Photo Editing, Laptop or Desktop

[Mooshie1956]

What do people use for editing there photo's on, a Laptop or Desktop. At present I'm still using a desktop as I've always had a desktop ever since the old 386's.
Recently and I will presume that it's because of screen size 24" my photo's are looking more and more like they are full of noise, put the same photo on the wife's 14" laptop or print it out to A4 and the noise has gone. This could mean that I am trying to de noise my photo's a lot more than is needed therefore giving me a poorer quality photo.
As I no longer game on the PC, I decided to get a PS4 as I like RPG's. I'm beginning to think that a laptop might be the way to go for photo editing and thought I would ask here what other's use, and think about it. I use lightroom and photoshop for editing not that I'm brilliant with them.

[Tommy]

I think convention still says desktop, and others will be able to tell you about that, but I've only ever used a laptop for photography editing. In part though, I need my laptop for other things, so I enjoy the flexibility, and I don't care about my photography (yet?) sufficiently enough to justify buying a desktop when my laptop does just fine.

Whether or not my photography is progressed or held back because of that, IDK.

I'm not sure it really matters, tbh.

So, apologies. In a great many words, I've done bugger all to answer your question other than in terms of "I use a laptop and always have done".

[Ian G]

A desktop is probably more traditional due to things like disk space, power but most importantly, control of your monitor and colour profiles etc. However, laptops have increasingly become quicker and able to hold more and more data, plus easier to use on the go and of course don't take up any space whatsoever. There's pros and cons in both; having used both I prefer a desktop as it suts me in terms of the work I do - and I prefer to use a mouse rather than touchpad (even though yes, you can plug a mouse in).

[trebleone]

Although I have both, I wouldn't consider using the laptop for photo editing as IMO, you can never have too much screen space.
However, I do have an "office" at home with a powerful desktop PC (self-built) and triple monitor setup, which enables me to view an image full-screen on one monitor and have all the photoshop tools on a second screen (editing is so much easier when you don't have to keep moving tool boxes out of the way and lightroom is nicer to use in dual screen mode), while on the third monitor, I can have a browser open to keep an eye on air traffic in Virtual Radar Server ... or occasionally follow a photoshop tutorial ... or even check new posts on UKAR

[Wrexham Mackem]

Both for me. iMac for most of my photo stuff, but I also have a MacBook which I occasionally use for editing if I'm out and travelling. Although I often say to myself they're an interim edit on the laptop and I'll do them again when back at base, I never do.

So in summary, desktop is better, but laptop is acceptable, and in general I'm in the same frame of mind as Tommy.. I don't care as much as I should/could.

[cg_341]

Doesn't really matter what you use as long as the screen is decent enough. I did a post about it on Fighter Control - if it's ok to link?

[AlexC]

Desktop for me, recently got a new one together with a new printer. Bit of a struggle at the moment after having used the old ones for quite some years.

[timuss]

If i had the space i'd get a desktop but my room isnt big enough so a laptop it has to be for me, ive recently got a new laptop with a 4k screen its transformed picture editing for me so much clearer. When i eventually get my own place i will probably get a desktop but until then i have no problem using my laptop.

[memberinessex]

For various reasons I have photo' editing software on four devices (it is actually six but I do not count the two Android tablets). Two are desktop's, one a windows tablet with detachable keyboard and the other a windows laptop.

For me the key things are:

PC spec' - memory and processor - all the devices are powerful enough to run Elements 2018.
If you are using external drives USB-3 is essential
Screen size and resolution - although the laptop / tablet are adequate I usually use a VGA monitor or a TV via HDMI
Control of the cursor - By using bluetooth / wireless mices I avoid using the touch pad /screen

If I had to give up three of the devices I would go for the tablet with an external mouse / keyboard and screen. This is because one of the regular tasks I have to do required editing away from my office/studio and this is easy with a bluetooth mouse. Lugging the laptop around is more difficult.

If carrying the editing suite around with me was no longer required, and I had to limit myself to one device, I think I would stay with the tablet but keep the existing mouse, screen and external keyboard. The reason for this was that I had to spend some time in hospital last year and access to a tablet was useful. It is the only device that works in all locations and has battery power to make it useful on trains (our local trains will not have power points until 2020)

[ErrolC]

I have Lightroom on work's Surface Pro (it's good when IT trust you not to do anything stupid), going via a dock when at home. Photos are on an external 500MB SSD, so when I am away for a multi-day airshow, I just take the Surface (which has enough drive space to backup) and the drive.

Screen stand and tidy by Errol Cavit, on Flickr