Ok so maybe not the place to post this, but I'm getting ready to go back to college and I'm looking for a laptop. I need a laptop that I can use for my photo stuff and also papers, internet, etc. The one I have in mind is an HP that has 4 GB ram and 500GB harddrive. I'm by no means a businessman, but It will get a lot of use. Will this computer be a good choice for $750 or do you have any tips or reccomendations for a better computer?
Posted by Frank Winters on July 30, 2009 at 12:05 PM
My daughter had an HP laptop during college -- it was good but the HP service was great. They fixed a motherboard problem for $89 in two days -- it was baxck almost before I shipped it out.
We now are using Apple computers -- a mini, a 24" Imac and two laptops. They are great especially for photos but my first iMac died after 4 years. And I think an apple with the specs of the HP you mention would be more than 2X the cost.
I'm Mac impaired too, but can contribute to your thought process. I spend 5 months a year on the road with my laptop under my arm. Even coming from a desktop the other 7 months, it's a viable alternative. It will do anything the desktop will do, but with one small proviso (and it's small- I'm not being snide): You have to take extra care when processing photos. If you want great color fidelity, it's more important than desktops to calibrate the monitor. And you have to be really careful about ambient lighting and head position for adjusting light levels. It can be done, but you don't have the same degree of freedom you've probably grown to accept with a desktop. I limit my photo processing on the laptop and do the final work once I get back home. If the laptop is your sole computer, just be careful.
If you can, check out laptop screens before you buy. Some calibrate pretty well and have wide viewing angles. Others, not so much. (I've been somewhat lucky on my laptops by buying the higher end, higher res screens.) My current laptop has a glossy screen, which I don't think I prefer to my old matte one - so that's another consideration if it's an option.
And, you probably know this, but make sure you get a 64-bit OS to handle the 4GB of RAM, and any more you might add later.
If you go with a Windows-based laptop, be sure to get the Windows 7 free upgrade. I've been using 7 (64-bit) Release Candidate version (meaning, last "beta" before releasing it to the public) for a while now, and it is everything Vista should have been. Stable is an understatement. If you go with a Mac that's fine too, but do consider what software you may already have that you still want to use. I love Macs, but I get more for the dollar with PCs. Also, Photoshop CS4 has no 64-bit version for Macs, JSYK. If you get a 64-bit PC laptop and you use Photoshop, you get native 64-bit support, and it does run faster. Plus, RAM is so cheap now, you may be able to get a laptop with 6GB of RAM. Photo editors will be very happy with you as the owner if you give them 6GB of RAM.
Also try to find a deal that doesn't have integrated graphics, you really want an Nvidia or ATI Radeon video card in your laptop.
One more thing. Since you are going back to school, some institutions have discounts available to make the computers cheaper. For the same amount of money, you might be able to get a better machine to include some of the above suggestions.
Don't forget to look at your school's requirements. This is not as much of an issue now as it was 15-20 years ago when I was still in school, but it never hurts to be sure.
Discussion
6 repliesWe now are using Apple computers -- a mini, a 24" Imac and two laptops. They are great especially for photos but my first iMac died after 4 years. And I think an apple with the specs of the HP you mention would be more than 2X the cost.
Good luck with whatever you go with.
And, you probably know this, but make sure you get a 64-bit OS to handle the 4GB of RAM, and any more you might add later.
Also try to find a deal that doesn't have integrated graphics, you really want an Nvidia or ATI Radeon video card in your laptop.
Don't forget to look at your school's requirements. This is not as much of an issue now as it was 15-20 years ago when I was still in school, but it never hurts to be sure.
I work at a junior college and this is very true. Check it out!