Is there any point upgrading to a desktop?

What do you do with your laptop? Browsing the internet it's fine, editing 4k video, it may struggle. Depends on what you want to do, and why you think you may need a desktop computer. :thinking:
 
I use it to edit photos mainly. I have a separate monitor and the laptop is kind of in the way on the desk. Just wondered if I did, is the laptop missing much spec-wise or should I just make do? I'm a bit of a tech whore and sometimes just need to be told.
 
StevenS said:
I use 15" macbook pro and 21" imac. The macbook pro is popular, but it has screen resolution of 2880 x 1800, about 5 times yours.
I broke the screen of my iMac, so purchased one of these to use with the iMac:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BenQ-Photographer-Technology-Calibration-Adjustment/dp/B013CVBIF4
It is 27" and resolution of 2560 x 1440, full colour callibration and a lovely b&w facility. If you can use it with your laptop, may be an idea.
Click to expand...
I already have a good monitor that I connect to the laptop.
IMG_20170826_221946-01.jpeg

Also, I hate apple...
 
Your laptop spec in general seems fine. You'd get a serious boost by adding more ram and converting to an SSD drive only.

That would be my way forward unless you feel the need to splurge some serious cash :)
 
If the laptop is in the way you could attach a USB keyboard and put the laptop somewhere out of the way.

Is the computer slow when you edit in any way?
 
Your answer is in your question....Read it out loud... you will get it :)
 
Yes and no.

Yes, it would run LR much better.

No, its going to cost too much for the upgrade you will get in LR.

But if you can find a second hand desktop with a i7 4790 and 16gb of RAM for a good price then that might be worth getting
 
That's just a dual-core i5 processor, isn't it, at a low clock speed for mobile power saving? And with data stored on a slow HDD, even though there's a 32GB cache available for frequently used files.

If it doesn't seem slow then it isn't, but I'd expect a desktop with i5/i7 quad core & SSD for OS & data to be significantly quicker.
 
Orangecroc said:
Also, I hate apple...
Click to expand...
Though I don't agree with everything they do, I
have too many students on windows and I see
the things they are missing, struggling with.
——————————

The prime objective of a laptop is mobility —and
I love my laptops— but that mobility comes at a
the cost of performance and flexibility.

If I had to choose, the desktop would always win
but I would find a way to got hold of a laptop too.
 
Kodiak Qc said:
Though I don't agree with everything they do, I
have too many students on windows and I see
the things they are missing, struggling with.
——————————

The prime objective of a laptop is mobility —and
I love my laptops— but that mobility comes at a
the cost of performance and flexibility.

If I had to choose, the desktop would always win
but I would find a way to got hold of a laptop too.
Click to expand...

I'd generally agree with Daniel, but would like to add some qualifications about OS. In terms of functionality for photo editing there is no effective difference - all the key software works in exactly the same way on both platforms, and apart from Apple having an extra key on the keyboard that carries most of the functions of the control key, they work the same.

Key differences are in the hardware - apple don't sell super-cheap, poorly spec'd hardware unlike windows vendors - and in the software where the OS takes control away from the user, but comes 'clean' & set up for a good user experience from the box, while windows is badly configured from the box and vendors add sponsored bloatware/malware that enables them to drop the price even lower. Getting a new Mac home and starting it is an experience to make you smile - the anger and frustration come later when using it for work. The opposite is true for a well-spec'd windows machine, that requires proper setting up to work well initially, but will then be helpful and just let you get on & do stuff in the way you want.
 
You could build yourself a Mini - ITX system. I built one myself some time ago, or, you could buy one already built.

A dedicated SSD drive would boost things in your setup if you wanted to keep it the same though.
 
ancient_mariner said:
I'd generally agree with Daniel, but would like to add some qualifications about OS. In terms of functionality for photo editing there is no effective difference - all the key software works in exactly the same way on both platforms, and apart from Apple having an extra key on the keyboard that carries most of the functions of the control key, they work the same.

Key differences are in the hardware - apple don't sell super-cheap, poorly spec'd hardware unlike windows vendors - and in the software where the OS takes control away from the user, but comes 'clean' & set up for a good user experience from the box, while windows is badly configured from the box and vendors add sponsored bloatware/malware that enables them to drop the price even lower. Getting a new Mac home and starting it is an experience to make you smile - the anger and frustration come later when using it for work. The opposite is true for a well-spec'd windows machine, that requires proper setting up to work well initially, but will then be helpful and just let you get on & do stuff in the way you want.
Click to expand...
I understand your sentiment, but I have to disagree. Apple software is not user friendly at all. Apple software makes me feel constrained.
 
Orangecroc said:
I understand your sentiment, but I have to disagree. Apple software is not user friendly at all. Apple software makes me feel constrained.
Click to expand...

I didn't say it was user friendly - rather that OSX could be a source of anger and frustration when using it for work - and it makes me feel constrained too. But the OOTB experience with Apple is much better than for Windows, especially W8 to W10, where much culling and tidying of the start menu is required to get a decent set up.

TBH for photo editing there's nothing to choose between them, and provided you don't use the apps that come with either OS then both are fine for browsing, email etc. But I do understand the sense of the OS taking control with Apple, rather than feeling like you have control with windows.
 
ancient_mariner said:
I'd generally agree with Daniel, but would like to add some qualifications about OS. In terms of functionality for photo editing there is no effective difference - all the key software works in exactly the same way on both platforms, and apart from Apple having an extra key on the keyboard that carries most of the functions of the control key, they work the same.

Key differences are in the hardware - apple don't sell super-cheap, poorly spec'd hardware unlike windows vendors - and in the software where the OS takes control away from the user, but comes 'clean' & set up for a good user experience from the box, while windows is badly configured from the box and vendors add sponsored bloatware/malware that enables them to drop the price even lower. Getting a new Mac home and starting it is an experience to make you smile - the anger and frustration come later when using it for work. The opposite is true for a well-spec'd windows machine, that requires proper setting up to work well initially, but will then be helpful and just let you get on & do stuff in the way you want.
Click to expand...
Get off the fence and tell the OP which you recommend. ;) :LOL:

You fail to mention cost in your comparison, but then maybe it is not a consideration to you. ;)
 
redhed17 said:
Get off the fence and tell the OP which you recommend. ;) :LOL:

You fail to mention cost in your comparison, but then maybe it is not a consideration to you. ;)
Click to expand...

I was talking about OS & user interface, so cost didn't make a difference. I presently own and use a Macbook running Yosemite, Dell XPS with W10 & an old 'desktop' (actually floor standing) baseunit running Linux (Mint Cinammon, but it's had all sorts on it) and enjoy the strengths and weaknesses of each system. If purchasing, I'd almost certainly look at refurb, whether Apple or Dell again - ironically now that I don't need a machine for work, an Apple would be fine for photos, if one doesn't mind the almost complete lack of hardware upgrade path. But I'm happy with the Dell, and hopefully that will be good for another 3-4 years.
 
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