From what I remember though, a Mac with 4GB of RAM would actually run a lot smoother than a Windows running PC with 4GB of RAM.
When I had my Mac and compared it with the PC at my friend's house it seemed to reflect that. The Mac just ran a lot more smoothly.
That was about ten years ago so I dunno. What do you reckon?
Its because the Mac OS is much more streamlined and optimized that it handles memory requests much better. Windows in such a Pig, that the only thing you can do is throw more memory at it.
In TI case, its strictly a question of usage. He said photography but he didnt say if that was simply taking photos, or editing them. Nor the type of quality he is aiming for...amateur or professional.
What I would do is buy the laptop "as is", evaluate it. I would inquire how much it would cost to upgrade the RAM just for reference. If he needs exta RAM well, he knows what to do. If not, keep it as it is.
If TI is *really* feeling adventurous he could try a dual boot OS 10-Windows and get the best of both worlds.
TI
Two final thoughts. Apple is releasing "Snow Leopard" in Q3-Q4 (October is a good bet), their latest OS. I would wait and benefit from its release, it will be a free upgrade, save you $150-$200. If Apple offers a "free upgrade" be sure you get a pc that takes advantage.
Secondly, Apple tend to skimp on the HD, you'll pay top dollar for the largest drives. plan on getting a nice USB HD especially if you've got lots of files.