Need New Pc / Laptop / Anything

[gapvic]

Hi all,

I need to get a new computer of some sort. It will be used just for editing photos and internet, nothing more. My current PC is 1000 years old and so so slow, it's just driving me mental. And my husband is on it most of the time for his work so I don't have a lot of access to it anyway.

I've no idea what direction to go in so any advice would be greatly appreciated. I need to be able to get Lightroom off this PC and onto the new one, and I'd also like to get Photoshop if I can afford to. I've never used Mac products but am willing to have a go if this is the best option.

Thanks!!

Larissa

[tlc]

I think for photo editing Macs are awesome! I have a MacBook pro and it's fantastic, I swapped from PC early last year. You would need new programs though as your pc LR an CS won't be compatible with the Mac.

[kja]

Honestly pretty much any computer out there right now will do the job just fine. I know so many people are all like you need a million GB of RAM and this processor or that processor, but the truth is that there just aren't that many total duds of machines.

If you are a power user who has massive multiple files open at one time, for instance, then it's smart to buy something big and bad. But if you're a "normal" user - and I class myself here mostly - then just look around at your price point.

Despite the ongoing and tedious Mac vs PC debates, in real use terms it's all what you are happy with. I have no need to change to a Mac as there's nothing they offer me that I'm missing out and and I was able to create a machine with better specs for far less cash outlay. Others will say their Macs do offer them things they never got on a Windows based machine. Each to their own. They both work.

To get Lightroom on your new machine:

- download it from the site again or load from your disk

- enter your serial number(s)

- get to work :)

Things I'd get on a new machine

- a goodly number of USB ports, some of the cheapest models can skimp on this. You can add a hub to them for not much money so if you find a machine that looks good in everything else, go for it. Otherwise spend a bit more on more ports.

- USB 3 these are still expensive and much of the stuff you currently own, I'm guessing, doesn't support it anyway. my new machine has a couple of usb3 ports but all the rest are 2 - this seems to be about standard. Good to have one or two usb 3's for the future, but not a huge deal imho

- RAM. I'd get the machine in my price range with the most and fastest RAM possible but I wouldn't increase my budget dramatically to get masses of this. RAM is what lets your machine work - the more & faster RAM, the more crap you can open at one time or the bigger demands you can put on your machine. Again, most of the new machines are more than adequate for Photoshop and Lightroom 90% of the time - the other 10% there's simply a bit of drag or delay. No biggie

- hard drive. If I had to choose a smaller hard drive for better RAM, I would. Hard drives are dirt cheap (just bought a nice 2TB for $108) and easy to install if you find you need more. I personally would have TWO to start anyway because having a backup all ready to go from day one helps build good habits.

- monitor: IPS screens have better viewing angles so it's easier to edit. So saying, I have one IPS and a second hand older Dell non-IPS and I have no problems editing on either. I do think the IPS is nicer, but not so much that I feel the need to upgrade the other one just yet.

- burner. bluray, dvd/cd whatever. I didn't spring for the bluray coz I knew it was something I just won't use. But I do use my burner for dvds/cds quite often so just got a pretty basic one that does the job.

I don't need super fancy in my computer. I just need something that works and allows me to use my time efficiently. I have better things to spend my money on than all the extra stuff computer salesmen think you need :)

HTH

Edited July 27, 2012 by kja

[gapvic]

Thanks Tlc and Kja - great help :) . I don't particularly want to go to Mac so I think what you're suggesting Kja is the way to go. I'm wondering about a laptop.... I don't have a heap of room for a desk for a second PC, and if I replace the current PC with a new one then I'm back to square one with not being able to edit pics when I want as OH is using the machine.

[tlc]

Laptops are great, i use mine all the time, we have a desktop pc but i never use it. Lap top you can take anywhere too, especially good for going away if your wanting to DL photos on the go.

[kja]

I have both a lappie and a desktop.

At home now that I don't have the dive shop, I only use the desktop. But I like my dual monitors, I have a very comfy chair and my office is set up to be super user friendly. I don't computer anywhere else in the house really :)

But I wouldn't be without the laptop as I use it when I travel. The only way I could deal with lappie only would be to have at least one external monitor.

I do really like my Toshiba laptop. I have a very light one (a Portege model, under 3lbs) with the 13.3" screen & dvd/cd burner. I wouldn't have anything with a smaller screen as I wouldn't be able to edit. As is, I can quite happily do some editing while on the road and that's my main concern since any machine can deal with emails/web etc. I would certainly check out the Toshibas next time I need a new lappie. I paid just under $800 for mine (you pay for that light-weight thing!)

[Marion 01]

A couple of months ago I bought a new computer, nothing expensive, but heaps of what I want for my graphics programs, the only thing I didn't count on was that I was using Windows XP Professional as my operating system, and the new one came with Windows 7, well the graphics program I use the most out of all of them was not compatible with Windows 7, so I have to keep going back to my other computer to do a lot of my graphics which is a pain. So if you say that your computer is old, you might find that some programs won't run on the latest operating system.