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Archive 2008 · Best laptop?

eggyacid
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p.3 #1 · Best laptop?

MacBook Pro running either Aperture or Lightroom (I perfered Aperture)
i take it every shoot I go, i can shoot tether via USB or Wireless right into Aperture.
I can even run slideshows during the reception via Aperture

Canon Wireless Transmitter and shoot tether directly into Aperture, set Aperture to display image full screen. It's amazing to see your pictures on big screen while you snap pictures.

Dec 30, 2008 at 10:16 PM

Brian Lingle
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p.3 #2 · Best laptop?

Deb, Sorry to hear they won't upgrade from PS 7. Get a student or teacher to buy CS4 for you. That'll save you a little $.

eggy, You're right, shooting tethered is a gas. I've done it some using Nikon Capture. I don't do it much because of the limitations with the setup required, but the wireless solution sounds great.

Dec 31, 2008 at 02:47 AM

Brian Lingle
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p.3 #3 · Best laptop?

After reading about the RGB gamut on the Lenovo Thinkpad linked above, I'm wondering about the specs on all these laptop screens. Someone in another thread wrote about a MBP that comes with either IPS based panel or a different, less desirable, one and said that there's no way of knowing or controlling which one you're going to get when you order it new. I remember, a few years ago, reading an article about IPS vs the other types of screens. Now that you guys have clarified the info on what makes a computer faster, I think the display quality would be the next thing to consider. So what do you look for in the specs on a laptop display? Sounds like they vary, even on the MBP's.

Dec 31, 2008 at 02:56 AM

vovkinson
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p.3 #4 · Best laptop?

I have multiple Lenovo laptops at work and they suck.
MBP with matte screen if you can find one (check apple for rerurbished macs)
I'd recommend 512mb video if you want to use it with Aperture 2.1

Dec 31, 2008 at 10:53 AM

Brian Lingle
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p.3 #5 · Best laptop?

Looking at the range of ghz in the processors for MBP's, I'm sure fastest is best, but is there a point where the price jumps up? Should I be looking for a certain amount of ghz that's plenty fast and a better bang for the buck?

I was thinking about Sam's great suggestion and I'm wondering: Won't a MBP with lesser Ram and smaller HD also have lower ghz, meaning - even when you upgrade to 4GB ram you'll still have the slower processor?

Dec 31, 2008 at 12:24 PM

mike reid
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p.3 #6 · Best laptop?

I have two older dell laptops (700M and M1210) that I have souped up and run at home with a dell 2007WFP monitor. I like that the 700m is about the size of a National Geographic but limited in that it cant take SATA hard drives and maxes out RAM at 2gb (and seems happier with 1.25gb). I also prefer to run XP even though as a MS contractor I get all the Vista I dont want.

If I move along its going to be to a dual boot Macbook, souped up as well. I'd like to find one with an owner who loaded it up with Adobe and in a fit of ADHD moved on to the newer and better whatever that is...

For me its more about RAM and screen and mondo hard drive vs processor. I'm not gaming or doing 3D rendering etc

Dec 31, 2008 at 12:32 PM

Matt Khoury
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p.3 #7 · Best laptop?

geeee

z.... love how there are so many opinions.

bottom line.

any MBPro will more than suffice.
and NEW MB will more than suffice (i'm using a new MB (not pro) and it's rockin)

Dec 31, 2008 at 02:53 PM

Brian Lingle
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p.3 #8 · Best laptop?

mike, You're saying, then, that the processor speed isn't as critical for photo processing. That the speed comes more from the RAM and hard drive speed. Right?

Dec 31, 2008 at 09:40 PM

coffee-black
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p.3 #9 · Best laptop?

Hi Brian:

I am a self-admitted business person first, photographer second. Your question, fortunately/unfortunately, begs for more "opinion" than fact. Everyone will have theirs. I'm no exception. But, here are some facts--

1- PC will be less expensive than Macs for the same performance...period
2- Macs will perform faster, with less hardware because Mac virus software simply isn't required as much as it is on a PC. I cannot tell you how much both Norton and McAfee slow down a system.
3-Those who use Macs, love them. Those that know PCs, use them because they know them.

Both systems are very good. But, in my opinion, you simply won't get the editing capability in a laptop that you will in a desktop. Spending more money on a laptop can get you a better one, but still won't get you what a good desktop will. Point being, don't waste money chasing something you won't get.

I've used Dell for years. I still use [daily] an Inspiron 8100 which has to be more than 6 years old...with 256 RAM. It still runs the MS Office suite and Outlook. I've had HP and Compaq...all died. Not a single Dell computer purchased in 8 years has died. We're up to 6. Most recent an Optiplex 755 with high color 24" monitor. At this point, they are a "brainless" purchase, which is a welcome feature as there is so much more to spend time upon.

You can pick up new, brilliant Dell laptops for well under $1000 that will provide 95% of what you can expect from any laptop system. The question becomes how much are you willing to spend to get the last few percent?

Best of luck and Happy New Year!

>rw

Dec 31, 2008 at 11:01 PM

mike reid
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p.3 #10 · Best laptop?

Brian,

I am saying that RAM and other things play a larger role than the difference between say 1.8ghz and 2.0ghz.

....wow inspiron 8100....my old inspiron was a 8200...large dual rear cooling fans

Dec 31, 2008 at 11:17 PM

Brian Lingle
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p.3 #11 · Best laptop?

coffee, The low prices I've seen on PC laptops are what got me thinking about getting a new one. Doing a few family portraits on location and downloading and previewing the photos to the customers to take orders at the location, recently, made me want something faster with a better display screen. Also, the prospect of connecting to people's HD tv's in their homes to give previews appeals to me a lot and the IQ is terrible from connecting with my current laptop unless the tv has a pc connection. In addition, I'm going to be working away from home for the next month and a half.

I don't understand how a laptop would give any less editing capability than a desktop if it has the same processor, Ram, HD and graphics card. Admittedly, the screens are smaller and that's an issue, for sure. Are the current laptop screens equal in IQ to the desktop screens? If they're more contrasty, like they used to be, and like my 2003 Inspiron is, that's an important issue. But, are they? If not, why would a laptop be just as good for editing?

mike, What other things besides RAM make a bigger difference than the difference between 1.8 vs 2.0 ghz? And aren't most current models between 2.3 and 2.8 ghz?

Jan 01, 2009 at 12:15 AM

coffee-black
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p.3 #12 · Best laptop?

Brian Lingle wrote:
coffee, The low prices I've seen on PC laptops are what got me thinking about getting a new one. Doing a few family portraits on location and downloading and previewing the photos to the customers to take orders at the location, recently, made me want something faster with a better display screen. Also, the prospect of connecting to people's HD tv's in their homes to give previews appeals to me a lot and the IQ is terrible from connecting with my current laptop unless the tv has a pc connection. In addition, I'm going to be working away from...Show more →

Brian--

To me, it is all in the screen. My business went from editing on my Dell 8100, to a Compaq laptop, to a Dell with CRT, to a Dell with a wide flat-screen. The latter generating the overall best picture, workspace and processing efficiency. Two main reasons--

1- I have yet to see a laptop with true calibration capabilities which is extremely important for editing/printing.

2- Size; it matters. Wide screens make program tool usage unbelievably more efficient when processing images. There is simply no comparison.

Having written that, for your intended purpose [client previews, location work] laptops are indispensable. Again, almost any of the Dell laptops offered today will provide enough performance to meet your needs. But, rather than spending $2500 on a top of the line laptop, I'd opt for a $800 laptop for location work and $1500 desk top system for serious editing. You'll end up with a far better overall system.

Lastly, from a business standpoint, I'd give serious consideration to using in-home TVs for your presentations. First, you'd have to make certain the TV was optimized for pictures. I've hooked my camera and laptop to our home TV with less than stellar results. Secondly, unless this will be an uninterrupted slide show, you'll be kneeling on the floor or standing on top of the TV to manipulate the computer.

I'm with you regarding cost. Though my 'many year old' 8100 still works, the idea that I can pick up a $600 laptop which would be light-years ahead...is very tempting.

Happy New Year!
>rw

Jan 01, 2009 at 10:38 AM

coffee-black
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p.3 #13 · Best laptop?

mike reid wrote:
Brian,

I am saying that RAM and other things play a larger role than the difference between say 1.8ghz and 2.0ghz.

....wow inspiron 8100....my old inspiron was a 8200...large dual rear cooling fans

anyway great deals on dell's outlet...always send friends there

I remember hearing Ballmer on stage talking about how Macs dont have viruses because with relatively few users compared to PC's...there is little notoriety to be gained writing Mac viruses...

Yes, the 8100 has those fans. Truth be told, I cannot remember how old the unit really is. But, it is still going.

That is the reason for the lack of viruses I heard as well. My wife uses an older mac laptop as well. As a teacher, she was given one. Her school uses both PC and mac. They don't even bother with virus software for the mac systems. It is one of the biggest selling points to the school.

I agree with the RAM over processor for real speed as well. It is the only thing that prods me into upgrading to Vista from XP Pro. We use Pro with the 3gig switch, so some of our RAM isn't even used now. I am simply not a fan of Vista.

>rw

Jan 01, 2009 at 10:45 AM

Brian Lingle
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p.3 #14 · Best laptop?

coffee, I went from editing on my laptop to laptop with CRT to laptop with Dell 20" full screen to desktop computer with the Dell full screen. I agree with most of what you're saying. I still think wide screens are a waste of screen space and they make portrait oriented images too small. Regarding the ability to put the tool pallets out to the side of the image on a wide screen - it's just as fast to hit the tab key to make them appear and disappear as it is to slide the cursor out to the side.

I like the idea of being able to use in-home tv's for presentations. I'm thinking that having a DVI out on the laptop will give the best potential for connectivity to most people's tv's now. SVGA isn't the same quality of signal, is it?

The Toshiba L355-57835 that WalMart sells for $600 with 4GB DDR2 Intel Centrino, 320GB HD, r/w CD/DVD and a 17" screen was tempting me, but I read a user review that said it was junk.

Jan 01, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Tad Killian
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p.3 #15 · Best laptop?

you'll notice a difference in speed as well if you upgrade to a 7200rpm versus the standard 5400 found in most laptops.

Jan 01, 2009 at 12:40 PM

Italo Campilii
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p.3 #16 · Best laptop?

Brian Lingle wrote:
Italo, Thank you for taking the time to respond to all those questions. Parallels doesn't sound like something I'd want. thanks for the warning on that. Toshiba, Acer and HP. Acer and HP used to be considered the cheap, lower quality brands. Good to know they've improved. If an Acer display is just as good, why would I get an Apple cinema display? If your MBP works on an Acer though, I guess the Dell display will work, too. iMac? Nobody has mentioned those up to now, have they? If the iMac is just as fast and costs less,...Show more →

You're very welcome Brian.

You can use any LCD display with the MBP. All LCDs have either VGA or DVI. DVI is a higher standard and absolutely recommended due to the quality improvement, which is why MBP's have a DVI port to extend the screen use.

Everyone talks about Dell screens, I've seen very few and they're pretty crisp looking. I just mentioned Acer as a brand because it's one I've had for some time and it works just fine. As for Apple Cinema, they're much better (higher in resolution) and use real colors if calibrated well, but that's just up to you and your pocket to decide. I'd opt for refurbished or like-new condition if I was getting started.

iMacs have one defect only and it is that they have a glossy screen. I'm anti-glossy that's why I have the previous version of MBP. Sam just gave me a brilliant idea about the HD upgrade because I'm still on 160GB and I just never paid attention to the whole upgrading factor and left it at that. Since 500GB HD's are so cheap now, you can grab one for $100 bucks on ebay.

So:

320GB HD upgrade = $70
500GB HD upgrade = $100
4GB RAM upgrade = $70
2.4GHZ MBP 15" (previous gen) = $1,300 ish

You're MUCH better upgrading all the good junk and getting started with a very powerful laptop. Or just get a very powerful desktop if you dont need portability.

Jan 01, 2009 at 06:18 PM

Italo Campilii
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p.3 #17 · Best laptop?

I'll add one more thing for your thought.

I could edit stuff on a $300 laptop. The question is: is it worth sacrificing to save more money from buying an expensive laptop and work like a turtle or is it better to invest in equipment that will maximize workflow times 4? x8? x16?

That should help you see where you're standing and whether you should settle for the best at this point or not. Heck, I admit my first digital SLR camera was a Rebel XT with an 18-200 f/3.5-6.3 Sigma lens. Was it fast enough to handle a $3k event? NOpe.

Jan 01, 2009 at 06:26 PM

Brian Lingle
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p.3 #18 · Best laptop?

Thanks for all the valuable input, Italo. If money was no issue, I wouldn't spend this much time considering all this. I really like Sam's idea, too.

Like someone earlier in the thread mentioned, you can get a good price on Ram at critical.com I think that's' the name of the site.

Like the line in the movie, "I've got the need. The need for speed!"

I saw a photographer 2 years ago using an XT and kit lens to shoot a wedding. When I asked about it, he said, "yeah, and I have it turned down from 6 megapixels to 4. You can print a 16x20 from that if it's a good exposure." He charges $5,000 min for his weddings. Things is, his dad owned a photography school and he grew up assisting from the age of 11. The images looked really good on his website, too.

I'm going to be in the SF Bay area for the month of January. I'll check the computers in some stores and check Craigslist while I'm there.

All the best for the new year.

Jan 01, 2009 at 07:58 PM

coffee-black
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p.3 #19 · Best laptop?

Brian Lingle wrote:
coffee, I went from editing on my laptop to laptop with CRT to laptop with Dell 20" full screen to desktop computer with the Dell full screen. I agree with most of what you're saying. I still think wide screens are a waste of screen space and they make portrait oriented images too small. Regarding the ability to put the tool pallets out to the side of the image on a wide screen - it's just as fast to hit the tab key to make them appear and disappear as it is to slide the cursor out to the...Show more →

Hi, again, Brian:

As you'll see, it will really come down to personal preference. For me, as you can tell, I don't want to be a computer "geek" [complimentary not derogatory]. When I traveled weekly, I lived with an IBM thinkpad and couldn't imagine owning a desktop. They were big, ugly....Since going digital with photography and having a central office...I couldn't imagine spending more than $1000 on any laptop-- they're small, difficult to work without additional keyboards, screens, etc...You get the picture. It is all a matter of perspective.

At this point in my professional career, when I need a system, I call Dell; they build one to my specs; I lease it for 3 years; then get another. Brainless...and I'm thankful for it.

Simply keep in mind, today's minimum laptop offerings will provide you more than what you need for your described use. If you want speed, think RAM and HD speed as much or more than processor speed. It takes far longer to pull information from your HD, than it does to process from RAM.

For me, I cannot wait until HD are a thing of the past and the whole system works off of solid state memory.

>rw

Jan 01, 2009 at 08:48 PM

Brian Lingle
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p.3 #20 · Best laptop?

coffee, Thanks for the recommendations. Solid state memory sounds great. Are there any using it in laptops now?

Jan 04, 2009 at 04:32 AM

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