What should I look for in a laptop for CS4?

JP
Posted By
john_passaneau
Oct 26, 2008
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270
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Hi All:

My laptop which I use heavily for photoshop supports openGL 1.5 only. So I suppose it will not work with the new features in CS4. As I would really like some of the new features it looks like as I need to upgrade. So the question, how do I pick one that has good chance to work with CS4? From what I’ve read here CS4 is picky about what video it will work with and I don’t want to spend money on a laptop that doesn’t support the flavor of openGL that CS4 likes. And no I don’t want an Apple, they cost just too much for what you get.

John Passaneau
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chris_farrell
Oct 26, 2008
Get a desktop …… for a world of Photoshop CS4 bliss it’s the only way.

On the whole desktops are half the price and double the power as laptops are really limited for this sort of thing.
WE
Wolf_Eilers
Oct 26, 2008
My laptop which I use heavily for photoshop supports openGL 1.5 only. So I suppose it will not work with the new features in CS4.

My understanding is that a non-compliant GPU will not disable new CS4 features. I am not sure if rotate canvass will work without GPU support. Some of the zooming and panning will not be as smooth without the GPU but the feature is certainly still available.
JJ
John Joslin
Oct 26, 2008
Below is a list of the Photoshop CS4 and Bridge CS4 features that are accelerated by a GPU. To read more about these features, see "GPU accelerated features in Photoshop and Bridge CS4" (TechNote kb405745).

OpenGL/GPU features in Adobe Photoshop CS4 are:

* Smooth Display at ALL Zoom Levels
* Animated Zoom Tool
* Animated Transitions when doing a One Stop Zoom
* Hand Toss Image
* Birdseye View
* Rotate Canvas
* Smooth Display of Non Square Pixel Images
* Pixel Grid
* Move Color Matching to the GPU
* Draw Brush Tip Editing Feedback via GPU
* 3D GPU features include:
o 3D Acceleration
o 3D Axis
o 3D Lights Widget
o Accelerated 3D Interaction via Direct To Screen

GPU features in Bridge CS4 are:

* Preview Panel
* Full-screen preview
* Carousel-style View
JP
john_passaneau
Oct 27, 2008
wrote:
Get a desktop …… for a world of Photoshop CS4 bliss it’s the only way.
On the whole desktops are half the price and double the power as laptops are really limited for this sort of thing.

I have a desktop, but the problem is the desktop is not were I am. I’m mobile, its not. I’m taking care of my 86 year old mother with dementia and I can’t be near her and near the desktop at the same time so the laptop is the best answer. I’ve been fairly happy with using the laptop. The screen calibrated well and it’s been fast enough. But the new versions of lightroom and CS4 seem to hit new highs in computer horse power requirements. Like Microsoft, Adobe seems to be telling their users "if you want usable performance, get a bigger computer." And I will but looking at the video spec’s and deciding if they are compatible with CS4 is not easy.

John Passaneau

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