Good laptop for editing photos? Looking for color accuracy.

JackieChang

Obviously a Macbook would be great, but I don't want to spend that much money and would like to be able to upgrade bits and pieces in the future.

Are there any good windows laptops with an accurate screen? The laptop I have at the moment has a truly horrible screen with a viewing angle of about 1 degree.

Doesn't have to be 2017 model - could be a few years old.

georgefalls

Laptops aren't the best for for editing. Plus, you'll get a much better desktop for the same amount of laptop money.

Bacchus

There's actually another thread related to this that would be worth looking at... http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057762167

Given that you want something not too expensive and something you can upgrade, I agree with georgefalls, go for a desktop and invest in a good monitor. My current setup is a laptop and monitor. The laptop is really dragging these days so I was going for a new laptop. I'd need to spend €1400+ to get something that I could seeing lasting me 4+ years. So I started looking at a custom build. I've not settled on anything yet but I'm confident I can get a better system for about €1000 and could easily get a pretty good setup for around the €700-800 mark. (Note I already have a monitor so I'm not including that... or a keyboard/mouse).

JackieChang

I can't bring a desktop with me when traveling.

Bacchus

JackieChang wrote: »

I can't bring a desktop with me when traveling.

... and you can't just upgrade bits and pieces as you want with a laptop. Harddrive and RAM would be about the extent of it. So there's no need to be snippy with the advice you got. You never mentioned travel was a requirement but you did say you wanted to be able to upgrade.

JackieChang

Bacchus wrote: »

... and you can't just upgrade bits and pieces as you want with a laptop. Harddrive and RAM would be about the extent of it. So there's no need to be snippy with the advice you got. You never mentioned travel was a requirement but you did say you wanted to be able to upgrade.

Why did I have to tell you I want to travel? I very specifically said I'm looking for a laptop recommendation. Was that not enough for you? I already have a desktop setup too.

georgefalls

In fairness OP, you didn't specify the need to travel or the fact you already had a desktop.

You came for advice, and were given it, on the info you provided. No need to get all arsey with people who are only trying to help you.

Bacchus

JackieChang wrote: »

Why did I have to tell you I want to travel? I very specifically said I'm looking for a laptop recommendation. Was that not enough for you? I already have a desktop setup too.

I have a laptop. I don't travel with it. Over the past year as I edit more and more it pretty much stays in the office where I do my editing.

You said you wanted something you could upgrade -> desktop
You said you want an accurate screen -> desktop monitor

You didn't say you need it for travel. Also with your comment about getting older models that implied a limited budget which won't get you what you seem to want.

Based on that, my advice was to look at desktop options.

In return you were (and continue to be) a bit of an ass about it. Good luck to you.

uck51js9zml2yt

JackieChang wrote: »

Why did I have to tell you I want to travel? I very specifically said I'm looking for a laptop recommendation. Was that not enough for you? I already have a desktop setup too.

You could have gone from 12 - 17" on a laptop. a 12 " is more suitable for travel than a 17".

Its also nice to be nice....particularly when you are asking for peoples advice and they are spending their time thinking about it and replying!:D

pjproby

Have a look at this video extolling the virtues of the iPad pro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDvsNRa13CI

JackieChang

Bacchus you are so uptight. All I wanted was a laptop recommendation. I've found some great articles online though and some decent laptops at half the price of a Macbook with very accurate displays.

Alanstrainor

Also interested in a laptop for editing. What are the best screens out there, XPS15 I think is an obvious choice. However it is expensive.

(OP, the XPS15 is one of the few laptops these days that allows you to upgrade the RAM and drive(s). Which is a big plus. It also has a large 15" yet being quite small due to the screen lacking bezels.)

Lu Tze

JackieChang wrote: »

Obviously a Macbook would be great, but I don't want to spend that much money and would like to be able to upgrade bits and pieces in the future.

Are there any good windows laptops with an accurate screen? The laptop I have at the moment has a truly horrible screen with a viewing angle of about 1 degree.

Doesn't have to be 2017 model - could be a few years old.

You laptop likely has a tn film screen, for colour accuracy look for laptops with IPS panels, which have better viewing angles and better colour reproduction. It will still need calibration, but I presume you have the tools for that already.

After that, its down to how portable and what performance you need. You might be able to narrow it down to some models within budget using skinflint.co.UK which you can use the filters to show only IPS, below a certain weight/screen size/ resolution /graphics card etc.

Then start hitting up detailed reviews for any you are considering. The review will general give examples of competing similar laptops which will you more options which may not show up on skinflint (its not a definitive list of all laptops on sale)

CabanSail

You could also look at a second hand Macbook Pro.

I am still using my 2012 17" MBP which allows RAM upgrade and exchange HDD. There has been nothing since then to replace it as they dropped the 17" screen and nothing is now able to be upgraded.

I really hope that this machine keeps working for a while as there is no way I would buy one of the current ones and really do not want to go back to WinDoze.

if portability is a feature needed - find a dell xps 13 - maybe with the higher resolution QHS screen if you really need that. go second-hand for your budget if necessary.

or as a budget option something like the Inspiron 15 - 7560 could work. check dell uk outlet site

low-end and mid-range laptops rarely have decent screens.
also screens vary between model years so be careful on that.

notebookcheck.net is a good source for information on colour accuracy and contrast ratios on particular laptops

JackieChang

Thanks folks. Very handy info. I have my eye on second hand Dell XPS and MacBooks. It seems gaming laptops are also good for multimedia and color accuracy.

JackieChang

JackieChang wrote: »

Thanks folks. Very handy info. I have my eye on second hand Dell XPS and MacBooks. It seems gaming laptops are also good for multimedia and color accuracy.

but gaming laptops are heavier in most cases also than normal laptops.

beauf

Be careful a lot of Dells cheaper laptops and gaming laptops have poor screen. The Dell 15" Gaming Insprion HD TN panel is meant to be very poor. The 4K screens are meant to be ok, but a 4k screen especially if its touch screen ads a lot of weight, and really reduces the battery life.

I'd check out the online reviews as the laptop reviewers almost always test for color accuracy.

Argos are selling the Asus ZenBook UX310UA cheap at the moment, has a ok screen. Might be too small for what you want. Otherwise probably go for the older model Macbook?

JackieChang

beauf wrote: »

Argos are selling the Asus ZenBook UX310UA cheap at the moment, has a ok screen. Might be too small for what you want. Otherwise probably go for the older model Macbook?

I can't find this on the argos website. How much is it going for? It has 98.98% sRGB color accuracy.

beauf

Maybe its gone. I can't it now either.