I’m talking about tons of editing… fast editing.
A computer for tons and tons of editing with fastest speeds possible.
Not a computer that will be used from time to time to edit.
Because if you have other pressing needs for the computer then your decision might differ.

My solution isn’t for the pretiest or the most user friendly… I’m talking effeciency!

Fastest, most powerful machine to run Lightroom or Photoshop. = Saving Time

Winner = Hand built PC for serious editing

If you want the fastest machine possible (at the moment) for picture editing you’ll have to stick with a PC for now.

-Good news is it will be abt half the cost (Roughly $3000 less)

-You’ll either need to set it up yourself
OR – Pay someone a couple hundred to set it up.
Still much cheaper than a Mac by several thousand.

Price has a lot to do with my consideration… so if several thousand for a similar powered machine isn’t a concern… by all means go Mac.

I don’t like store bought PCs

Thing about PCs is that stores sell cheap PCs or sell the good ones too expensive.
(Not an efficient move)
The PCs in stores aren’t that good… companies trying to make a buck on shoddy stuff. Therefore the whole PC system gets a bad rap.

And I must admit Macs are great for people who don’t know much about computers and have no desire to learn. But they just aren’t as fast for the same cost… and the options are way limited in comparison. (Stick with them for laptops)

Get a really great one set up by someone

Like i said just pay some techy friend to set it up…
or I’ll find you a techy friend to set it up for you.
Spend the couple hundred you save by buying hand selected parts and pay someone.

My old PC vs New MacBook Pro

I have a brand new MacBookPro for traveling but it’s way way slower than my PC. (1 yr Old quad core)
But laptops are small and convenient and great for travel. I don’t expect to use it all the time, just travel… that’s what it does best.
Why mac for laptop – macs don’t have a huge price difference when it comes to the higher end. I think it was only a few hundred more than the HP and it was smaller and had better battery life. The mac laptops are great…

BUT… For serious editing – use a desktop with real power

But come on, don’t use a laptop for editing if you do lots.
If you edit just a bit… it’s ok, by all means… get a laptop and plug it into a monitor and use a mouse.

COST

Top of the line PC can be built sub $2k (w/o monitor)
(See details below)

Throw in a dell or a mac 30″ monitor and then you’re loving life, you’ve saved several thousand by going PC why not.

MAC = $5549  (w/o monitor)
8cores 2.6, 2 video cards, 2HDs
(NO FAST HD option like an SSD … at least not from their store… so you’ll need to get one of those somehow and reinstall OS)

So yeah it’s a fast machine I can only imagine, perhaps due for an update… but it’s nice.
They really don’t have a lesser version I would recomend unless get the 4 core instead of the 8 core.

Mac is $3000 dollars more and isn’t technically quite as fast. (Not sure how it compare honestly)
But it is prettier and the Mac/OS is nice for many people.

But let’s face it… you’re using Lightroom and Photoshop not finder or laucher all day long.

Seriously I’ll find someone to build it for you

Specs=

i7 8cores, 12gb ram, SSD fast HD with several 1.5TB HDs, best video card or two for up to 4 monitors, full tower, best MB with tons of toys.

Crazy fast for Lightroom editing.
Add in a 30″ monitor or a couple of regular size ones.
I recomend always having a couple of monitors

Oh and if you play games on the side… You’ve pretty much built the ultimate gaming machine

Yet another reason to get a PC for editing?
Fusion IO is coming out with their incredible new pro-sumer HD and it’s a PC device!
And no longer do you have to spend $3-$10K to buy one!