It's that time again

And I promise to actually keep this updated. It's hard to be committed to a blog unless you actually have experiences to write and comment about. I thought choosing a specific theme would actually motivate me to write more. A year later, I found that it was not the case.

Anyway, I'm writing this post to help me organize my thoughts about my next computer purchase. The last time I (or my grandma) bought me a computer was the laptop I bought for college almost 5 years ago. I have managed to delay buying a new computer by doing easy memory and HD upgrades or borrowing work laptops for my personal use. Now that I'm one my own and need a little bit more firepower to do more than surf the internet and write emails.

The dilemma is that I have always been an ardent supporter of the Windows OS system. In fact, the last time I used a Mac for school was during elementary while playing Oregon Trail on a screen with only green lines. I actually used to make fun of all the people with Mac computers because Windows was clearly superior in terms of software choice and personalization. Now that division has clearly blurred, and I'm actually at a crossroads in my computer choices.

I have many options, but I decided to start off with what I will do with my future desktop or notebook computer(s).

What I do with my computer(s):
1) Internet browsing (email, surfing, watching videos, etc.)
2) Photoshop (Digital illustration, photo editing)
3) Media center to link to TV (Music, movies, etc.)
4) Skype

What I value in my computer(s):
1) Portability (For the times that I wished I had a light computer to write my emails while on the road.)
2) Functional (I don't want to deal with bloatware, bugs, and long boot-up times.)
3) Good monitor/screen (Photo editing is going to require it, and I like having a lot of screen real estate.)
4) Value for my money (I don't need a super gaming rig nor do I want something that barely works. Budget is probably around $700-$800.)

All of the above leads me to believe I will need the following in my computer (excluding monitor):
1) Decent dual-core processor (AMD Turion 64 X2 or Intel Core 2 Duo)
2) Dedicated graphics card or at least a graphics card that won't crap out on me
3) Media ports to connect to TV (HDMI-out, etc.)
4) WiFi a/b/g (n would be nice too but not required)

Other things I would need but can upgrade easily:
1) 200+ GB HD
2) 3-4 Gb Memory
3) Bluetooth

Mac or PC?
In all honesty, I used to be a huge PC fan-girl lauding that PC's upgradeability, personalization, ease of use, compatibility, and value. Honestly, PC doesn't seem so hot anymore especially with the horrendous OS known as Vista. It seems like it's easier to upgrade Macs. Office is available for Mac. Macs are definitely preferred on the digital design front, and they seem relatively easy to use. Macs run on Intel processors, and they just seem to be built a little better than other computers (with Lenovo being possible exception). I'm not looking for a work computer, but rather a fun computer that I can play around with. The only thing going for PC is value, but how much do I value price vs. functionality? Well, considering that I spent 12 hours setting up and cleaning my brother's Vista-running laptop (what? no recovery cd?!), Macs are looking like wonderful options. Hell, I can run Bootcamp and have both my Windows and Mac.

Desktop or Laptop or both?

Here is the tricky part. Here are my combos.

1) Laptop only
Laptop only is preferred over desktop only as I will not have my work laptop forever. I like surfing the internet in the living room rather than my bedroom. I like being portable, and it's easier to move. I can always buy a docking station and monitor to fulfill my desire for big desktop real estate. I refuse to buy a Dell, and Sony is riddled with bloatware. HP has been okay, but it seems that there is more bloatware with each generation of laptops. Macbook Pro seems like a good option, but is it worth twice my budget?

2) Ultraportable + Desktop
Another intriguing option. I like portability but don't want to haul around a huge brick. When I do photo editing, I like having lots of screen real estate while sitting at a desk. I can get a pretty good prebuilt PC desktop running Windows XP and have an ultraportable for web browsing on the road. Especially with the introduction of Eee PC and MiniNote as somewhat budget-friendly portables and Intel's upcoming Atom processors, this seems like a good option. The only issue is that I have to manage all my files across these two machines rather than having a central laptop.

I guess it's time for me to start saving money regardless of my decision. I wonder how much my economic stimulus check will be?