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Portable Tablet PC or Laptop - Photo Editing £750 max

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by bdigital, 3 Jun 2014.

  1. bdigital

    bdigital Is re-building his PC again

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    Hi all,

    Im in need of a decent laptop or tablet PC for photo editing and I could do with some advice.

    Its main usage will be:

    - Lightroom (working on 18mp RAW images)
    - Photoshop (multi layered tiff files)
    - Microsoft office

    It must have:

    - Decent viewing angles
    - Full fat windows (not RT)
    - Ability to output to monitor when at home
    - USB3
    - Not too heavy and bulky!
    - Quad core CPU
    - At least 4gb memory but preferably 8gb


    Im open to a tablet/PC hybrid because it would be small and lighter than a laptop and they usually have an IPS screen which is good for viewing angles. However, going down this route will probably a) cost me more and b) restrict the size of the screen! So im totally on the fence at the moment.

    My budget is £750 max, but if I can get something good enough for nearer £500 it would be much better!


    **Disclaimer**

    Just to save us discussing this in the thread.....I know and understand the importance of colour calibration, and how ambient light can effect/change the accuracy of your screen. I have a well set up, calibrated photo editing rig at home with a wide gamut display. However I need something that will do a decent job when im not at home, and I accept that there will be compromises in the accuracy of my work!)
     
  2. MSHunter

    MSHunter Minimodder

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    Yeah for that price a used Macbook pro will probably be best. I know people who swear PS is better on the MAC. I have no opinion as I have never used it my self.
     
  3. rollo

    rollo Modder

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    Problem you will have is budget, decent screens and laptops sub £800 don't go together that's the easiest bit to save cash on.

    You need to work out if the resulting drop in accuracy and therefore quality is worth the initial saving of cash. If your doing this for a hobby it probably is but if this is your business your cutting corners on bits that can not be cut.

    Second hand MacBooks or alienwares are probably what your looking at. Nothing new and in budget I could recommend.
     
  4. bdigital

    bdigital Is re-building his PC again

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    You cant have photoshop on other devices? Why not?

    Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
     
  5. bdigital

    bdigital Is re-building his PC again

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    But some tablet pcs have full fat windows 8 on them? Thats what I was gunning for anyway!


    I suppose the issue is going to be screen size. Not sure how effective using lightroom it will be on a sub 13" screen
     
    Last edited: 3 Jun 2014
  6. KidMod-Southpaw

    KidMod-Southpaw Super Spamming Saiyan

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    I'm going to put down another vote for a secondhand Macbook pro. Screen and performance wise, I can't see you doing any better with the budget you have.
     
  7. bdigital

    bdigital Is re-building his PC again

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    Thanks thats really helpful.

    If I removed photoshop from the requirement and left it as primarily a lightroom workhorse would that make a big difference?

    Because thats the real real use of it

    Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
     
  8. bdigital

    bdigital Is re-building his PC again

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    Sub par because of what?

    If its an IPS screen like on a surface 2 pro then the viewing angles are nice.

    So im assuming your referring to the lacl of wide gamut colours? Something which ive accepted that im not gonna get
     

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