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In Need of Laptop Suggestions for Photoshop/Premiere Pro/After Effects!
Hi there…I’m so sorry to bother all of you, but I don’t know much about computers and I don’t have an extra $1000 sitting around to just throw at any laptop.
I’ve looked up a lot of information (including reading the recent article posted here, giving a wonderful breakdown of Good, Better, Best features to use to choose a computer), and I must admit I’m kind of lost. I never know if what I’m reading is just a promotion for a product…but I need to buy a computer (tomorrow!) and want to know what the standard is for people who are just doing Creative Editing (I do graphic and video work for my growing list of clients and my part-time job), but I’m not doing feature films and I’m not an expert, by any means. I’d like to grow my skills, but I’m more on the novice side, at the moment.
What computer would you recommend, and why? Of course, I’d rather spend $800 than $1200, but I don’t want to get something I’ll regret.
Years back I bought the Acer Aspire V3-771G, but it will no longer let me export videos or use the latest Adobe software due to the antiquated graphics driver…plus, it’s not new.
Any reason why you wouldn’t get this one?
What should I look at?
Please help!
Thanks so much and be well,
Tea (Teh-ya…not a drink of tea) 🙂
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8 Replies
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That surface laptop seems terrible value for that kind of money, at least performance wise. My suggestions:
– Get at least 16 GB of RAM, you will need it.
– Any type of dedicated GPU will boost you well, always prefer NVIDIA GPUs for work in Premiere Pro, they are much faster than AMDs. Just make sure to use the latest “studio” drivers and youll be fine.
– Ryzen CPUs work, but I recommend Intel since it gives you a tech called quicksync, which will allow you to boost playback performance of H264 or HEVC. Thats all footage coming from DSLR, GOPRO, Drones, your phone… so you will likely encounter this type of media. Under the preferences menus in Premiere Pro you can switch on hardware accelerated decoding, which will turn on this feature.Some devices on best buy that tick all of the above boxes:
The RTX 2060 here is something youll love, 6 core i7 is a good deal at this price too.
A little older and therefore less good (9th gen cpu, no rtx card), but very usable still.
A little fancier and less “gamer” like.
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There are tons of options available I saw, even under 1000$ (tho often available as pickup-only from stores), just use the filter for 16 gb ram, core i7, nvidia gpu. Any gpu like rtx 2060, mx250, gtx 1660 will be nice. Dont be afraid of “gamer” labels, they often represent much better values than their “business” counterparts. Check for reviews online though for any hidden catches like battery life, screen resolution, clunky keyboards of trackpads. Only reviews will give u some insight in those.
Happy hunting!
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Wow, thanks a trillion!!! I am beyond grateful…you have no idea! You are a lifesaver. That computer was listed a few times as a good pick for graphics and I almost dove in…SO glad I didn’t! Nice to know about the search mechanism. I’m totally fine with store pickup…they do curbside ?
I just spent $1400 on car repairs, and I’m only working part time, so a new computer is the last thing I want to deal with.
Feeling pretty overwhelmed lately, and your thorough, thoughtful advice really is sunshine and a breath of fresh air! Thanks so much for taking the time and effort, and for the links. ? Kudos to you!
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A PC will probably be better bang-for-the-bucks than a MacBook Pro, however, sometimes you get good deals on an Apple refurbished machine. These will have “like new” warranties. Also check Macsales/OWC.
In the PC realm, look at some options from Dell, Lenovo, HP, Asus, or Acer. Get as much RAM as you can afford and that the laptop will hold. Premiere tends to make better use of GPU power, while AE likes as many CPU cores as you can throw at it. Photoshop will likely be OK with nearly any better-than-average laptop.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com
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Ok…I have reviewed and compared the specs in your list and I’m considering this one…any reason why you would pass on this HP Omen Model:15-EK0013DX ?
I prefer to buy local, so I made a few calls to the place where I bought my last laptop, and a few other local shops, and I asked them about their costs for the ones I found based on your suggestions, and can’t tell if they’re just trying to make me spend more… So, I wanted to see if this was a good choice, in your opinion. Thanks again!
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As far as I’m concerned this machine looks like great value at that price. It will work well as a mid tier laptop for video editing. Did a quick search about the model: it is apparently fairly new, HP refreshed the line up this year, redesigned the looks (so it looks less gamer-y now) and updated the specs, so that’s good. It has the latest tech: 10th gen intel, wifi-6, a thunderbolt 3 connection. All good news.
Found a couple of video reviews online:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9htOmm8bh6k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkvzHjuZAb8Saw no real catches in those except for fan noise when under load and the screen flex. At this price it is no surprise you trade in some design for performance. The flex can be anoying, but its up to you to decide its importance. It has very reasonable thermals and heat generation. It seems to have decent cooling built in with fairly heavy fans, hence the noise. Battery life comes in at about 5 hours, but better to think of only half of that when editing though. That’s not great, but a typical byproduct of using mobile devices.
Concerning battery BTW: it is very often the case on windows laptops that performance decreases when uncoupled from the plug. If you need your device to perform at maximum (when exporting/rendering for example), always plug in the wall socket if possible.
To cut my story short: this is a good deal and I hope you can still order one. Supplies will not last on this one.
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Again, thanks a million!!! I bought it! ? woohoo!!! It’s been 9 years since my Acer…I don’t feel so bad about the investment…I’ve lucked out for this long!
You’re a peach, Merlin! Best to you and be safe out there!
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Happy to be of help! ☺ Enjoy the new gear!
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Thanks so much for your helpful input, Oliver! Definitely helped me solidify my choice!
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