New computer - laptop? So I read ncshutterbug's topic on asking for advice on getting a new computer. I have the same questions, but for a laptop. I know the laptop is more money, but...

cosmo54 Loc: Easton, PA but will travel for photos

So I read ncshutterbug's topic on asking for advice on getting a new computer. I have the same questions, but for a laptop. I know the laptop is more money, but my personal situation just makes a laptop easier to deal with. I do have several external hard drives and a large monitor for home so I'm covered there. My current laptop is old, slow & now the screen has decided to die (ok if hooked to monitor). I'm thinking 16ram, 256 drive, 17" screen........what else? Thanks in advance

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Your list of specs sound good. I've found a 17" screen very usable. However, they do tend to be a bit heavier than a 15". I have my eye on a Sager NP5673 which comes with 8gigs of RAM, upgradeable to 32gigs, & a 1Terabyte HD. Sager isn't a household name but they're built very well. My son, who is a software engineer for Boeing, has had 1 for a couple of years and had no problems. I plan to order mine without an operating system as I already have a copy of Windows 7 & the upgrade to Windows 10. Check it out at: http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np5673-clevo-w670rcw-p-8668.html

Update. A newer model is available. http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7276-clevo-n170rd1-p-8670.html. Approximately the same specs with a longer run time on battery.

Picdude Loc: Ohio

I prefer laptops myself - much more flexibility to work where I want to work. 16G RAM sounds good, 256G HDD could be a bit small. Suggest you get something with a very good Graphics Adapter, preferably an adapter with dedicated RAM. Will make a big difference PP, especially if you batch process photos and/or use add-ons like Topaz, On1, etc.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Many new laptops now come with an SSD - a solid-state-drive - since they have now come down in price. They are so much faster than using a HDD.

I use an hp ProBook with an SSD (which I am upgrading next week to a 500GB). It works very well for photo editing. You probably don't need 16GB RAM.

Consider something like:

http://www.amazon.com/HP-ProBook-450-15-6in-Laptop/dp/B01H7VOQOA/ref=sr_1_12?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1475146579&sr=1-12&keywords=hp+probook

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

nicksr1125 wrote:

Update. A newer model is available. http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7276-clevo-n170rd1-p-8670.html. Approximately the same specs with a longer run time on battery.

That looks great, and the price is reasonable. Great specs, but very short battery life compared to others. If I needed a laptop, that would be it. It's available from Amazon for about $200 more.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

jerryc41 wrote:

That looks great, and the price is reasonable. Great specs, but very short battery life compared to others. If I needed a laptop, that would be it. It's available from Amazon for about $200 more.

My son ordered his directly from Xoticpc.com. If you contact them by email or phone, there may be discounts available.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

nicksr1125 wrote:

My son ordered his directly from Xoticpc.com. If you contact them by email or phone, there may be discounts available.

Their Sager (Clevo) laptops are a less costly alternative to the great Alienware computers from Dell. I have several students using them and they love them -

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

sb wrote:

Many new laptops now come with an SSD - a solid-state-drive - since they have now come down in price. They are so much faster than using a HDD.

I use an hp ProBook with an SSD (which I am upgrading next week to a 500GB). It works very well for photo editing. You probably don't need 16GB RAM.

Consider something like:

http://www.amazon.com/HP-ProBook-450-15-6in-Laptop/dp/B01H7VOQOA/ref=sr_1_12?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1475146579&sr=1-12&keywords=hp+probook

Is that something you can do yourself? On the MacBook Pro it was pretty straightforward. The iMac is a different story, though.

Singinman Loc: Newport News, VA

You may want to look at Costco. The selection is not huge, but the prices are good. You get a two year warranty. Their concierge service is quite good and if they cannot correct the problem, they will connect you directly to the Mfgs top tier service level. The killer point is that if you do not like the computer for any reason you can return it within 90 days. You also get two years of warranty w/no extra charge.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

jerryc41 wrote:

Is that something you can do yourself? On the MacBook Pro it was pretty straightforward. The iMac is a different story, though.

This one comes with a 250GB SSD - which is fine unless you want to store a lot of photos on your laptop. The other laptop mentioned here does not have an SSD, which I think is really beneficial.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Also look at this one - it has Windows 7, which I like because I am familiar with it, and it comes with a 500GB SSD!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UCDO1L4/ref=pd_sbs_147_1?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00UCDO1L4&pd_rd_r=E0XQHGDD5YFMDZTDGVYE&pd_rd_w=pjKSO&pd_rd_wg=coCPu&psc=1&refRID=E0XQHGDD5YFMDZTDGVYE

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

cosmo54 wrote:

So I read ncshutterbug's topic on asking for advic... (show quote)

Get a much bigger drive. Minimum 500GB, find 1 TB if you can.

If buying a PC do not be afraid of Windows 10. It is Microsoft's best OS ever, and can be set up to be very similar to Windows 7. If my 89 year old mother in law can deal with the transition from Windows 7 to Windows 10, so can anyone else! She's also my favorite party animal, maybe I just married well!

SteveR Loc: Michigan

17" is a bit big for a laptop screen. 15" seems to be sufficient. A laptop that big would be cumbersome for travel, especially. If you really need a bigger screen on occasions, you can still hook it up to one of your bigger screens. My son's computer is hooked up to three. Also, be sure to go SSD with your hard drive. I would recommend BitDefender as a very good virus protector.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

jerryc41 wrote:

Is that something you can do yourself? On the MacBook Pro it was pretty straightforward. The iMac is a different story, though.

On most laptops it's a 1 or 2 screw operation. I have 3 hard drives I use in my laptop depending on what operating system I'm playing with. It takes me less than 5 minutes to switch them out.

NoSocks Loc: quonochontaug, rhode island

You should consider the Mac. Mine has 16 gigs of RAM, a 500 gig SSD and is pleasure to work on. Expensive but worth it.