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Which Macbook Pro for Lightroom 4

mermaid2010

mermaid2010

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 4, 2010
35
0
Cornwall, UK
I need a 13" MacBook Pro for travelling and for photography.
I need to run Lightroom 4 for editing, not heavy stuff - mostly downloading and organising.

My question will the 13-inch: 2.4 GHz or 2.8 GHz run Lightroom 4 well enough for me?
I dont want to make an expensive mistake!

Any advice gratefully received.:)
 
For organizing and simple editing either 13" MacBook Pro should be fine. If you're going to be using the system for anything other than email/web/Lightroom, some of those applications could require the better processor.
 
Bear said:
For organizing and simple editing either 13" MacBook Pro should be fine. If you're going to be using the system for anything other than email/web/Lightroom, some of those applications could require the better processor.
Click to expand...

Thank you Bear, do you think would I see a big difference (for Lightroom) if I go for the 2.8 processor if I can stretch the extra cost?
 
Either 13" MBP will be fine, I'm runnning LR now (trying LR4 but on LR3) on my 2010 Core2Duo machine.

You'll not really notice a huge performance gain between the 2.4 and 2.8 either.
 
maflynn said:
Either 13" MBP will be fine, I'm runnning LR now (trying LR4 but on LR3) on my 2010 Core2Duo machine.

You'll not really notice a huge performance gain between the 2.4 and 2.8 either.
Click to expand...

Thank you, in simple terms plse what IS the benefit of the bigger 2.8 processor then, in what way would the 2.8 be most beneficial?

Just found this thread!
http://att.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1320559

I might want to edit RAW files so maybe the 2.8 wd be better plus I now have a Canon 5D2 so video as well?
 
Last edited:
Hi mermai,

I'm a pro photographer and use LR often. My concern for you is the 13" screen size. By the time, you have control panels open, you don't get much screen real estate for thumbnails.

And even if you closed unused panels, in order for you to effectively rate images to sort, you need need to check to see if everything is in focus, etc., and for that, you need to zoom in to 100%. I find 15" to be the smallest size I can work on, but you might be happy with 13".

Processor is important but RAM is also important. If budget stretches, I would go with faster CPU with min 8GB.

Lastly, LR4 seems to have sluggish 'Develop' module so it is hard to tell if LR4 will need more processing power then LR3 but it is another reason, I would go with faster processor... especially if you can wait a few weeks for the Ivy Bridge equipped MBP.
 
mermaid2010 said:
Thank you, in simple terms plse what IS the benefit of the bigger 2.8 processor then, in what way would the 2.8 be most beneficial?
Click to expand...
People want the fastest out there and numbers sell. It will be faster but I'm not sure you'll see a really much of a difference.


hi-there said:
I'm a pro photographer and use LR often. My concern for you is the 13" screen size. By the time, you have control panels open, you don't get much screen real estate for thumbnails.
Click to expand...
Agreed, in fact I'm purposely buying a 15" MBP once apple updates its line because the 13" is too small for my needs. I find that photoshop is very cramped and Lr is as well. In LR's case it feels less of a problem and I can manage but the larger screen of the 15" is a big plus.
 
hi-there said:
Hi mermai,

I'm a pro photographer and use LR often. My concern for you is the 13" screen size. By the time, you have control panels open, you don't get much screen real estate for thumbnails.

And even if you closed unused panels, in order for you to effectively rate images to sort, you need need to check to see if everything is in focus, etc., and for that, you need to zoom in to 100%. I find 15" to be the smallest size I can work on, but you might be happy with 13".

Processor is important but RAM is also important. If budget stretches, I would go with faster CPU with min 8GB.

Lastly, LR4 seems to have sluggish 'Develop' module so it is hard to tell if LR4 will need more processing power then LR3 but it is another reason, I would go with faster processor... especially if you can wait a few weeks for the Ivy Bridge equipped MBP.
Click to expand...

Thank you hi-there,

Cannot wait a few weeks, off to Italy for a months photography shortly, always the way!
Really need to keep weight, size and cost down, that's why the 13" appeals.
TBH I will not be doing any serious editing when away, its mainly to view organise etc, put a few pics up on blog. Serious editing waits till I get home on the 27 imac.
But, interesting you say about RAM upgrading to 8GB.
Would that help the DEVELOP module sluggishness if I did have to do any editing?
 
mermaid2010 said:
But, interesting you say about RAM upgrading to 8GB.
Would that help the DEVELOP module sluggishness if I did have to do any editing?
Click to expand...
I don't think so, based on what I read in various other forums, its really something adobe needs to address. Its not a hardware configuration issue, but fixing their code.
 
Have you thought about the 13" MBA?

I believe it has a higher res screen than the current 13" Pro (I think the 13" MBA screen has the same res as the 15" MBP), and the SSD will make the whole thing fly.

Obviously, the MBA is lighter & more portable than the MBP as well ..
 
Sirolway said:
Have you thought about the 13" MBA?

I believe it has a higher res screen than the current 13" Pro (I think the 13" MBA screen has the same res as the 15" MBP), and the SSD will make the whole thing fly.

Obviously, the MBA is lighter & more portable than the MBP as well ..
Click to expand...

MBA? sorry unfamiliar with this, looked on Apple site and cannot see them?
 
I just used my 2009 13" core2duo 2.53 8gb ram with lightroom 4 and it works good. I processed 75 raw images and it did not seem sluggish at all.

I would imagine any sandy bridge processor will be more then adequate. Only issue i have is the screen size. Even thought I use an external monitor once in a while I will be stepping up to the new 15" MBP when it comes out.

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mermaid2010 said:
MBA? sorry unfamiliar with this, looked on Apple site and cannot see them?
Click to expand...
MacBook Air http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air
 
edk99 said:
I just used my 2009 13" core2duo 2.53 8gb ram with lightroom 4 and it works good. I processed 75 raw images and it did not seem sluggish at all.

I would imagine any sandy bridge processor will be more then adequate. Only issue i have is the screen size. Even thought I use an external monitor once in a while I will be stepping up to the new 15" MBP when it comes out.

----------


MacBook Air http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air
Click to expand...
AIR of course sorry! didn't consider it as thought it wd not be man enough, reassuring your info tho' thanks. will look at AIR as well.
 
Got it!

Well, I purchased the MBPro 13" 2.8 i7 with 8GB RAM and loaded up LR4 and all is well, OK it is a bit small to view image but no worse than my old Samsung NC20 and not intending to do any intensive developing whilst away so OK. The trade off on the weight and size of the 15" was worth if for me, I felt the 15" just too big and heavy to lug around. Thank you for all your help much appreciated...off to Italy for a month now ahhhh :)
 
mermaid2010 said:
Well, I purchased the MBPro 13" 2.8 i7 with 8GB RAM and loaded up LR4 and all is well, OK it is a bit small to view image but no worse than my old Samsung NC20 and not intending to do any intensive developing whilst away so OK. The trade off on the weight and size of the 15" was worth if for me, I felt the 15" just too big and heavy to lug around. Thank you for all your help much appreciated...off to Italy for a month now ahhhh :)
Click to expand...

Good buy, I am in the same boat as you, but I am surprised that you didn't wait a few more days for the new Ivy Bridge rumored ones? I am so eagerly awaiting a new announcement, it's literally driving me insane as I am a long-time antiMac/proPC guy, and I've finally decided to bite the bullet and get a MBP!
 
Fluttershy said:
but I am surprised that you didn't wait a few more days for the new Ivy Bridge rumored ones?
Click to expand...

That has the built in assumption that the MBP 13" is moving to quad cores. The dual core Ivy Bridge processors aren't being released until the June 3rd timeframe. It will fairly likely be much more than a few days. MBP could easily slide to July (to line up with the Mountain Lion release).
 
I recommend you don't get Lightroom 4 and stick with 3.7 or whatever the previous one was.

LR 4 is a bloated, slow, and buggy piece of crapware.
 
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