Windows laptop for Lightroom

[PeterAit]

I am considering upgrading my laptop so I can actually do useful LR work on it while traveling. I'd be glad to hear of any recommendations. The only real requirement I have is that it can be used with dual external monitors when I am at home because it will be my business computer as well. Thanks.

[Czornyj]

Sounds like Retina MBP would be ideal for you

[PeterAit]

Sounds like Retina MBP would be ideal for you

WINDOWS laptop, please!

[Czornyj]

WINDOWS laptop, please!

Did you mean "non Apple"? My rMBP is Windows and OSX laptop simultaneously, according to my mood. It drives up to 3 external displays + it has the best laptop IPS display that I've ever saw. It's rock solid, small, light, fast, battery efficient and silent.

[PeterAit]

Now I am coveting your monitors <g>!

When you say this laptop runs Windows and OSX simultaneously, what do you mean? I know that there are Windows simulation programs for Apple computers, is this what you mean? Or, can this laptop run Windows in native mode?

[Czornyj]

You can create Windows partition, or you can run Windows using Parallels (which is what I do), so you can work with Windows and OSX applications simultaneously. It works like a charm, so you can have best of both worlds on a state of the art laptop.

[jerryrock]

Wacom Cintiq Companion.

http://cintiqcompanion.wacom.com/CintiqCompanion/en/

[Hans Kruse]

Did you mean "non Apple"? My rMBP is Windows and OSX laptop simultaneously, according to my mood. It drives up to 3 external displays + it has the best laptop IPS display that I've ever saw. It's rock solid, small, light, fast, battery efficient and silent.

It can drive 2 external displays at the same time as the internal display. The maximum resolution on the external displays is 2560x1600 according to the tech specs. You can also run a 4K display through the display port using the lastest OSX update that came a little over a month ago with support for display port 1.2. I have not seen any documentation for 2 external 4K displays as Apple is not clear on that. See here http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/

Only the late 2013 MBP model will support 4K displays so a new MBP will support this. There are a number of 4K display available now. A 4K display might be an interesting alternative to dual 2560x1600 displays....

[Hans Kruse]

Now I am coveting your monitors <g>!

When you say this laptop runs Windows and OSX simultaneously, what do you mean? I know that there are Windows simulation programs for Apple computers, is this what you mean? Or, can this laptop run Windows in native mode?

I assume your reason for wanting Windows is some applications you need to run under Windows. For photo work simply run Lightroom and Photoshop under OSX these applications wotk the same as under Windows and in my experience runs better under OSX. I'm also a Windows to OSX convert and have not looked back. My MBP is my only machine with an external 30" Dell monitor.

[PeterAit]

The MBP certainly looks like a nice system. But, seeing that I can get a Dell Precision with a faster processor, more memory, a larger screen, a solid state drive, 3 years of premium support, and a docking station for less, why would I buy the MBP? I haven't the slightest interest in running anything on the Apple OS, it just gives me a headache and offers no advantages to a long-time Windows user. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

[Hans Kruse]

The MBP certainly looks like a nice system. But, seeing that I can get a Dell Precision with a faster processor, more memory, a larger screen, a solid state drive, 3 years of premium support, and a docking station for less, why would I buy the MBP? I haven't the slightest interest in running anything on the Apple OS, it just gives me a headache and offers no advantages to a long-time Windows user. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

Does this http://www.dell.com/us/eep/p/xps-15-9530/pd?oc=fncwx1603b&model_id=xps-15-9530 look very different from the MBP 15" with 512GB SSD? I think not, but the choice is yours and I'm not here to promote Apple products

[Czornyj]

Only the late 2013 MBP model will support 4K displays so a new MBP will support this. There are a number of 4K display available now. A 4K display might be an interesting alternative to dual 2560x1600 displays....

My 2012 rMBP13 supports 4K as well (at 30Hz, but it doesn't matter). An UHD 32" display is the best thing since sliced bread...

The MBP certainly looks like a nice system. But, seeing that I can get a Dell Precision with a faster processor, more memory, a larger screen, a solid state drive, 3 years of premium support, and a docking station for less, why would I buy the MBP? I haven't the slightest interest in running anything on the Apple OS, it just gives me a headache and offers no advantages to a long-time Windows user. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

As a long time Windows user I bought rMBP mainly because of Retina display, but I also liked the whole rest (including OSX). Didn't test the latest Dell products with ultra high-res displays, so can't compare them to Apples...

[Vladimirovich]

I am considering upgrading my laptop so I can actually do useful LR work on it while traveling. I'd be glad to hear of any recommendations. The only real requirement I have is that it can be used with dual external monitors when I am at home because it will be my business computer as well. Thanks.

skip Dells/HPs of this world, just go for shops like http://www.xoticpc.com, much better selection

[Vladimirovich]

You can create Windows partition, or you can run Windows using Parallels (which is what I do), so you can work with Windows and OSX applications simultaneously. It works like a charm, so you can have best of both worlds on a state of the art laptop.

I run OSX (for Iridient and RPP) on PC/Win notebook the same way (just using VmWare when I need at the same time with Windows)...

[Hans Kruse]

My 2012 rMBP13 supports 4K as well (at 30Hz, but it doesn't matter). An UHD 32" display is the best thing since sliced bread...

I haven't tried myself but those who have says that the cursor is jumpy at 30Hz, so the 60Hz now supported via display port 1.2 on the new MBP's is running very well. See also http://diglloyd.com/articles/Recommended/DellUP2414Q.html where 30Hz is reported to work well as default. 60Hz operation is supported. I have not yet jumped for a 4K display as I find them somewhat overpriced still.

[PhotoEcosse]

There was an interesting article in a computer magazine about 18 months ago (so may now be slightly out-of-date) which compared the pricing of custom built laptops, proprietary brand laptops and Apple laptops on a spec. for spec basis.
My memory might have got the figures slightly wrong but it was something like:

Custom: 100%
Proprietary: 130% (e.g. Dell, HP, etc)
Apple: 210%

The conclusion was that with Dell or HP you pay a bit for the name, with Apple you pay a lot for the name.

[Hans Kruse]

There was an interesting article in a computer magazine about 18 months ago (so may now be slightly out-of-date) which compared the pricing of custom built laptops, proprietary brand laptops and Apple laptops on a spec. for spec basis.
My memory might have got the figures slightly wrong but it was something like:

Custom: 100%
Proprietary: 130% (e.g. Dell, HP, etc)
Apple: 210%

The conclusion was that with Dell or HP you pay a bit for the name, with Apple you pay a lot for the name.

Well, spec for spec? I doubt it. Every time I have looked at Windows laptops and found somewhat comparable ones, if I could even find one they were rather close in price. Anyway, everybody can do their own research make their choice.

Just one observation: When I started running photo workshops in 2008 the dominant laptop that participant came with was Windows and maybe a single Mac. Now it's the opposite In the meantime I also changed to Mac. No addiction, just the best one at the moment in my opinion.

[Czornyj]

There was an interesting article in a computer magazine about 18 months ago (so may now be slightly out-of-date) which compared the pricing of custom built laptops, proprietary brand laptops and Apple laptops on a spec. for spec basis.
My memory might have got the figures slightly wrong but it was something like:

Custom: 100%
Proprietary: 130% (e.g. Dell, HP, etc)
Apple: 210%

The conclusion was that with Dell or HP you pay a bit for the name, with Apple you pay a lot for the name.

...did it mention about the loss of value and demand for used ones?

[Vladimirovich]

Well, spec for spec? I doubt it.

why don't you start from builing a spec for PC/Win notebooks and then try to match in Mac :-)... for example 3 internals SSD + 2 slots (one instead of CD/DVD) inside for intertal HDDs (or you can stuff 5 x SSD in 5 slots) + Nvidia 800/8Gb ram + 32 Gb RAM +   i7-4930MX ? does such Mac pro notebook even exists in your dreams ?

[tastar]

Here's an HP ZBook 15 inch i7 2.7GHz Quad Core workstation class notebook - it's a little heavy (6.5lbs.), but it's fast and expandable. It has an external VGA port and a DisplayPort driven by an NVIDIA Quadro K1100M (2 GB dedicated GDDR5) so you should be able to run two displays. This model has a 750GB hard drive, with 32GB of SSD cache, so even though the base drive isn't an SSD, you'll get extremely fast performance from it. It's running Windows 7 Pro (with a copy of Windows 8 in the box). It also has a standard 3 year warranty. HP has a bunch of ZBook workstations - in 15 and 17 inch models - Here's a link to a brochure for the ZBook line of products. If you are interested, look for the models with "Smart Buy" titles - they are priced much better than non-Smart Buys.

Tony