When searching for a laptop computer for photo editing, it is important to know what you need from your device first. Various factors need to be considered, such as screen display resolution, color reproduction (sRGB), screen size, CPU performance, etc.
In this blog post, we will introduce you to two top-of-the-line laptops for photo editing from Apple.
Macbook Pro (15-inch) Photo Editing Laptop
General Configuration & Performance
The Macbook Pro 15-inch is available in two different configurations. This computer has a 2.6 GHz 6-core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor. Second, there is an Intel Core i9 9th generation processor with 8 cores running at 2.3 GHz, and 16GBs of RAM.
A model of this laptop comes with an Intel Core i9 processor and 16GBs of RAM for fast computing. It also has multitasking abilities, so you can perform photo editing while simultaneously running other programs such as Word or Adobe Creative Cloud. The other model performs well but isn’t very fast, so it doesn’t work best for people who need to edit photos in a timely manner or those who want to use many programs at once
Storage
The first model (i7) has 256GB SSD storage; this is enough to save moderate amounts of data files. However, the second model (i9) comes with 512GB SSD storage – which can store large sized data files and pictures effortlessly.
Graphics
Radeon Pro 555X graphics cards with 4 GBs of GDDR5 memory are included in the first configuration (i7), and Radeon Pro 560X graphics cards with 4 GBs of GDDR5 memory are included in the second configuration (i9). The top-of-the-line model includes the new, high performance Radeon Pro Vega 20 graphics card paired with 8GB of HMB2 Memory.The Macbook Pro 15 comes with a few different options for graphics cards.
Ports & Touch Bar
There are only two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one audio jack port, and one SD card slot on this laptop. This means that you might need to buy a USB hub or a dongle if you want additional ports. With regards to the touch bar, an unnecessary touch screen alternative that costs an arm and a leg even for being included in Apple laptops – I find it overpriced and difficult to use.
This keyboard is great for quickly accessing emojis, and what’s even better is the touch ID sensor. Many people suggest taking off the Siri button from your Touch Bar because it can easily be accidentally pressed when making other choices or pressing other buttons. They also mention that having a delete key too far away or out of reach can lead to an inconvenience.
Display
The Laptop features a retina display with 2880×1800 resolution and 220 ppi. These features enable you to see images so clearly and vividly, almost like they’re alive! This 15 inch screen offers brilliant color accuracy as well as deep blacks that render without compromise. The computer screen has an impressive score of 114% on the SRA measure and outputs 403 units of light. This meets my needs as a photographer and makes editing photos much easier.
Keyboard & Touchpad
After an undeniable fiasco with the butterfly keyboard, Apple has finally come up with a solution to fix these problems. And they say it will fix the accidental double-clicks and stuck keys issue that plagued users after purchasing them.
The 6.1×3.9 inch touchpad is very responsive, but it can become unresponsive at times – especially when you’re clicking it. Still, Apple tries to remedy this issue by allowing the touchpad to correctly detect your input through haptic feedback. This does work well when you are swiping or tapping and even when you are performing gestures on the screen!
Design, Dimensions & Battery Life
For its design, this new Macbook has the same design scheme as all of Apple’s Macbooks; however, it is updated with a more modern feel. This device will undoubtedly draw attention for being one of the most iconic devices on the market. Sleek and classy – it doesn’t get much better than that!
At only 4 pounds and 0.6 inches thick, the New Macbook weighs less than other laptops on the market such as Dell XPS and HP Spectre x360. With a battery life of 10 hours and 21 minutes long, this laptop can last from morning to night without stopping – perfect for those who work full-time!
Heat Management
Even when I put the laptop through heavy use, it stayed cooler than most laptops. When we tested the temperature after 15 minutes of HD video streaming at the bottom and top of the computer case where there was airflow, we found that the temperatures were 91 degrees Fahrenheit and 82 degrees respectively.
Audio & Webcam
The Macbook Pro sounds amazing! As if I were sitting right there in front of the speakers- although you can’t change some settings, it doesn’t seem to affect how well my voice comes out when chatting. But what really got me was the lack of quality in both the built-in camera and microphone. All I get are blurry shots that won’t stay focused no matter how many times I adjust it; or video clips with such bad sound quality they’re almost incomprehensible.
Macbook Pro (13- Inch,) Designer Laptop
Moving on to our next option, the 13 inch Macbook Pro. For those who do not need as much power from their laptop and are happy with a smaller screen, this may be an alternative for them at only slightly less of an expense than the previous one.
General Configuration & Performance
The MacBook Pro 13 offers an Intel Core i5-8GB with a 1.4GHz (boosting up to 3.9GHz) dual core processor, rendering it capable of handling heavy workloads without lag even when there are many applications open at once.
Storage
The chosen model has 128 gigabytes of internal storage, which is plenty fast enough – unless you need to store larger files or pictures. In this case, it would make sense to purchase a 256 gigabyte solid state drive and/or an external hard disk drive.
Graphics
The laptop boasts an Intel Iris Plus 645 GPU, which falls in the mid-range category for graphics cards. This means it won’t be able to keep up with high end gaming, but there are other ways of upgrading your device if this is something you’re looking for (the Thunderbolt 3 port).
Ports & Touch Bar
It only has two Thunderbolt 3 ports which supports charging, but also comes with one audio jack. This is the same issue that came up with its predecessor – the Macbook 15 – and it would be much more practical if you had an external hub for connecting all your devices. The chosen model does not come equipped with a touch bar but you can easily upgrade it and get one. The touch bar isn’t the best addition, but its impressive enough to warrant considering getting one- despite the price tag.
Display
With a 13.3 backlit LED screen, this laptop features an impressive resolution of 2560×1600 with 227 pixels per inch and stunning brightness at 500 nits. The computer also boasts vivid colors that are perfect for editing photographs thanks to its wide-color P3 gamut.
Keyboard & Touchpad
Same problems of the MacBook Pro 15 presposes with the 13-inch model when it comes to keyboard issues. Like its other versions, this one has a butterfly design keyboard. The touchpad is also highly responsive, but not that clickable.
Design, Dimensions & Battery Life
The MacBook Pro 13 has the same aesthetic design as older models yet is redesigned with a modern touch to it. The space grey color, while not new to Macbooks, is mesmerizing and leaves many people wanting this model. Regarding weight, this computer weighs less than 3 pounds which gives it its lightweight feel; yet takes up very little room at just 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches in size!
The battery life of the MacBook Pro 13 is slightly disappointing at 8 hours and 44 minutes, as it falls significantly behind competitors. However, this model features a fast-charging option that serves as an effective replacement for its limited battery life.
Heat Management
The MacBook Pro 13 never makes me feel uncomfortable even when I’m sitting with it on my legs for extended periods of time. Fifteen minutes after streaming HD videos, the bottom half reached a temperature of 97 degrees Fahrenheit while the keyboard was at 92 degrees and the touchpad was at 84 degrees. In addition, after coming back from intense usage, the CPU slows down to prevent damaging its own internal components.
Audio & Webcam
In addition to excellent sound quality, this computer also has a webcam. The picture quality is decent but doesn’t show the wearer’s full face when making video calls; it suffices for the occasional chat with friends or family members.
Upgradeability
Sadly, Apple doesn’t offer user upgradability for RAM or storage, which are both connected directly to the main board – unlike other computers that use Intel processors attached to a motherboard. This means there’s not much leeway when picking out these components at the start of your computer shopping experience. Of course, you can always hook up an external hard-disk using the thunderbolt 3 port but it really limits what you can do later on in terms of upgrading memory and/or storage space.
Conclusion
Apple laptops have the reputation of being expensive. But the truth is that you can get the best Apple laptop for photo editing for only $1,000. Let’s take a look at the Apple laptops that are available for less than $1,000 and see which one is the best for photo editing.
