gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

PM sent. Gary

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

I have a desktop at home. This is for travel and editing. Gary

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

I have both. Looking for something to travel with and edit as well. Gary

BebuLamar

For travel I use the Surface Pro. The screen color isn't precise but OK. I don't do a lot of editing while traveling. I only edit if I have to before I get home.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Dell XPS13. Only simple edits, i.e. brightness, saturation, highlight and shadow, adjustment, cropping, culling, etc. Then, when I get home, all get moved to a desktop. The laptop work is done with ON1 PR, DPP, and Fastview.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Two articles: processor and memory.

Processor -
http://gizmodo.com/dont-waste-money-on-intels-top-processor-1791426602
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404674,00.asp
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/intel-core-i5-vs-i7/
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/intel-core-i9-vs-i7-vs-i5-cpu/
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/intel-core-i5-vs-i7/
http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/core-i5-vs-i7
https://www.extremetech.com/computing/210703-intel-core-i5-vs-core-i7-which-processor-should-you-buy

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

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

STOP!!!!

Have you backed up all of your data? Do that first!!!

Then, great deals can be had at Dell and Lenovo outlets. The Dell XPS line is fantastic. I use a 13" and wish I had gone larger. Also, I got a touch screen, but, honestly, I seldom use it and the screen glare is not worth the limited added value (to me any way). If you need to use a pen get a Wacom or similar device, which you can do with the money saved by not getting the touch screen.
Also both sites usually have coupon codes for an additional discount on select systems.
At either manufacturer, also check their gaming systems.
I should say, I usually go Dell. Largely because I find the Lenovo site difficult to navigate. Every time I go there, even if it has only been with a gap of few minutes, the choices seem to change and I can't find what I was looking at a few minutes earlier.

Links:
Dell outlet
https://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnlineSales/Online/InventorySearch.aspx?brandId=2201&c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh&dgc=IR&cid=258996&lid=4635114&~ck=mn

Lenovo outlet
https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/d/deals/laptops?sort=sortBy&currentResultsLayoutType=grid&cid=us%3Asem%7Cse%7Cgoogle%7Cnx_brand_lenovo_generic%7Clenovo%2Boulet%2Bgeneric%7Clenovo%20outlet%7Ce%7C65103464%7C110325545718%7Ckwd-3741564217%7Ctext%7Cbrand&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMIqNSGwoG17wIVgp2GCh0qpwX7EAAYASAAEgJTyfD_BwE%3AG%3As&s_kwcid=AL!4030!3!484794657553!e!!g!!lenovo%20outlet!65103464!110325545718&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqNSGwoG17wIVgp2GCh0qpwX7EAAYASAAEgJTyfD_BwE

docerz

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Do you have a budget?

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

OK. Build design then. You do not know what the memory requirements will be over the next few years. Currently 16GB will work, but in December? Who knows. With most, and Dell is one, you can upgrade RAM later. Make sure you can update RAM.
Get an at least 512GB SSD for programs and a second drive (internal or external) for you files. I use external drives (more than one) for storage. It makes backup and redundancy less confusing. Most non-destructive editing programs will not need to access the original files during most functions so SSD speed is not needed for access to original data. But access to things like LR catalogues is important, so those go on the internal. 512GB will give you plenty of room for programs, catalogues and operating swap space. But if you can afford it, a 1T internal is a great thing to have. The trade off in cost to go from 512GB to 1T often does not look steep, but often it involves a graphics card swap. Make sure the graphics card is the best you can get. You won't likely be changing that post purchase.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Error. Deleted.

photoman43

Check out the different models made by Lenovo. Mine is a Lenovo ThinkPad Extreme 1. If you will be using its screen for serious editing of photos, Make sure the screen specs fit your needs and that the laptop has a separate video card with enough RAM.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

If you can use a Mac, the new M1 MacBook Air is about the fastest $1000 laptop on the planet.

dandev Loc: Enumclaw, WA

I bought a Dell XPS 15 through Costco. High res screen, 1TB, 32G ram. Was not inexpensive, but works great.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Under $1,000 is the 8GB price, But, the M1 MacBook Air is probably the most consumer friendly laptop the money gougers have produced in recent years. 16GB is only $270 more. And a 1T internal SSD is only another $200.00. So, if you are already in the MAC world, it is a nice option. Also, Apple, like Dell and Lenovo, does refurbished, so you might want to check that out.
Side note on the term "intuitive" Intuitive in the computer world means it feels like you already know how to use it. If you have been using Windows machines for decades, Apple will NOT feel intuitive. Same is true the other direction.
I have honestly tried to switch to Apple three times. It just feels awful to me. Nothing is where I expect it to be. I started with DOS in 1981 with brief forays into UNIX in the mid-80's (damn those anti-trust people who destroyed UNIX) and settled into DOS then Windows where business functions prospered in the 80's-90's.

I do have to credit Apple with the business foresight to practically give away systems to K-12 educators in the mid to late 90's and capture the hearts of a generation while that idiot Gates told schools to invest their money in internal building infrastructure instead of his products because it was a better investment in the long run for the common good.
Yeah, he was right, yeah he did and continues to do a world of good that Stevie-boy would never care about, but it undermined the long term for Microsoft the company. But, hey, some people are just inveterate do-gooders who think their purpose in life is to benefit others rather than gouge every user for as much as they can get.
I mean really!