20 Best laptop for photo editing July 2017 | Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Lightroom, GIMP

In any case, prices and features form a continuum and overlap each other – there is no exact point where one “jumps” in range. The above is therefore a very approximate and arbitrary division , calculated for the prices we have in Spain (including taxes), and raised with the aforementioned purpose of making a mental outline of what there is, and where we want Or we can situate ourselves.

Components and features: What to look for and what to look for

Once we have marked an approximate budget, I think the ideal is to take a virtual tour of amazon and similar, and see which models fall within that range. Amazon specifically allows filtering by features and create wish lists (favorite products), which makes it easy to discard some products and preselecting others. On the page of each product usually appears the date in which the product appeared, which is not always the same as the release date, but it can give us an idea of how modern or outmoded the model is. It must be said, however, that in amazon the detailed features of each model appear in the form of an endless and very disordered lode which is not very helpful, But the important thing is usually in the description of the article that appears at the beginning, and with that should suffice. Reading the opinions of the clients also helps, although better not to trust when there are very few.

The idea, as I said above, is to invest that budget as best as possible, or to know if it would be justified to expand it if necessary. For this it is worth knowing minimally what components make up the equipment, and what each one contributes us. That is what I will do next, not with great technical pretensions as I said at the beginning, but to explain what role each component fulfills, to orient as to the suitable requirements for each of them and to suggest secondary details that we may not have very present at first. I repeat once again that it is impossible to make universal recommendations, and that these are guidelines from which each can derive a different choice. It is even possible that after reading all this roll, There is someone who decides to hang the camera and go to the crochet or cross stitch . Having said that, let us begin our journey through all that we should look for:

Laptop size and weight

This is not really a component in itself, but I mention it in the first place because I think after setting a budget, it’s the second thing that would be worth deciding to go filtering. There are literally hundreds of models on the market, and I’m sure that by the time I’ve been writing this, dozens and dozens of new models will be on the market. The flood of information we are going to face is tremendous, and in this sense, deciding for a size is a good way to start filtering. The most typical formats are 13.3 “ , 15.6″ or 17.3 “ (they are the measures of the diagonal of the screen expressed in inches). Obviously, we would all want a screen as big as possible,

• The 13 “ (and smaller sizes) are wonderfully small and light , and this will be greatly appreciated by anyone who has to go with the laptop on their backs per system. However, while it is a very valid screen size for general tasks, and it is very tempting, I think that for photographic tasks it is a sacrifice that I at least would not want to assume.
• The 15.6 “ , in the current context, come to be an intermediate point . For me it’s a good compromise, but like any midpoint, for some it will be the best of both worlds (a reasonable portability with a sufficient screen size) and for others, the worst (neither are they so portable, nor offer so much screen) .
• The 17.3 “is already a little bit daunting , but it can be valid for those who value the screen size or simply do not take the laptop home (or rarely).

Although, as I said, the size of the screen is the single factor that has more relevance in the weight of the equipment, there are more variables involved, such as building materials or the type of battery . Therefore, even within a same size, the weight can vary significantly between different models, so I recommend that you pay attention to this data (the weight) in the specifications if you plan to walk with the laptop on your back daily.

Processor

This component becomes the “engine” of the equipment and determines its overall power, but it is not easy to establish direct comparisons among the many variants that exist. There are 3 basic facts to consider when looking at it:

• Family, range, category or whatever you want to call it. Most laptops we find on the market bring the “mobile” variant of intel i3, i5 or i7 processors . We can also find some AMD or Intel Celeron , but here I will limit myself to the mentioned i3, i5 and i7 since the others do not know them as well or are unsuitable to use PS / LR. Roughly:
  • The i3 processors are suitable for simple tasks such surfing the Internet, watching a video and stuff like unpretentious. They are the ones that usually bring the typical laptops below 500 dollars like the one I mentioned before
  • The i5 are already one more thing in conditions to move programs with some exigency, and in principle already they are sufficient for our purposes
  • The i7 represent the highest step and guarantee the best performance in a portable computer; Is not essential, but is appreciated (although it also consumes more)
• Generation . They say that when the demon is bored, it kills flies with the tail. At Intel, on the other hand, it gives them to market evolutionary versions of their processors from time to time, that is, new “generations” more powerful and efficient, being the sixth most recent at the moment. This figure usually appears reflected in the first of the 4 digits describing the name of each processor model: for example, a i7-6700HQ is a i7 of sixth generation, and i3-4012Y is a i3 of fourth generation.
• Nuclei. As if this were not enough, it turns out that, in addition, each processor model can have a different number of cores, typically 2 or 4: the more cores, the better, but not all tasks or all programs benefit from this. That is, twice as many cores do not necessarily mean twice as fast. Some stores indicate this in computer specifications with the abbreviation ” 2N ” or ” 4N ” which refers to 2 or 4 cores (other times this is indicated as “dual core” or “quad core”).
• Clock speed. The 3 previous data are the most basic, but I quote or even be in passing this other, which is expressed in Gigahertz (GHz). In the past it was possible to compare how fast a processor was compared to another, but nowadays it is a fact that has become very relative and less useful to make comparisons, so I would recommend not doing much in isolation.

The summary, as I said at the beginning of this section, is that establishing comparisons between different processors is not as simple as you would think , since the overall performance of the processor depends on a sum of factors (mainly family, generation and cores, in addition to The task to be done) and there is no generic way of saying how much better one is than another. That said, you can orientate yourself a bit by visiting the Intel Processors page , where you can get more details (the first list is of processors for desktop computers – download the second block, which contains models for laptops ordered by generations and families). Within each section you will find the processors included in each family / generation, And its specifications, including the number of cores , date of departure and official prices, as well as more technical details. For example, if you are told that a laptop has a i7-4700HQ (a fourth generation i7), in the corresponding page you will see that it is a 4-core processor that came out the second quarter of 2013, among other data.

The minimum for LR and PS to work are 2 GB , but 8 GB is recommended . In any case, it would be a good idea to check if the laptop supports memory expansion, and how much. That way, if over time we believe that more memory will improve performance, we can always add it. This possibility gives more peace of mind, but be careful because it is typical that the motherboard of a laptop only has two slots for memory, and if the computer comes with 8 GB , come in 2 modules of 4 GB . This memory distribution improves performance when compared with 8GB single module, but has the catch that the day we want to extend the memory up to 16 GB , We will not be enough to buy another 8 GB , but we will have to remove the 2 of 4GB and buy 2 of 8 GB , as there are no more slots available. In other cases, we can find that one of the two slots carries the memory soldered to the motherboard (that is, can not be removed), and we can only change the other one from 4 GB to one of 8 GB to get a maximum Of 12 GB . All of this is equally applicable if the laptop comes with 4GB : possibly distributed as 2GB + 2GB, and to expand up to 8GB we need to buy 2 4GB modules, as there are no more slots available. In any case, it is worth knowing beforehand if it is easy to expand the memory through some cover that is removed,

As for the type of memory itself, most laptops bring DDR3 ; Some start to come with DDR4 , but from what I’ve read the performance difference is very small and there is no evidence that it makes us more attractive, so it does not seem like something we should worry about today.

In short: with 8 GB you can go easy, but it is not too bad to know about the possibilities of expansion that has the laptop.

It is not a very relevant component unless we want the laptop for games or 3D , but it always seems to me advisable that the notebook has a dedicated graphics card , not an integrated one . Dedicated cards are a standalone component that brings their own memory: usually these are Nvidia or ATI models . The integrated ones, however, are included in the own processor or in the motherboard, and although they reduce the cost, they share resources with the rest of the equipment and they offer worse performance; Typically Intel HD Graphics or Intel Iris Pro . That said, after researching a little,

Whether integrated or dedicated, applications allow us to take advantage of the card processor to speed up or improve some operations. However, in the case of Lightroom little advantage brings a powerful graphics card: at least for now, the use of the GPU is disappointing in this program. In Photoshop , the graphics card and the OpenCL features allow you to zoom in fluidly and speed up the liquefying filter, but this does not take much.

What I do think is important is to take a look at the pages where Adobe informs (for guidance) of graphics cards compatible with its programs, both integrated and dedicated:  this page include those that have been tested correctly with Photoshop , and in This one , those that have been tested correctly with Lightroom . If the card has been manufactured in the last two years, it should be compatible, but better if it appears explicitly in the list. As in the case of processors, there are comparatives or rankings of graphs for laptop such as this page , but as I said at the beginning,

A small recommendation based on unofficial data: if you buy a notebook with dedicated graphics, better if it is nVidia (Geforce) than AMD / ATI . From professional graphics cards such as nVidia Quadro or ATI FirePro , I do not say anything because – as far as I know – they are not on laptops, and anyway I do not know if it pays to pay its cost for photographic tasks on a laptop.

HDD

Neither should be a big problem since almost any laptop will have enough space to install the programs we need; In fact, most include a 1TB mechanical hard drive , which should be enough to handle. In addition, we can always use an external hard drive if we need more storage capacity.

This section describes the dilemma arises when we consider the possibility of buying a computer disk SSD ( ” Solid State Drive ” or ” solid state drive “): unlike mechanical hard disks or traditional, the SSD do not have turntables but Which work similarly to a memory, making them much faster . However, the euro / gigabyte ratio is much more expensive on SSDs, which are also usually of lower capacity; The mechanical hard drives mounted on the notebooks are usually 1 or 2 TB , while the current SSDs stand at 256 GB or 512 GB . There are notebooks that combine both, typically a small SSD with a large “normal” hard drive (for example, a 128GB SSD and a normal 1TB disk). There is also a kind of ” hybrid ” hard drives that combine a mini SSD with a normal mechanical disk, which is detailed in ” 1 TB SATA 7200 RPM + 8GB SSD” plan. This is not really two disks but one, faster than a normal one, but not as much as an SSD. It comes to be an intermediate step that, as I read, does not give a bad result (I have not tried any). There is also a kind of ” hybrid ” hard drives that combine a mini SSD with a normal mechanical disk, which is detailed in ” 1 TB SATA 7200 RPM + 8GB SSD ” plan. This is not really two disks but one, faster than a normal one, but not as much as an SSD. It comes to be an intermediate step that, as I read, does not give a bad result (I have not tried any). There is also a kind of ” hybrid ” hard drives that combine a mini SSD with a normal mechanical disk, which is detailed in ” 1 TB SATA 7200 RPM + 8GB SSD ” plan. This is not really two disks but one, faster than a normal one, but not as much as an SSD. It comes to be an intermediate step that, as I read, does not give a bad result (I have not tried any).

If you choose a device with built- in SSD or can be extended with a unit of this type, it is worth it that the connection of the SSD is not the traditional SATA cable , but the most modern of the M.2 socket : this second type Is “pinched” directly on the motherboard and offers even greater transfer rates. It is also worth mentioning that there are kits of this type that allow you to replace the DVD drive with an SSD hard drive on those computers where there is no other alternative.

An SSD significantly accelerates start-up and start-up of programs ; In a laptop charges more value even as it saves space, consumes less power and reduces the risk of data loss by a jolt, but still, you can spend perfectly with a good mechanical hard drive, especially if our budget is limited Laptops with SSD are usually located at rather high price segments).

 screen

Friends, hold on for curves. This is, surely, the most ” photographic ” component of the subject. If we buy the laptop as a support tool and without great photographic pretensions, it could be said that anything goes. But if we are somewhat picky about the subject (and if you’re reading this you’re supposed to), a few variables come into play that will force us to delve more than normal. I will detail these factors going from the simplest to the most complicated (in terms of possibilities to find models that meet the most recommended values):

• Touch capability : Some laptops offer touch screens. In the case of tablet computers or convertible type (with keyboard of remove and pon), this makes sense, but in laptops to use (traditional) I think they do not contribute much. Most are not tactile, so it’s not usually a problem, but you know the option exists on some models.

• Brightness and contrast : This data is somewhat generic, since alone does not say much about the real quality of the screen. I do not think it determines our choice unless we think of working in very bright environments (in the exterior), in which case the level of brightness may particularly concern us.

• Brightness (glossy) / Matte : Currently, most screens carry a glossy coating or ” glossy ” – theoretically, this intensifies the colors and contrast. But I say ” theoretically” because I personally do not see any advantages : I find that “glossy” are more like a mirror than a screen, as they reflect any source of light, so as you have a window or lamp in the room , You will have to do feng shui to find the ideal position that allows you to see something clearly. The matte screens lack this coating and in my opinion, they are much more advisable for a photographic use (or for any use, in fact). I guess the bright screens will have their audience, but of course I do not tell each other. Unfortunately – at least for me and those who think like me – this type of screen (bright) is enormously widespread in today’s laptops.
• Resolución: Este valor determina la densidad de píxeles por pulgada de la pantalla y suele expresarse como píxeles horizontales por píxeles verticales: típicamente encontraremos pantallasHD (1366 x 768, aunque el HD real son 1280 x 720), FullHD (1920 x 1080) y UltraHD (3840 x 2160, a menudo denominado “4K“, si bien el 4K real tiene más resolución). En Apple son más listos y le ponen nombres mucho más molones a sus pantallas, como las famosas Retina (que en un modelo de 15,4″ equivaldría a 2880 x 1800 píxeles, a medio camino entre el FullHD y el 4K UltraHD).- The HD screens are somewhat short in my opinion, but our budget may leave us no other option. Technically they do not reach the minimum resolution required by Photoshop (1280 × 800), but I do not think those 80 pixels of difference affect the operation of the program.- FullHD screens are the next step and I think the most recommended option if we can afford it, not only because they provide greater clarity by having smaller pixels, but because the program interface is represented in less space and this is a better use from the screen. Even so, they usually assume a price jump.- 4K (UltraHD) screens are quite common in the PC world for some time now and you could argue that they are a way of being covered for the future, but I still seem excessive on a laptop screen. In fact, a 4K screen requires that the program be able to adapt its interface to this resolution, something that does not always happen, in which case the texts of the menus and panels will be so small that we can hardly distinguish them.• Type of panel: The type of panel is mainly about the viewing angles (the screen looks good even if you look a little sideways) and the ability to reproduce the colors. In this case we mix different technologies that are also in permanent evolution, but broadly, we should avoid TN panels and opt for an IPS panel (or PLS , which is Samsung’s version of the IPS). However, as I will comment below, in most cases the manufacturer does not give much information about it , so it is difficult to be sure of the quality of the panel except in specific cases where the screen is a selling point. That is to say, if it carries something small, They do not say a peep or camouflage it under bombastic names that usually include prefixes and meaningless suffixes like “x- ultra “, ” turbo “, ” pro ” or ” extra + “; On the other hand, if they put a panel in conditions, they take out chest and make sure to make it clear. Marketing of all life.• Range of colors: The range of colors that is capable of representing the laptop screen: each panel will have its own, but for comparative purposes, it is typically expressed as a percentage (%) of the sRGB or AdobeRGB space 1998 (AdobeRGB is a larger space than sRGB). Ideally, I think it’s worth having values close to 100% sRGB; At the time of writing this virtually no laptop screens with full AdobeRGB coverage. Like the type of panel, is a fact that few manufacturers offer since most users will give equal, so they offer screens with percentages of coverage sRGB pulling miserable, so if it approaches 100% of SRGB ,• Color fidelity, factory calibration and other quality aspects : The color accuracy with which the laptop comes to our hands, and the ease of calibration. That is to say, one thing is the capacity to reproduce the color of the screen, and another, the well calibrated that arrives to us, and that really can be calibrated without great deviations. In this section it would also include the uniformity of the brightness of the screen, more noticeable when we have the whole screen in white, and the light leaks of the contours, more noticeable when we have the entire screen in black. Here the thing is complicated because it is not always a specific information of the panel, but depends on how strict the quality control and the manufacturing and assembly process.The summary is that if we look for a good laptop for photographic tasks, the subject of the screen will limit us, since there are few manufacturers who take the issue seriously. And if we try to find out about the “bad” ones which are better or worse, it will cost us, since the specifications of most models do not include data on some of these aspects , and the analyzes that we read on the Internet often result Contradictory, in part because it is common practice to mix different types of panel in the same series of portable production, so the thing can end up being a lottery. That is, even if you end up finding the data after fighting with Google or the finder on duty, it costs so much to bring it to the surface that doubts that it is reliable.

Keyboard

Gone are the times when laptops had decent half-keyboards. At present, practically all incorporate the so-called chiclet keyboard, which is so-called not because it is chewable but because of the shape of its keys, low height, rounded edges and separated from each other. If we find the ideal laptop, it is unlikely that we will reject it just because the keyboard is not perfect, but it is worth taking into account if we are typing enough, as is my case. I can think of 3 characteristics to consider, not to go on notice and not take away surprises :

• Keyboard layout : Some keyboards have the cursor keys separated from the rest, which makes it easy to identify them by touch without having to look, or on the contrary, integrate them into the main key block, which is more aesthetic but also much more uncomfortable . Similarly, the Windows key may be on one side or the other only, that the enter ( enter or return ) encompasses two rows or one row, or that any key such as “Ç” or other symbols appear out of place occupy. In short, there are for all tastes (and dislikes). If you see the model in physical store, you can check, But if you look at photos of the product on the Internet do not trust , as it typically shows the image of a model with keyboard in English, and then each country has its variants. As for the presence or absence of the numeric keypad, it is typically absent in models of 13 “or less, but is included in the 15” and 17 “models.

• Stroke and resistance : The stroke of the key and the pressure required to make the keystroke determine the feel of each keyboard and how pleasant to use it results, but are data that are normally only found in very detailed analyzes and that anyway , Do not say much by themselves. I really think it would be best to be able to try them in person … although in any case, almost all the “chiclet” keyboards seem to me just as dull and I suppose that in the end one gets accustomed to everything in terms of touch.
• Keyboard backlight : It makes it easy to see the keys when in the dark, especially useful if the keyboard layout is rare and difficult to locate the keys. Better if this lighting is white color than rare colors, and if above is adjustable in brightness , then the bomb is already backlighting.
• Laptop with backlit keyboard … in red! I will speak a little more below the various atrocities of design that we can suffer in a laptop, but serve this to open mouth.

 Touchpad

Although there are better or worse tact, or with more or less noisy clicks, it is a subject of which I can not say much since I do not give much importance: for general use of the laptop, I find very similar all touchpads, and for Retouch with Photoshop / Lightroom or consider it, because with exceptions, always use wireless mouse.

 Battery and autonomy

Depending on the type of battery, the power of the laptop and the size of the screen, we can have autonomy for more than 5 hours or less than 2. For those who are always near a plug , it is of minor importance, but for those who walk All day long with the device in tow and use it in places where there are no plugs (or want to save the hassle of always putting and removing the cable), is another factor to take into account. Manufacturers always provide very optimistic battery life figures, but that reference is better than none.

Another issue to consider is whether the battery is removable or not . It would be preferable if it were so, mainly because if the battery barks or loses much capacity, we can replace it ourselves. But the truth is that in laptops that have passed through my hands with removable battery, by the time I would have bought another, they were already so obsolete that I preferred to wait to buy a new one or just survive using it connected to the plug. So for me it’s secondary, but again, it might be a point to keep in mind for other people.

 OS

As I said, this analysis is limited to Windows systems , but in the market we can find laptops with different versions, mainly Windows 8 / 8.1 and Windows 10 . Currently, it is possible to upgrade free ofcharge from Windows 8 to Windows 10 , but I think this will only last until July 2016. In any case, my recommendation would be to opt for Windows 10 whenever possible, as I think Windows 8 improves on everything Which I have been able to verify. That yes: make sure that the laptop brings some operating system (whatever), as some manufacturers are very cucko and they sell it with ” FreeDos “, Which is basically a way of saying that it does not bring operating system . That is not the end of the world, but we must be aware that in that case, we will have to add an additional € 110 for the basic version of Windows 10 , and install it ourselves, although on the good side, this will allow us to have a Standard system installation

 Design / aesthetics

Finding laptops with an elegant design (sober, discreet, where the form does not hinder the function) is more difficult than it seems. One might think that this is not to become fussy … but it is that many manufacturers seem to compete with each other to see who designs the most shabby and nasty laptop : radioactive red backlit keys , Star Wars prints or murderous androids around the touchpad , Egg-shaped alien shells … They’re supposed to be gamers , but I’ve been a gamer and I’ve never really liked these stridencies in the material I use. But is that even notebooks more “neutral” in terms of purpose, without so much ridiculous adornment, They end up being an aesthetic calamity because they insist on giving the note with materials that shine so much that they almost dazzle, patterns of grooves and holes unpleasant to the eye and the touch, logos or texts printed in a striking way without coming to story, covered of color Yellow phosphorite and occurrences of the style. Is it so difficult to do something sober, elegant and balanced? Well, you can see that.

 Construction / Robustness

The cheaper the laptop, the more plastic we will find in it, and less robustness: the closed screen yields when pressing in the middle, the keyboard sinks slightly when typing or pushing gently, the connections are not well aligned with the openings The hinges’ resistance is poor and the screen is too vibrating with any vibration (it can be annoying for someone who uses the laptop while traveling in a mode of transport) or requires 2 hands to open it … An insurmountable problem, but it is something else to keep in mind.

 Connectors / Ports & Optical Drive

More things to look at; Are all the USB ports it brings are 3.0 , or is it some 2.0 ? Do you have HDMI / Display Port connection for an external monitor, or only VGA ? Are the headphones and power connectors in a convenient place? Again, it is doubtful that we discard a laptop for reasons of this type, but it pays to pay attention to them, let’s not regret it later. On the other hand, do you really need a DVD player / recorder ? If so, make sure he brings it; Otherwise, giving up the DVD will allow you to have a slightly lighter and thinner laptop.

 Noise and temperature

The more intense the tasks we perform, the more the laptop will heat up , the faster the fans will turn and the more noise we will hear. Some laptops get warm in the area where one puts his hands to typing; If we support it in the legs and it is heated much underneath , it can also be unpleasant, and if we support it in the same crotch area until it leaves us sterile, with the foam that are more stupid than they already are (children you are reading This: science says that the heat in that part of the male body slows down the movement of the storks’ wings that come from Paris).

It is also not pleasant to hear the roar of the fans putting to butt to the first of change. If we look for portable reviews on YouTube, we will see that some analysts show thermal camera images to identify the hottest spots, and even measure the decibels of fans. In short, these are ” problems of the first world “, as they say, but maybe this type of data – if we have them – help us decide in case of doubt.

 Others

Finally, and with a more general character, you may want to keep in mind the quality of other extras such as webcam, speakers, wireless performance (wifi), size / weight of the power supply, included software gift or, ultimately , Any other peculiarity of a particular model or the trade that distributes it (guarantee, commissioning service if you need it, etc.).