Re: Photographers' Laptop

Martin Francis wrote:
Thought this group would be a good place to start with this kind of question.

I'm looking for a reasonably portable laptop to take to weddings and assorted shoots to download my work onto, though it would probably double up as a general-use machine too. I'm fairly PC-fluent, but my laptop experience is minimal. Obviously, as i'm shifting big RAW files in Photoshop i'll need a big HD and plenty of RAM. Most photographers tend to recommend Macs, but the pricing (£1500+, minus software) is prohibitive to me. I'd say i'd limit my budget to £1500, and as far below that as possible.

Question 1: i've been an AMD user since the end of the '90s, and my current desktop is an Ath64. Any words of wisdom re: Mobile Sempron, Mobile Ath64, Turion? I've seen well-priced A64 laptops- hell, better spec than my desktop- but I assume the low price is for a reason?

Question 2: Would I perhaps be wiser looking into Intel cores?

Question 3: Do any particular brands have better spares availablity than others? My sister has had problems obtaining replacement batteries and AC adapters for her previous laptops, but she mostly sticks to the "special offer!!" laptops.

Question 4: erm, is there anything else I should consider?

Martin



FWIW and IMO, the single most important notebook feature for photography is an LCD screen that has the ability to discriminate color levels, especially grays and whites. Editing via LCD is not worth anything if one has to "guess" at the photo quality with the abysmal levels of gamma, contrast, and brightness adjustments available on the bulk of notebook LCD screens. Apple notebooks have the *screens* of choice, IMO in this regard.

Next on my list is a big, fast, 7200rpm HD - you will not find many notebooks with these drives. Next are USB2 *and* IEEE 1394 Firewire support for equipment connectivity. CPU choice among AMD Turion, Intel Pentium M, Core Duo, is largely immaterial, IMO. Faster is better for RAW image work. AMD notebooks are less expensive simply because AMD CPUs/mainboards are less expensive. Pentium M is the battery life choice; AMD X is last in the battery life race. A gigabyte of RAM would not hurt.

You might be better advised in general by posting to a photo-specific web forum where posters have actual hands on experience with the current crop of notebooks. Google "photography forum" for listings.

Q
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