PCPhoto
Toolbox: LaptopsTake your digital darkroom on the road with these compact computing powerhouses |
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Page 2 of 3  Apple MacBook Pro. Apple’s sleek aluminum MacBook Pro laptops are available with either 15- or 17-inch widescreen monitors, and the choice of either 2.2 GHz, 2.4 GHz or 2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors. They start with 2 GB of RAM, which you can upgrade to 4 GB. The base 15-inch model starts with a 120 GB hard drive, while the faster 15- and 17-inch models ship with a 160 GB drive; all models can be upgraded to 250 GB max storage. The weight of the 15-inch MacBook Pro is 5.4 pounds, and the price starts at $1,999. The 17-inch model starts at $2,799.  HP Pavilion dv2500t. The new HP Pavilion dv2500t comes with a 14.1-inch widescreen monitor and a variety of Intel Core 2 Duo processors that range from 1.5 GHz to a maximum of 2.2GHz. You can configure your dv2500t with 1 GB to 4 GB of RAM and hard-drive capacity from 120 GB to 250 GB. A cool feature is an integrated fingerprint reader that lets you use your fingerprint instead of remembering passwords. The compact design weighs just 5.3 pounds, and pricing starts at $799 for the base configuration. Dell XPS M1330. Dell’s iteration of the compact multimedia laptop is its XPS M1330, which has a 13.3-inch widescreen display. Customizable with Intel Core 2 Duos from 1.5 GHz to 2.2 GHz, this travel-ready portable starts with 1 GB of RAM, which can be upgraded to 4 GB. Hard-drive capacity starts at 120 GB and ranges all the way up to 320 GB. The great thing about the XPS M1330 is its small size and light weight at just 3.97 pounds. Pricing starts at $1,199. Sony VAIO FZ290 Notebook. Sony’s VAIO FZ290 Notebook is equipped with a Blu-ray Disc reader drive, or an optional Blu-ray writer drive, and features a compact design with a 15.4-inch widescreen monitor. The Intel Core 2 Duo processor starts at 1.5 GHz and can be upgraded to 2.6 GHz; standard RAM is 1 GB, upgradeable to 4 GB. Hard-drive capacity starts at 120 GB and goes all the way up to 300 GB. The FZ290 also features HDMI output for high-definition viewing and connectivity. It weighs 5.9 pounds, and pricing starts at $1,148.
Alienware Area-51 m5550. Alienware’s top-of-the-line laptop for mobility and performance is the Area-51 m5550, a fast, 15.4-inch widescreen model with all the bells and whistles any photographer would want. Like all the laptops previously mentioned, the Area-51 m5550 has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor at 1.66 GHz, upgradeable to 2.33 GHz. 1 GB of RAM is the base and can go up to 4 GB of RAM. The Area-51 m5550 has some other interesting features like 7.1-channel audio and a monitor resolution up to 1920 x 1200 for high-def viewing. Hard-drive capacity can be as generous as 320 GB. Weight is six pounds, and pricing starts at $999.  |
