Does HP offer good computers for photographers? What has your experience using them been like?
Lynn Starnes from Great Wildlife Photos shares some thoughts:
I am on my second custom HP (not off the shelf). I put in an extremely large hard drive and I add extra usb ports. My only issue with the latest order was that it came without custom parts pre-installed. I hired someone to put the PC together. I thought that was odd. I am sometimes downloading discs, cameras and using external storage devices as well as charging credit card swipe machines and a remote UDMA 3 storage device all at the same time. My first HP was going stong when I decided to upgrade hard drive and software with HPs big improvements. I assume that this computer will also last until technology entices me to buy a new HP (10 years or so).
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Answers (1-10)
I am a big fan of HP computers, I like their laptops. For my photography I prefer Apple for their better color reproduction and connect ability to my other Apple devices. I know that my iMac is not as flexible with the amount of hardware like a PC however you can't beat how everything works. I belong to a large photography group and 80% use Apple for their editing.
I don't use Windows only Apple computers. Sorry, I can't help you.
10 year lifespan is a really long time for a computer. Most professionals need to upgrade every few years or so. I have never had an HP, but I have had an IBM and a Toshiba that I loved, but then in 2008 switched back to Mac and love my Mac even more
I build my PCs from scratch, but my wife purchased a new "off the shelf" desktop HP from Sam's Club. Being curious, I looked inside to find a mother board that probably was produced for a laptop. Everything except the HD and CD units was miniature. Not even an internal power supply but a wall wort instead. I definitely was not impressed. I have since had to take it apart three times so far to jiggle loose connections to get it going again.
Anything you buy today will be shortly overrun by external devices such as cameras and software applications that will overtax the resources (core processor, drive space and memory) of that machine. Now there's a happy thought! I love working on my Mac computer though and would never consider a PC or any Windows based machine. Mac's are easy to, intuitive and the service is outstanding. Yes, they are overpriced and they do have their own share of peculiar problems but in general most converts stay with the brand. My 8 year old desktop unit is easy to service and upgrade. The new machines are brilliant, blazingly fast and will melt your charge card.
Forget an HP, get a Mac!
If you want to go with HP I have one of the NEW Spectre 360 15" Laptops with the 8th Gen I-7 Processor. It rocks...also is convertible (folds back completely like a tablet and has Windows Ink and a awesome pen. I use it for a Laptop as the old MacBook Pro I was using didn't have the horsepower for 4K Video. This is my laptop. For a Desktop I have a 27" iMac that is a year old and works awesome for the video as well. Depends on use and if it will be your only computer...Hope that helps!
Having over the past 19 years used exclusively Mac based work flow systems I am not a non biased person to ask. Sorry.
I bought a custom computer myself. I think generally one should decide what they need and build it accordingly. My main concern is actually the screens and keeping them calibrated. They make computers quite powerful these days so you're ok generally speaking for photography.
I would only use MacBook pros for a place that offers endless possibilities with of course a huge price on some app features because it's apple of course but you have preinstalled apps that are incredibly helpful with exciting new things to discover as you learn the lingo. But I found a free and paid version that's right up there with photoshop without the huge price. Designing is another feature with 3 different ways to make videos and edit them and the list goes on. Security is the best ive had but yet it's never 100% very expensive but worth every pay