Photographer
Gabriel
Posts: 1654
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
I've been having some computer woes lately (spyware I can't get rid of, CD drives on the fritz, etc) and have been eyeing the Dell Inspiron 1200 notebooks. $500 if I catch a good rebate. I was looking at the specs, and they top my PC's:
Available processors: Intel® Celeron® M 350 Processor (1.30 GHz, 400MHz FSB, 1MB Cache)
256 or 512 MB shared1 DDR SDRAM
And I forget how many gigs of storage, plus a standard CD/DVD burner and ethernet port.
The only thing that I wonder about is the line about it having "64 MB of shared graphics memory for basic computing needs." I have to admit ignorance here - does that mean big RAW files will make it slow down to a crawl?
Should I get it and leave my temperamental PC for Internet browsing, or put in more RAM (currently under 400MB total) and replace the CD drives?
Photographer
Glamour Boulevard
Posts: 8628
Sacramento, California, US
fotocycle wrote:
I've been having some computer woes lately (spyware I can't get rid of, CD drives on the fritz, etc) and have been eyeing the Dell Inspiron 1200 notebooks. $500 if I catch a good rebate. I was looking at the specs, and they top my PC's:
Available processors: Intel® Celeron® M 350 Processor (1.30 GHz, 400MHz FSB, 1MB Cache)
256 or 512 MB shared1 DDR SDRAM
And I forget how many gigs of storage, plus a standard CD/DVD burner and ethernet port.
The only thing that I wonder about is the line about it having "64 MB of shared graphics memory for basic computing needs." I have to admit ignorance here - does that mean big RAW files will make it slow down to a crawl?
Should I get it and leave my temperamental PC for Internet browsing, or put in more RAM (currently under 400MB total) and replace the CD drives? I bought one of the gateway tablet laptop models when it came out over a year ago. edit right on screen with a stylus pen that comes with the computer and I never edit on a desktop anymore. it was almost 3k at the time because I got it fully loaded but I am sure they are cheaper not. I just had to have it after trying it out at the store.
Photographer
Logan Seh
Posts: 93
Lansing, Michigan, US
fotocycle wrote:
I've been having some computer woes lately (spyware I can't get rid of, CD drives on the fritz, etc) and have been eyeing the Dell Inspiron 1200 notebooks. $500 if I catch a good rebate. I was looking at the specs, and they top my PC's:
Available processors: Intel® Celeron® M 350 Processor (1.30 GHz, 400MHz FSB, 1MB Cache)
256 or 512 MB shared1 DDR SDRAM
And I forget how many gigs of storage, plus a standard CD/DVD burner and ethernet port.
The only thing that I wonder about is the line about it having "64 MB of shared graphics memory for basic computing needs." I have to admit ignorance here - does that mean big RAW files will make it slow down to a crawl?
Should I get it and leave my temperamental PC for Internet browsing, or put in more RAM (currently under 400MB total) and replace the CD drives? Tha laptop would be good for base word processing, web surfing, and viewing the pics you take. For editing it would suck hard.
Celeron processors have very light math capabilities, graphics requires high math processing, thus system would be slow.
Graphics also require good graphic card capabilities the intel chips are decent for basics like looking at pics, reading emails surfing the web. anything more and they slow down, 64 mb shared mem is also going to slow your system down because the memory can process 1 thing per clock cycle, which means that when doing anything graphics intensive the memory is switching back and forth between video and system every other clock... very slow...
If your camera has dual format RAW/JPG it would be OK to view test jpg shots to setup.. and will work for editing it will just be real slow...
My recomendation if you want to edit is go with a true P4 or a non-celeron M, at least 1GB ram and at least 128mb video that does not share system memory... yes I know its pricey but you'll be much happier
Photographer
Glamour Boulevard
Posts: 8628
Sacramento, California, US
Logan Seh wrote:
Tha laptop would be good for base word processing, web surfing, and viewing the pics you take. For editing it would suck hard.
Celeron processors have very light math capabilities, graphics requires high math processing, thus system would be slow.
Graphics also require good graphic card capabilities the intel chips are decent for basics like looking at pics, reading emails surfing the web. anything more and they slow down, 64 mb shared mem is also going to slow your system down because the memory can process 1 thing per clock cycle, which means that when doing anything graphics intensive the memory is switching back and forth between video and system every other clock... very slow...
If your camera has dual format RAW/JPG it would be OK to view test jpg shots to setup.. and will work for editing it will just be real slow...
My recomendation if you want to edit is go with a true P4 or a non-celeron M, at least 1GB ram and at least 128mb video that does not share system memory... yes I know its pricey but you'll be much happier Have you ever seen/used one of these Gateway tablet laptops that allow you to edit on screen with the stylus pen? No lag whatsoever and not slow at all. But then again, I did get mine fully loaded with all the options.Maybe that is why.
Photographer
Gabriel
Posts: 1654
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
Thanks, guys. I'll look into the Gateway prices, but it is likely out of my budget right now. I do have a 12-24mm Sigma I want to get, and that's about $400+ right there. I know with the money I would spend on the laptop, I could clean up and upgrade my present PC - or get a better one - but I was hoping for the convenience of a notebook. (And the cheap Dell price! lol)
If something like the Gateway doesn't pan out, I'll start looking at the other options.
Photographer
PHOTOS
Posts: 127
Los Angeles, California, US
I happen to be in the software business. It is common practice to buy nothing but DELL. Period. Great product with outstanding support.
Photographer
Envision Studios
Posts: 204
Fredericksburg, Virginia, US
go pentium , you will enjoy it longer , and the speed is definately a huge difference, the big problem here in your specs is 2 fold, celeron and shared.
Both bad words, celeron is for the secretarty that does word stuff, and shared memory means peter gets robbed to pay paul in the simplest of terms so this is not a good deal.
PS. I used to work for intel.. i know their stuff inside and out !! But if you like look for the Athalon from AMD it is a good processor!!
Photographer
photosbydmp
Posts: 3808
Shepparton-Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia
spend a bit more get a dell 8600 inspiron, 1gig, 80 megs dvdr, i use it on shoots , burn dvds, run photoshop, kodak, hp photosoftware, also canon and minolta digital programs, it rocks and fast as.
Photographer
MotoMediaFx
Posts: 13
Safety Harbor, Florida, US
Apple is the industry leader in photo / video editing. I know that will start an arguement, but facts are facts. Any Apple Powerbook model will edit as smooth as silk with CS2. It will never get a virus, never crash, and run for 6 hours on a single charge. You get what you pay for.
Photographer
Robert_Darabos
Posts: 274
Saginaw, Michigan, US
dood... Dell sucks a$$
buy a Sony Vaio (sp?)
Photographer
ChrisPaul- Chrispimages
Posts: 512
Los Angeles, California, US
ISM wrote:
Apple is the industry leader in photo / video editing. I know that will start an arguement, but facts are facts. Any Apple Powerbook model will edit as smooth as silk with CS2. It will never get a virus, never crash, and run for 6 hours on a single charge. You get what you pay for. X________________
co signs
get a mac
Photographer
Mark Wiles
Posts: 141
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US
If you MUST get a notebook don't get a celery or a pentium, get an athlon 64. I would really not recommend it though. Even if you have plenty or ram and processing power laptop hard drive speeds just can't compare to those in desktops.
I really thought about addressing the mac suggestions (there's one in every crowd) but I'm not even going to start.
|