TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Nothing wrong with a laptop as long as it has a fast multi-core CPU (I7 6700 or 6800), 16GB RAM (Min), SSD and a seperate video card with 2GB VRAM preferred, but I'd budget for a decent external monitor - hard to use an advanced editor with all the various toolbars open plus the image on a 15" screen.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

When the time came for me to get a new laptop I went to a local computer store (Kaplan Computers, Vernon CT) and talked with one of their knowledgeable staff. After finding out that I wasn't into gaming and other things, that all I wanted to do was regular computing AND photo processing, he recommended a number of laptops that could do the job. He also noted that I would probably need a stand alone monitor (which I already had) to round out the "system." Traveling to Connecticut maybe too much to ask, but there should be a similar store near you that can offer you good advice. Oh, I purchased the laptop that day, from that store -- they were more than competitive with the big box stores (and they repair computers as well).

tdonaldp

Try ONONE photo program - it has great flexibility and does more than lightroom--and can do a lot of what photoshop does - takes relatively short time to learn --- Look at OWC or MAC Slaes.com for a reconditioned MAC portable -- I have felt with them and they have been fair, stand behind their products and are helpful with upgrades and accessories.

caljr Loc: Indiana

I'm a retired Graphic designer/photographer that worked for the military and the Boeing company for 40 years. For my home desk top computer I am using an old 2007 Mac Pro (because I can't afford a new one) with a few upgrades like usb 3, SSD HD 480, upgraded graphics card and more. 2X3 Dual core processor 16 GB RAM 2TB external HD for storage with a 4TB external backup and a 30" Hi res Samsung monitor with a Pantone huey™PRO color calibration system. I am running Lightroom 6 and have over 60 thousand Raw photos on this Machine and it runs like a champ and never had a crash or lost HD. My Mac Pro is dedicated to only LR 6 and Photoshop 6 that can do anything I need to do and do it fast. I don't use it for anything but post processing and retouching. A mac will last you many years longer that a Dell or HP take my word for it. Most designers and photographers will tell you the same. Can you tell I'm a long time Mac guy, 1986 was my first Mac SE and have had only one hard drive go bad in that time do to a boot camp virus running a Microsoft app on my Power Macintosh G4.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I have three Macs, two of them refurbs, and all from about 2011. They just keep running.

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

I would say it is relative and subjective. Do some work on a current mid-level computer, then go back and work on something slower. It will feel like it's choking.

In 2011 I built my current machine, a quad core i5 2500K, 16 gb ram, 1 tb system drive and 2 tb raid array for data storage, and I used a 60 gb SSD to cache the system drive. Total cost was around $1000.

http://pixeldiarist.blogspot.com/2012/01/

At the time I built the system I bought what I could justify. It was no slouch, but it would routinely run out of ram when doing even the smallest content aware fills on a 10 mp image from a D200. Applying gaussian or camera blur could take 20 mins. But it was pretty fast on everything else, and certainly faster than my dual core i5 8 gb system that it replaced.

I have since upgraded storage to a 4 TB RAID 6, Ram to 32 gb, and the graphics card to a Quadro 2200K, cpu to an i7 2600K quad core with hyperthreading, got rid of the small cache drive and installed a 1TB SSD, and added liquid cooling for the cpu which is overclocked to 5 ghz. In all the updates cost me around $1200 more, done over a 12 month time frame. Each incremental update yielded some performance improvements. However there is more to this.

Funny thing about stuff being relative. At the time I built my system I also built the exact same system for a friend. She has not upgraded her system as I have, and when she was over several months ago she was absolutely floored by the difference between her original system and mine after updating. Things that take her minutes or longer in LR and PS happen almost instantly on my system. When she got back home she went to work on her old system and wanted to through it out of a window, it was so slow - relative to mine. I have since build several other systems with current i7- 7700K cpus, m.2 NVMe system drives, etc - and though they are faster, they are not fast enough running the same applications I run on mine, to justify a system upgrade which in this case would likely be a complete replacement.

As far as laptops are concerned, I have spec'd Sager laptops, known for gaming machines, for students and others wanting something they could actually edit on. They have IPS screens, come as portables with 13 or 14" screens, or as desktop replacements with 17" screens. They typically run in the $1800 to $2400 range, depending on storage, ram and graphics card selections. In my opinion they are maybe a little faster than my current desktop, and the screen has great color gamut. But these are best when used to power an 8 or 10 bit display with wide gamut color. All their owners are very happy with their machines.

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

I have some students running 2008 and 2009 Macs, set up similarly to yours. You couldn't pay me enough money to use those machines - they are slow as molasses. Yes, they are still running. But they are slow. But as Haydon points out, everything is subjective, and might add, relative.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I avoid serious photo editing with any laptop. There are just too many variables to be able to be able to make consistent image adjustments with one.

Yes, I have a laptop that I use on location.... but I don't finalize image editing until I can do so on a desktop with a calibrated monitor in a location with consistent, controlled ambient lighting.

I have seen folks successfully use laptops by pairing them up with an external monitor that they set up at a work station and plug into, whenever they have some photo finishing to do. Not all laptops have adequate graphics or connectivity to be able to do this, and cannot be upgraded with an an expansion card. Those would be criteria that I'd look for.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Both Dell and HP as well as others offer 8 or 12 GB and 1 terabyte Hard drive for about $700.

sandiegosteve Loc: San Diego, CA

A Windows based machine will get you better hardware for the $. New is worth considering with faster storage (SSD technology has gotten a lot better).

I'm concerned about the new Macbook Pros. Both very expensive and seem to have issues for my team at work. Apple provides good support, but they come with a hefty Apple tax in name and needed accessories (only USB-C ports). In the past month, my new Macbook Pro 2016 (touchbar) has crashed more than my last Windows 10 PC did in 2 years and costs about $2000 more. I like the Mac and may have a lemon.

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

I fail to understand how $1900 for an older laptop with only 16 gb ram, or $2700 for a current one can be considered economical. Truth is, you can get equivalent performance for 50% less with a Windows alternative. Not saying the Apple is not good, only saying it is hardly a "value" proposition for someone looking for something economical.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I just received an ad from Dell. A Doorbuster sales starts at 3:00 PM today. They have an Inspiron 15 5000, Core i7, 8GB RAM, 1TB hard drive, and 15.6" HD display for $599.99.

EDIT: I think this is it, since the ad says $799.99 is the regular price.

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/inspiron-13-5378-2-in-1-laptop/dndosa5010h

caljr Loc: Indiana

That sounds like a great deal but the machines don't seem to out live a mac. You get what you pay for, most of the time.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Same components in a Mac as a PC. Same Intel processors, same memory, same disk. Perhaps Mac users keep their machines longer because they have so much invested and a replacement upgraded PC (with the latest HW) is so much more affordable in comparison.

caljr Loc: Indiana

Only thing is dell support people I can't understand, but Mac support are all english speaking and know the products they sell.