…a busy traveler and photographer who needs to edit using Photoshop and Lightroom on the go? So far, the top frontrunner is Dell XPS 13-inch with the following specs:
7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-7560U Processor 2.4GHz
16GB LPDDR3 1866MHz RAM
512GB Solid State Drive
InfinityEdge Quad HD+ (3200 x 1800) Display
Integrated Intel® Iris™ Graphics
802.11 Dual Band Wireless-AC WLAN + Bluetooth
2x USB 3.0 (1x with Powershare)
1x Media Card Reader
Approximate Weight: 2.7lbs
H got a great deal on an Asus with a touch screen through the Microsoft store not too long ago. But his needs are wants and casual. You should also be checking the Tech Bargains website for deals that come up. How much you want to/can spend influences your purchase. We have had good luck with the Dell brand. Not the Lenovo brand.
Your specs sound good to me- I wanted to replace our old Dell laptop but discovered we had upgraded it enough such that a new one would be too similar to bother. I would want to add a touch screen to the mix for a laptop.
I too would look at the Surface. I have the Pro 4 and there is a new version after that. It’s a great computer in a small package. Very easy to travel with. I wanted bigger specs than the ones usually carried in the store. Was able to order it online with quick shipment.
I think it depends on whether or not this is a professional photographer whose livelihood depends on the laptop, the size of images being edited, and the tradeoffs he’s willing to make for portability vs performance.
The system OP listed looks good as a minimum. For serious work I’d think 32GB RAM and discrete graphics card would be helpful. For photoshop, faster CPU with fewer cores (4 minimum) is preferable to less GHz with more cores (>4 cores is of marginal benefit to photoshop).
But if the heavy-duty work will be done at home on a workstation and portability is king then I’d agree about taking a look at the Surface Pro or going with the lighter system specs in a more portable machine.
I’m not a full professional photographer; rather, I’m semi-professional by intention, i.e., I can go full professional but chose not to. I enjoy photography more this way.
Cost isn’t a factor, just want the best in terms of performance, portability and, most importantly, reliability.
So far the ones that I’m considering more seriously are 1) Dell XPS; 2) MacBook Pro; and 3) Surface Pro.
Here are some of my reservations with each that prevent me from committing to one (good thing that I have some time to make the final decision):
Dell XPS 13 - Just about the only thing I don’t like about this is the keyboard. I bought one for my son this past April, and that was his complaint, as well. He said he’s now used to it, so I’m sure I will, too, should I go with this.
MacBook Pro - I love the keyboard for my fat fingers. Of course, MB Pro is a great performer and highly reliable. However, I’ve always been a PC person all my life, and frankly I despise Apple’s proprietary nature of their products. I need USB and SD card ports and don’t care to spend their overpriced adapters. I can get a higher spec’ed for less cost elsewhere, too.
Surface Pro - Now, this product is really enticing and promising and perhaps the best out there for traveling photographers. I don’t mind paying more to get one ONLY if it can be reliable. There are way too many customer complaints out there right now (for example, backlight bleeding issue) for me to feel confident enough to cough up some $2,500.
Re: MacBook Pro - while it has a higher starting price, if you look say 3 years down the road the gap narrows or even vanishes completely. Windows based laptops are typically worth very little after three years when you are ready to upgrade. MacBook Pros retain a significant value used. I’ve sold several over the years while having to scrap Windows laptops.
I don’t see “residual value” as a justification to pay more. Laptops are disposables. Can’t even compare to cars. After 4-5 years (typical length of undergrad) the costs difference becomes negligible - because both Macs and PCs are considered pretty worthless to any potential buyers.
But what you think will work for your specific needs.
FYI, I was a long-time Thinkpad user and switched to a 15" MacBook Pro about 6 months ago. I’m not really thrilled with the keyboard - I have to hit the keys a little harder than I’m used to, and in fact find I have to concentrate a little bit on the actual mechanics of typing to reduce my number typos, which reduces my typing speed and is also just generally a minor irritation. Even with that, I’m still prone to more keyboard-induced typos than I ever had with the think pads. The keyboard is also fairly noisy; this is not an issue for me, but might be for some people.
The keyboard on MacBook Pro is exact same for 15" and 13", by the way, and it’s much better for my fat fingers in comparison to Dell XPS 13" which makes me feel like hitting two keys with each finger, lol.
If you’re looking at the Dell XPS 13, another similar one to consider is the HP Spectre x360. Both my kids have had good luck with that one so far. We are currently in the process of switching all our home use from Windows to a MacBook Pro and have been very happy with that. I don’t know how that fits with the photography software you want to run though.
BunsenBurner you are incorrect about Mac resale value. For instance late last year I sold a 4 year old Mac Mini for $410. Paid $1,050. So it does make a difference.
@youcee - I’ve looked at HP Spectre x360. It looks cooler than Dell for sure, but it doesn’t have SD Card slot, which is not a deal breaker in itself but so much convenient for my photography use.
@Rivet2000 - I’ll take another look at Razer Blade. When I looked at it the other day, it was quite heavy. In fact, the heaviest of all the ones I listed above. But it might be worth another look.
