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Help me buy a computer!
Creagan
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
My 4 year old HP G71 laptop is dead, and I'm about 95% sure the graphic card's fried. When I turn it on the screen has weird colored lines running through it, which is exactly what my previous HP did when it's graphics card fried. (I probably will be able to run the computer in safe mode for about 4 hours before it completely fritz-es out if this is the exact same issue.) The last time this happened, I was told that because the card was connected to the motherboard, it'd be cheaper just to replace the entire laptop. Everything was already backed up on flash & external drives, so that's not a concern. And for the meantime, I've cleaned my sister's HP dm4 of malware & browser hijackers (don't ask) and have permission to borrow it, so I'm not in dire straights. But I really need my own computer.
I have about $2000 to spend, but I've never bought computer before (my mom bought everything while I was in high school.) So I'm not really sure what would work best for me.
I need to be able to do the following:
Run Adobe Photoshop CS 6 or Manga Studio 5
Split screen with my 22HD cintiq
Let me draw with photoshop on my cintiq and watch netflix on the regular screen simultaneously (Okay, I don't need it to do this. It'd just be really, really nice if it did.)
School work, (multiple large PDF files & word documents open at once, sometimes with image files)
Considerations:
I really like to stick two word documents next to each other on a single screen, which I used to do with my old laptop since it was 21 in. But the lack of portability was a big hindrance.
I don't like working with Macs, but if they're absolutely the best choice for what I need, I'd get one. (It's a tactile thing more than a software thing. I just hate using their keyboards and trackpads.)
My old laptop had issues overheating, despite my regularly cleaning the fans, and getting a cooling stand for it. I don't want that in a new computer.
My old laptop liked to freeze randomly and make a horrible screeching noise. I'd also prefer my new computer to not do that.
I'm also thinking of buying a smaller, cheaper laptop & then a desktop, if that set-up is more likely to get me what I want than a single laptop would.
Thanks guys!
I have about $2000 to spend, but I've never bought computer before (my mom bought everything while I was in high school.) So I'm not really sure what would work best for me.
I need to be able to do the following:
Run Adobe Photoshop CS 6 or Manga Studio 5
Split screen with my 22HD cintiq
Let me draw with photoshop on my cintiq and watch netflix on the regular screen simultaneously (Okay, I don't need it to do this. It'd just be really, really nice if it did.)
School work, (multiple large PDF files & word documents open at once, sometimes with image files)
Considerations:
I really like to stick two word documents next to each other on a single screen, which I used to do with my old laptop since it was 21 in. But the lack of portability was a big hindrance.
I don't like working with Macs, but if they're absolutely the best choice for what I need, I'd get one. (It's a tactile thing more than a software thing. I just hate using their keyboards and trackpads.)
My old laptop had issues overheating, despite my regularly cleaning the fans, and getting a cooling stand for it. I don't want that in a new computer.
My old laptop liked to freeze randomly and make a horrible screeching noise. I'd also prefer my new computer to not do that.
I'm also thinking of buying a smaller, cheaper laptop & then a desktop, if that set-up is more likely to get me what I want than a single laptop would.
Thanks guys!
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As chrishallett83 mentions your budget can get you a both a workstation and a laptop, so if your needs on the go are more portability and perhaps long battery time you could go for that + get a fast machine for home and perhaps even squeeze in a nice screen on top (that could always come later).
On what laptop to get I'd suggest looking at models from Lenovo(company that bought IBM's PC business), Toshiba, Sony and HP. Best thing is to go to a shop to get a look and feel, but don't buy till you have researched one or two of your top picks as there is load to choose from.
I would get a smaller laptop with an HDMI out, spend up to $1200 on it, and then spend $300-$500 to buy a 21-27" monitor. See if this meets your needs w/graphics card - http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t540p/.
The bigger, more performance-heavy laptop you buy, the more you will have issues with hardware failures. It's just really hard to pack high-end graphics performance into a laptop, handle a large screen, etc. While apple products have a design/brand goodwill, premium, much of the reason they seem more expensive is because they are well-engineered to accommodate high-end hardware, which is why most ad agencies and design firms use apple products.
the only marginally challenging thing you have as a requirement is dual screen to your Wacom. laptops tend to meander on whether or not they have the proper ports and jacks for a second monitor.
What kind of port does a Wacom need?
Any modern four figure computer with that kind of jack will be fine.
The only meaningful consumer advice I can give is make sure you get one with an SSD
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
I disagree that you need $1500 to get a decent workstation + high end monitor. Depends on what kinds of things you want to do, but you could probably get away with ~$1000ish depending on the actual requirements. No need to max out every category. Like maybe he can get away with a nice 1080 ips monitor rather than a 1440 one. Or maybe he only needs a nice i5 + 8GB of ram rather than an i7 + 32GB. The specifics of what the OP does on this computer are important.
Agreed with the idea that if you don't need a powerful computer that is mobile the best bet is to get some combo of a powerful workstation, and a cheaper laptop that is more portable.
I'm not that familiar with photoshop or manga studio, but my understanding is that nothing the OP listed requires high end graphics. Mid range graphics with a nice ips display seem more suited to drawing/watching netflix.
Cintiq 22HD takes a regular DVI-I port.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
I'm assuming an IPS display, tax, shipping, Windows 7/8 license, and MS office.
Easily done with that budget and if there isn't any need to game on the workstation/PC you'll be able to go a little bit more crazy with it.
If I got a desktop+laptop, I'd use the Cintiq as a monitor and the laptop would substitute for a split screen. (Unless the desktop was like those macs that come with a screen, then I would want to split my monitor.)
The Cintiq needs a DVI-I port but I had to get a converter to fit in my old laptop's HDMI slot, so there's a little flexibility there. It also uses a USB 2.0 port, but I figure that's not going to be too hard to find.
My old laptop would massively overheat whenever I used Photoshop CS3 for an extended period of time, and if I split the screen to watch Netflix while doing photoshop, it would freeze. It couldn't deal with splitting the screen for more than about 45 minutes without freezing. And even if I was just using it lightly (small word document open, or Youtube,) it would randomly frieze and make a horrible screeching noise for about 2 seconds, before working normally. (That would happen 2-5 days a week, sometimes multiple times a day.)
Basically I'm looking for something that doesn't overheat like that, has enough power to deal with me running a more intensive graphic program than Photoshop CS3, & lasts a little longer than 4 years. If I get a single computer, it needs to be able to split the screen with my Cintiq.
To get to school, I have to take 2 trains and walk through a not-so-great area of Chicago, which is why a smaller laptop+desktop might be better. I didn't feel safe transporting my old laptop around. (Plus it was really heavy.) And if one of them crapped out on me, I'd have a back-up.
Do you need to use stuff like Photoshop while at School? And what about the Cintiq?
You don't need to do graphics work at school or other stuff take takes a big screen then here is my suggestion.
1. Get a laptop that if focused on being small, light but also not too flimsy plus it should have a good keyboard. As a bonus you can get something that gives you long running time on the batteries - something like 6+ hours of running time is not impossible. It could be something like this Lenovo IdeaPad U430 Touch which is very nice and while it's in the $600-700 range still leaves a good deal of money for the work horse for home. There is loads of laptops to choose from and you can go $200 or so cheaper if you go with a model that is older or for instance pick one with a screen that is lower resolution and it will still be nice.
2. Get a desktop machine. You'll do well with something that has more power and memory than one meant for just text and spreadsheets but also avoid something that is sold as hard core game machine or a graphics workstation (both will cost you first born if they are really what they say). Instead get a fast office machine with graphics card rather than just integrated graphics. Here is one possible choice Dell XPS 8700 which will set you back $800 in it's base configuration. Speed wise it can run circles around you old laptop and as all machines of that type it will run two screens just fine.
3. Take the rest of the cash and get a monitor. I highly recommend going with a 27", resolution 2560x1440, but while that is pushing it with our budget unless you opt for one of the cheap Korean ones. Supposedly they should be fine if perhaps looking a bit cheap in construction, but I have no experience with those. Maybe it will be better to go for a nice brand name 24" instead, but if you go 24" look for one that has 1920x1200 resolution. What ever you do it will be a real step up from you existing setup.
I'm assuming as an extended desktop. Pretty useful for Photoshop stuff
Yup. It makes using reference photos (and multi-tasking) a breeze.
I'm definitely going with a desktop and portable laptop. It looks like that combination will help avoid the issues I had with my old computer. I'll do a more in-depth look at specific models & prices over the weekend. But I'm really excited about having a well-ventilated unit with a keyboard that doesn't heat up right under my left wrist anymore. (Plus, getting to draw digitally again!)
Basically when at home you hook the laptop up to the Cintiq 22HD and then another regular monitor plus possibly the laptop's screen as the 3rd screen. Get one with bluetooth built-in it's usually an extra $12-15 but it comes in handy, if you can't find one with bluetooth bult-in that meets all your other needs you can pick up tiny micro bluetooth adapter for the same price but it takes up a USB port. Most mid-range and up laptops should have at LEAST 4+ usb ports, a lot of the time nowadays one or two of them will being doubling as an eSATA port as well.
Any decent laptop that I buy for my project managers at work has 1-2 HDMI out or at LEAST a VGA out plus a mini DVI and I've been able to get 2 external screens going like that. Might want to do your research first to make sure whatever model you settle on CAN do this though.
A lot of my guys actually DON'T use their laptop's screen when at the office they either close is or toggle it off as it sits to the side/under the desk.
The reason for bluetooth is to get an bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo to go with the monitor. I don't recommend getting a docking station or anything, they are slightly more convenient but cost more money. Simply have the monitor(s) cables and a power cord for the laptop there and plug the two in when you're in desktop mode and the keyboard and mouse will only need to be sync'd once.
This way you have one computer but it is a laptop and at home you hook it up to the Cintiq 22HD and another big monitor and it automatically pairs with the full size keyboard & mouse and bam you won't even know you're not using a desktop.