PC advice

[ravncat]

With the need for at least windows Vista to run Lightroom 4 (The public beta is now out and available for those interested...) I need to upgrade my system, I've got a nearly 6 year old laptop that was highly advanced at it's time.

I'd rather get a laptop than a desktop for various reasons. I'm not against getting an external screen though. I've not paid attention at all to the computer world. I'd like to maximize light-room performance and display quality and minimize cost.

So, any advice for brands, amounts of ram, minimum processor / buffer specs to be on the lookout for, etc would be appreciated! thanks.

[BigFuzzy]

Honestly, get the most RAM you can possibly afford and get an SSD drive is possible.

Those two things have made my machine scream. Granted having top of the line i7 chip don't hurt.

My graphics card is middle of the road, nice but not a beast. Those other things matter more.

I got 12gb ram (DDR3 and I have one SSD for my windows and a separate one that simply has all my photo related stuff, mostly adobe stuff).

Oh, it's a desktop.. so not sure how feasible all that is for you (i detest laptops for some reason.. maybe never had a good one?)
Ram and SSD.. focus on those to see the most difference.. at least that's been my experience and I'm by far not a pc techy geek, just your run of the mill guy that thinks he knows something techy.
Good luck!

[graciousness]

You said Ram, Big Fuz. That sounds pretty techie to me

[ravncat]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Oh, it's a desktop.. so not sure how feasible all that is for you (i detest laptops for some reason.. maybe never had a good one?)

I've not got alot of space, I prefer desktops myself, but, I suppose I'll be here for a longer time so I could go with a desktop, but I've grown to like a portable workstation - for trips back home, or a few other places.

Ideally I'd like both, but my budget is non-existant. I'd like to stay at 500 or so though I suspect I'll have to dig up about 1200. I'd go to 2000 if I could but, that seems unobtainable at the moment.

[UlpilotSC]

Much ram is good! A solid state drives are so costly... I might get one just as the main drive for the OS and it's related stuff, but just use a fast "normal" drive for your storage and such. I know a guy with an SSD, from button push to windows ready is like ten seconds.
I can't imagine using a laptop as my only PC though. I love my tower with all its fans and noise and wires. Plus it's easy to swap out innards. I rebuilt it so many times... It's past time for an upgrade but at this point I need to start from scratch, the main board's processor is maxed out.

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by graciousness

You said Ram, Big Fuz. That sounds pretty techie to me

See, I can't even spell techie properly!
I know just enough to get me into trouble (ie broke!)

[Doug Sundseth]

Laptop is fine, but I would recommend an external monitor. Screen angle is critical to color and brightness appearance on computer screens, so you want a monitor that is set in place relative to your chair. It's also likely that you can get a monitor that is more tunable for brightness and color if you go external.

[Krusty79]

More on monitors:

"CRTs have effectively been replaced by their thinner and brighter sister, the LCD. Under the umbrella of LCD technology, there are a few choices to consider before buying a monitor. First, you'll have to decide which panel technology is right for you.

The three main panel technologies currently used in LCDs are: twisted nematic (TN), vertical alignment (VA), and in-plane switching (IPS). In 2011 we saw the debut of a new panel tech from Samsung called Plane to Line-Switching (PLS), which theSamsung SyncMaster S27A850D houses. Manufacturers make the vast majority of consumer monitors using TN panels.

Not surprising, TN panels are the cheapest of the three technologies to make. With a few exceptions, monitors that cost $300 or less will likely have TN panels. The main advantages of TN panels are their fast--usually 2ms--response time and, of course, low price. Their major disadvantages are narrow viewing angles, relatively low brightness, and inaccurate color reproduction.

Next up are VA (mostly known as S-PVA) panels. VAs have improved viewing angles compared with TNs, better color reproduction, and they typically have a much higher maximum brightness. Also, they tend to have the lowest black levels of all four panel technologies. Unfortunately, a VA panel's response time and input lag are not quite as fast as a TN panel, and they can cost anywhere from $400 to $800, and sometimes more depending on the panel's size. Also, you can expect a VA-based monitor's profile to be wider than a TN's.

IPS-based monitors are usually the most expensive; however, the new e-IPS panels cost as little as $300 when incorporated into a 22-inch monitor. They also tie with PLS for the best viewing angles of all the technologies and produce the most accurate colors; however, their blacks are not as deep as VA panels'. IPS monitors are the slowest of the bunch in both response time and input lag."

Monitor buying guide - CNET Reviews

[dlambert]

+1 for lots of RAM and an SSD. If you want to get picky after that, look at the processor -- an Intel Core i3 is good, but an i5 or i7 are better. Personally, I'd skip AMD's -- they've always been a decent bang for the buck, but in my experience, they're just not quite as sorted out as Intel chips.

The only downside to getting an SSD is that you're going to end up with lots less space -- certainly compared dollar-for-dollar, so you'll want to have a plan for archiving your stuff somehow, so you can keep just current work on your laptop.