Photo laptop options - suggestions

Interesting aspects. I'm also looking for a new laptop and have two additional questions:
- Are there already notebook LCD screen technologies with good calibration capabilities (using a calibration device) allowing the full postprocessing on the road?
- Are there still notebooks with a screen proportion of 3:2 (or 4:3) rather than the 16:9 weird movie optimized types?

Thank you for your suggestions.
 
SSDs are certainly the way to go. I find my MacBook Air 2012
11/128/8 is faster than my Mac Pro 2009 thanks to the disc access speed.

The one letdown on the Air is the display viewing angle : off axis is really darkens down.
Fortunately it's possible to use an iPad, with it's IPS display, over WiFi as a second monitor.
This also gains you screen estate e.g. running the loupe view on the iPad and the other Lightroom windows on the Air.
 
rxmd said:
It says that only in the EULA, and the legality of such after-purchase license agreements is questionable already in the USA and is void in many places outside the USA ("I bought it, I own it").

In most places, when you buy a retail copy of MacOS X, you can install it anywhere you like, no matter whether Apple approves of it or not - if they don't want you to install it, they shouldn't sell it to you.
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ok.................
 
Dunn said:
I'm looking to get a new laptop almost entirely dedicated to photo work. I need something small, maybe 13", but powerful and durable. But I also don't have an unlimited budget.
My thing is I really like the Mac OS, but I feel like Macs are a little expensive. I'm wondering if anyone has used a Mac OS on another brand computer. I'm not sure what model but I was thinking of Lenovo. Or should I just buy a Mac?

I'm really not sure so any help or suggestions to get what I mentioned at the best price.
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My MacBook Pro 13" I bought as a refurb in Feb 2011, fitted it with 500G drive and 8G RAM. $1100 total. Still going strong with Mountain Lion and LR 4.

I'l replace it with a MacBook Air later this year. That will cost more but seems well worth it. I want it for the additional processing power, smaller lighter form factor, and Air Play compatibility.

Alternatives are not worth the effort for me. Better to just save up and buy what works, use it a long while.
 
I am very pleased with my new Macbook Pro 15 inch with Retina display that replaced an eight-year old Macbook Pro. The one I bought is kind of expensive (being stingy enough to hold on to its predecessor so long helped me get over the sticker shock). Supposed, they're coming out the same configuration in a 13 inch Macbook Pro sometime this fall. I've happy with my machine.

A Macbook Air probably would have been sufficient for my needs, but I figured I might keep this one long enough to regret being a cheapskate.

This Mac has a 768gb SSD that is incredibly fast coupled with 2.66ghz processor that is also lightening quick. I upgraded to 16 gigs of memory. Whatever else you do, whether you opt for a Mac or PC, you should plan to max out whatever memory option is available UNLESS there's an upgrade path (on the new Macs with Retina displays you CANNOT upgrade later!). It's a bit thinner and lighter than a Macbook Pro with a HDD, but not quite as slim as an Air. It also doesn't have an optical drive.

My wife has built a blog and website on a 13 inch Macbook Air. Personally, I can't work on a screen that small for anything complicated visually/graphically except in a pinch. So, I also got a 27 inch Thunderbolt display. The Macbook's Retina display is absolutely gorgeous (it will spoil you).
 
I think I'll go with the Macbook Pro. I just like the Mac OS more. Plus, I "built" a Lenovo only with nearly the same specs and the Mac was only a tiny bit more so I'll pay that for the OS.
Now I just need to figure out where I can save a little dough. I would really like a 256gb ssd.
Not to mention, I read the 13 inch retina will be released sometime this fall. That's pretty tempting as well.
 
robklurfield said:
Whatever else you do, whether you opt for a Mac or PC, you should plan to max out whatever memory option is available UNLESS there's an upgrade path (on the new Macs with Retina displays you CANNOT upgrade later!).
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Rob, what dio you mean by you cannot upgrade later. Crucial seems to sell RAM for the latest Macbook Pro... and that has a retina display.
 
Whatever you select, remember to get a calibration device like a Datacolor Spyder or an X-Rite unit. All screens are way off in true color by default.
 
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