Laptop with decent screen?

[ehasler]

I may be in the market for a new laptop, and one of the main features that I'd be after is a decent screen. I'd be using it for scanning slides and manipulating digital images with Photoshop, so a large, accurate screen is a must.

Other nice to have features would be WiFi, inbuilt DVD burner, and a decent graphics card.

Any recommendations?

[stevieb]

Try a dell 8600 range.

Steve

[Bonce]

My Dell Inspiron 5150 has the best LCD screen I have ever seen on anything. There is an option for an upgraded screen on that model laptop, which I have. It's a 15" screen which I run at 1600x1200 resolution and despite it being only 15" it's clearer than any 17" monitor I've ever used; bright, clear and pin-sharp at this resolution and I have no problem using this for 8+ hours a day.

The laptop has built in 54g wi-fi, optional dvd burner and very fast 3D graphics card. Also fast Pentium 4, lots of memory and disk space and a healthy 3 hour battery life even with intensive use. Should meet all your criteria!

[ehasler]

Thanks - I've got an old Dell Inspiron, and have always been a fan of them, although Sony and Toshiba look like they do pretty good machines as well.

Does anyone have any experience of calibrating laptop screens? I calibrate my desktop CRT screen with a Colourvision Spyder and OptiCAL, and have my own custom printer and scanner colour profiles, so would want to calibrate my laptop screen as well to ensure consistent colours.

[JamieBeeston]

another vote for the 8600.

the new Toshiba p20s are nice

17" screens, but only 1400x900

My inspiron runs 1920x1200 @ 15.4" widescreen.

my old vaio was 16" screen, 1600x1200

all 3 rock.. with the sony rocking the most.

[ehasler]

I've been doing a bit more research, and I don't think that laptop screens are configurable enough to get a decent colour calibration, plus I don't really want to have to lug around a huge heavy laptop.

What I'm thinking of doing now is getting both a small but powerful laptop, and a standalone LCD screen.

Most of the time I'll be using at at my girlfriend's flat to do Photoshop type stuff, so it's not a problem leaving the screen there, but I'll also use it for connecting to my data logger on the race car which obviously doesn't need a fantastic display.

The problem now is that the sort of spec I'm after only appears to come in a big heavy laptop with a large screen!

If anyone can recommend a laptop with the following spec I'd be most grateful!

Fast CPU (Centrino ideally)
1GB RAM
60GB + HDD
Internal DVD writer
Decent graphics chipset
Small and light (12" screen is fine)

Thanks!

[Podie]

JamieBeeston said:

another vote for the 8600.

..and another. Top bit of kit. A little on the heavy side... more of a desktop replacement than a laptop.

[Muncher]

Another vote for the Dell 8600, I have a 8500 and the screen is superb.

[ehasler]

It's looking very good for the 8600 so far!

I think that, plus a docking station and Lacie 20" LCD screen will be perfect!

[TheHobbit]

ehasler said:

Fast CPU (Centrino ideally) 1GB RAM 60GB + HDD Internal DVD writer Decent graphics chipset Small and light (12" screen is fine)

The IBM Thinkpad R50p does this, apart from having a larger screen (15", 1600x1200).... but they're not cheap!