best laptop for digital scraping - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

pigletmc · #1 (**permalink**) 04-11-2006

I am new to digital scraping actually, I haven't started yet. I am starting from scratch and I would like opinions on laptops for scraping. I have my mind set on buying adobe photo elements. What are pros and cons for laptops? What works best for adobe elements?

Thanks,
pigletmc

perkidawn · #2 (**permalink**) 04-11-2006

The brand of laptop doesn't matter as much as the speed/size/amout of RAM. I have a Gateway (purchased this Jan. '06) with a 100Gb hard drive and 1 Gb of RAM. (It is upgradeable to 2G of RAM, which is a plus...not all laptops are expandable!) RAM makes them handle these big ol' graphics programs better/faster. The more RAM the better. Since you are set on getting a laptop, my only advice would be to try to get one that you can add RAM to. When you get a graphics program going and lots of layers and elements and all that, you don't want your 'puter running at a snail's pace! 100G hard drive is big enough to start off with, and I guess lots of the ladies here have a second hard drive just for graphics. I haven't needed the second HD yet but eventually if I fill this one, that's what I'll do too.

I've been using Digital Image Suite but my hubby recently bought me a Wacom Pen tablet, which came with PhotoShop Elements 3. That's a great program. So is DIS! Either way you can't lose. Try to get a store to pricematch, no matter what you buy. I saw DIPSuite for $64 at Target, then went over to Office Depot (who had it for $90 but with a $40 rebate on the box!) They price matched Target, and I sent in the rebate and ended up only paying $24!! It pays to shop around. PSE is priced similarly and you might get lucky and get a rebate too.

Also I think I've seen PSE at Costco for under $50 recently.

ronagavino · #3 (**permalink**) 04-11-2006

I upgraded my laptop last September with a desktop replacement. No Centrino chips for me --- I got a laptop with GAMING specs. This will allow a more efficient harnessing of your laptop's RAM, especially if you're using graphics-intensive programs like Photoshop CS2. I didn't bother with the more expensive pentium 4s; I got an AMD 64 Athlon with 1.25 Gigs of RAM....like perkidawn, my baby is upgradeable to 2 gigs of RAM max. So i've got a little bit of leeway.

Also, make sure you have at least 100 gigs of hard disk space (if you can find an external hard drive on sale, go for it!). You will NEED THIS SPACE for all the freebies, goodies and purchased digital kits you will eventually have. And believe me, you WILL have a LOT!

pigletmc · #4 (**permalink**) 04-12-2006

Thank you for the information. After reading this, I may just upgrade with a new box and wait on the laptop.

4guysandme · #5 (**permalink**) 04-18-2006

you jump as high up the laptop totem pole as you can afford.

I actually am using 2 older laptops. One is about 4 years old, the other is 3 years old. As long as I never ask them to run Photoshop CS2, I will be just fine! The newer one *might* be able to handle it, but the oldest one certainly can't. However, they both run Photoshop 7 just fine, so that's what I use when I am on the laptop (I prefer CS2, but I'm realistic). Both of mine are HP laptops. I am considering a Mac laptop this next time around (a ways in the future).

For me, the biggest things would be RAM and HardDrive space. You want as much as you can get of both. I'd also recommend a CD or DVD burner of some sort.

Something I wish I had was a portable drive so I could easily move things back and forth from laptop to my PC, but I improvise across our home network and I have an older compact flash card and reader that I use when the network isn't available. I also have an external USB harddrive at my disposal if i need it.

Rae · #6 (**permalink**) 04-18-2006

Also, regardless of laptop or desk top and in addition to ram and HD space, get the best video card you can afford.

juliebee70 · #7 (**permalink**) 04-23-2006

Thanks everyone for your advice! I'm also considering a laptop and hope to get one in the next month. Right now I scrap on a desktop but would love to be able to be mobile. One of my concerns is the screen size. Is a 15.4" too small to scrap with? Would a larger screen be *neccessary* or is that just icing?

4guysandme · #8 (**permalink**) 04-23-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliebee70

. . . One of my concerns is the screen size. Is a 15.4" too small to scrap with? Would a larger screen be *neccessary* or is that just icing?

I have a 15" screen and it is fine. I have my resolution set really high though. Higher than my 21" desktop monitor actually. I think I can see the same or more with it set to high res. Of course, it just depends on how well your eyes can handle the resolution.
It is great to be mobile though. Most of my friends IRL are paper scrappers. With a laptop I can go to scrap parties with them and take up less space. LOL