Time for a New laptop

[vanguard]

My old 2011 MacBook Pro is now starting to have a few issues. I’ve started to do my research  on new models Mac and windows based machines. My old mbp was upgradable which I have done, SSD and ram. But I believe the new machines aren’t, and they seem to be overpriced for what you get for your money. Now the reason I moved away from windows base machines in the first place, was because I’d had enough of constantly having to fiddle with them. Be it driver conflictions, virus’s or hardware/software problems. Plus I use to build gaming rigs back in the days of XP, which I wasted a lot of money on.

so on one hand I’d like to stay with mac’s For the easy life of not having to worry about the laptop playing up. And just being able to swap everything over. But to buy the laptop I’d like and trying to future proof it for speed, and being able to use newer software as it released. (If that’s possible) I’d be looking at around the £1800 mark.

or go back to windows with all normal issues I’d expect. But it would be nice to play my old games using my steam account. I can get a windows laptop really cheap if I buy a slow one. Or I can spend a lot more on a razor laptop which comes with most of the bells and whistles that I want. So running something like lightroom or photoshop would be a breeze.

anyone have any thoughts on my dilemma. 

[Phil]

A couple of years ago I was in a similar predicament.

Not having the space for a desktop I initially bought a Windows Surface Book, big mistake, it didn't have the power I needed and wasn't upgradable, I sufferered it for just 3 months before I started looking elsewhere.

After a lot of research I settled on a Dell XPS 9550 and haven't looked back! The build quality is second to none, the screen is stunning and has more power than I'll ever need. I'm running all the Adobe suite - Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects etc.

The 9560 is the most recent incarnation with the 9570 due out shortly, both fall into your price range.

As far as Windows is concerned, I've had zero compatibility or virus issues and all I use is Window's inbuilt Defender software.

Has to be added to your list of possibilities.

[Clicker]

I'll make a note of that Phil ... Hubby needs a new one and he, (you'll be pleased to hear) won't touch Apple   ... Tis the only thing we disagree on after 50 years of wedded bliss...

[vanguard]

45 minutes ago, Phil said:

A couple of years ago I was in a similar predicament.

Not having the space for a desktop I initially bought a Windows Surface Book, big mistake, it didn't have the power I needed and wasn't upgradable, I sufferered it for just 3 months before I started looking elsewhere.

After a lot of research I settled on a Dell XPS 9550 and haven't looked back! The build quality is second to none, the screen is stunning and has more power than I'll ever need. I'm running all the Adobe suite - Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects etc.

The 9560 is the most recent incarnation with the 9570 due out shortly, both fall into your price range.

As far as Windows is concerned, I've had zero compatibility or virus issues and all I use is Window's inbuilt Defender software.

Has to be added to your list of possibilities.

Has added to my list of possibilities, yes and thank you.

[Phil]

36 minutes ago, Clicker said:

Hubby needs a new one and he, (you'll be pleased to hear) won't touch Apple

Sounds like a man of impeccable taste, but then, he would have to be, he married you. 

[Clicker]

Well I do keep telling him that Phil ... but like most blokes ... he turns a deaf 'un..

[johntwo]

Thanks for that Phil.   I currently use a home build windows desktop designed specifically to meet my photographic needs and like you, it's been pretty much trouble free but I can't take it away with me.    Consequently, I've been lusting after one of the top end Surface Book Pros but they have always seemed a bit expensive.   That is bad enough but expensive and not up to the job.........................   I think Dell and HP have  new top end machines out.  Do you know anything about them? 

[David61]

In November last year I got the Dell 2in1 7786 laptop and totally love it, the screen is only 17.3 but having and using C1 Pro 12 and Affinity Photo works like a dream, boots up very very quickly and the software is pretty damn quick too.

[vanguard]

34 minutes ago, David61 said:

In November last year I got the Dell 2in1 7786 laptop and totally love it, the screen is only 17.3 but having and using C1 Pro 12 and Affinity Photo works like a dream, boots up very very quickly and the software is pretty damn quick too.

how do you find using the 2in1 screen for photo editing, is it like using a big tablet.

[David61]

Just now, vanguard said:

how do you find using the 2in1 screen for photo editing, is it like using a big tablet.

I just use it as a laptop, never use it as a tablet but for editing it is fantastic as the colours are stunning.

[Clicker]

OOOh  Give me my 2017 27 inch iMac every time  with the additional RAM  .and and   SSD  ...   Why on earth did I wait so long  before succombing ...?.

 Oooh I can hear hear Phil  gnashing his teeth from here while he wails  ," Nnoooooo!"

[Ryewolf]

I must admit I've always used desktops, or more specifically Dell Precision Desktops, I've had a 390, 490, T5500, and T7500 and they've all been built proof, the 490 I recently retired - still running XP and was on every day for at least 10 hours for 12 years. I fugure the same would go for Dell Laptops...

[vanguard]

I’ve just come off the dell website, there’s some very good deals on the 17” models. 

[Hatter]

Once you go Mac, you never go back... 

[vanguard]

18 hours ago, Hatter said:

Once you go Mac, you never go back... 

I use to agree, but what you get for your money is not a lot compared to windows. And they’re no longer upgradable. When I went to upgrade my memory from 4gb to 16gb Apple wanted £240 were crucial wanted £60. Slightly off topic I know, but look at the price of this year’s iPad Pro to last year’s.

i still like Apples products but not the over inflated prices.

[skullfunkerry]

Windows 10 is a lot better than Windows has been for a long  time; I can't remember the last time I had a driver issue... I've got an Acer Aspire Nitro, it's pretty good, but wasn't the cheapest, and it's not very portable really - it's heavy, and doesn't fit in my work bag... if I was replacing it I'd be looking at the Dell stuff, for sure.

[VWGolf]

What did you get in the end, Vanguard?

I'm using a 2011 27" iMac with RAM upgraded to 24gb and it still cuts the mustard.  PS & LR run fine, with both open, plus other stuff.
Although I have a 2015 MBP, I prefer the larger screen of the iMac when it comes to doing fine detail editing, thought the MBP is great to take with me when I'm away.

[vanguard]

I got a 13” MacBook Pro that I use with a external monitor. On paper it specs are lower than my old 2011 13” mbp, which had 16gb of ram. But this new one with 8gb of ram and a SSD really flys. I can’t believe how fast it starts up compared to the old one. Certainly run Lightroom and the NIK software fast as well.