What computer do you use for Internet Marketing?

I personally use a Dell Inspiron. Most of the internet marketers out there use mac books. Looking forward to getting myself one myself. I guess if it's for IM use only, then a mac would be good for you.

Simply, whichever one I turn on in the morning.

Seriously, load up on RAM and CPU speed.

I've seen more macbooks than anything, but I like my Dell laptop so I'm stickin to it.

actually you really don´t need much power for internet marketing in general. even a used one would be fine. my best advice would be:
buy the best you can for the money you have.

I use a Mac and love it. BUTTT really, any modern computer would work. The only limitation to a Mac is that many smaller IM programs are windows only, so like mentioned earlier you need to use Boot Camp or Parallels (and FYI, you also have to get a copy of windows as those two programs just allow windows to be run on your Mac...how good are you with bittorents?)

Really, I think the more important thing is simply internet speed...

For me personally, I feel that most of the basic computers and laptops in the market today is good enough to start a internet business.

When I purchase a laptop, I will upgrade the RAM so that my laptop will run faster. I just purchased the Samsung RV420 model 2 months ago and it has been working great for me. The battery can last for up to 5 hours.

Hope my humble contribution is useful to you

Zack

I have a dell inspirion that I just bought. I know people hate dell's, but i have decent luck. Maybe 650GB on HD and 8MB ram or something.

I use a MacBook Pro and a PC. A new hire can easily use a out of the box PC. I saw some great ones the other day for under $500.00 Crazy!

I personally use an Alienware at my desk.
However, in my house we have 5 macs of all kinds, and I have a Mac Mini also sitting on my desk which I am trying to (been thinking about it) switching to.

My offices have always had dells. Good customer service, cheap...

I use MBP too. ~hi to the rest of the fellas on apple :-)

Anyway, while I personally use Macbook, peeps in my office uses PC mainly than Mac. Why- Unless they are a designer, they dont really need a Mac which is expansive and adds to the overhead of running a office. Plus- when there is a bunch of Macs in the office, be ready to install security alarms and stuffs as people tend to you know.. steal.

Personal use- i would suggest a Mac, but for new staffs -get them a PC desktop instead or a laptop.

I use Acer and Macbook Pro. But untill now Macbook Pro still the best

I can't believe someone said DELL. The only reason you would ever buy a DELL computer is if you are poor or you need a room full of computers for low wage workers to conduct menial tasks.

get a macbook or an HP Pavillion and like some of the other members said load up on RAM and CPU.

Godspeed.

Also, the typical suite of products that come with PC's are all available online now so don't spend the extra money before checking out the web based apps. They tend to work better anyway.

As a network guy, most IM programs dont require much and certainly do not need the latest and greatest.

It really depends on what you are doing. If you run several programs or windows open at the same time then multiple processor cores can really help. For most things in IM a dual-core cpu will be fine, something in the 2.4 to 3.0 range is all you need.

Memory gets a bit trickier, some programs like Sick Submitter and others can use as much memory as you can get. Memory depends on the operating system (OS). If you will be running a 32bit OS then 4 gigs of memory is all you can have but if you use a newer 64-bit version of say windows 7, you can add a boat load of memory. I would recommend you go with 64-bit windows 7 and go with at least 6 gigs of RAM. This leaves you free to upgrade to more if you ever need it.

For hard drives, really most IM programs are not big and the files are fairly small. I would still say get at least 500gigs of hard drive space for a desktop just to have it but there is no need to go higher unless you plan to do more with the PC.

If you have a technical college in your area, you can call and ask for the PC instructor and see if he can recommend a good student to build you one. They do pretty well and save you a few hundred bucks over the retail stores like bestbuy and such.

If you are going for a laptop, just make sure the screensize is something you can live with. Lots of people go for smaller laptops and then realize it hurts their eyes after reading a small screen for an hour.

Hope that helps

I personally prefer a beefed up new Lenovo Thinkpad computers are the best out there for the price. Sure a mac is nice which you pay a premium for...and if you not an experienced mac user there is a learning/changing habits curve to overcome...maybe no the est for a new hire unless they are used to it.

Honestly Ron, just about any PC/Mac that can browse the internet will work just fine. If you're not doing any CPU intensive tasks (like processing video), you don't need to worry too much about the specs. Heck, some IMers run their businesses from their iPhones. A simple netbook would suffice, especially if your employee travels a lot.

For most IM tasks any decent computer should do. I use a MacBook Pro and love it. But, that is just my preference.

If the new hire will be working within a department, you may want to match the specs with the rest of the department. Have everyone using the same machines, same specs, and same software versions where appropriate. That's how I do it. From an Information Tech. perspective it simplifies things.

It really depends on the type of work that is going to be performed. If your employee is going to be in an office I'd recommend a desktop over a laptop because if you ever need to you can replace parts which can be a lot more difficult when using a Laptop. If your interested in the scalability I'd definitely take RAM and CPU into consideration because some of the programs you may be running can be quite demanding. But as I said in the beginning, it really depends.

Ron, today I would spec out 2g of ram. Especially important of the new hire is going to be doing a lot of graphics.

Hello Ron,

Go for "Dell Inspiron 1764". Very good model with great performance. You should like it

Preferably for the use of any internet and also computer monitored system The Apple systems and software are best excellent quality, and high powered speed. The use of PC is very open to receiving Viruses as well as generate lots of availability towards receiving and sending spam. Apple's operating system (lion, snow leopard, etc) are all leading in the nations most reliable software as well as being top in class with safety. It is very effective to go with the Macbook and or the iMac

I use Samsung R439 and McBook Air Pro, well.. I can't differentiate the two. Both works good for me

Hi,
or me the IMac and MAcbook are the best. but, it all depends on your budget. the most important thing is to buy a I5 or I7 computer with 4Gb Ram and at least 500GB of storage.
the best brands are apple, sony, dell, toshiba, asus.
Good Luck.

I searched high and low, I need something powerful yet mobile. I ended up with the HP Envy 17 3D, it has an i7 Processor and a ton of memory and HD space. It also supports up to 6 monitors daisy chained. I currently run the 17inch screen and two 24" SAMSUNG screens. Lots of real estate to play with and great for running webinars and such.

Jason C. Maxwell

Anything with 12 GB of Ram and an i5 processor or above would work great. I would also then upgrade the graphics card to something that has cuda and its own memory if they will be doing any video editing.

You may also need to upgrade the power supply if you want to upgrade the graphics card. 550 watts or more would be fine.

Shannon

Sony VAIO Z Series with 6 gigs of RAM. Sick, sick computer. FYI, I also have the most expensive MacBook Apple makes at the moment, and the Sony just crushes it. No contest.

Russ

I don't think the choice of hardware matters so much when doing IM. Most of the time you'll be doing stuff that is not that resource intensive like browsing, word processing. The exception is if you need to do high end videos with whiz bang special effects, then you might want to look into getting a beefier machine.

I picked up a Gateway NV 5 dual core laptop, 15.6" monitor with 4GB or RAM and 500GB hard drive as a portable laptop for presentations, but it has become my main computer.

I paid about $370 for it.

Seems to handle video rendering and audio production just fine, but if you think you might do a lot of audio and video mixing, that is where you might want to beef it up.

I suggest anything with plenty of memory and a good processor. An asus perhaps with an intel processor? I dont like AMD that much even though i have AMD haha

Whichever computer you decide to go with you should consider adding an additional screen or even two (depending on how much responsibility you give them). I have 2 additional screens with my setup and to be honest I dont think I could live without them now.

Well I've gotten by with some pretty slow equipment in the past. While I don't have a lot of specs in mind, I have been fortunate to have friend of mine construct a particularly powerful computer at wholesale price, as assembly is required. I have not found normal IM software to be all that intensive among other necessary industry-related tasks.

i'm using an acer aspire ax1800 for over a year now and it's doing fine

You know, if you are going to be doing basic work such as email, html, graphics, and maybe even light video editing...just walk into a staples, best buy, or similar and get the best that they have for $500...that will be more than enough. Sure, you could spend a thousand (or two) on a single computer, but it's definitely not needed (at least for the majority of IM'ers.)

There's both pro's and con's for both Mac's and PC.

I personally have a 17" MacBook Pro with an i5 Core Processory. 4 GB of ram..suckers a beast!!

With Mac's it's a lot easier to navigate once you get used to all of the little tricks that come with a mac. PC's suck for fast browsing.

A pro that pc's have over Mac's are that you can install a lot more internet marketing softwares. Like spinner softwares, and other make money online softwares don't run on Mac's.

It's really just up to you and personal preference you know?

Hope you pick up the right computer and/or laptop!

cheers!

I bought a Macbook Pro. Worst decision I have ever made.

It cost 2.5x the price of my last laptop, performance similar.... Except I can use it to play full HD on my TV.

Just give the kid a brand new MacBook Pro, you can never go wrong there.

All the big boys are on the Macs, thats gotta say something eh?

the type of computer you use for internet marketing depends on what you are actually doing. For site development, link building and maybe creation of logos needs a strong computer, may be one with a bigger memory and very high speed.
Personally, I prefer dell to other models.

That's a good idea joeseomiller to buy those cheap Dell laptops.

Normally, i used desktop when i am at home. I have also a laptop but i only use it when i'm on travel. I just upgraded my desktop and it has higher specs now. So far i am very satisfied with the performance of my desktop.

i use hp pavillion ci3 and i found it very good in processing. In IM sometimes we have to browse 15 websites together. It uses cache memory. focus on it too while buying computer

15" macbook pro, 4gb RAM running Snow Leopard.

Does the job when it comes to building and designing websites. If needs be I boot into Windows 7 using parallels for cross-browser testing and windows-only software.

Anything sold new in the stores these days should be perfect. 3 - 6 Gig memory and approx. 300 Gig hard drive with the latest processor. I would highly recommend a laptop rather than a PC as they are so compact and can be used almost anywhere you desire.

I really dont think there's a best as long as all the specs add up, but I would go with a macbook for my money.

No one's mentioned screen space!

For internet marketing, you're constantly looking at many things at once, and for that you can't beat lots of monitors. I've got 4, I bought a cheap quad card off ebay, it's not the latest, but I don't play games so I'm not concerned.

The downside, I can't work on laptops very well now, I can only do very limited tasks on them, serious tasks require the serious PC in my office!

I have a desktop computer setup with dual monitors.
12 GB Ram, 64-bit Windows Operating System, Core i7 processor

But I also have another desktop computer in another room with a Core i3 Processor with 4GB Ram, and a 64 Bit Windows Operating System. That works just fine.

My main computer is just overkill (most of the time).

I recommend you get a desktop and not a laptop. They tend to work better. Although laptops are more compact I have always had problems using them when running certain tasks for my business.

lol.. everyone is screaming Mac... I wonder what the corelation is between Mac owners and people actually making money online.

Can anyone explain why a Mac is better than a pc for IM specifically?

I've been using pc's all my life. Only recently upgraded from XP to Win7. Even now there are so many things I don't use.

All you need is good RAM and CPU.

I was looking at a Mac, and ended up with a superseeded HP desktop with a i5 equivalent, Win 7 and dual 22" full HD monitors. Heck I don't even run a graphix card.

All for under $800 out of the box.

But it comes down to what tasks you are going to assign the staff.

Remember: Anything that does not make you money is just another expense against your bottom line.

Sal

PS: I am typing this on my Dell laptop.

PPS: In case anyone comes up with the old Macs don't get viruses argument... I use Avast and have NEVER had a virus issue in almost 10 years. Then again, I don't go downloading useless crap either.

Macbook Pro, i5 processor and 8G ram more then enough. Smack on 1 terabyte hard drive and your are good to go.

Well, now I know what I've been doing wrong all these years... using a PC.

Time to get a Mac...

A Big Mac, that is.

I personally use Mac because I do come across a few seedy Internet Marketing sites and I'm less likely to catch a virus.

Although I do use a kick ass lap top for all automation (youtube,twitter, etc) which I don't care if I burn out.

Really any computer will do. When I first started, I was using computers at libraries. Or sometimes friends computers. Use anything you can get your hands on.

Now I run a Mac with a 2.5GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7,
8GB RAM & a 750GB HD. Not to mention my 7 2TB externals. Got to love technology.

If it were me in an ideal situation, I'd like two monitors. Once you get used to that, its hard to work with anything else, and your productivity definitely increases because you can work with both screens.
Spec wise, the more memory the better.

I never got along with my mac, and I am not the biggest PC fan.

But I am not that much of a technical person, and it shows. Lots of swear words when I am around machines. LOL.

Windows or Mac = Windows wins!!

For graphic designers mac is good....but for everything else windows is king...more compatibility..buy a mac and be sure to encounter a software compatibility issue at some point

Mac Book Pro - works perfectly. Battery holds forever, it's easy to carry around and have more then enough RAM.

Before I used PC, but now I prefer Mac.

I love the Mac Book.

A Commodore portable computer, these things kick some serious "A" and are the wave of the future.

MacBook Pro for me. Wonderful creation but for the real programs and software for IM, I use a PC.

Dell Inspiron and load up its memory a bit, if its some hardcore work..... Mac is more popular among marketers. I personally like Dell so I'm sticking to it.... If you had elaborated the JD of your employee you might have received some more specific answers. e.g. if its some mailing campaign the you need processing power and RAM as some times you have to use computer like an email server, if its blogging then mac is better etc...

I love Macs, I've used Macs... but can we please get over this "better for Photoshop" nonsense? It was absolutely true in the early 2000's, but isn't worth paying double for a computer nowadays.

Just admit that you love the Apple logo and get it over with! :p

Anyway, I have a "work computer" in order to lower my potential distractions, and it's an Acer netbook. Yes, it's perfect for watching HD video and can be carted to the TV at a moments notice...

I'm not good at the "no distractions" thing.

I dislike macs personally. The only apple product I own is an iPod. I use a $400 HP laptop I bought on newegg and have had no problems doing anything. I never understood why anyone would pay so much more for a mac these days when really good PCs are so much more affordable.

I run my entire business off a Macbook Air.

I think any machine can be helpful for your purpose unless you have some speical requirements.

Although most computers today will & should do the trick for normal IM, before you go out and fork out the moolah for a simple '4 cyclinder manual A to Z four door sedan', consider having someone build you a V8 two-door sports convertible coupe - for the same price. You'll be suprised how simple some of the 'off-the-shelf' retail computers actually are. There are many computers freaks out there that would LOVVVE to put something together for you that's a little more "OUTTA THE ORDINARY".

I use my PC. And HP laptop

As an Apple product user I would suggest that the ideal computer/laptop to use would be a Mac. This is because since I switch from a Sony Viao to a Mac I just can't see myself going back. However this would be a biased recommendation. Therefore I would say get any computer as long as It has enough memory space and a fast processor.


Manie

If you are just going to use it for IM then any basic computer will do the task. Its only when you are doing intensive tasks like web design and animation that you need high speed gizmos.

If SOMEONE ELSE is using the computer
spend a little more an get a BUSINESS VERSION
( eg HP makes a few ) that comes with a RESTORE DISK.

That's all I will say about that. lol

A 2 years old $1000 Samsung 13 inch Laptop is all I need to make a full time income with internet.

I personally use an HP laptop and it works great. I don't play games on it or anything unrelated to IM so memory isn't really an issue.

I haven't used a pc for years, laptop all the way. I just have a samsung I purchased 6 months ago, does everything I need. I work any where, in the dining area, when I'm out or like now in bed i run the latest games, run photography programs etc etc, no problem for this little beast...

I use a homemade pc. oh yeah. 3.7ghz six core. Fastest computer I have ever had + it was cheap because I made it myself. I have a 24 inch screen to accompany it. Using windows 7 on it. In the past I hated windows, particularly windows vista, but I love windows 7 I think it is an excellent operating system.

I have general computer with good internet speed. I m working with my computer for 3 years and trust me i m very happy with this.