# Suggestion for a good laptop



## iluvphotography (Aug 2, 2013)

I am planning to buy a new laptop as my old one is getting painfully slow.  Any suggestion on what i should look for in a laptop if I want to do lots of photo processing?

BTW. I am not a Mac person


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## Big Mike (Aug 2, 2013)

If you want to do lots of photo processing....get a desktop...or at least a high quality IPS monitor that will stay in a consistent location that is suitable for photo/color editing.  

A photographer I work with, was recently blabbering on about a Lenovo Laptop that he wants to get.  It might have been this one ThinkPad X230t Convertible Laptop | Lenovo | Lenovo (CA)
Small, powerful, IPS touch screen with stylus, reversible screen so you can basically use it like a tablet.


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## KmH (Aug 2, 2013)

Camera Raw, Photoshop, and Lightroom depend on your display being calibrated if you hope to have your images accurately rendered on it.
Display calibration is a critical aspect of color management and image editing.

Because display calibration has to be redone if the ambient light falling on the display changes is why Mike recommended editing on an external display that always has the same ambient light falling on it.

It's OK if you don't mind re-calibrating a laptop every time you use it in different ambient light. A real trick with a laptop is also getting the display at the same angle to the keyboard because variance in that angle also changes the amount of ambient light falling on the display.

Even desktop displays have to be re-calibrated routinely to account for the display aging. So even if the ambient light doesn't change, re-calibration should be done every 2 to 4 weeks.

The only accurate way to calibrate a display is with a colorimeter (displays only) or a spectrophotometer (displays, projectors, printers, scanners).
A highly recommended colorimeter - X-Rite EODIS3 i1Display Pro
A highly recommended spectrophotometer - X-Rite CMUNPH ColorMunki Photo 

Tutorials on Color Management & Printing


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## DanielLewis76 (Aug 2, 2013)

I wasn't a mac person until I got a mac due to it being the only laptop that had the spec i needed (software development multi VM images). I have a macbook retina pro 2.7Ghz with 16GB ram and its absolutely flies! There is no slow down at all processing any size photos and I would recommend switching to a mac to anyone.


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## iluvphotography (Aug 2, 2013)

With Mac I guess I just have to get used to it..  Could I use Photoshop and Lightroom on Mac or I have to get Apreture?

As the space is an issue in my place, I can only use laptop but based on recommendations, I will use external monitor.  And then the whole issue about calibration of the screen that I didn't even know.. Thanks KmH.


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## Big Mike (Aug 2, 2013)

> With Mac I guess I just have to get used to it.. Could I use Photoshop and Lightroom on Mac or I have to get Apreture?


You can absolutely use any Adobe software on a Mac.


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## DanielLewis76 (Aug 2, 2013)

Photoshop/Lightroom works better on a Mac than PC


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## JDFlood (Aug 2, 2013)

I do lots of photo processing on the desktop and quite a bit on the laptop. My laptop is a 18" 6core i7 with 12gig Ram and SSD c: drive and 1tb secondary. Works well. 1920 by 1024 ? Screen. Alienware makes one. Not cheap, but great machine. Mine is a Toshiba, they syopped making them I think. Weighs about 20lbs... Well maybe not that much. 

But my 6 core 16gig, SSD, 6 TB tower with 30" monitors is better. Remember don't worry about a accelerated video card, Lightroom doesn't support it. Get the fastest i7 multicore  you can afford... It's fast drives, muscular CPU, and lots of memory that make things snappy.

JD


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## KmH (Aug 2, 2013)

JDFlood said:


> Remember don't worry about a accelerated video card, Lightroom doesn't support it.


But Photoshop does (OpenGL).


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## Buckster (Aug 2, 2013)

Whenever I replace my desktop or laptop, I go with the fastest whiz-bang high-end gaming rig I can find.  They can handle anything you throw at them, with speed to spare, and they don't need to be replaced for quite a few years before the specs don't meet the requirements of the latest software.

On the laptops, I use a calibrated external display whenever I want to do photo editing on it, and it's all good.  I very much prefer my desktop machines though.  The laptops are used for their portability.


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## texkam (Aug 3, 2013)

After your purchase, take your old machine and install Linux on it. It will fly like it once did. You can then use it for worry-free internet surfing because it will be immune to Windows viruses. No need for any antivirus software on a Linux machine.

Main Page - Linux Mint Something in the Mint family would be a good choice.


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## MarkKapoor (Aug 3, 2013)

Your genre, if looking for gaming then go for Razor or Alienware.....


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## IByte (Aug 3, 2013)

Asus G46v series have a lot to offer.


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## table1349 (Aug 3, 2013)

iluvphotography said:


> I am planning to buy a new laptop as my old one is getting painfully slow.  Any suggestion on what i should look for in a laptop if I want to do lots of photo processing?
> 
> BTW. I am not a Mac person



The best laptop for photo editing is a desk top.  As people have pointed out laptops are not ideal for editing.  While there are times I use my MBP when necessary to edit, I always go back, check and re-edit them on my iMac since I keep it calibrated with a ColorMunki.


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## kathyt (Aug 3, 2013)

I would go with a high end Dell. They have the IPS screen, but the downside is they come with a price tag similar to the MacBook pros and higher.


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## Derrel (Aug 3, 2013)

Now HERE, here's your "*high-*end" Dell...


http://betabeat.com/2013/01/dude-youre-getting-a-dell-guy-just-wants-his-job-back-cmon-please/

Dell? As in "Dell"? The race-to-the-bottom, bland, unimaginative, generic offering made by a once-promising company that has now drifted off into irrelevance in the computer biz???


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## kathyt (Aug 3, 2013)

Derrel said:


> Now HERE, here's your "*high-*end" Dell...
> 
> 
> http://betabeat.com/2013/01/dude-youre-getting-a-dell-guy-just-wants-his-job-back-cmon-please/
> ...


Yep! Bland, unimaginative, generic offering, once promising, that has now drifted off into irrelevance, pretty much sums it up!


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## runnah (Aug 3, 2013)

?


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## paigew (Aug 3, 2013)

I just got the Lenovo ideapad and I love it. I only edit on my laptop (I use LR and PS). The screen resolution is amazing but it DOES need to be calibrated before any photo editing, the way it comes is pretty awful color wise. Its really fast and has a ton of memory


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## kathyt (Aug 3, 2013)

runnah said:


> ?


Love this song runnah! Not sure what it has to do with the previous though.


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## texkam (Aug 3, 2013)

With all the turmoil that has been going on at Dell, I would be a little uncomfortable about buying one.

Michael Dell ?at peace? amid turmoil as tech giant fights to go private - The Globe and Mail


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## EIngerson (Aug 3, 2013)

Since you're not a Mac person, here's what you need to do. Like Buckster said, go buy the fastest, biggest, ugliest, gamingest, Sam-hootinest computer in the West. splash it with gas, light it on fire and put it out in the toilet........



Then go buy yourself a Mac.


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## runnah (Aug 3, 2013)

kathythorson said:


> Love this song runnah! Not sure what it has to do with the previous though.



A dell - Adele 

I am hilarious.


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## manaheim (Aug 3, 2013)

SGI - Products: Servers: SGI UV


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## table1349 (Aug 3, 2013)

manaheim said:


> SGI - Products: Servers: SGI UV



I agree, and the price of $200,000.00 for the starter kit is well within most peoples budget. :mrgreen:

Heck with those specs it would even be a cinch to load OSX 10.8.4 on it.


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## manaheim (Aug 3, 2013)

OSX on that thing would be wild.


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## Capturing_Nostalgia (Aug 3, 2013)

If photography and editing is your career and passion, I think you should just spend the extra money and by a Mac, it will pay for itself over the next several years when you do not have to replace it!

Andrea B.


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## runnah (Aug 3, 2013)

Eh, get a PC. Spend the extra money you saved by not buying a Mac in a really nice monitor. Editing photos on a laptop is terrible.


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## manaheim (Aug 3, 2013)

Gawd... PC / Mac / PC / Mac / PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac / PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /

I swear this is another topic that ... had I ultimate power here ... I would INSTALOCK.


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## runnah (Aug 3, 2013)

manaheim said:


> Gawd... PC / Mac / PC / Mac / PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac / PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /PC / Mac / PC / Mac /
> 
> I swear this is another topic that ... had I ultimate power here ... I would INSTALOCK.



Insta lock? You mean like windows vista?


:high five:


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## Jad (Aug 11, 2013)

Go with a Macbook Pro. Buy the most memory you can afford. You will not be disappointed. I have one that is a 2008 and it has had heavy use. It works like the day I bought it and does PS processing well. The Mac will cost you more but it is worth the extra expense. I started with all of the other brands and they all died. Become a Mac person and you will ask yourself later, why did I wait so long.


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## iluvphotography (Aug 13, 2013)

Oh Wow!  Lot's of Mac lovers here! So what is the conclusion?  Mac Laptop or Windows Desktop?  I am still confused!

If I buy Mac I have to go through a huge learning curve.. Everytime I try to use my friend's Mac, I am lost and I get frustrated.  Plus I am still trying to learn Photoshop and Lightroom too...Would it be overwhelming?

And no I am not pro and have never made or tried to make any money from my photos.. Just a hobbie so don't know if I want to spend lots of money on it.  Plus I just bought a new wide lens and 10 stop ND filter and other things..


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## runnah (Aug 13, 2013)

With either option budget for a monitor that is high quality. Editing photos in a laptop is difficult.


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## texkam (Aug 13, 2013)

I've owned 4 Macs and at least that many PCs. Years ago, Macs hands down had advantages over PCs in the graphics area, but no longer. Other than the sexy interface and cool design there's very little difference if the specs are similar. As far as your software is concerned, it's just an operating system. Photoshop doesn't care if you're on a Mac or PC. It's going to act the same as long as it has what it needs spec wise. There are plenty of cheapo windows laptops out there. Many people upgrade to a Mac after becoming frustrated with their POS cheap Windows laptop. Sure, you bought a cheap POS. Apple doesn't go after that market. They build a quality machine and you pay for it plus a little more, but there are quality windows laptops out there as well, more expensive than the cheapos, but less expensive than a similarly equipped Mac. I would suggest if one were to buy a quality Windows laptop instead of a POS one, they would be happy too.

I have a Windows desktop with plenty of horsepower for editing, but I also took my son's 5 year old laptop and installed Linux on it and use it pretty much just for internet and it is every bit as fast as my desktop for this purpose. Something to consider with yours if you get a desktop for editing.

What do you use your present computer for? 
For instance:
Photo editing = 30%
Internet (surfing, email, etc.) = 60%
Word processing = 5%
Music = 5%
How old is it? What are the specs? (processor, ram, etc.)


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## iluvphotography (Aug 14, 2013)

my current laptop is Asus and is over 6 years old....it is painfully slow...so much that i havent used it for 2 years.  my desktop is also 6 years old and it is connected to my tv for watching movies, music etc..i use my samsung tablet to search the internet.   i have not done any photo editing over 3 years just because of my computer situation!


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## Landwomble (Aug 14, 2013)

Core i7, ssd for OS, full HD screen. Check the Dell Outlet for an inspiron 15r or 17r.
They're great and very cheap.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2


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## iluvphotography (Aug 17, 2013)

ok so based on everyones suggestion here i decided to go with Mac destop.  now which one should i get? mac mini? Or iMac?.


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## rexbobcat (Aug 17, 2013)

iluvphotography said:


> ok so based on everyones suggestion here i decided to go with Mac destop.  now which one should i get? mac mini? Or iMac?.



iMac.

The screen is so nice.


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## shefjr (Aug 18, 2013)

I just ordered my first iMac ever! I can't wait for delivery. I've had CS6(for Mac) and LR4 for months now just sitting in a package waiting for a new Mac to be installed on. 
Fùc Dell my last laptop I bought from them ended with me not being happy with them.


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