What computer...

Amp34 · 3 Dec 2011 at 17:52

Yeah I know we have GH but I think i'll probably get a few more relevant replies in here.

I've been umming and arring about getting a new machine for general use and photo processing (CS5 mainly) and I'm still not sure whether to go for an all in 1 (say an iMac), a standard desktop (2500k, 16GB RAM, SSD) or a laptop (i5/i7 VAIO Z or an ultrabook).

At the moment I rarely use my desktop and spend most of my time on my laptop so was thinking that maybe it would be best to just get a powerful laptop and a dock to use when I do any processing (not much ATM), best of both worlds?

What I'd like to know is what is the real world performance difference between all of these options. Obviously the desktop is going to be more powerful but is it really going to make much difference in day to day use?

The other question is RAM usage, with the desktop solutions I'd end up with 16GB RAM, the VAIO 8GB and the ultrabook 4GB, the latter in my mind just isn't enough, is the real world difference between 8 and 16GB going to be much?

Lots of questions but I've been going backwards and forwards for ages!

P.S. OS doesn't matter, I can install windows on a mac easily enough.

bigredshark · 3 Dec 2011 at 18:15

My preference for the last few years has been a high end laptop (top of the range Macbook Pro for me but that's a personal preference) and use an external screen when I'm at home.

I found that I did more and more stuff on the road simple because I could and it fitted into my life better, almost never used the external screen at home.

My opinion has changed recently for a few reasons, I do less photo stuff on the road, partially as I'm shooting more film and hence there is less I can do immediately. Also, bigger better screens are cheaper these days and lighter ultraportables are more and more capable. My next move will probably be a high end 27" iMac and a Macbook Air for the road.

End result - depends on your lifestyle - I've been at home 2 full weekends in the last 3 months so a powerful laptop is an obvious choice to get stuff done...

Amp34 · 3 Dec 2011 at 23:30

bigredshark said:
My preference for the last few years has been a high end laptop (top of the range Macbook Pro for me but that's a personal preference) and use an external screen when I'm at home.

That's why I'm thinking of the Z and it's external dock, but it's blookin expensive. Unfortunately there doesn't seem anything else in that form factor that gets anywhere close for the power/size it is.

bigredshark said:
I found that I did more and more stuff on the road simple because I could and it fitted into my life better, almost never used the external screen at home.

My opinion has changed recently for a few reasons, I do less photo stuff on the road, partially as I'm shooting more film and hence there is less I can do immediately. Also, bigger better screens are cheaper these days and lighter ultraportables are more and more capable. My next move will probably be a high end 27" iMac and a Macbook Air for the road.

End result - depends on your lifestyle - I've been at home 2 full weekends in the last 3 months so a powerful laptop is an obvious choice to get stuff done...

TBH I'm not travelling much at the moment but I do spend more time on my bed/sofa browsing the web etc than I do at my desktop, just because it is far more comfy. Any work travel will be using the works laptop so that cuts that down a bit as well. I do however still want something reasonably powerful for when I want to do some basic processing on the go.

I could go for something like the Zenbook or an MBA but that's about £1200 there (decent screen resolutions, same with the Z), then add on the desktop costs and it's over £2k easily. For that I could get a close to top spec Z in a single package and just connect it to a decent screen when I want to do some work. This is my problem and it's a lot of money to be throwing around on the off chance either way!

neil_g · 4 Dec 2011 at 11:47

build yourself a nice i7-2600k (or i5 if you dont need as much poke) with 16gb and SSD and have change for an ipad for sofa time

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2011 at 12:15

I have a touchpad and hardly use it. It also means I'm ******* when I go want to do anything when I'm away.

Lightweight laptop >tablet

neil_g · 4 Dec 2011 at 12:53

fair dos but you can get editing apps like filterstorm pro for simple stuff.

otherwise sounds like youve just answered your own question, i7 8gb laptop (dell etc) for about £900 and a decent IPS non-glossy screen.

Mint_Sauce · 4 Dec 2011 at 14:09

I have a high end desktop (i7 16gb ram ssd etc) and my wife has an ok laptop (few years old, not i5 or anything, 4gb ram, 5400rpm hdd). The difference is noticeable but if you're not processing hundreds and hundreds of photos it's no problem.

If you went with min specs (and this will still be great) being an i5 laptop with 8gb RAM you'll be good to go I think.

D.P. · 4 Dec 2011 at 15:03

You can't really do any serious photo work on a laptop screen, but yo could connect it to a good IPS monitor.

The 27" Imacs seems quite ncie but I hate the diea of haviong to obsolete the screen when the hardware is too long in the tooth. Much rather have a dedicated desktop & monitor. Building you own PC will always be the most cost effective, esp. since you can reuse components through several generations.

Raymond Lin · 4 Dec 2011 at 15:31

D.P. said:
You can't really do any serious photo work on a laptop screen, but yo could connect it to a good IPS monitor.

The 27" Imacs seems quite ncie but I hate the diea of haviong to obsolete the screen when the hardware is too long in the tooth. Much rather have a dedicated desktop & monitor. Building you own PC will always be the most cost effective, esp. since you can reuse components through several generations.

I'm going to "obsolete" my iMac 24" next year, relegate it to spares or pass it to family. But then my new hardware cycle is every 3 years so it is a good number to keep abreast of new tech and get my monies worth.

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2011 at 16:11

Do you have a similar aged laptop that you can compare performance to?

Raymond Lin · 4 Dec 2011 at 16:20

Amp34 said:
Do you have a similar aged laptop that you can compare performance to?

I have a 1 year old macbook Pro that is practically the same spec as my 3 year old iMac.

So you get more for your money for an iMac.

Amp34 · 4 Dec 2011 at 16:38

But it's not as portable!

That's my problem.

Raymond Lin · 4 Dec 2011 at 17:56

The real problem isn't so much as performance, it is the screen, both the quality and estate.

I find 24" with 1920 x 1280 barely enough.

33L · 5 Dec 2011 at 08:58

i have done editing whilst out and about , or should we say when on jury duty.
it just isnt the same, even on a 17 in monitor i found it restrictive. I would rather use my 2x23" IPS panels and my main pc. I find i get less fatigue on a pc rather than my laptop.

Tackle_Berry · 6 Dec 2011 at 15:26

Same Macbook Pro and a external screen when at home.

Ksanti · 6 Dec 2011 at 18:14

If you can get an ultrabook with a 1080p screen then I'd go with that, if not then a laptop with a 1080p. 1366*768 is a lot smaller than programs like photoshop and lightroom are designed for, and it's hellish to use it on my laptop at the moment.

An i7 laptop will most likely be enough; keep an eye on Dell outlet is my advice. A desktop would be best but it depends what you use it for; were I not at boarding school I'd probably be just fine using my desktop for everything

Amp34 · 6 Dec 2011 at 19:51

Ksanti said:
If you can get an ultrabook with a 1080p screen then I'd go with that, if not then a laptop with a 1080p. 1366*768 is a lot smaller than programs like photoshop and lightroom are designed for, and it's hellish to use it on my laptop at the moment.

An i7 laptop will most likely be enough; keep an eye on Dell outlet is my advice. A desktop would be best but it depends what you use it for; were I not at boarding school I'd probably be just fine using my desktop for everything

Most of the processing work will be done using a dedicated screen and I don't plan on getting a machine with less than 1600x900. The problem with the untrabooks is they all have 4GB max of RAM, just not enough(?) for photoshop work now.

I would be tempted by the Dell outlet (got my last laptop from them) but their systems just aren't as good as they used to be, the 14z is a possibility but it has a low resolution screen...

Ksanti · 6 Dec 2011 at 20:15

I saw a 15Z up a few days back with a 1080p screen and i7, something like that could well be ideal? It was only something like £850 after VAT iirc

Amp34 · 6 Dec 2011 at 22:03

I want a lightweight ultraportable laptop whatever else I get, the 14z is as big as i'm willing to go or it's not portable enough for me.

Unfortunately that means the only Dell that is anywhere near specification is the XPS 14z.

This is kinda going off track a little though, the thread was more aimed at seeing what the real world performance difference would be using a high end laptop (Sony Vaio z, or even an ultrabook, with 8GB RAM) rather than an i5 Desktop in things like Photoshop.

Adrianr · 6 Dec 2011 at 22:14

Amp34 said:
This is kinda going off track a little though, the thread was more aimed at seeing what the real world performance difference would be using a high end laptop (Sony Vaio z, or even an ultrabook, with 8GB RAM) rather than an i5 Desktop in things like Photoshop.

Well it depends what you use Photoshop for and what you use it on. It's a very diverse program that deals with an even more diverse range of imagery. Difference cropping and rotating a few 4mb jpegs? Nothing. Difference doing an extended beauty retouch on a 60mb tiff? Definitely something.