Need help choosing a Macbook!

[Quiteso]

Howdy, I'm gonna be starting University soon, and I'm planning on buying a good Macbook that will last me the years I'm there and will be able to run the programs I require. I've looked at the Apple store and am thinking of getting one of the following: http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop...pro?mco=MTE4NDY

 

I'm going to be using it for video editing, Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator (perhaps all at once ) and similar programs. So, I'd guess I need a fairly powerful laptop to be able to handle it all with ease.

 

I'd like to get one that'd run the programs I require easily without costing too much. So far I'm looking to get one of the 15 inch ones, I'm not sure I'd need a 17 inch screen. What sort of graphics cards would I need? And how much video memory? HD space shouldn't be too much of an issue as I will be getting an external HD.

 

I'd appreciate any help, thanks a lot

[Ronnyboy]

Why a Mac? I mean, you can run those programs in Windows for a cheaper price.

 

But if I were you, go with the one in the middle of the road. The 15-inch 2.66GHz version. The processor speed coupled with that RAM will run those programs nicely. Plus the graphics card will hold up well with Photoshop or for encoding. Also, you can play Fallout 3 on here nicely

[kingvercetti]

A word of advice, buy with the lowest amount of RAM and the smallest hard drive you possibly can then upgrade it yourself, Apple is well known to charge through the nose for upgrades from the stock spec, sometimes as much as four times as much for RAM (in the UK anyway). And both the hard drive and RAM are considered user replaceable parts so you won't lose your warranty for doing it.