The first review on this site will be about computers. After that it’ll be more about pens and such. But, yeah… I’ve used a lot of computers since I’ve been doing web and graphic design since 2000. At work, I’ve always used whatever my employer provided at the time. For personal use, I always built my own computers from components — until 2008, when I bought my first Apple computer: a 24” iMac. But none of those are directly related to this site or the purpose of this section.
The first computer I used specifically for archiving my graffiti-related art, including sketches, came much later — in 2012, when I bought a MacBook Pro, which I used for ten years. That laptop handled everything: building websites, scanning and editing photos as well as writing, formatting, and designing books — and much more.
Personally, I think both Mac and Windows computers are great. Since I mostly use Adobe CC software and a basic text editor for HTML and such, the operating system doesn’t really matter. What does matter is performance — Adobe products need some serious power to run smoothly.
Back in the early 2000s, when I started working as a web designer, having a Windows PC was almost essential. You needed one at least for testing, as the vast majority of internet users were on Windows, and websites didn’t always render the same — or at all — on different platforms. (Google “Browser Wars” if you’re curious.) But over the past 15 years, browser behavior has become much more consistent between Mac and Windows, which made switching to Mac a viable option.
When I bought the iMac in 2008, I still kept a Windows PC alongside it. After buying the MacBook in 2012, I eventually handed the old Windows computer down to my kids.
Specs:
MacBook Pro (Late 2012) – In use until 2022
15” | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
I used this until it started freezing and having trouble connecting to external displays. It still technically runs, but it’s completely unreliable. So in 2022, I bought my current computer. Windows computer, for a change.
Specs:
Asus Zenbook – In use since 2022
13.3” | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD
Screens
I always use a larger display for graphic design work, the tiny screens on laptops just don’t do the trick.
- iDisplay 24” (from 2012 to 2022, for the Macbook only, thanks to closed environment connector)
- Asus 24” (from 2022, for any computer I wanna connect to, thanks to HDMI/VGA connector)
I’ll get back on this subject later, with a more thorough run-through for both operating systems and image editing software.