Laptop spec for Photoshop CS3

[RedMikeP]

Im looking to purchase a laptop as an additional PC as my desk top is getting old.
I will install PS CS3 on the laptop but Im not a high end user of this produce.
My question is, when looking at a laptop spec which will smoothly run CS3 what is the most important bit. Corei3 vs core 2 duo. 3GB Ram vs 4GB. 250GB Hd vs 500GB HD or an integrated graphics card vs a dedicated (but basic) graphics card.
I doubt I can afford the best off all of these so I may have to play one off against the other, hence my dilema.

My budget is £325 - £525 & im looking for a 15" laptop preferably with the seperate number pad on the keyboard so any advice given on spec or recomended laptops would be most welcome.

thanks

 

[vacunita]

I'd say its mostly irrelevant really. As Adobe specifies as requirements a P4 and 1GB of ram with simply an open GL capable video card. So you would be well above that spec.

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/photoshop/systemreqs/

Personally I'd go for the dedicated Video card so you don't have to share ram with it. And if the price increase between 3 and 4GB of ram is too much stick with 3GB. Unless you are going to be using a 64bit OS, you're probably only going to get 3.5GB out of the 4 anyway.

HD will depend really on how much data you expect to store there. 250 should be fine for most things.

I'd say video card first, then Ram, then processor and HD last.






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Phil AKA Vacunita
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[RedMikeP]

Thanks for the reply. I had read the spec for CS3 before posting but minimum spec and what spec is needed for a PC to run PS efficiently with other programs open is often miles apart. I was however pleasantly surprised to see that only a P4 CPU is required as I had already decided to spec the laptop with a minimum of core 2 duo & hopefully core i3.

I had shortlisted 2 laptops both with spec as mentioned in my original post but as only one has the dedicated graphics card, im going to follow your advice & take that as the priority, especially as the card in this laptop is open GL compatablke & has 512MB of built in memory thereby reducing the need for higher RAM as my priority.


Thank you

 

[kjv1611]

I'd suggest that the graphics card will be the least concern for Photoshop, since as you say you won't be doing anything advanced.

Core i3 > Core 2 Duo, so if about same price, go with the newer CPU architeture. Frankly, I'd got with a Core i5 or Core i7 if possible.

Not sure if you can get the same thing where you're at, but you can get a Core i5 based laptop with good specs, here in the US for under $1,000 right now.

Take a look at these for example:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olstemp...id&list=y&iht=n&st=processingtime:>1900-01-01

Also, the more RAM the better, and with a new machine, I'd definitely go with 64 bit. You'll have very few issues going 64 bit any longer, and if you go 64 bit, you'll be the most future proof.

The only thing to remember, in case you need to know at some point, is that when you install 32 bit apps on a 64 bit copy of Windows, they will be installed at c:\Program Files (x86), whereas 64 bit apps will be at c:\Program Files. Not a big deal, but it can catch you by surprise if you don't know.

I'm making my statements with this thought in mind: If you wish to make this thing last a handful of years, then getting a little higher specs will definitely be worth it. The Core i5 CPUs are awesome on performance. You can have one mean laptop with an i5 or i7... but the i7 typically has a price premium which the i5 does not... at least not so much.

Thought I'd look at Best Buy UK just to compare... looks like you don't have quite as good of deals through that venue, but maybe good enough... and of course you can check elsewhere:

http://www.bestbuy.co.uk/Catalog/Br...tsLayout=ListLayout&NumberOfResultsPerPage=12

 

[paparazi]

£325 - £525 budget.......$1000= £750 so way over!

Yes i3 based (at that price) look for full blown Intel CPU's and not a cut down Celeron.

I know where you are coming from with the questioning, ie: that can run CS3 easily and to be honest, if power is what you're after then sink that £500 in a New Desktop.

The fact remains that laptops are brilliant for mobile computing but an equivelent Desktop machine will simply blow a lappy out of the water.
Tasks will be twice as quick in CS3 when carried out on a Desktop of the same value...FACT!.
I have both and always do my Photoshop work on the Desktop, I simply agonise over the slowness of my laptop in CS3 and yes it's a modern Intel Core2 based laptop.

Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep

 

[kjv1611]

@paparazi:
The laptop must have a very slow hard drive, then. I've got 2 laptops. One with a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo, and one with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo. The one with the 1.6 has onboard graphics and current 3GB of RAM (did have a 4GB set, but I swapped the ram in the 2 machines.

With the 1.6GHz machine, I've edited large audio files, hi-def video, captured hi-def video (hdv), done some photo editing - photoshop and such, and other items. That 1.6Ghz laptop FAR outruns a previous Pentium 4-D based desktop which was somewhat of a power house just a few years prior. However, in that same 1.6 Ghz laptop, the hard drive got damaged (still need to send in for warranty replacement), so for now it's using another hard drive which I had on hand. Well, that hard drive has made for a painful laptop experience, in comparison.

In the 2 Ghz laptop, I've done all the above AND played a few games. I've played a couple different wartime games (don't remember whether I played any of the COD series on it or not), played the HL2 series and TeamFortress2 all on it. All without a hiccup. It did run a little hot at times, but that's to be said for that much work in a small area. :0)

Generally speaking, though, unless you're doing some beefy rendering, the laptops can simply handle what you throw at them. But the hard drive does make ALL the difference.

If you want to go cheap, get a WD Black hard drive for the laptop. Ever since the first time I used one of those, I've never looked back.

On the conversion from $ to pounds, I had forgotten there had been some pretty big changes... I was still thinking roughly 50 to 55 cents to the pound. So, sorry on that.

RedMikeP,

For the 500 pound/$750 range, you may can still find a laptop similar to what I was saying if you find the right sale. However, you may have to go with a Core 2 Duo or Core i3, still good.

Then again, if you can find a desktop with a Core i5, for instance, that'd be well worth it, compared to the Core 2 Dou or i3... it may not still quite be as obvious the difference on some things, but give it a couple more years (assuming you want to stick with the same machine for a few years), and it'll definitely pay off.

You can save a little bit, possibly, if you're willing and able to repair a "broken" machine that you find on eBay as well. It doesn't always work out, but sometimes, you can get a really nice machine for dirt cheap. Sometimes the only blemish is something on the casing, which frankly doesn't matter anyway, unless your main concern is showing it to your friends.

 

[paparazi]

kjv1611.....I never said a laptop couldn't work with CS3, I simply said an equivelently priced Desktop circa £500 ($750) would simply run rings around the laptop in terms of performance.
If you definately need the portability then this line of debate is mute but if you were intending to do your computing from one location a Desktop is a definate consideration.
For your money: The specification will be considerably higher. Faster CPU/i5 based/bigger and faster hard drive etc etc.
I agree that Desktops are not in vogue, that laptops are in the accention but in the real world of computing, Desktops are where the real power lies.

Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep

 

[kjv1611]

True that the desktops in general give more performance. I totally agree, particularly a custom build. At times, however, an OEM desktop could be slower than an OEM laptop, even if it has better components... just based on who puts it together and what they load on it.

I know I do prefer the power of a desktop, but I've gotten moreso to where I do 95% of everything of late on my laptop.. then again, when I really want to get something done, I do end up going to the desktop - either in person or remotely.

The few things I do greatly prefer about a desktop are:
[ol][li]Upgradability - you can add/swap parts to your hearts content, if it's a custom build that is. [/li]
[li]Easy to work on - if something breaks, it takes less than a minute to get the machine off and open the computer to see if you can actually see the issue. And when you do find the issue - whether can see or not - it's super easy to fix. With a laptop, you need bring much patience, and only HOPE you don't drop one of the microscopic screws. [/li]
[li]Multiple drives - Sure, on some laptops you can install 2 hard drives and still have an optical drive, etc, but on a desktop (if it's a custom build in particular), you can add drives until you have to get creative with positioning and actually have to think about... okay, will adding another 10/15 watts of power draw kill the PSU... [/li][/ol]

Yeah, desktops are nice. But then again, with a laptop... it might take you 5 minutes longer to finish a 30 minute task, but then again... when you can do that in the living room, on the back deck, at a book store, or at some other free open wifi spot like a downtown area, you may not really care. Just depends upon need and preference.

 

[RedMikeP]

Guys, thanks once again for your responses.
As mentioned in the OP, my (custom built) desktop is getting old & upgrading the motherboard/CPU & memory was an option but I fancied the portability of a laptop, knowing that compared to a desktop of the same spec, the laptop would be far more expensive. Ive decided to push the boat out & have ordered a laptop with core i5 2.4GHz CPU/4GB RAM/500GB HD & an Nvidea graphics card & running Windows 7 64bit.

Sorry kids but Im spending your inheiritance LOL

 

[kjv1611]

I don't think you'll be disappointed with the laptop. Frankly, unless you were doing some high-end renders, you won't know the difference. And honestly, if you compare any laptop right now to a desktop which you describe as your current machine, the laptop will outrun that desktop anyway. ESPECIALLY with a Core i5. It's a NICE CPU.

Well, if you think about it after you get the new machine and get it running, post back with how things seem to run.

 

[RedMikeP]

I will be happy to report back.

laptop arriving Friday & PS CS3 being installed some time next week