Looking for the perfect, small travel computer - opinions

[Marko]

Hi members!

Looking for the perfect, small travel photographer's Laptop computer
- needs to be small and light - maybe 11-13 inches max and weigh 3 lbs or less.
- Needs to be a real computer running a real OS like win8 - as I will be using photoshop on it.
- the cheaper the better. Less than 500. for sure
- Needs to have a USB input

any suggestions?

many thx!

[theantiquetiger]

The biggest problem with your search Marko, is that you are looking for a computer with Photoshop on it. That program alone is more then the $500 limit you are looking to spend. You can find a very nice computer for under $500 all day long.

[Marko]

I never suggested the computer should have photoshop pre-installed.........Photoshop is 10 bucks a month and I'm already paying for photoshop, so it's a non-issue.
...I just want a small travel computer that can handle photoshop well as each of my files is 30 megs.

So given that... :) which computers rock to my specs? Thx!

- needs to be small and light - maybe 11-13 inches max and weigh 3 lbs or less.
- Needs to be a real computer running a real OS like win8 - as I will be using photoshop on it.
- the cheaper the better. Less than 500. for sure
- Needs to have a USB input

[Michaelaw]

Well...For what it's worth, I just bought a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and am running my windows software on it including Photoshop CS6 (which opens in 3 seconds) I got the keyboard as well and I can highly recommend the product. It's light, fast, small but it's double what you want to spend. Yo might take a look as the Surface Pro 2 which is now selling for less. My problem with cheaper laptops is their overall grinding power...They don't have much! The surface kicks ass!!!

[QuietOne]

The old saying of "Good, fast, and cheap. Pick 2." applies here. You'll have to sacrifice one of those to get the other 2. So what's your priority? As for Michaelaw's suggestion, the Surface Pros have been getting really good reviews. The one thing I'd investigate is how upgradeable it is. I haven't looked into it, but I suspect upgrading hardware components down the line is right out. Which may mean you're paying a lot of money for a "disposable" computer. So you'd need to look at the specs and take an educated guess on how long the Surface would be good enough for what you need. That'll depend on how fast newer versions of software demand increasing amounts of system resources.

[Marko]

Appreciate the replies guys!

Basically I want something small and cheap because I'm planning some good international travel for 30 days and what I have won't do....and I'm tired of wasting money on yet another slick new 'overlap' device, that loses 3/4 of its value within 6 months.

I already have a decent home computer with killer monitor, and a tablet that I hate.
The tablet is good enough for local travel... but it's an Ipad, so functionally, it's been deliberately crippled with all the extra money going into advertising.
It shows my portfolio beautifully - every else about it sucks eggs....except the marketing which is pure genius.

That Surface pro is too expensive.....for something I only really need for a month.

any other suggestions?

Thx!

[mbrager]

I think you are raising a common problem: meeting computing needs on a budget in an environmentally unfriendly world. I would look for a decent used machine at a reputable used computer/laptop store. Besides the machine's working condition, I would check on the upgradeability of the RAM and negotiate for as much as the machine can handle. Also if it is possible to upgrade the hard drive with an SSD, this would improve speed. If you can avoid windows 8, stick with Windows 7. Good luck. Q1 is right: two out of three ain't bad. Frankenstein had the right idea.

[Marko]

thx MB - will keep on looking.

I wonder if I can rent one....hmmmmm.

[QuietOne]

thx MB - will keep on looking.

I wonder if I can rent one....hmmmmm.

I was about to suggest that. Googleing laptop rentals got a bunch of hits. Haven't looked in detail at what they cost or what's installed, but that may be the way to go.

[mbrager]

I saw this article Don (http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/12/chromebook-in-the-streets-windows-in-the-sheets-hps-200-stream-11-reviewed/) today and thought it might work for you. The minimal system requirements for Photoshop System requirements | Photoshop (http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/system-requirements.html) say 2GB RAM. Only $200 in the US running Windows 8.1. Might work slowly, but it might work.