# Laptop Editing - Best Setup



## beckstoy (Aug 13, 2014)

Hi everyone! With my crazy schedule, I typically purchase a very high-end laptop and edit using it (since I've gotta be mobile). My current model is a powerful ASUS which is in their Republic of Gamers lineup. I've forgotten the actual #, but it's only 1 year old as of now. I have had no problems with the ability to handle my editing needs, and the monitor (sometimes bashed as the weak point of Asus and their laptop lineup) has been good for me once I purchased/used the Spyder Pro 4.

Here's my question: I'm getting a new laptop soon, but the specs I'm looking at are the high-end gaming ones. I guess my question is this: Is it overkill? Should I be looking at a particular linup of laptops which someone here's had good success with? I like having the newest stuff, but I don't wanna buy a gaming system which I'll never game on. 

Oh, and Photography only. No video, or plans to go that direction.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.


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## Don Haines (Aug 13, 2014)

I'd say to look for one which supports a pair of hard drives... 2TB traditional for lots of storage, and a solid state hard drive for speed with working storage.


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## MichaelHodges (Aug 14, 2014)

Any good laptop for photo work should start and end with an IPS screen, IMHO. Everything after that is a bonus.

But not all IPS panels are the same. Don't be fooled by "ultra high res displays" with poor color gamut and poor black levels.

This is the best IPS laptop I have found outside of the Macbook Pro:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Acer-Aspire-V5-573G-54208G50aii-Notebook.99264.0.html

Acer 15.6" Aspire Laptop 4GB 500GB | V5-573P-6896

The screen is well-reviewed and glorious. I'm running the glossy version with Lightroom 5. I added 8gb of ram (maxing it out at 12gb), and slapped in a Crucial 240gb Msata for the OS, and a 1tb platter drive for data.

Really, at this point TN panels should be gone. It's like looking through several layers of filth.


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## drjlo (Aug 14, 2014)

beckstoy said:


> Oh, and Photography only. No video, or plans to go that direction.
> 
> Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.



I would not get a high end gaming laptop for photo editing, since a lot of your money will go towards a nice video card for gaming, which is not all that relevant for photo editing. My laptop has the Intel video card AND an Nvidia card, and even using Photoshop 6 with 36 GB RAW files, the graphic card doesn't even kick in (Nvidia Optimus function). 

Also 15.6" screen is just not close to being adequate for photo editing. I bought the Dell 17R SE 17.2" laptop with "full HD (1920x1080)" screen, then installed a Sandisk Extreme II 480 GB SSD. This was the best 17.2" screen I could find that covers essentially all of sRGB color space. There is an extra hard drive bay for a second drive if you want. This setup is lightening fast for photo editing with very fast Windows startup times.


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## MichaelHodges (Aug 14, 2014)

drjlo said:


> This was the best 17.2" screen I could find that covers essentially all of sRGB color space.




Except with TN panels, you can never actually see the correct colors and contrast due to color shift.


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## Famateur (Aug 14, 2014)

I would not choose a gaming laptop for both reasons already mentioned:

1. Gaming systems usually employ a TN+Film panel for fastest response time, but colors shift significantly with viewing angle. Even viewing straight on and not moving your head, the screen is large enough that the colors will shift from one part of the screen to the other. When it comes to photo editing, I would say IPS is your best bet.

2. With a gaming system, a lot of the cost is in the graphics chip, and that is largely wasted for photo editing. Better to put that money into more RAM (Lightroom can never have too much!) and a solid state hard drive for your system drive. A second drive bay could be used for a high-capacity traditional hard drive.

-------

I'm going to pick up a Dell Precision M3800 mobile workstation shortly. It has a 1920x1080 Ultrasharp display (IPS), 8GB of RAM and a decent processor. I'll probably add another 8GB of RAM for a total of 16GB (cheaper for me to do it than Dell). There's also an optional 3200x1800 IGZO Ultrasharp display (IPS), but you then have to "configure" your laptop, which adds another $60, then the screen upgrade is like $79, so to have the high-res display adds about $139 (and I'd rather add RAM). Most of my editing is done on an external monitor, but it's nice to have an Ultrasharp on the lappy.

One downside is that because it's a touch display, it's glossy. Not a fan of glossy displays. Other than that, for price, performance and size (.71" thick, 4.15lbs), it beats anything else I've looked at -- even the HP Z-Books.


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## ishdakuteb (Aug 14, 2014)

how about this, a dell xps 15
http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-15-9530/pd


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## DesignJinni (Aug 14, 2014)

This is the one I am using: http://www.toshiba.com/us/computers/laptops/qosmio/X70/X70-AST3G25
Intel® Core™ i7-4700MQ Processor
Windows 8.1
32GB DDR3L 1600MHz memory
3GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GTX770M with Optimus™ Technology
1.25TB: 256GB Solid State Drive (mSATA, SSD) + 1.0TB (5400 RPM, Serial ATA)
Blu-ray Disc™ Rewriteable (BD-RE) and DVD SuperMulti drive
FHD TruBrite® TFT LED Backlit Display with Intel® Wireless Display Technology
Intel® Dual-Band Wireless-N 7260 2x2 AC + Bluetooth® 4.0
Premium Frameless LED Backlit Raised Tile Keyboard with 10-Keypad (black)
I am using LR5, Adobe Creative Suie CS6 (Design & Web Premium) on it. And every thing runs smooth and no issue at all. So far happy with the purchase. Dell Workstations would be an excellent alternate option. or any other Workstation especially with builin calabaration. Look at LENEVO (IBM) Workstations too.


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## TLN (Aug 14, 2014)

Why do you need a new one, if your is 1-yr old and pretty fast? 
I'm using a VAIO Z, which is about 3 or may be even 4 years old. It used to be a top-range, so it's pretty competitive now with i7-2660k, 8 gigs of ram and 256Gb SSD drive(RAID0 of two 128GB sticks). 

The only thing you need for photography you need is an external display. Get yourself a nice 27" IPS DELL and have fun.


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## DesignJinni (Aug 14, 2014)

***** ThinkPad W540 Mobile Workstation is a very good choice. ***** ThinkPad is IBM.
It come with built-in Optional X-Rite Integrated Color Calibrator & FHD or 3K Display With IPS Technology. And did I mention NVIDIA Quadro card not the gamming GTX thing.


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## mdmphoto (Aug 14, 2014)

My laptop is a soon-to-be 3yr old Dell XPS 15 w/ I-7 2720, 8gb 1333 mhz RAM, nVidia 2gb video, FHD 15.6" screen, BD burner, and 750gb Hdd. Bought new, it will turn 3 in September, and it still handles my work in LR5, ps5, onOne PPS 8, ms Office, and so on with mostly no trouble. I am considering doubling the ram, but that's it. Looking at what's available now I think I should be okay til next year anyway.....


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## IMG_0001 (Aug 14, 2014)

Earlier this year, I had my 2 years old dell xps 15 die on me. I liked the performances, but the FHD screen had a blue cast that was hard to get rid of, even when calibrated. As I wanted to have some opinions from the forum members I started this thread, which may still be usefull for you.

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=19136.msg358198#msg358198

In the end, I went on for an *Asus N550JV *with IPS touchscreen and I quite like it. It was about 1300$, so not too bad. The performances of the computer are pretty good (I7-4500HQ and 8Gb RAM) and the screen was surprisingly good (a report from my Spyder 4 Elite is found in this other thread). Moving from (an admitedly quite good) TN to IPS was a revelation. It is much more pleasant to edit on that screen. Downside, I had to retouch a lot of older photos where color casts were revealed by the better display on my new machine.

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=19200.30

The other options I considered were:

- Lenovo Thinkpad W530 and W540. I think these would be pretty nice and (at least the W530) have a micro sata port that allows the use of a micro ssd in addition to the HDD. A bit pricey for an amateur like me, but probably worth it for a pro.

- New generation Dell XPS 15, looks very good but at over 2200$ and knowing that my previous gen XPS 15 did not even live 2 years (for similar money) before the motherboard fried, I was not ready to buy dell again.

- Asus N750JV, a 17'' similar to the 15'' one I bought.

However, wonder why you want to change a laptop that appears to be working right and have adequate performance. May be you'd be better served by an external monitor?


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## mdmphoto (Aug 14, 2014)

an external monitor is a good idea that I use sometimes when I'm working at home, but a lot of my work is done on location. I think a 17" laptop's screen would probably be more useful depending on specs, but then I'd have to lug it around, and the 15.6 is plenty when travelling.
I ALWAYS get some damage plan; before I would get Dell's complete care, including accidental damage, but more recently I've purchased a warranty from SquareTrade for a family laptop that includes accidental damage, but I've not had the opportunity to use. Warranties are an additional expense, but they sure beat having to buy another laptop or camera or lens due to accidental damage or other failure that's more likely to happen with portable electronics. I've gotten all-but a new laptop twice over the years from covered repairs from parts simply wearing out, or, yes, accidental damage...


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## MichaelHodges (Aug 14, 2014)

DesignJinni said:


> ***** ThinkPad W540 Mobile Workstation is a very good choice. ***** ThinkPad is IBM.
> It come with built-in Optional X-Rite Integrated Color Calibrator & FHD or 3K Display With IPS Technology. And did I mention NVIDIA Quadro card not the gamming GTX thing.



Notebookcheck.net:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-ThinkPad-W540-Workstation.112318.0.html

*The panel is however not very accurate out of the box and professional editing is hardly possible with DeltaE2000 values over 10, an uneven RGB balance and an inaccurate gamma curve. T*


Not all IPS panels are created equal. The Acer is the best I've seen on a laptop that's not a Macbook Pro.


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## MichaelHodges (Aug 14, 2014)

IMG_0001 said:


> * Moving from (an admitedly quite good) TN to IPS was a revelation*. It is much more pleasant to edit on that screen. Downside, I had to retouch a lot of older photos where color casts were revealed by the better display on my new machine.




Yes. I would not worry about CPU's. Most can all handle Lightroom. The focus should be on what you look at most: the screen. 

The problem with owning a souped-up TN panel laptop and relying on an external monitor is that you'll never get the colors right unless you're using the external, which defeats the entire purpose of having a laptop.

You can get a good IPS panel on a laptop. It takes a bit of work, but Acer and Asus seem to be working magic here. I'd prefer to have the IPS consistency from my laptop to my 24 inch IPS. There are no surprises that way.

And if I want to watch movies and edit on the road, I don't need an external monitor for acceptable IQ, making the laptop what it was a supposed to be: a self contained workstation.


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## ishdakuteb (Aug 14, 2014)

forgot to say that the dell xps 15 that i suggested is integrated with QHD display. its specs are somewhat identical to MAC Book Pro. below is a side by side comparison that i did last year, prior to targeting stuff that i want to buy. keep in mind that MAC, for now, is always a winner when talking about noise and use time on battery life.


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## MxM (Aug 14, 2014)

drjlo said:


> I would not get a high end gaming laptop for photo editing, since a lot of your money will go towards a nice video card for gaming, which is not all that relevant for photo editing. My laptop has the Intel video card AND an Nvidia card, and even using Photoshop 6 with 36 GB RAW files, the graphic card doesn't even kick in (Nvidia Optimus function).



Optimus doesn't change/switch automatically between your onboard and nvidia gpu. You have to manually set an dedicated GPU for each application (e.g. Photoshop) in nvidia control panel.

Not all programs works flawless with the 'auto select' feature. So your quote above doesn't make any sense. Select manually your nvidia GPU and you will see that things do speed up.

MxM


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## archiea (Aug 14, 2014)

beckstoy said:


> Hi everyone! With my crazy schedule, I typically purchase a very high-end laptop and edit using it (since I've gotta be mobile). My current model is a powerful ASUS which is in their Republic of Gamers lineup. I've forgotten the actual #, but it's only 1 year old as of now. I have had no problems with the ability to handle my editing needs, and the monitor (sometimes bashed as the weak point of Asus and their laptop lineup) has been good for me once I purchased/used the Spyder Pro 4.
> 
> Here's my question: I'm getting a new laptop soon, but the specs I'm looking at are the high-end gaming ones. I guess my question is this: Is it overkill? Should I be looking at a particular linup of laptops which someone here's had good success with? I like having the newest stuff, but I don't wanna buy a gaming system which I'll never game on.
> 
> ...



I'm not looking to get flambé-ed, but I do hear this often from my windows buds where they tout how much cheaper their PC laptop is compared to a Mac, only to need to replace a year or two later because of "issues". I have a 2011 i7 refurbished with a 17" screen and a SSD, and it still flies! I'm not advocating getting a Mac but just askin'

What I would suggest is:
1) put an ssd in the cd drive and get large capacity HD or use the current included drive.
2) move your current in progress files to the ssd. This gives you speed for your current projects while the standard HD gives you capacity.
3) for photography editing, get 16GB, an i7 processor and as large a screen as you can get. 17" and above. If your current machine has these specs then just get an SSD.
4) If you get a new PC, immediately erase the drive and do a clean install of windows. This is to clear the bloatware that all pc's come with.


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## Famateur (Aug 14, 2014)

It might be helpful to know that the Dell XPS 15 is the "consumer" version of the Dell Precision M3800 Mobile Workstation from their "business" line. Not sure if that means it will last any longer.

My only experience between equivalent "consumer" and "business" laptops is with HP. I got a business laptop, and my boss got essentially the same machine from their "consumer" line to save money. Seven years later, he's on his third "consumer" laptop (getting ready for a fourth), and my trusty HP is still going strong and has never let me down. I'm only moving to the Dell because a 7-year-old laptop just can't keep up with all of today's demands, and the current stable of HP mobile workstations just can't compete for the combination of price, performance and size -- not to mention the Ultrasharp display. If the Dell disappoints, I'll go back to HP.

For $1,700, you get:


Intel i7 4712HQ 2.3 - 3.3GHz (Haswell)
8GB RAM
500GB Hybrid Drive (with available second bay)
1920x1080 IPS Ultrasharp touch display
18MM (.71") thin
4.15lbs

Edited to add: For another $75 on Amazon or NewEgg, I can double the RAM. Another $90, and I can add a 120GB Samsung SSD for system and programs and use the hybrid drive for storage.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 14, 2014)

I went out looking at laptops last week, I looked at 50 or more. None impressed mt as suitable for a primary photo editing tool. Displays were mostly horrible, and all seemed to have one drawback or another.

I finally just gave up, I've had my Lenovo, poor screen and all for 4 years, its still going strong.


As to windows laptops dying soon, there are at least 100 times as many of them out there compared to macs, so its not surprising that you hear about them dying. Usually, its the hard drive which dies from shock, a SSD is cheap now and fixes that. Of course, a $200 laptop cuts corners and is more likely to fail than a better quality unit.


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## Famateur (Aug 14, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I went out looking at laptops last week, I looked at 50 or more. None impressed mt as suitable for a primary photo editing tool. Displays were mostly horrible, and all seemed to have one drawback or another.



Amen. It's so hard to find the right combination of power, size and display quality -- oh, and price. 

Some of the Lenovo machines tempted me, but I just can't get past the Fn key being swapped with the Ctrl key. I'm sure I'd get used to it if it was my only keyboard, but I'd rather keep the "manual of arms", as it were, identical with all my other keyboards. Maybe these two keys can be programmed to be swapped back to "normal"?

Another thing that bugs me is port layout on most machines. First, putting display and power ports on the side is just silly, but nearly all of them do these days. Second, they almost always put the two close together on the same side, leading to EMI that can make the external display look like it's had one too many Red Bulls (that's right -- unplug your power cord, and suddenly the dancing lines disappear). Power and display adapters should be on opposite ends...of the BACK of the machine. Maybe I just haven't found a display cable with decent enough EMI shielding... 

I'll know in a couple of weeks if the Dell Precision M3800 I ordered is worth it...


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## expatinasia (Aug 15, 2014)

Famateur said:


> It might be helpful to know that the Dell XPS 15 is the "consumer" version of the Dell Precision M3800 Mobile Workstation from their "business" line. Not sure if that means it will last any longer.



I use Dell Precision, and it is difficult to fault them. Built like tanks and they are among the most powerful laptops you can buy (hence the size). For video editing and high res photo editing I would say go with a Dell Precision. You just need to decide the size, specs and model you want.


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## MichaelHodges (Aug 15, 2014)

As a non-Mac user who searched a long time for a self-contained photo editing laptop (IE no reliance on hooking up to external monitor), I admit it was a difficult road as others alluded to.

99% of laptops come with *unacceptable *TN panels, which make it very difficult to edit photos properly. You may as well blindfold yourself and edit in Lightroom, because you'll be shocked when you see your photos on a stable IPS screen afterwards, whether it's an iTouch, iPad, or home monitor.

I see a lot of talk about CPU's, ram, double disk drives, and 17 inch screens. None of that matters if the LCD screen is crap. And trust me when I say all TN panels are just that. It doesn't matter what the resolution is, the upgrade path, whatever. It's still like looking through muddy water, and when you turn your head an inch you're getting different colors and contrast.

In terms of value, this is the best rated IPS panel outside of the $2000 retina display:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Acer-Aspire-V5-573G-54208G50aii-Notebook.99264.0.html

"The Acer's coverage of the available color spaces is on a very high level. "

"We really have to emphasize the excellent contrast ratio of 1,301:1 that is enabled by the low black value of the IPS panel. "

I have searched high and low for a good photo editing laptop. The screen on this is glorious, and will destroy your 24 inch TN monitor. you'll want to toss it in the garbage. You'll want to stop using any other TN panel laptop, regardless of specs.

It's not a perfect laptop. The build is slim. There's flex. But they sure got the screen right. 

Here's a side by side comparison of TN versus IPS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2O63oBOvJU


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## beckstoy (Aug 15, 2014)

MxM said:


> drjlo said:
> 
> 
> > I would not get a high end gaming laptop for photo editing, since a lot of your money will go towards a nice video card for gaming, which is not all that relevant for photo editing. My laptop has the Intel video card AND an Nvidia card, and even using Photoshop 6 with 36 GB RAW files, the graphic card doesn't even kick in (Nvidia Optimus function).
> ...



Very cool idea. I'd not thought of doing that. Thanks!


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## Famateur (Aug 15, 2014)

expatinasia said:


> Famateur said:
> 
> 
> > It might be helpful to know that the Dell XPS 15 is the "consumer" version of the Dell Precision M3800 Mobile Workstation from their "business" line. Not sure if that means it will last any longer.
> ...



Very reassuring -- thank you! I'm excited for mine to arrive...


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## Famateur (Aug 15, 2014)

MichaelHodges said:


> I see a lot of talk about CPU's, ram, double disk drives, and 17 inch screens. *None of that matters if the LCD screen is crap. And trust me when I say all TN panels are just that.* It doesn't matter what the resolution is, the upgrade path, whatever. It's still like looking through muddy water, and when you turn your head an inch you're getting different colors and contrast.



Agreed! With current technology, it's IPS or nothing for photo editing.


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## shawnc (Aug 15, 2014)

*Re: Laptop Editing - Best Setup--In Defense of Cheap(ish)*

When I bought my laptop six months ago, I was looking to max out performance, but my budget couldn't handle my "I wants". After researching real world performance strictly for photo editing, I "settled" on a i5 dual core, graphics-on-chip computer with SSD and 8GB RAM (MacBook Pro 13" Retina packaging-but Windows will do the real work about the same). Compared to my i7 quad core desktop with a 7200 rpm HD and 16GB RAM, photo editing is a tick slower (just noticeable) but all file-related actions are much faster. Point being "Best Setup" and "Reasonable Setup" are priced significantly differently. I edit hundreds of photos a week, and my workflow isn't hindered when I use my low end laptop. Also, big screens are great if you have the desk space (buy a separate monitor), but laptops are all about mobility and a 13" works great in coach class and crowded cafés.


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## expatinasia (Aug 16, 2014)

MxM said:


> Optimus doesn't change/switch automatically between your onboard and nvidia gpu. You have to manually set an dedicated GPU for each application (e.g. Photoshop) in nvidia control panel.



Are you sure about that on all systems? I think that is how it used to work.

I personally believe that depending on what card you have and what system you have it *does* switch automatically.

I know mine does.


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## DesignJinni (Aug 17, 2014)

My 2cents…
If viewing angles are an issue then IPS primary advantage over TN screens is that it has better viewing angles... And that's pretty much it.
A High-end laptop TN screens are good enough for image processing’s as well as mostly people always uses optimal viewing angle.
I am using two Z30i 30-inch IPS LED Monitors on a Z820 workstation with a nvidia quadro 6000 6gb GDDR5. I am also using a Qosmio 17.3" Qosmio Laptop.
Off course there one cannot compare these two setup, but I don’t feel Qosmio TN panel much of a letdown compared to IPS.
TN: In combination with LED back-lighting, TN monitors also offer high brightness and draw less power than competing technologies. The drawbacks to the technology are the color shifts that occur at wider viewing angles.
IPS: Noticeably better color reproduction and better viewing angles. The downside used to be a difficulty to emphasize blacks, which in turn meant problems with the contrast. 
http://www.tnpanel.com/tn-vs-ips-va/
While IPS is always better to have for images, but believe me it's not a must. There are many professionals who are using way worst displays. Have you seen the Samsung 12.2 Note Pro? Samsung used a TFT LCD in it, have a look at it the images and color look just gorgeous on it.
The way i see it, for a laptop 17" is the way to go, IPS yes better to have but not a must to sacrifice other components. As long as the display is good enough it will do. And not all IPS are made equal. GDDR5 Graphic card yes is a much, large RAM & SSD, Dual hard drive bays & i7 processor.
Plugging the laptop to an external "LARGE" IPS monitor is a good way to see the difference and train your eyes on how to do those minor differences edits accordingly.


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## MichaelHodges (Aug 24, 2014)

Famateur said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > I went out looking at laptops last week, I looked at 50 or more. None impressed mt as suitable for a primary photo editing tool. Displays were mostly horrible, and all seemed to have one drawback or another.
> ...




I really hate to post this again, but let me save you the time:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Acer-Aspire-V5-573G-54208G50aii-Notebook.99264.0.html

The best IPS screen on a non-Mac, period. Great black levels and contrast, with no major color casts or jaggies like the other non-mac screens.

I'm running Lightroom 5 on the i5 with 12gigs of ram with no issue at all. The screen is *unbeatable* for a laptop. I'd even call it glorious. And the laptop ships with MS Signature, which means no bloatware.

IMHO, I wouldn't worry about the CPU as much as I would the display as long as you have an i5 or higher.

I have a 240gb M-Sata as the O.S. drive, and a 1TB platter drive as the data drive.


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## MichaelHodges (Aug 24, 2014)

DesignJinni said:


> ]
> If viewing angles are an issue then IPS primary advantage over TN screens is that it has better viewing angles... And that's pretty much it.



That's it? I would describe the color and contrasting completely changing when you move your head an inch a bit more than "that's it". Id say it's ruining your entire picture.



> A High-end laptop TN screens are good enough for image processing’s as well as mostly people always uses optimal viewing angle.



I would politely disagree. You never see the proper color and contrast on a TN panel. The color and contrast is always shifting, unless you're a robot who never moves his head.

IMHO, laptop sales are sagging because people look at an iPad and love it. Then they look at a TN laptop and get grossed out. Why should people who only post to social media have a better LCD screen than a content creator on a laptop? It makes no sense.


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## drjlo (Aug 24, 2014)

expatinasia said:


> Are you sure about that on all systems? I think that is how it used to work.
> 
> I personally believe that depending on what card you have and what system you have it *does* switch automatically.
> 
> I know mine does.



Nvidia Optimus, as it comes, does switch automatically, but one can go into Nvidia control panel and select to use the Nvidia card for each particular program. 
I have tried this with Photoshop in past, and unless one is doing 3D rendering, Nvidia card does not speed things up for usual 2D photo editing. Using the Nvidia card does make the laptop run hotter, resulting in the fan kicking in faster and louder :'(


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## MxM (Aug 24, 2014)

> Nvidia Optimus, as it comes, does switch automatically, but one can go into Nvidia control panel and select to use the Nvidia card for each particular program.
> I have tried this with Photoshop in past, and unless one is doing 3D rendering, Nvidia card does not speed things up for usual 2D photo editing. Using the Nvidia card does make the laptop run hotter, resulting in the fan kicking in faster and louder :'(



Yes and No, there are some misunderstandings about Optimus. The application or game is recognized by the nvidia software/profiles, and switch to the recommended GPU, but it stays on that GPU until you exit your application.

For example: You start up your computer and the Windows GUI is always using your onboard (intel) GPU! When you decided to start an application or game, and that's were it wil switch to the recommende/preferred GPU when the program is recognized (profiles). When you exit the application or game optimus switch automatically (there you have it!) back to your onboard GPU. Try to run WEI (Windows Experiance Index) it would allways run on your onboard GPU.

Photoshop CS6 and CC does benefit from the much stronger nvidia GPU against the onboard intel. True you won't notice it when painting or fill a color, but more and more actions or plugin's use complex maths (OpenGL/OpenCL/Cuda) and that is were the nvidia GPU really shines!

I hope this clears it up for you... It does not change dynamically/automatically between your onboard or dedicated GPU while in your application or game.


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## wsmith96 (Aug 24, 2014)

You may want to consider HP's Zbooks. I can vouch for the Zbook15 as I have one for work - the thing is a powerhouse and you can get the dreamcolor display on them too if you need a higher end screen.


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## expatinasia (Aug 27, 2014)

drjlo said:


> Using the Nvidia card does make the laptop run hotter, resulting in the fan kicking in faster and louder :'(



That is when getting a laptop that is made for such high performance pays off. Here in Asia Pacific I am nearly always working in hot temperatures, and when I render HD videos and do other stuff that pushes the laptop, it never overheats and I hardly ever hear any noise from the fans (and I still have not cleaned the fans out yet, which will make them even quieter - though I wonder if that is even possible!). It is this amazing build quality, that makes me recommend the Dell Precision range - especially the M6XX - as they are built like tanks and are imho, the best available on the market.



MxM said:


> The application or game is recognized by the nvidia software/profiles, and switch to the recommended GPU, but it stays on that GPU until you exit your application.
> 
> For example: You start up your computer and the Windows GUI is always using your onboard (intel) GPU! When you decided to start an application or game, and that's were it wil switch to the recommende/preferred GPU when the program is recognized (profiles). When you exit the application or game optimus switch automatically (there you have it!) back to your onboard GPU. Try to run WEI (Windows Experiance Index) it would allways run on your onboard GPU.
> 
> ...



Good explanation, MXM. Thanks.


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## HenryS (Aug 27, 2014)

Hello,
I use 2 Laptops for editing: a dell Precision M 4700 and a Lenovo Thinkpad x230.
Thinkpad: i5 2310M 8gb 250gb msata ssd 500gb hdd 12" IPS screen. I use this laptop for mobile editing for example if a client needs some images quickly for Facebook upload etc. The screen is a bit off and cuts the blacks but its far better than most non ips screens. This laptop is very portable, has a decent battery life and is capable of handling Lightroom. I plan to upgrade this machine to 16gb ram sometime.

Precision M4700: i7 quad, 16gb, 250gb msata ssd, 1tb hdd, 15" IPS screen. I use this one at home or for studio work and it's fast! Also the display is far better. Just not that portable, I wouldn't like to carry that one with me all day.

Henry


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## Zv (Aug 27, 2014)

TLN said:


> Why do you need a new one, if your is 1-yr old and pretty fast?
> I'm using a VAIO Z, which is about 3 or may be even 4 years old. It used to be a top-range, so it's pretty competitive now with i7-2660k, 8 gigs of ram and 256Gb SSD drive(RAID0 of two 128GB sticks).
> 
> The only thing you need for photography you need is an external display. Get yourself a nice 27" IPS DELL and have fun.



This is very close to what I have too - a 3 yr old Vaio that I upped to Crucial 8Gb RAM and added a Samsung 500Gb SSD. The biggest improvement that came though was when I bought a 22 inch external display! The original 16.4" TN screen is totally unacceptable for photo editing so I can't recommend anything that doesn't have an IPS display. So many headaches were due to the poor screen on my laptop.

My laptop is now my desktop and doesn't move from the desk.


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## ray5 (Aug 27, 2014)

Zv said:


> TLN said:
> 
> 
> > Why do you need a new one, if your is 1-yr old and pretty fast?
> ...



I am going to do the same but don't have a external display picked yet. I work exclusively from a 2010 Macbook Pro. Any suggestions?


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## Zv (Aug 27, 2014)

ray5 said:


> Zv said:
> 
> 
> > TLN said:
> ...



I'm prob not the best person here to give advice on displays tbh. I know didly squat about screens. The one I have is an LG 22EA53. I bought it because it was cheap and got pretty good reviews. I calibrated it using Xrite i1 Display Pro. I'm not that fussy about getting things perfect, just wanted something simple but good. Fits the bill. 

I would go for the 23" as the price difference isn't much. I got mine last year for just over $100 on amazon. I can't believe I never thought of getting one before. I just asssumed they'd be expensive but then again I put down thousands on camera gear! It's funny how you can justify a lens purchase much easier than other stuff!


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## RustyTheGeek (Aug 27, 2014)

I'm a little late to the party here but let me address some of the points in a general sense without naming names.

- Laptops (Apple or PC) are always a compromise compared to a good desktop unit with a high end IPS display. And I agree with many who say gaming laptops are overkill. A gaming laptop is purposed for a completely different use dependent on 3D video performance. For photography, it's all about the display and CPU/RAM/SSD and protecting the data.

- Avoid TN Displays, get IPS. Most everyone agrees on that and the OP wants the BEST, not a compromise to save $$.

- Durability - Many have said they _went out_ and looked at laptops to compare. Most laptops at retail stores are not built to the standards that business line laptops are. Lenovo Thinkpads vs Lenovo Ideapad. DELL Precision/Latitude vs Inspiron. HP ProBook/Elitebook vs Envy/Pavilion. The major name business lines are built like tanks for enterprise traveling workforces. The retail lines are built for individuals who don't know the difference and want shiny plastic.

- Display, CPU, RAM, SSD all matter, but not video. After that, it's just a difference in configuration.

- Macbooks aren't better, they are just different (and overpriced). They won't last longer. They have the exact same hardware inside built by the same manufacturers. If you like Mac, buy it. Heck, you can even install Windows on it if you want. But macs don't have much in the way of versatility. They are pretty limited for real world use with abbreviated ports, no docking or removable parts like batteries, optical drives, etc. And I HATE GLOSSY HIGH CONTRAST DISPLAYS. But to each their own.

- Workstation level business laptops are expensive but they offer multiple custom configurations like drives with RAID, mSATA and other options including replacing the optical drive with even more storage, etc. So you can create a custom drive setup that protects your images and even backs them up internally without the need for external drives hanging off, etc. This is one area where macs and other retail offerings are totally lost. You can also get custom docks that you can connect at your desk with everything including multiple displays.

- What would I buy? The Thinkpad W series from a W520 on up are excellent. DELL and HP also have great workstation level IPS offerings that are similar. These are serious workstation replacement products that are much more durable and powerful than retail products (and macs). You could get a refurbished unit for a lot less and still enjoy everything you need including good performance and IPS display.

I'm not familiar with the Acer unit that has been mentioned here heavily but someone is pretty impressed with it so it's probably worth a look. It's still a retail laptop however so I'm a little worried about the durability.

Finally, I saw a comment about why shouldn't all devices have the better IPS displays? Well, it's mostly about money and profit. IPS is more expensive and most devices are built for profit for a market that doesn't know the difference and doesn't care. Most of the market wants a cheaper device with specs they think matter, like hard drive capacity and fancy names on the audio chip. An iPad costs a TON of money and gives Apple something like a million percent profit margin to boot.

*OP - Good luck finding what you want. Please stay in touch here and let us know what you decide. Again, my suggestion is to go with a Thinkpad W series or one of the DELL or HP business offerings.*


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## RustyTheGeek (Aug 27, 2014)

ray5 said:


> Zv said:
> 
> 
> > TLN said:
> ...



There are other threads that talk about displays. (I'm bad about hijacking threads myself sometimes.) So I'll say that the DELL U2410 and U2711 are ideal IPS displays but there are others. Read the other threads and you'll learn more.


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## AttackMonkey (Aug 27, 2014)

I have a 17" desktop replacement which is essentially a Clevo chassis that's been heavily customised. I think the main US seller of these is Sager, but if you're based elsewhere, google "Clevo Resellers" and you'll find local suppliers. My system is 6 years old, has 16GB of RAM, 1.5TB of storage spread across three drives, and more ports than you can shake a stick at. I went for the highest end model, which is effectively a desktop system in a very chunky laptop box. The screen is good, and it's by far and away the best laptop that I've ever owned. However, it's HEAVY (about 8-9KG including power brick), I cycle 20 miles a day with it strapped to my back, and even though I'm pretty fit, I think it's time to get something less crazy and a bit easier on my spine.

Check out some of the smaller Clevo based systems, they're highly configurable, and they can easily be upgraded down the line if you need to. They aren't pretty, but they're all built like tanks, and they perform extremely well.


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## RustyTheGeek (Aug 27, 2014)

AttackMonkey said:


> I have a 17" desktop replacement which is essentially a Clevo chassis that's been heavily customised. I think the main US seller of these is Sager, but if you're based elsewhere, google "Clevo Resellers" and you'll find local suppliers. My system is 6 years old, has 16GB of RAM, 1.5TB of storage spread across three drives, and more ports than you can shake a stick at. I went for the highest end model, which is effectively a desktop system in a very chunky laptop box. The screen is good, and it's by far and away the best laptop that I've ever owned. However, it's HEAVY (about 8-9KG including power brick), I cycle 20 miles a day with it strapped to my back, and even though I'm pretty fit, I think it's time to get something less crazy and a bit easier on my spine.
> 
> Check out some of the smaller Clevo based systems, they're highly configurable, and they can easily be upgraded down the line if you need to. They aren't pretty, but they're all built like tanks, and they perform extremely well.



Wow! *Sager!* I haven't seen that name in a LONG TIME!


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## beckstoy (Aug 27, 2014)

RustyTheGeek said:


> I'm a little late to the party here but let me address some of the points in a general sense without naming names.
> 
> - Laptops (Apple or PC) are always a compromise compared to a good desktop unit with a high end IPS display. And I agree with many who say gaming laptops are overkill. A gaming laptop is purposed for a completely different use dependent on 3D video performance. For photography, it's all about the display and CPU/RAM/SSD and protecting the data.
> 
> ...



Thanks! LOTS of uselful stuff here. I'm re-thinking my whole approach.


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## RustyTheGeek (Aug 27, 2014)

Another big reason I prefer Thinkpads - they have the best keyboards in the business. Also, ease of setup using the ThinkVantage Tools and System Update utility.


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