FAQ Laptop for editing - benefits of 4K Screen

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xocomil

Well-known member
Hey all.

Loving my FS5 - 1.5 years and going strong.

2011 MBP 17" getting a bit long in the tooth. Thinking of moving to a Dell XPS 15 (apple's direction with mbp not inspiring).

Price / hardware is right for editing most anything in terms of RAM, Processor, Graphics card, etc ... but not sure if an extra $300 is worth it for a 4K screen over a 1080 screen.

All of my projects are edited in 1080 and i rarely shoot 4K. My monitors also are 1080 (and 4K monitors pricey in central america where I live).

Looking for some solid advice.

Thanks in advance!
 
If you don't need it, you don't need it...but if you work a lot and will spend a lot of time in front of the monitor, what's an extra $300 in the grand scheme of things?

If possible, maybe splurge a bit and treat yourself.
 
My suggestion: Spend the extra bucks on a faster video card, more RAM, bigger ssd, etc...

2nd suggestion - I've had great experiences with Dell and Alienware desktops, but really bad experiences with Dell Laptops, particularly dealing with getting them fixed. One of my friends (a video editor) bought a high end Dell laptop - and sent it back almost immediately because the ports didn't function as advertised. He turned around and bought a Sager - and now he's happy again. My Dell notebook repair stories could fill a comedy routine - with me as the joke. Remember, just because you have an 'all-in' warranty doesn't mean they'll fix it properly! So definitely check out your options.
 
Sager, MSI, Asus ROG and some Alienware models really aren't the kind of machines for mainstream. I've used Dells for 20 years at work and traveled the world with all of them. Never a problem for me and no, I didn't just throw them back at IT to worry about. That's not to say I'd buy one myself but I'd certainly "take" one.

I do agree that at least 16GB RAM (ours all have 32GB) and a top-shelf GPU are on the tick list. Bigger SSD? well, that depends. We use external SSD units that travel independently of the computers. At any rate, laptops with 1TB of SDD x 2 are common these days.
 
I was thinking about the XPS 15, 16GB, i7, 500SSD, GTX 1050. But admit I've read many poor reviews from buyers - wifi card, ports, etc. I'm in a tricky spot as I'll have a friend bring it down to me, and shipping back to the US is a fortune (hundreds of dollars). Not sure what other options there are ... love my mac but not so much the new models. Hmmmm ....
 
Go for asus rog..excelent cooling..having it for three years without any problems..4k screen on 17 inch? I don't know.. get as much RAM as possible and best graphic card and at leasrlt 500GB system SSD..
 
Thanks all for your input. Dell XPS has been rated 2017's best PC laptop for editing, etc on a number of sites. Asus Rog looks cool, but 2015 technology. Curious to hear more POVs.
 
Right, but did they compare the Dell with a Sager? I've never seen one of those "Best PC" articles include a Sager. I have three Sagers and will probably own a 4th next year. I tend to have lots of programs loaded, so I would recommend at least a 1TB drive C SSD. They're custom-built, just go to their web-site and have a look at what it will cost with the options you select. Be careful with what graphics card you get. These laptops are used by lots of gamers and a great gamer card may not be a great 4K video editing card. Get the 3 year warranty for some real peace of mind.


Mark
 
Thanks Mark. I'll take a look at Sager website.

Just saw a marked down Dell refurb XPS with 1TB SSD, 4K screen, 32 GB RAM - $1679. Hard not to pull the trigger!
 
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