Notebooks aimed at photographers and multimedia users

October 29, 2012

Posted By:  PhotoGuru

3 Votes

Status: Archived

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As a professional photographer and IT professional, I've determined a few options that could easily give you an advantage over your competition.  A notebook with the following features would help you gain market share within the photography/videography/multimedia crowd. 

1. Competitive screen resolutions (you currently have nothing to compete with Retina displays at the moment).  As a photographer, a proper dispaly is extremely important.  Give me the option for a top of class display that gives me an edge over othersedge over other professionals.  Providing better options to configure the monitor and making it IPS would be wonderful as well.

2. Notebook display that is vibrant, but not extremely glossy.  Like most, I plan on using my notebook during the day and at night... and in many different locations.  I need a display that isn't going to reflect everything (ie lights, people, the sky, etc.).

3. Dual HDD feature.  No one wants to lose their hard work, especially when it's their livelyhood.  The option for dual hard drives (wether for SSD/quick boot configs or for mirroring) would be a feature that most of your competitors don't offer in a small package.  Adding peace of mind to a professional's workflow will get you nothing but brownie points

4. Tons of ports are the fastest way to a professional's heart.  Give me more than 2 USB ports.  I'd love a system with at least 4 USB ports, a DVI / display port, and firewire ports.  I need to be able to plug into external HDDs, monitors, keyboards, mice, and cameras or DJ equiptment at the same time.

5.  Nothing wastes more of my time than having to transfer large amounts of data from SD and Compact Flash cards over USB.  That said, I also hate having to carry a 1000 in 1 USB card reader.  Can you build this into a notebook?  Maybe you can't build in a "everything in one" card ready, but a SD AND CF card reader would be great.  PS... please please please don't take away my PCMCIA slot.

5.  This is a zinger, but I figure it can't hurt.  You might not have patents for a multitouch touchpad, but how about you give me a larger (smooth and flush, not dimpled or inlayed) touchpad that I can also... use a styles on?  Or, you could make the screen stylus compatible.

6. Size is ALMOST everything.  I'd love to use an Alienware notebook for travel and remote photoshoots, but you no longer offer a 15" unit, and all of the systems are simply too big!  Give me the above features with high perfomance specs in a laptop that isn't a desktop replacement.  I can't haul around a 16 lb. notebook that's almost 2 inches thick along with all of my gear (whether they be textbooks or cameras).  


You've got so many great products.  I'd love to purchase a XPS 15, but it doesn't have the resolution or number of ports that I'm looking for, and it's not a game changer for the growing number of multimedia users and professionals out there.  Give me a reason to not go with the status quo... I'm begging you.

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  • Nov 21, 2012     Comment Link

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    Posted By: tdodd

    You're not alone in your thinking. I too am a photographer (keen amateur in my case) and have been scraping by for the last six years with a Dell XPS M1710 as my daily workhorse and photo editing machine. Now the backlight is too far gone to allow the screen to be used for photographic editing.

    Recently I ordered a Dell XPS 15 with 1920x1080 display. The specs, design, finish and price were all excellent. Sadly the screen was an embarrassment which should never have made it to market. As well as a shocking gamut the most alarming thing was visible vertical grid lines covering the entire display. Time spent on forums has made it clear that my experience was not isolated. The machine had to be returned for a refund - no alternative. It was a disappointment to have to do that, but the screen was unfit for anyone, neve rmind those in need of superior display abilities.

    So then I bought an Apple rMBP. I love high resoltution screens and the rMBP screen was great, as the the fit/finish and performance. Unfortunately I had concerns about the keyboard layout, which is poorly suited to Windows uses or, indeed, English language and input. It is also poorly served by port availability and servicing and upgradability. It was also double the price of the XPS 15. That too went back.

    So now I have ordered a Precision M6700 with IPS RGB display. Everything about the machine should be perfect for my needs except - resolution lower than I would like, too big and too heavy. But at the end of the day there is not yet the perfect machine, so it is all about choosing compromises. If the XPS 15 came with a decent quality display I could easily see it being the machine of choice for photographers the world over. Dell is not afraid to support a niche for gamers. Where are the machines with the specs to suit photographers, both amateur and pro?