Best specs for laptop to process pictures (Page 2): In addition to what I suggested yesterday, you can look at these specs from a custom system builder on the West Coast...

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

BIGRO wrote:

Hello all, it's probably been asked a million times but I would like your help in selecting a laptop to process my pictures. Learning how to use photoshop then lightroom. Currently looking at Hp Omen with GeForce 1050 and Lenovo 720, both similar specs. Also is 8 GB memory good or 16 to run this program. Much obliged

In addition to what I suggested yesterday, you can look at these specs from a custom system builder on the West Coast

https://www.pugetsystems.com/recommended/Recommended-Systems-for-Adobe-Photoshop-139

https://www.pugetsystems.com/recommended/Recommended-Systems-for-Adobe-Lightroom-141

The closer you can get to their workstation recommendations the better performance you will have. Trying to run either Photoshop or LR with 4 or 8 gb will be a frustrating experience at best.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

G Brown wrote:

There is a thought that more RAM makes processing quicker, however you may get to the point of not actually seeing any delay.

Right.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-much-ram-does-your-p
c-need-probably-less-than-you-think/
http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-much-ram-does-your-pc-need/

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

BIGRO wrote:

Hello all, it's probably been asked a million times but I would like your help in selecting a laptop to process my pictures. Learning how to use photoshop then lightroom. Currently looking at Hp Omen with GeForce 1050 and Lenovo 720, both similar specs. Also is 8 GB memory good or 16 to run this program. Much obliged

Either one will probably do the job as will most any known brand computer with enough memory and reasonably fast processor. My recommendation for the greatest help towards successful processing it a separate large (+/-27") monitor. It makes it so much easier to see small detail.

james1701d

Be careful processing with a laptop. The monitor on a laptop is different from PC and changes with the extent of how open the screen is. Essentially it can help you mess up a lot of photos.

techforpc

I also would like you to recommend you to have i7 intel processor with some SSD hard drive as well as some premium software for photo editing. I would suggest you to read this:
https://www.techforpc.com/photoray-online-pc-windows-7810mac-free-download/

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

BIGRO wrote:

Hello all, it's probably been asked a million times but I would like your help in selecting a laptop to process my pictures. Learning how to use photoshop then lightroom. Currently looking at Hp Omen with GeForce 1050 and Lenovo 720, both similar specs. Also is 8 GB memory good or 16 to run this program. Much obliged

I recently bit the bullet and bought an Alienware machine for the purpose. Their machines are considered one of the finest gaming machines available, and all that power works great for photographic work. Here are the specs on what I got:

- Alienware 15 R3
- Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ Quad-Core, 6MB Cache, up to 3.8GHz w/ Turbo Boost
- NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1070 with 8GB GDDR5 Overclocked
- 15.6 inch UHD (3840 x 2160) IGZO IPS Anti-Glare 300-nits Display
- 16GB DDR4 at 2400MHz (2x8GB)
- 256GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s (Storage)
- Lithium Ion (99 Wh) Battery

It takes all of 6-7 seconds to get PS up and running after clicking the shortcut. From the moment I press the power button, the machine is ready for me to go to work in 15-20 seconds. The 16Gb of ram has been sufficient , so far, but they make it really easy to upgrade the memory if need be. It isn't a light-weight machine at about 7 pounds, but I don't spend a lot of time carrying it. They aren't free, nor cheap, but they operate in a rock-solid manner.

RickL Loc: Vail, Az

l use a Macbook Pro with 16 gigs RAM. And it works well with Affinity, Lightroom and Photoshop. There are many refurbished MacBooks available on Amazon. Just make sure that you are getting enough memory. You don't have to break the bank to buy one. The new models have longer battery life.
The main thing is to stay away from laptops that have poor reputations. There are so many good models to choose from. Our schools here use Macs, our kids have the latest models so we are a Mac family. I am sure that you can be given great advice by members here who have good experiences with other brands.
Best wishes in meeting your needs

Rick

hankswan

You might want to take a look at Microsoft Surface Tablets. I have been using the Surface Pro 3 for a couple of years and find that it can do most anything your desktop can do. Since I bought it running MS 8.1 and upgrading it to MS10 it just keeps getting better and better. Many users claim 9 hours of use but I think I would say more like 5-6 if you are using programs that are battery eaters. It is so convenient take with me and I have all of my MS programs, Office (and Outlook) Quicken, Paint Shop Pro (2018), Nero (DVD utility) and various others that I also have on my Desktop. I bought mine with the detachable keyboard (it has a keyboard on screen if needed) and external DVD reader writer. Of course it has touch screen capability, did not think I would like touch screen, now I wish I had it on my desktop. There are not many computers that you can pull the screen off and use it to show someone else whatever is on it. Bye the way it has a camera built in. Go to MS website for Support and find user guide for Surface pro 3 (or 4) download the PDF and look at the contents to show all of things that can be done with this Tablet. IMHO

BebuLamar

hankswan wrote:

You might want to take a look at Microsoft Surface... (show quote)

Anyone calibrate the screen a Surface before? I consider buying a Surface for traveling and checking my photos in case of reshoot is needed.

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

Feiertag wrote:

You bet. That's why my monitor is calibrated.

The problem is that most laptops are not very color-accurate - they are only 6 bit displays. Color profiling can only do so much. If your display cannot show subtle tone and color transitions, or is missing some color entirely, then accuracy is most definitely a problem that cannot be cured with profiling.

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

RickL wrote:

l use a Macbook Pro with 16 gigs RAM. And it work... (show quote)

Dollar for dollar - Windows laptops offer a better solution, with the exception of battery life. But to get the battery life you have to give up internal storage, faster CPUs, fixed configurations and less future proofing, and you get to pay more for it. With Apple's turn away from mainstream photo editing by choosing to embrace a projection video standard color space, photo editing on an Apple product has moved away from color accuracy, making their offerings less suitable for professional use and placing their gear solidly in the realm of the amateur. But sadly, most Apple users dismiss this as meaningful. Corporate graphics departments don't however.

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

brucewells wrote:

I recently bit the bullet and bought an Alienware ... (show quote)

Ah, and if you had a larger boot SSD and more memory, it would take 2-3 secs to boot into Photoshop. Alienware machines are excellent platforms for running photo editing software, however.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

Minimum specs for reasonable image processing, of course depending upon the size of your image files:

1) Fast i7 CPU
2) Min. 16 GB memory
3) Fast hard drive or, better, a SSD; 1 TB SSD is great.
4) Fast graphics card

Take a look at the Lenovo YOGA 910. Works great for my on-the-road image/video processing and it has great battery life. The YOGA 910 doesn't have a built-in memory card reader; an external USB C card reader would be required.

bwa

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

Gene51 wrote:

Ah, and if you had a larger boot SSD and more memory, it would take 2-3 secs to boot into Photoshop. Alienware machines are excellent platforms for running photo editing software, however.

I know you're right, but the enhanced display and graphics card added substantially to the cost. I decided to go with it this way, knowing that 5 screws hold on the bottom. Once removed, the drives and SIMMs are readily available to upgrade. Nonetheless, it's no slouch the way it is. :-)

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

I have a top of the line Lenovo desk top that I bought from the Lenovo factory outlet for about 50% 2 years ago. It has the I5 processor and 8 ram. Last year I got a IMac 27 in top of the line with the SSD hard drive. This sucker is fast. I love the Retina display. Yes it was big bucks and it took me a year to pay it off but it was well worth it. I use a Dell laptop with the I5 processor to teach my photo class from. It's just OK. Yesterday I purchased a used 2010 vintage Apple MacBook Pro. It is faster then the newer Lenovo, but a bit slower than the iMac. You can buy Referbished Apple computers from Wal-Mart web site. They are quite reasonably priced from them. I am still a PC fan for everything except photo processing. Apple can't be beat for my photo work. Check them both out at Best Buy. Happy Shooting and processing.