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Thread: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

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    A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    Need a new laptop...

    I did recently purchase a HP EliteBook 8570p as I got it cheap, but will probably put it up for sale as it isn't quite suitable for design due the screen not displaying colour properly. One minute something is white, move my head and it's yellow! 15.6" is just a bit too small to have split screen of photoshop/dreamweaver/filezilla etc. Also, I don't like HP.

    I don't need:
    Amazing battery life, as it will be plugged in to the mains most of the time.
    Something small/slim/portable as I will just be using it at home, but in different rooms.

    I need:
    A big screen 18"/"19 maybe even 20".
    A screen that doesn't change colours when you move your head, and gives an accurate display of colours. I hate making something one colour, then having to change it after viewing it on my desktop. Am I after an IPS display for this?
    A decent keyboard, preferable with spaced out keys.

    I don't like:
    Apple
    Last edited by 360bhp; 22-06-2013 at 09:07 PM.

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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    Not asking for much, are you

    Well, if you don't like Elitebooks (I'm sure HP do make some with IPS) that leaves Lenovo and Dell.

    Since the W710DS, there haven't been any Thinkpads bigger than 15". ATM the W530 is the only workstation Thinkpad but it's only 15", the W701/W701DS are a few years old now (Arrandale or earlier).
    http://thinkwiki.de/w530
    http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:W701ds

    Dell do make a 17" IPS workstation laptop:
    http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...k.84606.0.html

    Some has made a list of IPS laptops though
    http://www.laptopreviews.com/laptop-...d-them-2011-12

    Seems the Dell M6700 and HP 8770w are really are the only choices unless Fujitsu, Sony or Toshiba make some: those three aren't really know for business-class laptops.

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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    No idea on suitability for what you're after as it's been many years since I looked into higher end laptops, but I know Alienware (Dell) do large laptops, definitely a couple of 18" models, maybe even some slightly larger.

    Oh and just out of interest not a fan of the Apple hardware of OS X? If it's the later that's easily fixable by running whatever OS you prefer.

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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    IPS monitors will mean nothing if it doesnt meet the colour regulations, Dell/Apple have screens that are within a certain range of SRGB/Adobe RGB guidelines and pre calibrated for that too

    I wouldn't bother with that size laptop, I'd look at a smaller Lenovo Thinkpad or something like a Sony Vaio with dedicated GPU and a properly calibrated monitor you can use for colour sensitive work

    The other thing to consider is using a laptop in different rooms means different lighting and laptop angles for viewing which will also distort the colour or at least make it look washed out



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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    Hell of a bump.. Still on the look! Currently using a IBM T61 to do all my design work. The Elitebook is complete useless when it comes to design, bad viewing angle and incorrect colours.

    Ideally looking for a laptop with IPS screen, 15 inches or bigger.

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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    What bump! And still no budget

    Thinkpads: T440p has a 1080p IPS option:
    http://thinkwiki.de/T440p (English Thinkwiki is missing the T440p)

    X220 and X230 both have IPS options but only 12". X1 Carbon and the 2014 model have IPS options too.

    All those Thinpads are max 14" though; same(ish) as your T61 but 16:9 widescreen.

    Elitebooks do have an IPS option too. As should some Dell E series. Some business laptops have *VA screens too, but unsure. Better blacks but slightly worse colours and angles (but still miles better than TN).

    That Dell Precision M6700 I linked the last time is a 17" RGB-IPS screen:
    http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...k.84606.0.html
    I'd guess that might stretch any budget, though. (€5,200 in the review!).

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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    Thanks for those, will take a look. Budget is anything upto £600... Willing to spend a little more for right one

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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    Quote Originally Posted by 360bhp View Post
    Thanks for those, will take a look. Budget is anything upto £600... Willing to spend a little more for right one
    I suspect you're being very optimistic there. A decently robust non spectacular screened laptop is going to run you £500+. I suspect by specifying an IPS screen (which as finlay points out, doesn't mean much in terms of colour reproduction) you're going to be starting at the top end of the spec tree anyway. Its a bit out of left field, but have you thought about a chromebook + linux? Presumably you already have some kind of server with a lamp stack on for testing, so storage space shouldn't be a problem, and it gets you a decent IPS display for cheap, albeit a bit on the small side.

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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    Yes, £600 is a bit little for this. You might get some used Elitebook or Dell (that list of IPS laptops I found in #2 should come in handy start). And some of these do offer a wide colour range. Notebookcheck is always a good source of info there but they might not have reviewed all screen options. For instance this review:

    http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...n.81505.0.html

    But again a €3000+ laptop. Seems Lenovo have abandoned the 15"+ business laptop market. So that Dell and HP. There seems to have been an IPS option for your 8570p, so I wonder if the part can be changed? On Thinkpads that is usually possible. You could look at the hardware manual.

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    Re: A laptop for a web designer? Advice?

    There you go, your 8570p had three display options according to this notebookcheck
    http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...k.82291.0.html
    "HP offers three different display types for the 15.6-inch EliteBooks with the "p" at the end: HD (1366x768 pixels, HD+ (1600x900 pixels) which allows for greater viewing angles, and Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) - also with expanded viewing angles. The DreamColor display is only an option for workstations (which don't offer the low-end display with HD resolution). All panels are non-glare and are therefore not very susceptible to reflections"

    The part numbers are:
    WVA, FHD, display panel 690405-001
    WVA, HD+, display panel 690404-001
    SVA, HD, display panel 690403-001
    Those are available on ebay and the like. But whereas some notebookcheck says at least the 900p option is TN, other sources seem to think both 900p and 1080p are IPS. The 1080p is over £200 whereas the 900p is only around £60 from ebay. Confusing, maybe only the 8570w is IPS?

    Of course while business laptops are usually made to be taken apart, you may not feel comfortably changing the screen. And unless you can be sure there is an IPS option there is no point unless you are a resolution junkie. But against that, the 8570p is a good spec laptop.

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