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Old 9th July 2011 | 09:01
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Spitoon
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From your description of what you want to use it for, the most demanding thing is photo imaging software and that should determine your target spec.

If you're talking about Photoshop or some equivalent high-end software (rather than, say, Windows Paint) you will probably want to go for a higher performance processor.

If you are working with big image files, more memory will probably speed things up too. If your budget is tight when you make your purchase, invest in a better processor and less memory because you can always add memory later but you're stuck with the processor for the life of the machine (as far as I know you can upgrade the memory in all laptops - but not necessarily netbooks - but do check that it's possible for the one you buy).

For working on photos a good screen is important - both in terms of brightness/contrast and also size. Make sure you're comfortable working with the screen in the range of ambient lighting conditions you're likely to encounter.

Obviously I can't make any particular recommendations - a lot comes down to personal preference - but the i series processors are streets ahead of previous generations. The i3-350M has now been superceeded - I'm not sure how long ago - so you might find some bargains and it's spec looks very respectable.

When it comes to laptops I tend to look for good build quality and reliability. Over the years I've had a whole bunch of different brands - both for work and personal use - and it seems that the best pick changes over time. I used to swear by Sony but my last one had me swearing at it (and a friend has had very similar experience) - I'm now using an Acer which is very good, solidly built and, touch wood, is completely reliable.

FWIW, I tend to buy my stuff from ebuyer.com. Good prices and service in my experience.
 
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