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Archive 2022 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?

  
 
DistantPlaces
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


I am planning to buy a new laptop as well as a decent external monitor (32'' 4K). The laptop will be used stationary and most editing work (LR/PS, occasional video editing) will thus always be done on the large external screen.

Many of the current devices available offer options to upgrade the screen, like this latest Dell XPS17
The default screen can be upgraded to a 17'' 4K screen with a few more benefits for an additional 300$.

My initial thought was this is money I can well save. But then again, this laptop is supposed to last for 5+ years. While I am doing most editing on the external monitor, the laptop screen will still be used as secondary monitor. So I am on the fence about upgrading or not. The 4K screen would certainly be 'better' for many scenarios. Comparing photo and video footage on both screens come to mind. On the other hand, I am wondering about scaling since 4K on a 17'' is definitely going to be an issue.

So more of a general question: are there any additional reasons why one would care for the laptop screen even though most processing work is done on a large external monitor?




Jun 06, 2022 at 12:47 PM
sjms
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


simply getting as close a match as you can when using the LT w/o the external monitor.


Jun 06, 2022 at 01:34 PM
DistantPlaces
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


It's mostly a stationary setup. The times the laptop would be used without external monitor are negligible. But even in a stationary setup, both screens having the same resolution would help I reckon.


Jun 06, 2022 at 01:49 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


I would check on the panel manufacturers and any characteristics you can find. For example the 2560 display might be better other than resolution, or maybe not.
2560 in a 17" display looks very good to me, but maybe you can see the pixels up really close and don't like that. A modern laptop can display multiple resolutions/screens without difficulty. Also check the power use if that matters. Higher res generally requires more power.

EBH



Jun 07, 2022 at 11:14 AM
Tom Nevesely
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


I'm just curious why you want a laptop if it's going to be used a stationary setup. Wouldn't you get more computer for your buck with a desktop PC?


Jun 07, 2022 at 02:27 PM
GroovyGeek
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


17" laptop isn't really a laptop, it is a "luggable computing device". 13" laptops are not usable for me, display too small and keyboard too cramped. 15" with a good screen with large viewing angles is my sweetspot. Save the $300 and spend it on your stationary monitors, NVME SS startup drive, more RAM. It is wasted on a monitor that you will never use for critical work. I would go with two slightly smaller monitors over one 32". You can move a window from one monitor to another with a single keyboard click combo. Arranging windows on a single monitor with the size and position you want them is a PITA for me.

Tom Nevesely wrote:
I'm just curious why you want a laptop if it's going to be used a stationary setup. Wouldn't you get more computer for your buck with a desktop PC?


But then you don't have a travel-ready device or something to lounge in the back yard with when you feel like it.



Jun 08, 2022 at 02:52 AM
sjms
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


But then you don't have a travel-ready device or something to lounge in the back yard with when you feel like it.

yep, a point well made.

addendum: i do travel often and with my 13" HP Spectre. it has done well with its pretty high res screen (3840x2400) and it being color corrected enough to work next to my NEC PA271Q connected to my base computer. since i already use a reduced size keyboard it works well enough. there is always going to be a bit of give and take.

It is sometimes better to have and possibly not need but then again you can take it if you want to.

Edited on Jun 08, 2022 at 06:56 PM · View previous versions



Jun 08, 2022 at 04:46 AM
Craig Gillette
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


Conclusion first, then some thoughts. 1920x1080 is in common use with 23" and other monitors. So while I like the higher res screen, one may not "need" it with a 17" screen. The 4k has a wider gamut color coverage.

I have an xps17 with the 3840x2400 screen (very nice screen, btw) and a desktop with a new 32" 4k and a 1920x1080 monitor.

My wife has a company Dell laptop for office and (work at) home use. With docking stations and 2 monitors at both home and work. With the docking stations, she doesn't need to open her laptop, everything can be turned on from the docking station. Mousing around can be a little odd if the laptop is opened for camera use.

Dell xps/Lightning docking stations aren't inexpensive but very convenient if moving around a lot. Also support adapting nonLightning port (USB-C style) accessories.

I've only used the xps with a single external monitor, perhaps either a 4k OLED tv, the 32" 4K and a couple of random 1920x1080s a few times. The desktop is 2 monitors in use. She uses her laptop, almost always "closed" with 2 external monitors.

We're not having any scaling problems or similar issues with different monitor resolutions. That might depend on graphics capabilities or individual programs, operating systems.

I have tried using dual screen approaches to Lightroom a few times. Not doing it a lot. It seems that with the 32" screen primary, the laptop could be the secondary screen easily (space permitting). A lot of people use multiple screen set ups of various sorts. Personally, I would want a larger external screen, keyboard and mouse if using a laptop as my primary/only computer.

Yes, the 17" is bulky. The xps screen "dimensions" 1920x1200 or 3840x2400 will be different from most external monitors. Haven't found it to be a problem - I did redo some wallpaper to the new aspect ratio.



Jun 08, 2022 at 02:32 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


GroovyGeek wrote:
17" laptop isn't really a laptop, it is a "luggable computing device". 13" laptops are not usable for me, display too small and keyboard too cramped. 15" with a good screen with large viewing angles is my sweetspot. Save the $300 and spend it on your stationary monitors, NVME SS startup drive, more RAM. It is wasted on a monitor that you will never use for critical work. I would go with two slightly smaller monitors over one 32". You can move a window from one monitor to another with a single keyboard click combo. Arranging windows on a single
...Show more

Or you can have a separate, relatively inexpensive laptop for non-intensive processing.

EBH



Jun 08, 2022 at 04:49 PM
sjms
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


so, in the end you can do a whole lot of "methods and options" and can get to wherever you think you want to get to. its about personal preference.


Jun 09, 2022 at 03:51 AM
EB-1
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


On a computer I can now use the link and the options are only FHD (1080*1920) vs. 4K. I would vote for 4K because half of that resolution is just too crude on a 17". 1440*2560 or 1600*2560 would be fine at 17".

EBH



Jun 09, 2022 at 11:42 AM
DistantPlaces
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Upgrading Laptop screen if editing with external monitor?


Going for a desktop instead of a laptop is no option out of various reasons (some mentioned here by others) - I did not go into specifics to not derail the thread.

Anyway, thanks all for the feedback! Some good points made.

It is especially helpful to hear there are no scaling issues when using the 4K XPS screen as secondary monitor, which was one of my biggest concerns (my current 15'' 1080p screen used as secondary monitor is borderline small for unscaled text). So to summarize, in the case of the XPS screen the upgrade would mean higher resolution, wider color gamut, touch functionality (not really necessary but nice to have), ...
I also read a bunch of reviews all commending that particular 4K screen as being very nice.

At the time of opening the thread I was still thinking of going with a Core-i9 but have since learned it does not really make sense. That freed-up money will be invested into the better screen.



Jun 09, 2022 at 01:03 PM





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