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Apple Laptops for Photo Editing

Here's a great selection of apple laptops for photo editing.

The Apple brand is so iconic that most people can spot one of their products a mile away before they have even clocked the logo. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Payne founded the company back in 1976 and, despite a few setbacks, Apple is now the most valuable brand in the world. Their sleek and stylish laptops finished off with the renowned Apple logo, are some of the best in the industry. While they may not be the cheapest laptops out there, they are some of the most powerful and include cutting-edge technology. Whether you are looking to have the most impressive portable computer at university or need something that can handle high spec design projects, an Apple laptop will certainly not let you down. We have rounded up the best MacBook and MacBook Pro deals so that you can invest in the best of the best within your price range.

Most run of the mill blogs and articles opining about “the best laptop for photo editing” give a cursory introduction to photo editing requirements and usually break these down by laptop specification.

At Choosist, whilst we love our products, what we’re about is you. What follows is an explanation of what you’ll need from your investment of time as well as money.

(If this all still seems daunting, you can take the stress and time away and still find the most suitable device via our laptop AI laptop finder service. You’ll get a specific recommendation, an explanation as to why it's the best option for you, where you can find it at the best price and best of all its totally free!)

1. Visual accuracy and clarity

At the risk of stating the obvious, these are paramount as you’ll be making fine detail judgements, often down to a pixel. If the rendering and colours are off, so will your hours of hard work be!

Therefore, look out for the following key items in a laptop screen.

Firstly the screen technology. Commonly the options are TN (twisted nematic) VA (vertically aligned), IPS (in-plane switching) and OLED. The latter two are the best, the OLED proving greater contrasts too, but the VA and TN (often not stated) are getting better and better. IPS and OLED offer the best colour accuracy and viewing angles. If you can afford the premium then go for it.

Resolution. Generally speaking the higher the better as it provides more detail in the same space. But bear in mind that the smaller the screen, the less difference that extra resolution can make, as the eye can only perceive so much at the same scale.

Similarly, size, arguably, also works on the “more is better” principle. The greater the screen ‘real estate’ the more you can see at any one time. This also means space to accommodate the image alongside the tools and palettes without a cramped and cluttered screen. But size comes at several costs - price, portability by dimension and weight but also requirement. The bigger the screen, the higher the resolution screen you’ll need to view at the same level of detail.

2. The ability to run demanding software

Whether you’re a photoshop fanatic or a GIMP user, working with image files, especially in RAW format, a laptop for photo editing requires some grunt under the hood. The following areas will need your attention

The processor sometimes referred to as the CPU, has to perform some serious computations to convert your thoughts and ideas into visual reality.

Whether you buy AMD or Intel, you’ll want to get 4 cores (a core is a processing unit) and above, the latest generation of processor. For example, an Intel i7 - 8550 which is 8th gen will be better than intel i7 - 7500 which is 7th gen. Thereafter its the speed, usually written as GHz, that you’ll want to maximize.

Don't forget to look out for the suffix. Processors that end in Y should be avoided, whilst U will indicate a lower powered version, although top end varieties of U processors will manage. Those ending in H or K will be high performers but will usually be bigger and bulkier affairs.

RAM is equally critical to ensuring a smooth uninterrupted experience when editing your prize-winning portraits or awesome action shots.

Your processor computes batches of data (image details, commands to alter the image etc) and the size it can work on at any one time is determined in large part by the RAM which is the space in which the work can be done. To do this RAM is very fast memory but this makes it expensive hence there's less of it than in your hard drive.

8GB will handle it, but if you want to ensure avoiding lag 16GB or above will be better.

Hard drive choice is not just about storage space. With excellent cloud storage and cheap external devices, long-term storage is cheap.

Graphics cards have hitherto been the first go to spec when searching for the best laptop for photographers. Graphics cards ensure that whatever the processor makes happen to the image is delivered quickly and accurately to the screen.

As such discrete or separate graphics cards, usually by NVIDIA or AMD, have been insisted upon, but modern integrated cards are catching up fast and can save you some serious pennies.

If you want a laptop for photo editing, the laptop’s operating system will need to be compatible with the software package you’re after.

We’ve mentioned photoshop, GIMP and Sketch but there are other software that may be important. From Affinity Photo to the oddly named Alien Skin Exposure, from Lightroom to Luminar 3, most are available on both Windows and Mac.

However, Apple’s more than basic ‘Photos’ is exclusively macOS and Microsoft’s Photo Editor 10 is Windows only.

And let’s not forget ChromeOS. Whilst these tend to be lighter weight laptops, we’re starting to see beefier models hit the market. Whilst these will not compare with MacBook Pros or Lenovo Thinkpad workstations, they can be great for lightweight work on the move. But, they won’t be running full Adobe Photo without laggy and complicated streaming / remote desktop set-ups. Can a Chromebook ever be the best laptop for photographers? One day maybe, but for now, if you’re serious and you can afford it, probably not.

3. Compatibility with your other devices

Nowadays there are wireless options available for nearly every type of peripheral. Wacom style tablets, multifunction mice as well as 3D mice are all available as wire-free. So the best laptop for photo editing on the market no longer needs to be the laptop with the most ports on it!

Where wireless options do not exist hubs and adapters abound aplenty which may be fine if your laptop will be parked permanently on your desk. However, if you might be using it more than one location or if you do not want to use an external hub, the number and speed of ports may be an issue. This is even more important as the number of ports on laptops seem to be reducing, with one of them often doubling as the power input.

So, to put it simply, when you’re looking for the best laptop for photo editing for ‘you’, you’ll need to establish your connectivity needs in advance.

Results 1 - 7 of 7
Very Good
for your needs

The Apple 15.4"" MacBook Pro sets a new standard for interface experience. Between demanding creative programs and day-to-day tasks, you can put your performance worries aside as this MacBook Pro is able to handle all your professional and personal functions with a 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 six-core processor with 16GB of DDR4 RAM. Whether you're diving into pro graphic design or simply streaming multimedia, you're sure to appreciate the 15.4-inch Retina display, which leads the way for true-to-life picture with vivid colours and sharp details. The innovative True Tone technology enables the white balance to automatically adjust based on the temperature and lighting conditions of your environment for maximum clarity. The intuitive Touch Bar provides a new dimension to different apps, enables useful functions and increases overall efficiency. When it comes to space for all your photos, videos, documents and digital files, the notebook is equipped with a 512GB SSD for ample space, as well as lightning fast boot up times.

Very Good
for your needs

The Apple 15.4"" MacBook Pro sets a new standard for interface experience. Between demanding creative programs and day-to-day tasks, you can put your performance worries aside as this MacBook Pro is able to handle all your professional and personal functions with a 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 six-core processor with 16GB of DDR4 RAM. Whether you're diving into pro graphic design or simply streaming multimedia, you're sure to appreciate the 15.4-inch Retina display, which leads the way for true-to-life picture with vivid colours and sharp details. The innovative True Tone technology enables the white balance to automatically adjust based on the temperature and lighting conditions of your environment for maximum clarity. The intuitive Touch Bar provides a new dimension to different apps, enables useful functions and increases overall efficiency. When it comes to space for all your photos, videos, documents and digital files, the notebook is equipped with a 512GB SSD for ample space, as well as lightning fast boot up times.

Apple

Apple MacBook Air

Known as the entry-level Apple MacBook, the Air is one of the sleekest machines out there - not to mention one of the lightest! A MacBook Air is ideal for those who want to be able to take their laptop on the go with them, whether that be at home, work, or school. Big things come in small packages, however, and this Apple laptop really packs a punch when it comes to processing power, memory, and battery life - meaning you will not need to reach for the charger every few minutes. If you have never used an Apple laptop before, you will find that the operating system is surprisingly intuitive, making it quick to get started, even if you have been a Windows user forever.

Apple MacBook Pro

The MacBook Pro really does tick all of the boxes if you are looking for a powerful and portable machine. Just because it is not the Air, however, do not think that it is not light and compact. Even the biggest MacBook Pro is only 18mm thick and weighs in at just over 2kg. This is still the ideal Apple laptop to take on the go, but you can expect a whole lot more than just portability. All Apple MacBooks come with impressive specs that will suit pretty much any project you want to use your laptop for; whether it is simply for watching movies on the stunning screen, listening to music on the impressively loud speakers, or completing a design project using the high-quality built-in software.

Macbook Deals

One of the things that stops people making the jump from other laptops to an Apple laptop is the price. However, at Choosist we have combined some of the best deals on MacBooks and MacBook Pros. Whether you want to use your Apple MacBook for work, home or school, you will find the best prices right here. We can also help you pick the best Apple laptop for your needs, using our clever personalised recommendations. Just let us know what you require your Apple MacBook for and we will show you the top picks with the best prices. Once you have invested in a Mac, you will never look back!