Please help me buy a MacBook KILLER Laptop for photography tasks.

joopen

Member
Hi people,

Already for some time I'm in search for a new laptop. I'm mainly gonna use it for editing my pictures in Lightroom and Photoshop. And even though the photography is a hobby... I'm trying to deliver pro-quality... ;-)
At the moment, my Lenovo G50-70 with i3 cpu is not really capable of getting the job done, even though I fitted 16 GB RAM and a Samsung SSD in there. The CPU goes to 99% while the RAM is +/- 60% and the SSD disk is doing 2%... And I cannot change the CPU for a faster one, as it would require to change the main board... haha... Then again, the screen is impossible... So, I need a replacememnt! ;-)


So, I figured, I need:
* big CPU power!!! Even though an i5 8300H would be very much okay, the difference towards the i7 8750H in price is not huge... and with the i7 CPU, speed will never ever ever be a problem no more!!
* it should have a wide gammut (sRGB) FHD IPS screen, which is NOT GLOSSY! A 4K is also okay, but not required, as I don't have any 4k content... The 72% NTSC is comparable with 100% sRGB, so I understood. Then again, for the use at home, I have a separate 24" EIZO screen which is awesome. So having a 15,6" laptop is okay for me. I even considered a 13" or 14", but these get more expensive with the parts I would like to have in it... A 17" would also be fine, for example whenever it would be cheaper than the 15,6". If, for example, the cooling is way better in the 17", I would for sure take it into consideration. The size does not really matter to me. Neither does the looks. Performance and stability do matter to me!
* I think it would be wise to have a GPU with at least 4GB on it. Not really sure if I need it, but I think I'll enjoy it while running Photoshop and Lightroom...
* I need 12 to 16 GB of RAM... took the fastest and highest frequency. And one bank of 16GB. So I can always add more in the future.
* Then, an SSD of 512GB. I'm not so sure if the Samsung selected below, is a bit too much for the main board? Is the main board capable of reaching those speeds? Or am I better off having a slower but cheaper SSD in there, as I will not notice the difference?
* Last but not least, I'd need to hook my EIZO to it, so HDMI out is required (or display port, or DVI). Oh, and an SD-card reader would be appreciated.



I like to have the latest greatest main board and a good cooling system in there. My experiences from the past is that you can fit awesome parts on a low quality main board, and still have a pc which is no good...
The Recoil-II seems to fulfil my needs and stays within budget too! And as it's the only one having USB 3.1, I figured it's main board would be one of the latest generations, right?
Oh, by the way, I know this beast might eat my battery in a few minutes. But I could not care less... I'll be taking the charger everywhere anyway. And most of the time I'll be using it at home.


What would you change in this config, knowing my story? Please let me know.

Thanks a million, people!!



Chassis en display
Recoil-serie: 15,6" mat Full HD 60 Hz 72 % NTSC led-breedbeeldscherm (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 met zes kernprocessoren 8750H (2,2 GHz, 4,1 GHz Turbo)
Geheugen (RAM)
16 GB Corsair 2400 MHz SODIMM DDR4 (1 x 16 GB)
Grafische kaart
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 Ti - 4,0 GB GDDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
1e harde schijf
NIET VEREIST
1e M.2 SSD-station
512 GB SAMSUNG 970 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (maximaal 3500 MB/R, 2300 MB/W)
Geheugenkaartlezer
Geïntegreerde 2-in-1 geheugenkaartlezer (SD, MMC)
Wisselstroomadapter
1 x wisselstroomadapter 150 W
Batterij
Recoil-II-serie lithium-ionbatterij voor 46 Wh
Stroomkabel
1 x stroomkabel van 1 meter met stekker in vorm van klaverblad voor Europa
Warmtegeleidende pasta
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMISCHE PASTA
Geluidskaart
2-kanaals High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema 3
Bluetooth en draadloos
GIGABIT LAN (BEDRAAD) & DRAADLOOS INTEL® AC-9560 M.2 (1.73 Gbps, 802.11AC) + BT 5.0
USB-opties
1 x USB 3.1-POORT (Type C) + 2 x USB 3.1-POORTEN + 1 x USB 2.0-POORT
Taal toetsenbord
MECHANISCH RGB-TOETSENBORD MET ACHTERGRONDVERLICHTING PER TOETS VOOR DE VS
Besturingssysteem
Originele versie van Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - incl. enkele licentie [KUK-00001]
Garantie
Standaardgarantie voor 3 jaar (1 maand ophalen en retourneren, 2 jaar onderdelen, 3 jaar arbeid)

Prijs €1.539,00 inclusief BTW en bezorging
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
I figured it's main board would be one of the latest generations, right?
It is - and it has to be. Or else it wouldn't work with an 8th Gen CPU. The motherboards for laptops are not the same as desktops. With a desktop you can build a system around any motherboard you like. With laptops, each motherboard is unique to the chassis.

The spec above seems sound.

You could / should probably go for the 970 Evo SSD. It's extremely fast and about 100€ less than the Pro. From what you're saying, you just don't sound like you'd gt any real benefit off the Pro.

Standaardgarantie voor 3 jaar (1 maand ophalen en retourneren, 2 jaar onderdelen, 3 jaar arbeid)
I would probably go for the 1 year return costs cover warranty. And the dead pixel guarantee.
 

joopen

Member
Thanks! That is very helpful!

I'll change the SSD, and add pixel and the other warranty option. As I'm living in Holland, it warns about costs of sending it to UK, so I left them out... But yes, paying for transportation will be cheaper than a new screen... So warranty option seems good to add...

Thanks!!
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
You might want to contact PCS for clarification over warranty and dead pixel guarantee for Holland then, just to be sure you know what the deal is :)
 

nevermindme

Member
Pretty much the system I got myself a couple weeks ago. Except I got a 256GB SSD and a 1TB Firecuda put in. But that was in an attempt to keep cost down and space up.
 

joopen

Member
Thanks people!!!

Regarding the warranty, I'll ask around. I figured it would have some warranty by default... But better safe than sorry... I'll check it.

Would it make any sense to wait for a 17 inch Recoil II or for other models getting any updates so they will meet these specs? May be a 4k screen or so?


I'd like to know what the differences are towards the other laptop models. I made some more configurations, all having the same cpu, and pretty much the same specs. Prices defer, as I also looked for 17"and/or 4K screens.

Cosmos-serie: 17,3" mat Full HD IPS 60 Hz 72% NTSC led-breedbeeldscherm (1920x1080) € 1.458,00 https://www.pcspecialist.nl/opgeslagen-configuraties/cosmosVII-17/S7XPXHCwCc/
Recoil-serie: 15,6" mat Full HD 60 Hz 72 % NTSC led-breedbeeldscherm (1920x1080) € 1.545,00 https://www.pcspecialist.nl/opgeslagen-configuraties/recoil-II-15/scTZstQ9my/
Optimus-serie: 15,6" mat Full HD 144 Hz 72% NTSC led-breedbeeldscherm (1920 x 1080) € 1.545,00 https://www.pcspecialist.nl/opgeslagen-configuraties/optimusIX-15/xujmEW9kbn/
Optimus-serie: 17,3" mat Full HD 144 Hz 72% NTSC led-breedbeeldscherm (1920 x 1080) € 1.574,00 https://www.pcspecialist.nl/opgeslagen-configuraties/optimusIX-17/2wfb27WRcC/
Optimus-serie: 15,6" mat 4K IPS 60 Hz 72% NTSC led-breedbeeldscherm (3840x2160) € 1.647,00 https://www.pcspecialist.nl/opgeslagen-configuraties/optimusIX-15/UQxxcruN9d/
Optimus-serie: 17,3" mat 4K 60 Hz 72% NTSC led-breedbeeldscherm (3840x2160) € 1.701,00 https://www.pcspecialist.nl/opgeslagen-configuraties/optimusIX-17/ZMMqNcK3wk/


What would be your choice, and why?
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
The recoil is thinner and lighter I believe than all of the others.

The Cosmos has, at best, a GTX 1050 which is far weaker than a 1050 ti.

The others, you can see the differences. Bigger chassis ofc, higher refresh screens, or 4k screens where you have selected these.

They may have different video outputs and USB ports. If you click the "GEDETAILLEERDE SPECIFICATIE" it tells you the size, weight, battery details, USB ports, video outputs etc.
 

joopen

Member
Ah, yes... I'll check that out tomorrow...

For the GPU, I knew the 1050 ti is way stronger, but I thought it would be sufficient already... But yes. Let's just go for the ti!!!

I already know the recoil 2 has the best USB shizzle, but it might be wise to check the battery and the other details... I'll do that!


The screens are all IPS, right? I will find that in the detailed specs probably... But am I right when I say the higher frequency does not matter for me, editing pictures and never ever playing a game....

Thanks for the quick response! It is highly appreciated!!
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
But am I right when I say the higher frequency does not matter for me, editing pictures and never ever playing a game....
yeah - unless you're watching video at over 60fps or something, you won't need it.
 
You might also consider the 15.6" DEFIANCE XS II. It's thinner, lighter, more power efficient (because of the Max-q graphics cards used), has better screen options (the base model is 144hz - 4k is the other option) and has a bigger battery than the Recoil II. Recoil II is nicer to look at (the 'bezzle-less' design) and has 2 x M.2 slots, rather than 1, but that's the only difference. It's marginally pricier, but that's probably because the screen is better than the base model Recoil, which with the upcoming Recoil 144hz screen option actually levels out price-wise. Also, some people (not all I should add) have not been happy with the Recoil's keyboard. It's quite noisy (very clicky and apparently not in a satisfying mechanical keyboard way, more like sharp, tinny sound) and there is no travel between the keys. I'm truly torn between the two models, which if i'm honest about it is only because the slim bezzles on the Recoil just make it look awesome...just not sure this enough to justify a purchase tho..
 
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Tony1044

Prolific Poster
You might also consider the 15.6" DEFIANCE XS II. It's thinner, lighter, more power efficient (because of the Max-q graphics cards used), has better screen options (the base model is 144hz - 4k is the other option) and has a bigger battery than the Recoil II. Recoil II is nicer to look at (the 'bezzle-less' design) and has 2 x M.2 slots, rather than 1, but that's the only difference. It's marginally pricier, but that's probably because the screen is better than the base model Recoil, which with the upcoming Recoil 144hz screen option actually levels out price-wise. Also, some people (not all I should add) have not been happy with the Recoil's keyboard. It's quite noisy (very clicky and apparently not in a satisfying mechanical keyboard way, more like sharp, tinny sound) and there is no travel between the keys. I'm truly torn between the two models, which if i'm honest about it is only because the slim bezzles on the Recoil just make it look awesome...just not sure this enough to justify a purchase tho..

Yeah I saw a video with the Recoil keyboard in use. I was very taken by the laptop on the whole, and I love a mechanical keyboard (fantastic for venting fury on!) but the video showed it as being a very loud click, not like a traditional mechanical keyboard at all and one that would, for me I feel, become overly annoying very quickly and not particularly good in an open plan office.
 

joopen

Member
Big thanks for the tip! The 15.6" DEFIANCE XS II was indeed not really on my radar... and I also like the 'bezzle-less' design of the Recoil II... and fear the keyboard a little... haha...

As I made a lot of configurations, I guess I dropped the DEFIANCE as it would reach €1.761,00 with the specs I selected. I know, I could fit a cheaper samsung SSD, but still it will be €1.663,00. I hoped to keep it close to 1500, as I started once with a budget of 1000... haha...

Then again, I don't need all the (extra) graphic power. And as far as I understood, the 144hz screen would not make any difference for what I'm gonna use it for, compared to the 60hz. But I will look into it to see what's the best option for me.

Thanks a lot for helping me out!
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
You might like to check out the Recoil review spec here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/reviews/

In addition to having reviews on sites like bit-tech, the review specs also come with a discount, which for the Recoil spec is around ~£80-100 I think versus what the spec would be if you manually configured it. The review spec is listed as unavailable to order at the moment but that's possibly because it's brand new. If it looks like it may be of interest, you could call/email PCS to ask about availability.
 

SlimCini

KC and the Sunshine BANNED
You might like to check out the Recoil review spec here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/reviews/

In addition to having reviews on sites like bit-tech, the review specs also come with a discount, which for the Recoil spec is around ~£80-100 I think versus what the spec would be if you manually configured it. The review spec is listed as unavailable to order at the moment but that's possibly because it's brand new. If it looks like it may be of interest, you could call/email PCS to ask about availability.

Except most of the laptops nowadays are never available to order. Bizarre.
 
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joopen

Member
Thanks to all for replying!

As I made this "overview" to compare the different laptop models PCS offers (few posts back I pasted it here), I noticed how all the laptops in my list had USB 3.0. The Recoil II was the first one in my list who featured USB 3.1 ports. And as it had a very good price, I liked it even better!!!

And now I read in this review:
" On the right, meanwhile, you get two USB 3.0 (AKA USB 3.1 Gen1) ports and an SD reader. Sadly, this means that quite a lot is relegated to the less accessible back section, where you’ll find a HDMI output, two mini-DisplayPort 1.3 connectors, and a USB 3.0 Type-C port - a shame there's no true USB 3.1 (i.e. Gen2). "

so... I start to google on USB 3.1 gen 1 and gen 2. Turns out USB 3.1 gen 1 is the same as USB 3.0, as USB 3.0 does no longer exist and/or was renamed to USB gen1 (speed = 5Gbps). And USB 3.1 gen2 is the fast one (10 Gbps) you would like to see on your new laptop...

But... Back to my list... So... what's the difference towards all those laptops having USB 3.0, and the Recoil II which has USB 3.1 gen 1?!
And are those review guys correct? --> I cannot find the gen of the USB 3.1 anywhere on the PCS site... (I checked the "detailed specification")...


Thanks again, people!!
I'm getting there!!!
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
so... I start to google on USB 3.1 gen 1 and gen 2. Turns out USB 3.1 gen 1 is the same as USB 3.0, as USB 3.0 does no longer exist and/or was renamed to USB gen1 (speed = 5Gbps). And USB 3.1 gen2 is the fast one (10 Gbps) you would like to see on your new laptop...
That's correct.

It's very confusing.

PCS have used USB 3.0 and 3.1 inconsistently across the website before. They have gotten better at being more consistent, but it is possible there are still some issues.

To clarify for the Recoil:

[FONT=&quot]On the right, meanwhile, you get two USB 3.0 (AKA USB 3.1 Gen1) ports and an SD reader. Sadly, this means that quite a lot is relegated to the less accessible back section, where you’ll find a HDMI output, two mini-DisplayPort 1.3 connectors, and a USB 3.0 Type-C port - a shame there's no true USB 3.1 (i.e. Gen2).
[/FONT]
http://bit-tech.net/reviews/tech/laptops/pc-specialist-recoil-ii-review/1/

what's the difference towards all those laptops having USB 3.0, and the Recoil II which has USB 3.1 gen 1?!
As you say correctly, USB 3.0 = USB 3.1 Gen 1. So there's no difference, it's just inconsistent in the way they're being described.
 

Cocox

Member
Just a quick question about the Recoil II. I see it only ships with a 150W adapter. All laptops with 8th gen Intel processors and 1060 GPU are shipped with 180W adapters. Is it possible that the 150W adapter nerfs the Recoils performance if 1060 GPU is installed instead of the 1050 Ti?
 

joopen

Member
Heej people!

Okay, I've been busy but the need for a new laptop is getting bigger!!!!

Just to recap... I need the laptop to process my photo's, lightroom and photoshop... So, it needs an awesome screen! Then again, it should be fast and have a good amount of SSD memory. I don't store my pictures on my laptop, so 500 GB will do!
Below, is what I came up with.
Could you please let me know if there is something I should do different?

Chassis en display
Optimus-serie: 15,6" mat 4K IPS 60 Hz 72% NTSC led-breedbeeldscherm (3840x2160)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 met zes kernprocessoren 8750H (2,2 GHz, 4,1 GHz Turbo)
Geheugen (RAM)
16 GB Corsair 2400 MHz SODIMM DDR4 (1 x 16 GB)
Grafische kaart
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 Ti - 4,0 GB GDDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
1e harde schijf
NIET VEREIST
1e M.2 SSD-station
512 GB SAMSUNG 970 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe (maximaal 3500 MB/R, 2300 MB/W)
Geheugenkaartlezer
Geïntegreerde 6-in-1 kaartlezer (SD/Mini SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC/RSMMC)
Wisselstroomadapter
1 x wisselstroomadapter 120 W
Batterij
Optimus IX-serie lithium-ionbatterij met 6 cellen
Stroomkabel
1 x stroomkabel van 1 meter met stekker in vorm van klaverblad voor Europa
Warmtegeleidende pasta
COOLER MASTER MASTERGEL MAKER THERMISCHE PASTA
Geluidskaart
2-kanaals High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema 3
Bluetooth en draadloos
GIGABIT LAN (BEDRAAD) & DRAADLOOS INTEL® AC-9260 M.2 (1.73 Gbps, 802.11AC) + BT 5.0, vPRO
USB-opties
1 x USB 3.0-POORT (Type C) + 2 x USB 3.0-POORTEN + 1 x USB 2.0-POORT
Taal toetsenbord
RGB-TOETSENBORD MET ACHTERGRONDVERLICHTING VOOR DE VS
Besturingssysteem
Originele versie van Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - incl. enkele licentie [KUK-00001]
Taal van besturingssysteem
Nederland/Nederland - Nederlands
Windows-herstelmedia
Afbeelding meertalig herstel Windows 10 - Onbeperkte downloads van online account
Office-software
GRATIS 30 dagen Microsoft® Office® 365 op proef (besturingssysteem vereist)
Antivirus
Internetbeveiliging BullGuard™ - Gratis licentie voor 90 dagen inclusief game-modus
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (alleen Windows 10)
Notebook-muis
GEÏNTEGREERDE TOUCHPAD-MUIS MET 2 KNOPPEN
Webcam
GEÏNTEGREERDE HD-WEBCAM 1MP
Garantie
Garantie “Zilver” voor 3 jaar (1 jaar ophalen en retourneren, 2 jaar onderdelen, 3 jaar arbeid)
Garantie dode pixels
1 jaar garantie dode pixels incl. arbeids- en transportkosten
Bezorging
2 DAGEN VERZENDING NAAR NEDERLAND
Bouwtijd
Standaardversie - ongeveer 6 tot 8 werkdagen
Aantal
1

Prijs €1.564,00 inclusief BTW en bezorging

Unieke URL om opnieuw te configureren : https://www.pcspecialist.nl/opgeslagen-configuraties/optimusIX-15/e4gBbYE49H/
 
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