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Thread ID: 142688 2016-08-21 02:53:00 Got to buy a replacement laptop for Lightroom Misty (368) Press F1
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1424698 2016-08-21 02:53:00 Greetings
I have put this thread into a photography site but thought I would put it here in case any of my "old" friends or others have suggestions.



Our HP died after only 2 1/2 years. For the replacement I have checked graphics card requirements on Adobe website, so know that. Seeing prices am inclined to compromise on a 14″ screen (rather than 15.5″). Would like an SSD instead of a HDD. My editing on the road is almost wholly in Lightroomn and 99% RAW files. I always do my competition entries at home on the PC and using Photoshop Elements. Also need 8 Gigs RAM and at least dual core processor. Looks like I need to get a screen with at least 1920 x 1080 resolution.

We do go away in our motorhome for up to two months at a time once a year and occasional weeks in-between so the photo-editing is selecting and basic editing in Lightroom.

Any suggestions as to the above and other things to look out for ? 14″ screen okay ? Guess it would be okay so long as resolution satisfactory ?
Misty (368)
1424699 2016-08-21 05:33:00 I bought a Toshiba Tecra R850 from JustLaptops www.trademe.co.nz I am very happy with it and I am sure that if you were to contact them along with your specs and requirements, they should prove very helpful to you. Bryan (147)
1424700 2016-08-21 21:55:00 Thanks Brian - I did search on their website for "Tecra" and also after "R850" but got not results, so maybe they don't stock that item now. However they sound iinteresting -

" Our Story:

Started up as a garage shop in 2002, Forrest Tan, founder of JUSTLAPTOPS, and his team were one of the first laptop specialists in New Zealand. We opened up our first retail store in south Auckland in 2005, and our city super store in 2008.In 2012, we acquired our million dollar warehouse in Ellerslie and transformed it to our unique warehouse showroom & workshop. JUSTLAPTOPS has now expanded into a full-scale laptop specialist and top grade computer gear retailer, wholesaler and service provider."

HOwever I need to try to do something today or tomorrow, so may not have time to get there.
Misty (368)
1424701 2016-08-21 21:56:00 I did get this feedback from the photography website -

"For the screensize: it's all about what you're comfortable with. Assuming an identical resolution, a 17" screen may be easier to read than a 14", but possible appear less sharp. At which point the right balance is struck depends a lot on your eyes, and how large a notebook you can stand. For me, 14" is the max, really. Otherwise, the whole thing just becomes too large. And likewise, I know plenty people who feel anything under 15,6" is too small to work on.
Screen quality varies a lot, most notebooks with 1920*1080 resolution at least have an IPS panel, but they're not all alike. So, if possible, buying in a brick and mortar store is worth it. Also to feel the keyboard (very thin notebooks are nice, but often the keyboard suffers), and how rigid the overall construction is.

I would avoid notebooks with Celeron or Pentium processors, and anything with an AMD E-xxx; budget allowing, go at least for a Intel i3 or i5, or AMD A10 processor."
Misty (368)
1424702 2016-08-21 21:58:00 .... and also this feedback -

"n a previous thread on notebooks for photo editing, a P.Netter noted that some notebook displays have different color casts depending slight changes in viewing angle and are not suitable for photo editing. I was shopping for a notebook for a family member at the time and a trip to the local big box appliance retailer to check out displays and keyboards verified that issue. I recommend you check out notebooks in person. (We found a great price and purchased a notebook with a good 1920x1080 display at that store).

In addition to display resolution and quality, installed SSDs and memory tend to be big price drivers among notebook models. Some notebooks are easily upgradable so you can add memory or swap a low cost rotating drive with a SSD to save on purchase price. My "Ultrabook" is not upgradable. It has a relatively small SSD so I installed a big SSD raw drive into a USB3 portable enclosure to use as a second drive. This solution works well performance-wise and I can always get a bigger SSD to accommodate growing photo storage. An external high-res monitor may be another way to get around the high price on hi-res notebook displays.

Re: screen size, 14" is OK. My display is set to 2048x1052 and Lightroom use is fine. "
Misty (368)
1424703 2016-08-21 22:59:00 www.pbtech.co.nz

I would look around that spec level as a starting point for these requirements.
wratterus (105)
1424704 2016-08-22 00:32:00 Hi wratterus - since I am thinking of spending no more than $1300 I have been forced in the last few hours to review my priorities. Getting a 14" screen rather than 15.5" should mean the $300 saved can be used for higher priority stuff on the laptop, such as getting a good screen that can be the same view and colours from any angle and 1920 x 1080 resolution. Likewise whilst I am a fan of SSD I could live with a modern HDD, which should be about as fast, except booting and shutdown. With laptops only lasting about 2/3 years I do not want to spend too much. Want at least an i5 processor. Misty (368)
1424705 2016-08-22 00:58:00 Our HP died after only 2 1/2 years.

why not get it fixed, if it did the job OK ?
Spend maybee $250 on the repair , then have $ leftover for an SSD .
The are laptop specialists who do component level repairs , at reasonable costs .

2.5 years is not at all old , they should last much longer than that , and generally do.
We have a 10year old NB here that Ive only recently stopped using (it was originally high spec, 3Ghz ) , and a few 5++ year old NB's still being used.
1101 (13337)
1424706 2016-08-22 05:53:00 The feedback I am getting, 1101 is that a new motherboard (which apparently for HP is hard to get) would cost US$200. To replace is like putting a new engine in an old car, the other components are getting tired and the battery getting lower. The very common consensus seems to be that laptops only last 3 yrs average (though we have a 6/7 year old small 10" Toshiba laptop, which Chilling Silence recommended to me), which is still going strong. He had the same model - I wonder how his is going???

We have put the SSD from the failed laptop into our smaller Toshiba laptop to give it a boost !
Misty (368)
1424707 2016-08-23 00:07:00 The very common consensus seems to be that laptops only last 3 yrs average

Im not sure why some would claim something like that . I would say most of the laptops in general use in NZ are over 3 years old .
If an expensive laptop died within 3 years , a CGA claim should be considered .

However, add $100ish for a batt to the coast of repair, and given the SSD is now used elsewhere ....:)
1101 (13337)
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