Best Laptop for Photographers?

<p>I recently had my Macbook Pro 17 my Son gave to me come up with a graphics issue and die. I now know it was something Apple was well aware of with the GE force graphics card they were using. They stopped fixing this issue in December of 2012 - about 6 months before mine crapped out.<br /><br /><br>

I admit I was spoiled with the laptop especially since it had Windows XP OS, but being it was a gift and now I'm having to shell out the money I'm having a hard time finding a replacement. I'm pushing 60 and the thought of learning a new OS on Apple combined with the cost has me wondering if Apple just has this market cornered or is there an alternative in the PC world.<br>

<br />Being a photographer as well as Photoshop and Lightroom enthusiast I would use this laptop whenever I travel. As well the laptop would be connected to my Bravia 55" TV so that I can watch my 15,000 photo's spanning 40 years go by in splendid HD on my TV. That is why I'm "needing" a 1920x1080 native screen resolution (as my Macbook Pro had).<br>

<br />So knowing something about my usage are their any suggestions on what laptops out there are built for photographers with a display that is crystal clear? I'm simply overwhelmed with all the choices out there and with a diseased brain it seems I can't come up with what I'm looking for. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.<br>

<br />Thanks!<br>

<br />PS: What is a "matte" screen type? I think of "matte" as once upon a time that's what they did to photo's so that fingerprints wouldn't show on snapshots. I always preferred the glossy photo's. Is this similar to the difference in "screen types"?</p>

<p>If you don't really need portability, consider a large screen iMac. It gives you more for the buck than you get on a laptop and the large monitor is so much cheaper that way.</p>

<p>If you need a laptop for travel on occasion, consider getting an older used one and an external HD for that.<br>

On the other hand, if you really need a portable, then try something like one of last year's best that has been replaced by one of those people who always have to have the latest. For photos, larger screen is better.</p>

<p>Glossy vs. matte? <br>

I have got used to the glossy and the colors do seem more saturated than on my older matte laptop. Others have trouble with reflections, so you need to see both for yourself, since no one else can say how sensitive to reflections you are.</p><div></div>

How important is portability? Do you want to stick with Mac? Do you do a lot of heavy graphics intensive operations (in

other words, how important is a modern graphics chip and a FAST cpu)? How much data do you want to store on the

machine itself? Airs have a maximum of 512GB I think but the SSD nature of the drive means it's FAST. Do you need to

run applications that are PC only, and if so what? Games?

 

 

Generally Apple has gone to mostly "glossy" screens for deeper more vivid color. The downside is that the reflectivity of

the screen causes you to see lights or windows (anything that is a bright light source) behind you in the screen. It can be

distracting for some people. I have a 2013 MacBook Air and I haven't had an issue with the glossy reflections (mostly).

 

 

The 2013 MacBook Air has had some issues relating to WiFi connectivity with older routers. Some have gotten around

the problem by buying a new router (me). Others have had more problems end ended up returning them. I think the

problems have gotten better as Apple has attempted to fix it in software. It's not clear if it's a software or a hardware issue

or both. For me, with an Apple Time Capsule at home and an AT&T Beam cellular USB dongle for on the go, I'm doing

OK. I've also had issues with mysterious crashes that may be related to the power saving features. Besides those

problems the Air is a great computer -- light, fast, good screen. It's a Ferarri next to my Hundai like Windows laptop I use

for work. But it has limited disk space and if you want upgrades you have to buy them when you purchase the laptop

initially and you may have to build to order to get the highest spec model. The new MacBook Pro Retina is a great

machine too (my dad bought one) but it's just a bit heavier. If you don't travel that often and have a strong shoulder you

might like it better.

MacBook Pro's are the best laptop, imo.

<p>Ditto on the MacBook Pro. It operates quite lovely as a desktop <strong>and</strong> portable machine. I didn't want to wait on a new MacPro and needed something powerful but portable so I purchased the MacBook Pro 15" Retina display maxed with ram two months ago. The SSD drive is VERY fast. The Retina on location is awesome and when I'm using on a desktop, I have it hooked up to a NEC PA271W SpectraView II. Best of both worlds display wise. Super highly calibrated display for critical color work. Retina on location is fine and I don't mind the glossy (non matt, my first) laptop display. This pup is quite fast running Photoshop and Lightroom. Just make sure you purchase with max ram (16gigs) because you can't upgrade later. Thunderbold is quite fast. Love it. </p>

Visit an Apple Store where you can see and test drive all the Mac products. They are loaded with a

variety of software as well.

<p>I simply loved the MacBook Pro my Son gave me. Plus it had Windows XP so I didn't need to learn another OS. I heard Win 8 is crap, and I fooled around a bit with Win 7 and found it substantially different than XP so it seems I may have to learn another OS anyway.<br /><br /><br>

Has anyone installed the "boot camp" on an Apple product? That's what I had on my Pro and it worked flawlessly not having to learn an OS. I'm just wondering how it is you get it installed and if it's a great expense?<br>

<br />Also - I'm not a "gamer" at all. I'd prefer making something in PS than wasting my time playing a game. My current desktop is a Dell XPS but it's capped at 4GB of RAM so I may want to use a new laptop for all my image work. <br>

<br />I have a beautiful NEC 2490 monitor along with a Dell one as well. So I'm thinking of having my current desktop combined with the Dell monitor for my MS Office stuff and coupling the NEC with a powerful laptop as an option.<br>

<br />Anymore thoughts? I sure appreciate the feedback. Thanks again!</p>

<p>Again it seems Apple has really cornered the market - but is their ANY windows based laptop to consider for photography, digital imaging, etc.? This MacBook Pro 15 I put together from the apple site is up around 3k now and that's w/o any extended warranty or possibly some sort of Windows software in case the learning curve is too steep. <br>

<br />I did mention my brain does not function like a normal brain any longer - it is diseased, but at least it's not "aggressive" in diminishing my abilities. But it's extremely hard for me to learn, and retain new information. Even in PS I seem to have to learn the same things over and over again and I've been using it for over 12 years. So getting feedback to this overwhelming decision is greatly appreciated. <br /><br /><br>

Thanks Again!</p>

<p>Andrew, I think I understand what you're saying. My mom (nearly 75) began experiencing some difficulties in retaining new information after a head injury and surgeries since 2006, while her memories of events before then are fine. She found it difficult to adapt to a new Windows 7 laptop in 2012, so I gave her a Kindle Fire HD for reading, web browsing and watching videos. She adapted to it so well that if I had to choose a laptop for her I'd probably go with a Mac rather than a PC, mostly for the interface. Although I'd probably consider a Windows 8 touchscreen laptop/tablet as well, which might suit her needs since she's not a photographer.</p>

<p>Regarding retaining new info, or maintaining existing info, you might enjoy some video tutorials for Lightroom and Photoshop. I really like Julieanne Kost's videos. They're clear, concise, well illustrated and her voice is well modulated with good timing and pacing - a huge factor in conveying information. And they're free. I get more from her videos than from any competing free or low priced tutorials on Lightroom, and don't have to rewind and rewatch sections as often as I did with instructors whose voices weren't as clear in terms of modulation, pacing, inflection, etc.</p>

<p>Yes Lex you do gain a "perspective" when you see it happen to those close to you - you get it, you understand it. My disease started at age 44 - your planning for the future years. Lucky for me it's not aggressive and I'm still alive but it certainly has taken its toll on about everything I enjoyed. I'm clinging to my photography and PS. Awakened the creative spirit to survive as I refer to it.<br>

<br />Tutorials - well I've used lynda.com and have been a subscriber to many PS magazines (most from Europe) and I still have an untold number of great tutorials on 100's of discs that came with the magazines. I've made some incredible things with the low percentage of tutorials I've used but with many I didn't even remember I made them so after let alone how I made it.<br>

I kept getting the magazine and tutorials because I never thought I couldn't conquer the disease and some day my life will "normalize" and I'll be a graphic artist and loving photography I thought I was just creating stock photo's. Well if I do tutorials 3-4 days in a row, say 4 hours per day - my brain sends out pain signals to my entire body and I feel as if I've been beat up by a baseball bat. And, it presents me with fatigue so bad I'm unable to get out of bed until 2-5PM.<br>

Sorry - got completely off subject on a laptop. You suggest the MAC (where's the PCer's) - now with the mac and my not having to deal with the new OS of Windows is a Mac difficult to learn? It seems I'm due for a learning process with the OS's that seem to be reviewed as crap. I can't read technical jargon so is it really user friendly for beginners?</p>

 

I've been on Windows since 3.11 and Windows 8 is the best version I've used to date. The search and the new

explorer are fantastic. It's also the safest version for a number of reasons. W8 is well worth learning.

<p>Windows 8 is certainly not crap, and is virtually indistinguishable from Windows 7 when used in desktop mode and with a Start button add-on. Age is no excuse for avoiding Win 8: I'm 74 and have used it on a PC for a year without any trouble. I can't offer an informed opinion on high-end laptops, though. Maybe this article might be helpful:<br>

<a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/Best-Laptop-for-Photo-Editing">http://hubpages.com/hub/Best-Laptop-for-Photo-Editing</a></p>

<p>Every working photographer I know has a MacBook Pro. </p>

<p>I have a MacBook Pro retina display and a Thunderbolt Display (when I want a big computer screen) This gives me the advantage of a big screen computer with a portable laptop. BUT, if you really want to display your pictures on your TV (I do all the time), a very cool capability of the Apple TV is you can stream what is on your laptop directly (via Apple TV) to the TV. I do this all the time to any large screen TV that I have. It is really fun to pull up my Aperture library of recently shot pictures and let family members comment/review on the fly (that really provokes some interesting conversations)<br>

My vote: MacBook Pro Retina Display, Thunderbolt display and Apple TV connected to your television.<br>

I use Aperture, Final Cut Pro X on D800 pictures and several different video sources. Performance is great.</p>

<p>So my being a well informed XP user - what would be easier to learn Windows 8 or an Apple OS? And what is the process of getting Windows on a Mac?</p>

>>> So my being a well informed XP user - what would be easier to learn Windows 8 or an Apple OS?

And what is the process of getting Windows on a Mac?

 

 

You might also consider making a clean cut, and move to OS X. Longterm, IMO that would be a

better move going forward

<p>I use Parallels on my MacBook Pro Retina display running XP. But I only use it for financial stuff</p>

<p>MBP, maybe go for refurbished. Retina screens is expensive, but it is really good for a laptop.</p>

<p>Don't make your decision based on the fact you know Windows! It's like buying another Chevy (or whatever) because you are used to the dashboard. Get the best tool.</p>

<p>Just turned 65, I've been a Mac guy for 30 years. I tried a PC once, just for the price. It was the worst mistake that I could have made. I've been learning new Mac OSs for years and it ain't all that hard. I just got the new Adobe Cloud and that scares the snot out of me, but, God willing, I still have many productive years ahead. So I'll just keep shooting and keep learning on my Mac. I just purchased a dump truck load of manuals off Amazon, so I'll have to start learning about the new Adobe stuff.<br>

My advice is – do not be daunted by the unknown. Get a book and maybe get a young friend to help you understand. If you really want to do it – find a way or, better yet, make a way.</p>

I'm certainly glad my software is Windows. I'm not cool

with Apples history of switching hardware and never

knowing what's going going to be supported a year or

two down the road. Windows on MBP is the way I would

fly.

Well, I use Macs at home, but I'm a Windows developer at work. I'd say Windows 7 (haven't use 8 yet) is very different

from XP, but there are more similarities with XP than there are with Mac. That is if you have problems learning, you may

have a better time with Windows 7 than MacOS. However from what I know of Windows 8, the initial "desktop" is radically

different, more like a phone or iPad type OS.

 

 

Running XP might prove difficult on modern machines. You could run XP in a Mac virtual environment like Parallels, but if

you did a lot of number crunching stuff you might have issues. That option wouldn't be my first choice. You might be able

to buy a Windows 7 machine though they are probably converting to Windows 8.

 

 

I haven't shopped for Windows machines for home use. If you're looking for a laptop, there are probably a few desktop

replacements with big screens, maybe by Sony or Samsung with a nice design. There are probably also thin and lights

similar to the MacBook Air in appearance and general function you could consider. I'd go to Best Buy or Micro Center or

some place like that and mess around with the ones they have on display. For photography you probably want something

like a core I7 with plenty of memory, a large hard disk (1TB+), and a decent graphics chip (though it's not as important as

it is for gaming). I suspect almost any modern PC hardware will do with sufficient disk space. Good luck.

<p>Thanks so much for all the responses - they're greatly appreciated and have been an enormous help to my decision making process. Based upon all the guidance I think I'm going to bite the bullet and go with the MBP. As far as a OS I think I'll be at an Apple store over the next few days and fiddle around with one. </p>

<p>I'll take my 2009 MBP 17 in and see if they'll do some diagnostics on it but I'm sure they'll say it's the logic board as it's a known problem caused by the defective GE force graphics card but it's worth a check. Who knows maybe they have some type of trade in policy.<br>

<br />Thanks Again your responses have been very informative - I wish I would've started in this forum about a month ago.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I'm certainly glad my software is Windows. I'm not cool with Apples history of switching hardware and never knowing what's going going to be supported a year or two down the road. Windows on MBP is the way I would fly.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Wow, I've been a Mac user since 1984 (that's why it wasn't like <em>1984</em>), and the software and operating system have progressed along a much more natural and easy path than I found to be the case in only 5 years of working on Windows.<br /> Hardware has changed, but I'm still running OSX on a 400MHz G4 processor (admittedly OS X 10.4.11) and what is in essentials the same operating system on an Intel-based Core i5. I suspect that few of us would still want to work on something like an IBM XT or its Mac contemporary. Sometimes change is good.</p>

<p>It's true that the latest OS X versions no longer support the old G3 and G4 software in emulation, but they supported it for years before that happened. They told everybody what they were going to do and still some people were caught by surprise years later! Go figure.</p>

<p>Seen from the outside, it's Windows that has a history of never knowing what will run and will not.... I had my Windows machine set up to accept all upgrades automatically. Just before I retired a whole series of my programs quit after an upgrade, and both companies said it was the others fault.... I left the ruins for my successor (who simply bought a new machine and software for his own needs. )</p>

<p>"<em>I can watch my 15,000 photo's spanning 40 years go by in splendid HD on my TV. That is why I'm "needing" a 1920x1080 native screen resolution</em>" - why is that ?</p>

<p>I use a laptop with native screen resolution of 1280 x 768, yet when I connect it to a large HDTV via the HMDI port and cables, I do have the 1920 x 1080 resolution pictures on the HDTV.</p>

<p>If you view your pictures via HDMI on HDTV, you do not need native resolution of 1920x1080 (full HDMI) on your laptop LCD screen.</p>