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08/01/2010 08:06:50 PM · #1 |
i need to get a new pc since i will be working from home part time this fall. i was thinking about just getting a good laptop but i haven't been impressed with my ability to get the colors or brightness right.
when i go to look at my pc at the office the pics are really dark and the color way oversaturated. i calibrated my laptop screen and still cant get it right.
so does any one here use a laptop to edit photos or should i just get a desktop.
btw: no Macs.
Message edited by author 2010-08-01 20:07:00. |
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08/01/2010 08:18:02 PM · #2 |
Honestly, I'm not comfortable with editing on any LCD screen I've seen -- I still use a CRT monitor unless unavoidable ... you could probably hook up a cheap CRT monitor to almost any laptop for use at home and have the advantages of both. I'd get the laptop with the greatest reputation for reliability which is still within your budget and configuration requirements.
If you're OK with LCD screens you could also get an iMac and just run Windows on it if you don't want to use the Mac OS ...
Message edited by author 2010-08-01 20:18:50. |
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08/01/2010 08:35:48 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
If you're OK with LCD screens you could also get an iMac and just run Windows on it if you don't want to use the Mac OS ... |
I agree. Windows can be run on mac, but not vice versa. I'm getting a Mac Laptop, then dual booting with parallels to run Windows 7 as well.
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08/01/2010 08:39:44 PM · #4 |
I've used a laptop to edit many photos, including, I think, all of my highest-scoring images...
I don't think there's any reason to be concerned about an LCD screen per se; it's only an issue if it's a lousy LCD screen. |
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08/02/2010 07:57:20 AM · #5 |
i don't have any issues with lcds per se, but the screen on my laptop. the viewing angle on laptops are way smaller than a standard desktop LCD and may be part of the problem.
i'm not getting a mac, for one im not overpaying for hardware plus the software i use at work only runs on windows.
i guess i could always get a laptop and hook up a second screen to it and use that for photo editing. |
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08/02/2010 11:24:39 AM · #6 |
Laptop screens are not inherently inferior to any other screen, it's just that it is often difficult (not impossible though)to determine whether the manufacturer used a crappy panel or not, since they almost never specify. The way to tell is to look at the viewing angle specification. There are three main types of screen, TN, PVA and IPS (there are different flavors of each).
TN panels are the cheap, crappy panels where gamma varies strongly with viewing angle. Their two positives are cost and response speed. They are often preferred for gaming, but just about nothing else.
PVA panels are mid-priced panels and are actually acceptable for most tasks. They have more gamma shift than IPS, bur *far* less than TN. Today's PVA panels are really quite good.
IPS panels are the preferred panels if you really need high accuracy in color. They are also the most expensive panels. You can usually tell whether a display uses an IPS panel if the viewing angle is specified to be "178°." You can always tell a TN panel (if you can physically look at the display) by the radical gamma shift when off axis. Anything that is in between is most likely a PVA panel.
The display is half the battle; the graphics chipset is the other half. Motherboard-based graphics chipsets are not the way to go; get a machine with "discrete graphics." In particular,you want to be able to independently calibrate an external display, since you inevitably will want to use one if you are doing a lot of editing. Heck, I use a 22" external display at work; I would not be without one, the laptop screens are just to small for multi-tasking.
With regard to the Mac vs. PC debate, there really are two advantages to the Mac hardware; they don't use crappy panels, and their graphics chipsets are usually quite adequate since the machines are targeted for this type of use. They are still over-priced though, and I don't see *any* compelling reason to make the switch.
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08/05/2010 09:45:16 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by mycelium:
I've used a laptop to edit many photos, including, I think, all of my highest-scoring images...
I don't think there's any reason to be concerned about an LCD screen per se; it's only an issue if it's a lousy LCD screen. |
i agree with u |
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08/05/2010 10:24:21 PM · #8 |
I agree with making sure the LCD panel is a higher quality panel, as well as the discrete graphic's processor. Integrated graphics is NOT the way to go.
I do want to make a point about Apple Hardware. It is NOT overpriced, but it is premium. The LCD panels are typically very good, the graphics processor is discrete and among the top performers, and it's not like you're getting a cheap processor. The main-boards are super reliable, even their HDD's meet a higher standard than most manufacturers. And on the new MacBook Pro's, you're getting DDR3 and a high end bus. If I spent $2000 on a laptop from Dell, and $2000 on a laptop from Apple, I get about the same quality of components.
I'm not trying to start a holy war between Apple and PC's, but their hardware is very competitively priced in the computer market. Their peripherals though, completely overpriced. :) |
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08/05/2010 10:43:27 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by eckoe:
I agree with making sure the LCD panel is a higher quality panel, as well as the discrete graphic's processor. Integrated graphics is NOT the way to go. |
curious as to what benefit i would get out of a discreet card?
for my work software maybe, but only of i'm creating a 3d design, my integrated laptop now can handle the CADD software i use, even drives a second monitor. i also don't do any gaming. I dont think it would benefit at all in in photo editing and i run a core 2 duo media center the drives 1080p bluray and hdtv playback.
with the exception of gaming the intel integrated graphics chips are pretty good.
i've narrowed down some of my choices are the LED laptop panels ok of should i stick with lcd.
Message edited by author 2010-08-05 22:44:03. |
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08/05/2010 10:57:51 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by mycelium:
I've used a laptop to edit many photos, including, I think, all of my highest-scoring images...
I don't think there's any reason to be concerned about an LCD screen per se; it's only an issue if it's a lousy LCD screen. |
I agree, I bought a higher end laptop, and made sure the graphics card and such were on the better end and I do all my editing on my laptop.
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