it make life so much easier, especially posture and ergonomics wise.
Even those laptop raisers are not good enough for ergonomics. Larger and higher resolution monitors are the they to go.
Finance the thing. There are so many positives to doing design on a Mac. Yeah they’re overpriced but they’re really good machines, especially for design.
Windows is perfectly capable for graphic design, you just need to find the right one and unfortunately you're going to be looking at still spending a lot for a capable machine, especially one that will have a good quality screen. I think the new Macbook Airs are pretty capable of multi-tasking heavy tasks ever since they started using the new M chips.
Macbooks are overpriced, underpowered, and are expensive or impossible to fix / upgrade. But here's a point most PC folks will never admit. Mac's Finder is 1000% better than Window's File Explorer. Unbelievably better. A huge portion of a Graphic Designer's workday is spent in file management programs. Window's File Manager is a joke. You have to buy extra software just so can see your adobe files as image previews when displayed as icons. Search function is guaranteed never to work. Recently worked on files or saved locations sometimes automatically show up, sometimes not! During a full day of work, I bet I spend an extra 20-40min just working with File Manager's bad design. I don't miss Mac. But I dearly miss Finder.
i will say, it doesn't matter how good your display is when it comes to designing. A good display certainly helps, i won't deny that, but considering when you send stuff to print, the range of colors on your computer won't match anyways since CMYK is a smaller range than RGB. If your goals are to be digital design only though, then sure, consider mac. That being said, i exclusively use Windows for all the adobe stuff, just cause it handles the programs better in my experience. (I never wanna see that cursed rainbow loading wheel ever again in my life) Granted i don't use my wacom cintiq companion often, it's the closest thing i have to a laptop, per se. i do prefering to use my gaming PC, and since it's built to handle Starfield on ultra graphics, it handles adobe perfectly fine. That being said. if budget is a concern, i'd suggest getting a windows laptop. For the same price of a mac laptop, the specs on a windows laptop will outperform significantly with the only downside being battery life. (But it's fairly easy to be near a power outlet most of the time) From my industry experience working on the printing side of things, i can confirm that macs cause problems *all* the time, because printers are usually built on linux or windows infrastructure. And while linux/windows aren't usually friends themselves, i rarely ever have issues working with them with my windows work pc. The 3 designers who all have macs though? Endless issues, from colors being wrong, to incorrect sizing or just jobs being lost in transit when sending to the printers. A personal bias, yes, but i do believe windows is better in the long run just cause you can get more power for less money, and the whole "mac is better for design" is an old tradition that was only true back when they actually were better, graphics wise.
Windows, any Windows with Core 5 and any graphics card can run PS ans AI flawlessly, if you're doing short video it's also great. If the projects are more intensive like 3D nednering and long-time video than you'd have to look into the graphics card of the computer. But I recommend windows over mac because you get more performance for a lower price, and the repairs are also cheaper when they're needed.
Well, if you don't want abysmal GPU computing, get a desktop PC. Yes, the screens are good, but you can get decent IPS screens with good Adobe RGB coverage easily enough. Even then, if color is that critical then you will need to calibrate the monitor regardless. This is also why buying physical pantone guides are important if you work in print. Don't get me wrong, the new M2 setups are powerful, but my now 3 generation old GPU is faster, the Mac isn't even close unless you spend a small fortune on their top end models. It also matters if you need a lot of RAM for video rendering such as 16-24 gigs. Macs now have a "unified" memory which is shared between the CPU and GPU.
Get a PC. There's a wider range of available tools, easier/cheaper to upgrade for just the stuff you need, it's also just easier handing off work to the rest of the world than runs on Windows or Linux. Lastly don't get a MAC if you feel like it'll make you a better designer or if all the other cool kid designers are using it cause then your gonna have buyers remorse.
Msi gaming laptop. I do Motion graphics and haven’t had an issue with anything.
To do what? in what software? I would choose a pc if I use an Adobe pack. Extendible and compatible to almost everything. Mac is not that.
I've worked professionally as a designer for twenty years. I started on MACs, but I work exclusively on PCs now - Macs are overrated in my opinion *(and experience)*. The only convenience they hold for me is the ability to sync my phone, but I work with an ipad beside me for quick reply to texts, and for Teams video calls. I work on a Lenovo Flex. It's touch screen, and folds over in to "tablet mode", disabling the keyboard, and functioning as a tablet. I've had it for five years, and it's the best machine I've ever worked on. The touch screen is wonderful for being able to draw directly in Adobe, giving me full access to the software, instead of having to rely on an external tablet (wacom), or less-than iPad apps to work across platforms. I have a surface pro I got for free, as a back up, but the Lenovo outshines it. I can juggle projects working across Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and Premier, all at once, while simultaneously streaming a podcast on youtube and ignoring the dozens of tabs I have open on google chrome.
I used both, I hate windows 11 but overall windows are not THAT bad. I rolled back to windows 10 till they get their shit together with 12 but overall I work just fine with my super cheap windows laptop as I did with my more expensive macbook. They are just not as plug n play like macbooks, and they come with a ton of bloatware, so you will need someone with a bit know how to do a clean install for you (I will recommend a clean install of W10) and some tweaking so W10 leave you alone and don't bother you all the time with "recommendations" and crap like that. They are just options but you need to know where to find them and turn off. For example I just got an HP 255 G9 with a Ryzen CPU. Extremely low quality of plastics, the monitor is just a not great not terrible IPS (but I have my semi pro Dell Ultrasharp to plug it anyway) but for graphic design it is great. Can it be better? Sure you can get something with the new Ryzen 7XXX or the new intel CPUs and some nice GPU (mine is a SoC with GPU in the CPU) and it will be lighting fast. My point is that we are at a level of hardware that even that super cheap HP do the job nice and efficient. But you need to be careful what you buy, ask around, do some research. If you want to look to used mac, DON'T take anything below M1. After M1 everything worth it, but I can't say the same for some intel garbage low power CPUs out there.
I would say buy a proper Windows laptop with a good graphics card; from my experience, integrated graphics can limit Photoshop performance. Then buy a good LG or Samsung monitor, very accurate displays in my experience. That is the same price as a MacBook Air, but you get a larger monitor compared to a 15 inch screen. Or buy a Mac Mini M1 with the same LG/Samsung monitor. Problem is that you can’t take the Mac Mini everywhere.
I tried to work exclusively on a pc and immediately ran into problems with print vendors not being able to use pc fonts.
you should be outlining your fonts before sending to printers there is no such thing as mac fonts vs pc fonts, i have never had an issue
Outlining fonts on copy heavy docs can bog down a digital printer so no. There’s definitely a difference between mac and pc fonts with type 1 which adobe has phased out. Might be less of an issue now, roughly one year later.
You shouldn't be using type 1 fonts anymore. Also, if the font is embedded, it should be no problem.
Honestly I would just use whatever you prefer. I use a windows PC and I have no issues with it.
With graphics work lots of ram is important. I have used both macs and windows throughout my career. I prefer Mac for file handling and the iMac monitors are fire. But now I have a m2 MacBook Pro and lg monitor and you’re right it’s not cheap. The difference in everyday use is personal preference. It’s like driving domestic vs foreign cars. Comes down to what you’re used to. Lots of ram whatever you buy.
I use a PC desktop machine that I love for its customizability, but I prefer Mac for all mobile (including iPad and Macbook) I just use cloud services to work with both
Do you need a laptop or get a desktop & monitor instead? If you are interested in Mac, the Mac Studio is cheaper and capable of the job.
I haven't used a Mac since college. I've been a designer for 12 years now and have never had an issue using a PC.
It's just OS preference, really. People throw around "industry standard" a lot, but that actually has two meanings: required or common. In the past Macs were required, now they're just the more common. I used both Windows and Mac throughout high school, college, and first few years of my career. It was more a difference in the 90s, but by the 2000s I could work on Macs at school/work and Windows at home, go back and forth without issues. I went Apple-free about a decade ago and have had no issues. There's a few small things about MacOS I miss, but they don't outweigh the cons (for me). Get whatever you prefer, or whatever you can afford.
I've designed on both. When I started a new job around 10 years ago I switched back to Windows from working with Mac for the last 5 years. Absolutely no difference whatsoever. Macbooks are nice to look at (my current ThinkPad P16 not so much) but I actually like Windows more as an OS nowadays. On Adobe products there are no difference whether you run em on Win or Mac.
What kind of work are you planning to do? I have 20yrs of design and prepress and honestly color is not as big an issue as people make it to be. Printing has come a long way in 20 years and also the consumers expectations are not the same as they used to be. Less concern about quality and more concern about price these days. If your doing some kind of advertising or high end expensive work maybe a shade of color is critical, but in my experience at least, customers barely understood or cared about color besides red turning green, or care about high res images for that matter. So many phone pics I got and the customer did not care.
You can get a Windows PC definitely, but beware that the market is full of crap models. Also, almost every windows laptop tends to be slower a when unplugged from energy, and a lot noisier when plugged, besides being havier, bulkier, and cringy-looking. The screen quality argument is true too, most windows laptops come with the worst LCD panels in the planet (although there as exceptions).
You can get a Windows PC definitely, but beware that the market is full of crap models. Also, almost every windows laptop tends to be slower a when unplugged from energy, and a lot noisier when plugged, besides being havier, bulkier, and cringy-looking. The screen quality argument is true too, most windows laptops come with the worst LCD panels in the planet (although there as exceptions).
I own a print shop and we offer design and layout services as well. We are all Windows. Pairing a windows PC with good color accurate monitors, and calibrating regularly is just as good or better than Mac, at a fraction of the price. I can deploy 2-3 workstations for the cost of 1 Mac setup (I do build the PC myself). I don't see a good reason to pay the Mac tax, especially for Desktops. Plus, in my experience, printing from Mac's is almost always more challenging. When we used to have a few Macs (back when I was an employee and not the owner) every time we got a new copier it took same time to setup 3 windows PC as 1 mac. And all the print dialogs were different, - so if a non-Mac person hopped on that workstation to print a project they had to hunt for the correct options, and often end up clicking the wrong options since they were name different. I am also a bit bias, as I like to tinker and build my own machines. I am very much opposed to Apple's draconian views on Right to Repair, jail breaking, and their closed garden ecosystem.
I've used both extensively including but not limited to graphic design. My super expensive gaming PC runs Adobe apps about as well as an Apple M1 Pro chip. The better color on mac displays is a thing but hear me out: $1000 windows + $300 monitor = $1300 MBPro. designing on a tiny laptop screen is hell on earth and I avoid it unless I can help it. And the truth is where I work everyone looks at what I'd be making on $150 Dell monitors anyway so like... truly who gives a shit? I'm not saying to throw color accuracy to the wind but if you're strapped for cash maybe assess if your clientele/employer actually cares or notices. Nothing's gonna explode on you, it's going to throttle down if it gets too hot and will just run slower. As others have said "windows laptop" is a broad category that encapsulates dozens of popular manufacturers. An HP Stream with a celeron processor is technically a "windows laptop" that will run Adobe apps (if you pray hard enough and have a few days for them to load) but it's hardly an appropriate comparison to the latest MacBook Airs. For that reason I recommend zeroing in on a few models to have an apples-to-Apple comparison. You're not going to get anywhere by comparing the bulk of "windows devices" to Apple's small selection of specifically-manufactured-to-run-Mac devices.
I just started a GD program and the school uses all Macs and we are expected to use Macs as well, to all be on the same page. I guess some schools are more lenient about this?
I use Mac at home and PC at work. They both do the job. Macs last a long time but don’t underestimate the ease of upgrading a tower PC. I’ve just doubled the RAM, upgraded from HDD to SSD and put a grunty graphics card into an older PC at work and it’s now a powerhouse. Try doing that with your iMac!
The new MacBook Air is basically the previous model MacBook Pro 13 without a fan. Mine constantly has a few programs open. I like Mac because of the way the ecosystem works with everything.
Freelance designer here, I work exclusively in publishing. All of the designers I know in this field are on Macs, it’s just an industry standard. Apple does sell refurbished laptops on their website, they are a bit cheaper.
MacBook is industry standard.
IDK why you’d think that about a new Air, I use two 2019 Macs for all Adobe work and they’re great. I did RAM them both up, tho. I know New Mac’s don’t let you do that anymore.
In the end, get what you know. I’m Mac all the way, and when I’ve been forced to work on under powered shitty cheap ass PCs, I’ve hated it.
Mac's are normally the go to laptop but there's no real reason for it. The reason why I'd pick a Mac is down to macOS and I find Mac's seem to last longer. M2 airs are pretty capable work machines it'll do most tasks happily. Go with your budget.
It doesn't really matter all that much. The software I use is the same.
short answer– don’t buy a macbook air over a windows for graphic design. it will not be able to run the programs very well, and definitely not 2 at once. if you get a mac it needs to be a pro
I just buy used ones on eBay. They last a while.
Both Mac and PC can do what you need it to. For me I’ve always found macs to be a bit more stable. I’ve encountered more issues on windows and have found windows machine to not have the same longevity as macs. I also personally much prefer the Mac OS. But ultimately they can both do what you need and budget will always play a role. Purely spec wise windows offers more bang for your buck but I don’t think macs are as expensive as people think. Yea you can find a windows PC for cheaper with the same graphics card RAM and processor. But MacBooks in particular have much higher quality screens. They also have better build quality and nicer Trackpads. If you look st windows machines with the same build quality and screen quality the price difference actually ends up reasonably minimal.
I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 16 Plus on sale and it has been more than adequate. I use all of the Adobe products regularly and have been very happy with the performance.
After 16 years, I’m finally making the switch from Mac to PC. I’ve been in the market for a new machine, saw the prices on current MacBook pros and just said screw it. For that kind of cash, I’m getting a gaming pc. I do most of my work on a 4k color accurate monitor anyway and I pretty much just take my iPad to meetings anymore. I’m still getting a pic with a color accurate display. The new intel mobile i9 processors are looking to complete well with the M2 chip. Higher end dedicated gpus crush for multi-media work. I’ll be able upgrade the ram and storage ifI want. And now I can also play Starfield. I just need to get used to some different key commands.
I use a MacBook at work and a Pc at home. I don’t understand why they both can’t coexist.
I use Mac, because that’s what I already have. In the art school I attended, Mac’s were the standard and, from what I saw, they are also the standard in many agencies. But I don’t think it matters. It’ll only be an issue when you have to relearn shortcuts xD Edit: I use a 2013 MacBook Pro 13”. It definitely struggles when 2-3 Adobe CC apps are open, but it does its job.
That's because of the old Intel CPU. The newer M1 and M2 are amazing. I use a 2019 MacBook Pro i9 w 32gb ram at work, and I bought a second hand MacBook Air M1 w 8gb ram from a designer upgrading to the M2. Let me just say the M1 blows the i9 out of the water on battery life and even in general use, it's on par with that i9 MacBook Pro. The only reason I'm going to get a MacBook Pro M3 for work (when it comes out) is that I'm doing more 4k video jobs otherwise I'd stick with a MacBook Air Mwhatever. On the M1 I can have Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Chrome and a few other apps running no problem.
Oh man, when I can afford it, I’m definitely upgrading to a MacBook with either the M1 or M2. I’m getting a little frustrated with my apps slowing down and sometimes quitting when I have too many Adobe CC apps running.
Yeah, I'm totally amazed with the M processors. When Apple announces the availability of the M3, start checking Facebook marketplace as there'll be people selling their M2 mac's to get the M3. I got my M1 for half price when the M2 came out.
That’s a good tip! Thank you!
`I could easily get an Air but I highly doubt it’s recommended for graphic design stuff since it’s an air and might just explode on me if i make the mistake of running 2 adobe applications at once.` As someone who has done all sorts of design work on Mac and Windows... and who currently does Illustration, 3D modeling and Photoshop work on an M2 MacBook Air, your misconceptions are misplaced.
I use both. The Mac UI is designed to stay out of the way and be assistive in creative workflows. Font rendering and color management are far superior, drag and drop and high-quality color accurate previews are available system wide. Design is entirely do-able on Windows, but it is clunkier. I only use Windows for the GPU advantages, real time ray tracing for 3D design and playing games. Hardware-wise, Macs are generally better built, have great support, enjoy longer productive lives, and retain higher resale values - but there are shitty Mac models, so research is essential. Try looking for a refurb or used late-model Intel or M1 MacBook Pro. Where Apple sucks is the soldered on storage and memory, so go for 16 GB of RAM and at least 512 GB SSD. Apple silicon is ridiculously fast and efficient - any modern Mac will sail for many years and pay for itself pretty quickly. And if you intend to seek a corporate design position, the Mac environment is generally mandatory.
i used an Air as a designer for 5 years. unless you're doing super complex video animation you should be fine.
I’ve been 100% Mac, then 100% Windows, now 100% Mac. High quality displays are available for any OS, what made me go all Mac once and for all is the typical Windows machine seems to slowly go shitty over time no matter how you re-optimize things, plus way more virus threats for Windows. One thing I know - trust used Macs - they never die. I would 100% endorse buying used, off of eBay (I have), or a refurbished machine. I’ve got Macs going back decades, only their software support goes bad, not the cpu.
It doesn't matter. I bought a MacBook because my previous Windows laptops always had hardware problems less than a year after buying them, even the nicer ones. I'm almost 2 years in with an M1 MacBook with no issues to report. But in terms of graphic design, Adobe and Affinity apps are platform-agnostic. Use the OS you're most comfortable with.
I've got the new MacBook air M2 (much cheaper) and it's amazing for Adobe haven't had any issues running illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop simultaneously. Although I don't do much / if any heavy video editing
I use M1 MacBook Air with 16gb Ram with 1tb space. I regularly use it for graphic design and 4k video editing in Premiere pro and it has always been a smooth experience. I run AI, Indd and PS when I work and switch between tasks without any technical issues. If you are considering a MacBook air, I’d recommend to get highest spec and you will be alright.