Suggestions For A New Laptop

[HMB462]

My current laptop is an Inspiron 15 5000 Series which my bil added more RAM to. It has worked very well since I got it in 2015. However, I recently received a notification from Photoshop that my current graphics card is no longer supported. I am unable to open any RAW files. I used my sons G16 to edit my most recent session in ACR and then edit the rest on my laptop. This is not ideal and I'll need something sooner rather than later.  Is it even possible to find something under $2,000? This unforeseen hiccup has come after a series of unforeseen hiccups that leave me with a limited budget.  I do not have any specific preferences other than sticking to a laptop, if I can.

[Brian]

I found one, and you’d be advised to click buy, like now:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1745682-REG
 

Laptops are “En Vogue” for about 90 days or so, and the days of saving up and drooling over a certain model for months are over. A healthy budget for either a Desktop or Laptop should be at least $2500. (US Dollars.) The days of the $999 computer that’s “Good enough…” are over. In fact, a computer package that would retail for $999 in 1990 would retail for about $2499 today, after adjusting for inflation. 

I’ve recommended that Lenovo Line because it has a IPS screen for awhile, but the “limited stock” on all versions concerns me; looks like they are being discontinued / replaced and now I have to find another stupid laptop to recommend. It’s getting harder and harder to find laptops for your situation. Otherwise, I’d say come back and talk to me when you are willing to spend $2500-$3000. 

[HMB462]

Would it make more sense to switch to a desktop? Does my current laptop even have an IPS display? What exactly is an IPS display? I am not well versed when it comes to computers. I know I need RAM and memory but I had no idea about the graphics card or IPS display.

[Brian]

4 hours ago, HMB462 said:

Does my current laptop even have an IPS display?

Nope.

4 hours ago, HMB462 said:

What exactly is an IPS display?

An IPS Display, which stands for In-Plane Switching, is a type of Display Panel. Some features of a IPS Display include:

• A wider viewing angle (around 178º or so)
• Better color accuracy & consistency from corner to corner
• Better contrast
• I also have found them to be a bit sharper, but this could be a personal experience thing; with the better accuracy of colors and all that.

So as you can see, if you are editing Photos & Video, you want an IPS Based Display. These displays cost more, so if you are buying a cheap laptop, it's not going to have one. If the manufacturer or reseller doesn't talk about it having a IPS Panel, there is a 99.999999999999999999% chance it doesn't have one. The majority of laptops have display panels called TN Displays, which stand for Twisted Nematic. These screens are better suited to a variety of environments, are better suited for video games, and general computing. Basically, everything BUT editing photos. Honestly? You have no idea of what you are missing out on.

The problem being, it is VERY difficult to find a laptop that has one of these type of panels. The reason being: cost. It's just cheaper to install a low-end TN Display Panel, that get's the job done for the majority...meaning people that sit in Airports, Coffee Shops, a Hotel, Home Office, etc. Often they are glossy and bright and look "Good Enough," except when you start editing photos and get really serious. I mean, if you are doing nothing but slapping a Filter on a Photo and posting to Social Media, or running some Action from Cutesy Name Photography and uploading to Facebook, you really aren't truly editing. KWIM?   Then get whatever. But if you do give a shit about quality and color accuracy, you will need to step up your game a little.

 

4 hours ago, HMB462 said:

Would it make more sense to switch to a desktop?

Honestly? Yes.

Unfortunately, people have a love-affair with laptops, and I got tired of fighting. In fact, here is something that I wrote in another thread a day or so ago:

(To present things in context, this member was wondering why I was recommending a laptop over a desktop. I wasn't and thought she was on a laptop.) Here is my response...

Quote

 

You have that backwards...

I HATE-HATE-HATE LAPTOPS BEING USED FOR PHOTO EDITING!!!

But people have a love-affair with laptops, and wouldn't stop bugging me about it. They can't be chained to a desk! They must be free!! They need to edit in the Living Room, the Dining Room, the Kitchen, with crappy ambient/florescent light and all, because they "...need to keep an eye on their kiddos." They NEED to edit by the Pool, and edit in the Car/Mini Van, while sitting in the passenger seat, headed to vacation/holiday. They have Fall Minis to edit!! Spring Minis!! Minis! Minis! Minis!! Senior Sessions!! Newborns!! Family Sessions!!! WEDDINGS THAT BRIDES ARE BUGGING THEM ABOUT!!! (Yes, the editing by the Pool & in the Car were actual statements/requests by former members.) People don't edit. They run Actions and puke all over their photos. My wife can now spot White Balance issues with images that she sees, due to me, and she's an Accountant!

"What's a good laptop for photo editing? I need a laptop. I want a laptop! I hate a desktop, and want a laptop. I want to buy a Laptop..."

BAH! HUMBUG!!

So no, I'm sorry you misunderstood. I only recommend laptops for photo editing because I'm tired of fighting. People have worn me down, and I just don't care anymore. I want people to edit in a color controlled environment, a room without windows with a neutral paint color on the walls. Editing on a 27" IPS Matte / Non-Glossy Screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 that's easy to Calibrate. With a Desktop Computer that's powerful enough to handle all the AI Bullshit that Adobe is adding to keep people hooked on the Subscription Software Model. Otherwise, Photoshop CC isn't THAT much different than CS6.

Essentially, the equivalent to a Dark Room in yesterday's era.

 

OK, so I went off the Deep End a little in my response. The point being, people have a love-affair with laptops who want to edit all over the place and I think they should be editing in a dedicated space, with neutral color on the walls, in a window-less room, working on a calibrated display that has a physical set of test prints next to it to verify things. Plus, I want light-bulbs in the 4100K-4200K color temp range. Yes, Damien and I are quite particular in this regard. Things like the color of the floor and furniture, along with the color of your lamp shades all play a role in your editing. Why? Due to Color Casts that will mess with your edits.

Think of it like a "Darkroom" that you would develop Film and Prints from a bygone Era.

In fact, when I got a Mac for the first time, I thought I was fine because, "I have a Mac, it's fancy and expensive, and it should be "Good" for editing Photos!" Umm...nope. Mac screens are really cool (blueish) out of the box, which made me edit my photos on the WARM side to compensate. Then I was told that my colors were "Nuclear" and people often wondered why they were so warm and yellow looking. Then I calibrated and verified things against a set of physical prints. I had NO IDEA on just how "Off" my Mac's Display was until I got Calibrated. You are in a similar position; you have no idea of how much better your edits can be, because you are working on a cheap Dell Screen. You are blissfully un-aware, and that's OK...since we can guide you for the future so you make better choices.

So for now...what's the next step?

That's pretty straightforward...start saving money and a healthy budget of $2500 for a Desktop & Display that is "Good for Photo Editing." If you were going to go with a laptop, I'm still going to tell you to save up about $2500. Sure, there are deals out there and it's very possible to get something for less money (like around $2000 or so,) but I'd rather have you save up MORE so you can click "Buy" without thinking; rather than buying something which ultimately wastes money and I hate-hate-hate wasting money on this shit. Today's Modern Photoshop...you need to purchase the Desktop or Laptop that you NEED and not the one you can afford. Those are two completely different things. Adobe is updating PS so often now, it's not in the 2-3 year lifespan as it was once was for a particular version, now it seems like every six months they come out with a huge upgrade. We are at Photoshop 25 now, I'm sure we will be at Photoshop CC 27 sometime next year! So while the computer that you can "Afford" will run the current version of PS, what about the proverbial version 27 or 28 that's released within the next 2 years? Do you plan on buying a computer every 18-24 months? I certainly don't. When I configure things, I have a 7+ year time-frame in mind, that's why my builds and recommendations are a bit on the high side in terms of price. You get what you pay for.

Adobe is adding all sorts of crap and bloatware to keep people hooked on the Software Subscription Model; people are convinced that they NEED all the AI Stuff. Unfortunately, in order for your computer to support those features, requires more horsepower. Gone are the days of the $999 computer being "Good Enough." It just doesn't work that way anymore. In fact, the $999 Package Deal that you would get in 1990, adjusted for inflation would be $2499 in Today's money. So the band members might change (the prices) but the song remains the same...

[HMB462]

On 2/23/2024 at 5:11 PM, Brian said:

Nope.

An IPS Display, which stands for In-Plane Switching, is a type of Display Panel. Some features of a IPS Display include:

• A wider viewing angle (around 178º or so)
• Better color accuracy & consistency from corner to corner
• Better contrast
• I also have found them to be a bit sharper, but this could be a personal experience thing; with the better accuracy of colors and all that.

So as you can see, if you are editing Photos & Video, you want an IPS Based Display. These displays cost more, so if you are buying a cheap laptop, it's not going to have one. If the manufacturer or reseller doesn't talk about it having a IPS Panel, there is a 99.999999999999999999% chance it doesn't have one. The majority of laptops have display panels called TN Displays, which stand for Twisted Nematic. These screens are better suited to a variety of environments, are better suited for video games, and general computing. Basically, everything BUT editing photos. Honestly? You have no idea of what you are missing out on.

The problem being, it is VERY difficult to find a laptop that has one of these type of panels. The reason being: cost. It's just cheaper to install a low-end TN Display Panel, that get's the job done for the majority...meaning people that sit in Airports, Coffee Shops, a Hotel, Home Office, etc. Often they are glossy and bright and look "Good Enough," except when you start editing photos and get really serious. I mean, if you are doing nothing but slapping a Filter on a Photo and posting to Social Media, or running some Action from Cutesy Name Photography and uploading to Facebook, you really aren't truly editing. KWIM?   Then get whatever. But if you do give a shit about quality and color accuracy, you will need to step up your game a little.

 

Honestly? Yes.

Unfortunately, people have a love-affair with laptops, and I got tired of fighting. In fact, here is something that I wrote in another thread a day or so ago:

(To present things in context, this member was wondering why I was recommending a laptop over a desktop. I wasn't and thought she was on a laptop.) Here is my response...

OK, so I went off the Deep End a little in my response. The point being, people have a love-affair with laptops who want to edit all over the place and I think they should be editing in a dedicated space, with neutral color on the walls, in a window-less room, working on a calibrated display that has a physical set of test prints next to it to verify things. Plus, I want light-bulbs in the 4100K-4200K color temp range. Yes, Damien and I are quite particular in this regard. Things like the color of the floor and furniture, along with the color of your lamp shades all play a role in your editing. Why? Due to Color Casts that will mess with your edits.

Think of it like a "Darkroom" that you would develop Film and Prints from a bygone Era.

In fact, when I got a Mac for the first time, I thought I was fine because, "I have a Mac, it's fancy and expensive, and it should be "Good" for editing Photos!" Umm...nope. Mac screens are really cool (blueish) out of the box, which made me edit my photos on the WARM side to compensate. Then I was told that my colors were "Nuclear" and people often wondered why they were so warm and yellow looking. Then I calibrated and verified things against a set of physical prints. I had NO IDEA on just how "Off" my Mac's Display was until I got Calibrated. You are in a similar position; you have no idea of how much better your edits can be, because you are working on a cheap Dell Screen. You are blissfully un-aware, and that's OK...since we can guide you for the future so you make better choices.

So for now...what's the next step?

That's pretty straightforward...start saving money and a healthy budget of $2500 for a Desktop & Display that is "Good for Photo Editing." If you were going to go with a laptop, I'm still going to tell you to save up about $2500. Sure, there are deals out there and it's very possible to get something for less money (like around $2000 or so,) but I'd rather have you save up MORE so you can click "Buy" without thinking; rather than buying something which ultimately wastes money and I hate-hate-hate wasting money on this shit. Today's Modern Photoshop...you need to purchase the Desktop or Laptop that you NEED and not the one you can afford. Those are two completely different things. Adobe is updating PS so often now, it's not in the 2-3 year lifespan as it was once was for a particular version, now it seems like every six months they come out with a huge upgrade. We are at Photoshop 25 now, I'm sure we will be at Photoshop CC 27 sometime next year! So while the computer that you can "Afford" will run the current version of PS, what about the proverbial version 27 or 28 that's released within the next 2 years? Do you plan on buying a computer every 18-24 months? I certainly don't. When I configure things, I have a 7+ year time-frame in mind, that's why my builds and recommendations are a bit on the high side in terms of price. You get what you pay for.

Adobe is adding all sorts of crap and bloatware to keep people hooked on the Software Subscription Model; people are convinced that they NEED all the AI Stuff. Unfortunately, in order for your computer to support those features, requires more horsepower. Gone are the days of the $999 computer being "Good Enough." It just doesn't work that way anymore. In fact, the $999 Package Deal that you would get in 1990, adjusted for inflation would be $2499 in Today's money. So the band members might change (the prices) but the song remains the same...

I edit in the same place with very neutral walls. It has a window but this room is quite dark thanks to the Seattle weather and a giant hill and forest that blocks a lot of light.  It definitely isn't void of all natural light but it is what it is. I stick to this room/area because of a very particular chair that I use. I have a genetic spinal condition and double calcific shoulder tendonitis and this is the only chair I am comfortable in. I use a portable/adjustable desk that I can pull in towards me so that I am as comfortable as can be. That being said, I could probably find a new desk that would allow me to use both my chair and a desktop. 

I should probably mention that I have been using Photoshop CC 2021. I am not a fan of glitches and there always seems to be an issue or 5 when upgrading. I'm not big on AI so haven't used it. I realize that is irrelevant because I will still need a robust computer that will last me more than a couple of years. Would you mind sending me some recommendations of some desktops that are around the $2500 price point? I have a savings account and could swing the purchase but whether or not my husband will be happy with me is a completely different story.

[Brian]

14 minutes ago, HMB462 said:

I should probably mention that I have been using Photoshop CC 2021.

Believe it or not, THAT'S FINE. Seriously. Photoshop at its core, isn't THAT much different than CS6.

1 hour ago, HMB462 said:

Would you mind sending me some recommendations of some desktops that are around the $2500 price point? I have a savings account and could swing the purchase but whether or not my husband will be happy with me is a completely different story.

I just posted this in another thread!!

I usually recommend going with a Dell XPS Computer, paired with a decent display. Here is one that I have been recommending lately:

Dell XPS Desktop - $1998.99

Here are the particulars:

The only change I would make is to upgrade the Warranty to the 3 Year Plan in the middle column, which is going for the price of the two-year plan:

 

You can pair it with this Dell Ultrasharp Display: Dell 27 Monitor - P2723D - $343.99

So for a combined price of $2342.98, plus applicable Taxes and Shipping Fees, puts it around the $2500-$2600 price-point.

[Brian]

Now before you ask, a current Intel i7 CPU is WAY faster than your i5 from 2017. A i9, while nice, is a bit unnecessary for Photoshop. The reason? Current versions of Adobe Photoshop rely heavily on the Graphics Card (GPU) more than the CPU in 2024. That's right, it's not just having a lot of RAM, a large HD and fast CPU...that thinking was 20 years ago! Now Photoshop REQUIRES a big and powerful GPU and dedicated Video RAM for all of it's bloatware and add-on crap. Ahem!! I mean AI Features and enhanced Modules, like ACR, Liquify Tool, Lens Corrections, etc.

I like the NVIDIA RTX 4070 with 8GB - 12GB of dedicated Video RAM. The next one up is the RTX 4080. Either is fine. I'd avoid getting the 4060 for long-term use; spend the extra and get at least a 4070 going forward.