Computer Graphics with Photoshop - Best laptop choice for Adobe work

Author

Best laptop choice for Adobe work

pixpro@pix.net

2006-05-08, 6:16 pm

I have always built my PC desktop computers so I could choose the best
components for my graphics and dtp work. That was fine since both the
computer and I were always at a fixed location. I am now returning to
Italy and will be traveling extensively between clients in various
countries and needing to take my/their work with me. A laptop seems
the only practical solution. I have always had one as a portable unit
for offsite, non-demanding tasks but choosing one as the main computer
presents new considerations. Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign are
my main software apps and these memory hogs are usually open at the
same time. The new machine needs a wide screen and mega RAM. It also
demands a video capability designed for graphics instead of gaming for
which I have no interest.

I would welcome suggestions for a PC dream machine. I have USB
external hard drives and CD/DVD burners so they are not important to
the specs. I am assuming it is only a matter of choosing the right
transformer to provide duel voltage capability.

A bit off topic but integrated into the same discussion, I will be
doing a lot of digital archiving of documents and book pages - some of
which are over a thousand years old. These are too fragile to accept
much handling and certainly would not tolerate being upturned to place
on a desktop scanner assuming one was available. I remember the old
hand-held scanners which are still available for a few dollars but
with drivers that do not function beyond Windows 95. I have seen some
pen-sized units recently and know nothing about them. Anyone reading
this have suggestions for more current portable scanning options that
would interface with a laptop?

I am grateful for your suggestions. Thank you.

Mike Russell

2006-05-08, 6:16 pm

<pixpro@pix.net> wrote in message
news:pfsu52l8e37imk2qeda1msabg10tp6pj16@4ax.com...
>I have always built my PC desktop computers so I could choose the best
> components for my graphics and dtp work. That was fine since both the
> computer and I were always at a fixed location. I am now returning to
> Italy and will be traveling extensively between clients in various
> countries and needing to take my/their work with me. A laptop seems
> the only practical solution. I have always had one as a portable unit
> for offsite, non-demanding tasks but choosing one as the main computer
> presents new considerations. Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign are
> my main software apps and these memory hogs are usually open at the
> same time. The new machine needs a wide screen and mega RAM. It also
> demands a video capability designed for graphics instead of gaming for
> which I have no interest.

> I would welcome suggestions for a PC dream machine. I have USB
> external hard drives and CD/DVD burners so they are not important to
> the specs. I am assuming it is only a matter of choosing the right
> transformer to provide duel voltage capability.

I would add built-in wifi support to your list of requirements. There are
any number of good notebooks available that fit your specs. I have a Dell
Inspiron with a built in CD burner that will take up to 2 gig of memory.

> A bit off topic but integrated into the same discussion, I will be
> doing a lot of digital archiving of documents and book pages - some of
> which are over a thousand years old. These are too fragile to accept
> much handling and certainly would not tolerate being upturned to place
> on a desktop scanner assuming one was available. I remember the old
> hand-held scanners which are still available for a few dollars but
> with drivers that do not function beyond Windows 95. I have seen some
> pen-sized units recently and know nothing about them. Anyone reading
> this have suggestions for more current portable scanning options that
> would interface with a laptop?

I think a digital camera, perhaps with a small tripod or copy stand would be
perfect for this. If you need lighting, an eternal electronic flash with a
diffuser would do the job well, without touching the material being copied.
--
Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com

KatWoman

2006-05-08, 6:16 pm

"Mike Russell" <RE-MOVEmike@Curvemeister.comRE-MOVE> wrote in message
news:w9M7g.2861$fb2.1828@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...
> <pixpro@pix.net> wrote in message
> news:pfsu52l8e37imk2qeda1msabg10tp6pj16@4ax.com...
>
>
>
> I would add built-in wifi support to your list of requirements. There are
> any number of good notebooks available that fit your specs. I have a Dell
> Inspiron with a built in CD burner that will take up to 2 gig of memory.
>
>
> I think a digital camera, perhaps with a small tripod or copy stand would
> be perfect for this. If you need lighting, an eternal electronic flash
> with a diffuser would do the job well, without touching the material being
> copied.
> --
> Mike Russell
> www.curvemeister.com

FWIW I have used my digital camera for copy work and been quite pleased with
the results. Faster than scanning too.

John McWilliams

2006-05-08, 6:16 pm

KatWoman wrote:[color=darkred]
> "Mike Russell" <RE-MOVEmike@Curvemeister.comRE-MOVE> wrote in message
> news:w9M7g.2861$fb2.1828@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...

The new MacBook Pro with CD/DVD burner offers the most options, and
comes with WiFi and bluetooth.

You can run Windows directly, or with emulation under OS X, until Adobe
comes out with the new version of CS that'll run native on Intel Macs at
real speeds. By that time, you'll possibly prefer the Mac UI....

--
John McWilliams

Hunt

2006-05-09, 6:17 pm

In article <pfsu52l8e37imk2qeda1msabg10tp6pj16@4ax.com>, pixpro@pix.net says
....
>
>I have always built my PC desktop computers so I could choose the best
>components for my graphics and dtp work. That was fine since both the
>computer and I were always at a fixed location. I am now returning to
>Italy and will be traveling extensively between clients in various
>countries and needing to take my/their work with me. A laptop seems
>the only practical solution. I have always had one as a portable unit
>for offsite, non-demanding tasks but choosing one as the main computer
>presents new considerations. Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign are
>my main software apps and these memory hogs are usually open at the
>same time. The new machine needs a wide screen and mega RAM. It also
>demands a video capability designed for graphics instead of gaming for
>which I have no interest.
>
>I would welcome suggestions for a PC dream machine. I have USB
>external hard drives and CD/DVD burners so they are not important to
>the specs. I am assuming it is only a matter of choosing the right
>transformer to provide duel voltage capability.

I'm quite pleased with my Toshibe Satellite P25-S670 (now replaced by newer
laptops). It offers 3.2 GHz P4 HT, 2GB RAM, 80GB HDD, 17" screen, 128MB VRAM
(nVidia GeForce FX Go5700) and a handful of FW-400 1934/USB outlets. While it
comes with WiFi and BT, I use a LinkSys G card, which is faster than the
built-in. I have 2 250GB USB/FW HDDs, and the multi-DVD/CD burner built-in,
plus a DL DVD/CD burner on FW.

I can do about 80% of my normal PS work on this machine, but all final color
density work is done on workstations with calibrated CRTs. I could hook up a
dual monitor on the laptop, but opt, instead, to just transfer the files for
final. All panos, etc. just go to the workstation, sooner for the big
monitors.

To date, and I know I will jinx myself horribly, I have had no problem with
this setup. It allows me to work at the pool for 6 hrs/day, then go into the
darkened room upstairs for the finals.

Question 2: a copy-stand setup with a good flat-field lens is all I can think
of.

Hunt

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