Dell XPS 15

Nvidia and OEMs unleash a volley of new laptop models for photographers and videographers

Now that 4K video and 20-50MP sensors are becoming the new normal for photographers and videographers, common tasks like RAW file noise reduction and video rendering are becoming increasingly time consuming and painful to watch. That’s especially true on the road, where we’re limited to laptop power. Nvidia and its Windows partners are trying to address that with a number of new models that include high-performance GPUs. . I’ve also ordered a new Dell Precision 5540 to replace my current Dell XPS 15 9560 (current models are the and ), so I’ll be able to report on performance results in more detail over the coming month.

Best laptops for Photo Editing

I’ve just updated my guide to some of the , so it is current with the latest models. Not a huge amount has changed since it was last updated 6 months ago, but more models now have Nvidia 10xx (instead of 9xx) GPUs, which is a sizable jump, and now many of them have 7th generation Core CPUs (Kaby Lake). There are also gains in performance, some decreases in size, and ports moving towards newer standards. One important development on the horizon is Nvidia’s new “Max-Q” laptop architecture, which will enable thinner models with discrete GPUs. Those should start showing up in the market by July. Their primary focus is gaming, but as always, gaming laptops can be ideal for image processing.

Looking for a new computer? Here are some of the best laptops for photo editing

Each year I write up a list of some of my favorite laptop choices for photo editing, which is published on ExtremeTech.com. This year’s edition is just out now, so you if you’re looking for a new computer, and want a laptop that you can travel with but is also beefy enough to handle your photo editing needs, . An additional entry is the , a well-designed powerhouse with the latest technology.