Best Laptop For Picture Storage


Gone are the days when photographers would use bulky photo albums to make their portfolios. Technology and digitization have turned around many things, including the way we take, process, and store pictures. Now, you can store literally millions of high-resolution photos in a device with a footprint no bigger than a couple of inches.
In the last couple of years, laptops have also emerged as the “red room” for photographers. They can take care of all the post-production requirements of their work on a top-tier laptop. From editing and buffing pictures to putting up folder and albums, they can do all of that via the keypad and touchpad of the laptop. In short, a laptop has become an essential work gadget for photographers.
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Our Pick
Don’t want to read the entire article and just want to know the single best laptop for picture storage? If that’s the case, then we would recommend you to buy HP 2019 New Touch-Screen Laptop Notebook. It is one of those rare laptop models that combine all desirable features. In this HP machine, you get the latest display/touch technology, uncompromised computing performance, and large storage space at a very reasonable price.
The laptop features the N5000 Quad-Core processor that is even considered suitable for GPU intensive games. This means it can offer a really agile experience of running heavy-duty photo editing and post-processing software. Moreover, a large HD display with a touchscreen makes your interaction with your work gets more visceral. You can use the highly responsive touchscreen of this laptop for trimming down your editing times to a great extent.
Picture storage is the subject of this article, and this HP laptop doesn’t disappoint with its storage at all. You get 1TB HDD that is enough to save/store all your photo work and then some. The 8 GB memory, along with a gaming-grade processor, makes sure you can simultaneously run multiple programs along with many browsing tabs. The laptop won’t hang or crash with that entire computational load. The Chiclet keyboard of the laptop is high on ergonomics and allows you to use your editing shortkeys in the most convenient manner.
However, many people commit one grave mistake while buying a laptop for photography work, i.e., they don’t factor in the machine’s storage space. Buyers usually stress over the computing power, resolution, and display of a laptop and completely ignore the fact that the same device has to be used as the depository for all the pictures that they want to develop on the laptop.
 A good approach is to buy a laptop with a large storage space that also fares well with display and computation. We have also taken the same approach here and put up a list of five of the best laptops for picture storage. And not just storage, these laptops are also quite good with their colors, display, and processors, which are perfect for running photo editing tools.
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Best Laptops For Picture Storage - Comparison Table

Laptops For Picture Storage Reviews

HP has been making top-quality and affordable laptops for many years. The company has now also launched touchscreen laptops at lower price points. From that range, we have really liked HP 2019 Touchscreen Laptop Notebook. We have seen in many touchscreen laptops that they don’t offer a crisp display. However, this is not the case with HP’s new touchscreen notebook.
The laptop features a 15.6-inch WLED-backlit touchscreen that can support regular HD (1366x768) resolution. This means you can see your work with the same sharpness of any regular non-touch laptop of a good screen resolution. Moreover, the N5000 Quad-Core processor is enough to support the software and editing tools you need to run on the device. Meanwhile, the 8GB system memory improves the multitasking ability of the laptop.
Touchscreen laptops usually don’t have good internal storage. Here too, this HP notebook is different. It features a 1TB hard drive so you can easily save all your work and are still left with enough space to store your favorite music and video content.
For photographers who have to take care of a lot of their work online and want to remain in touch with clientele on the web, it is a must to have a laptop with the most improved Wi-Fi configuration available. HP hasn’t let down users on that front either. It has also used the latest Wi-Fi (802.11ac) configuration on this touchscreen laptop. It lets you get all the bandwidth you are ISP is providing. Lastly, the 3-cell lithium-ion battery offers an extended portable performance. You can use this HP touchscreen laptop for many hours without looking for its charger.
Pros
  • Features HD webcam with integrated digital microphone
  • An Amazon’s Choice product
  • Touchscreen with sharp HD resolution and TN-class narrow viewing angles
  • Bluetooth, faster USB and HDMI port— improves workflow
  • A great bang for the buck
Cons
  • Some user may find its battery time a bit underwhelming
If you are looking for a laptop that offers wide HD display, heavy-duty computing performance, and can store a big pile of photos, then consider buying this Acer Laptop. After looking at the specs of Aspire E 15 Laptop, one starts thinking that Acer may have actually designed this machine by keeping in mind the requirements of digital photographers.
This laptop features the 8th Generation Intel Core i3 processor that is further beefed up by Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. In simple words, the processor is more than good enough to take care of all your photo editing and processing needs. The powerful performance of the processor is matched with the wide 15.6-inch screen that seamlessly displays 1920x1080 full HD resolutions.
Acer has also taken care of one important aspect in this laptop, i.e., USB data transfer speed. Photographers fully realize the importance of this feature. They have to transfer gigabytes and gigabytes of photos from laptop to flash drives and vice versa. A slow USB port can slow this process to excruciating levels. Aspire E 15 Laptop features USB 3.1 Type-C port that ensures ultra-fast data transfers.
As we all know, photographers don’t operate from their den-like red rooms anymore. Many of them take care of their assignments on the go. This is another area where this Acer Laptop proves to be a valuable addition to the photographers’ backpack. The powerful battery of the laptop allows you to use it for 13.5 hours nonstop. Last but not least, Acer Aspire E 15 Laptop has the HDD storage of 1 terabyte that is enough to store hundreds and thousands of 1080p photos.
Pros
  • Comes with top-quality wireless antenna— strong, consistent Wi-Fi signals
  • Widescreen LED-lit display
  • Features 6GB dual-channel memory— run multiple editing tools simultaneously
  • Crystal-clear audio— a photo station with stereo sound
Cons
  • Keypad design could be better
If you are looking to get a workstation for your photo work that primarily involves 3D rendering and modeling, then you should consider buying this HP machine. This laptop is another great launch by HP in 2019. It features Intel’s AMD A6 processor that is quite popular among gamers for its seamless computation of the heaviest of graphics.
The performance of the processor is further boosted by the AMB Radeon R4 graphic card. This means you can run all the professional-grade heavy-duty photo editing programs without a lag. HP has also made sure that the storage of the laptop can keep up with its impeccable processing performance. You get 1TB HDD in the laptop that is good enough to store thousands of HD photos and footage.
For a professional photographer, getting such exceptional computing performance with ample storage in a single device without blowing the budget is really difficult, and we think HP has delivered that valuable combo in this machine.
We also like this HP machine because it features a widescreen (15.6 inches) with a BrightView glossy surface. This patented screen technology of HP makes sure you can get bright and crisp display colors even when there is not enough light around.
For professionals who like to work in dimly lit rooms, this glossy display comes in handy. The design of this HP laptop is also worth mentioning. Even with such heavy-duty computing configuration, it has an ergonomic design with a sleek keypad and doesn’t weigh more than five pounds.
Pros
  • Lets you run multiple programs and tabs all at once
  • 8GB DDR SDRAM ensures no crashes occur
  • 3-cell lithium battery for extended wireless use
  • Featherweight design
Cons
  • A bit expensive
As mentioned earlier, many photographers like to work while they are traveling. Some people also don’t like the idea of confining themselves into studios for several hours for the post-production of the taken photos.  HP has designed this laptop for all such users. This notebook laptop is light, has an ergonomic footprint, and features a well-thought-out keypad and touchpad.
If you don’t want your lap to get bogged down by a heavy machine or don’t want to lift too much weight while air or train travel, then this HP Pavilion Notebook Laptop is worth considering. The weight of the laptop is just over 4.5 pounds, which is quite light given its enterprise-grade specs. Moreover, it is less than 1-inch thick when folded. At first look and touch, it doesn’t seem like a workhorse that it actually is.
It is important to mention here that the lightweight and sleek construction of the Pavilion Notebook doesn’t affect its performance by any means. You still get a laptop with a big 15.6-inch display that supports 1366x768 high-definition resolution. The screen also features WLED backlight. The HD resolution, along with the proprietary BrightView screen, ensures you ca  looking at its complete, detailed color profile.
The storage of the laptop is also in contrast with its weight and size. It features 1TB HDD storage to sort out all your work in a single place. We also like this HP machine for its Chiclet keypad. The ergonomically placed square keys with rounded edges allow you to run your hand on the pad with more efficiency. This is a really valuable feature for those who do most of the photo editing work through keyboard shortcuts.  
Pros
  • Form and function together— lightweight design with the heavy-duty processor
  • A universally compatible device— Bluetooth and HDMI connectivity
  • Stereo speakers create virtual surround sound experience
  • Offers extended battery time
Cons
  • Wi-Fi configuration could be better
We are concluding our list of best laptop for photo storage with yet another HP machine, and rightly so. If you want to recreate your studio experience while working on the laptop, consider investing in the 2017 HP Business Flagship Laptop. Unlike the majority of top-of-the-line laptops for photographers available in the market, this one features the widest of screens. You get a whopping 17.3-inch HD display backed with powerful processing and massive storage space.
The laptop features the 7th generation Intel Core i3-7100U processor. The powerful processor is assisted by 8 GB DDR SDRAM and Intel 520 Graphics Card. This combination of different computation powers makes sure you can easily run all the standard photo editing tools on the laptop. On top of that, the huge 1TB storage makes sure you don’t have to use any external hard disk to save your work. The built-in storage of the laptop is enough to store hundreds and thousands of HD photos.
It is worth noting that even with large display and powerful computing specs, the laptop is not a bulky workstation. It just weighs around 5.5 pounds, which is nothing given its performance and display. We also like the fact that the large display doesn’t affect the portable performance of the machine. You can use the laptop for nine hours nonstop on battery.
Pros
  • Perfect for portrait-size photo storage and editing
  • BrightView WLED Backlit display for crisp color quality
  • Features high-speed Wi-Fi along with HD webcam
  • Ergonomic keypad and touchpad design
Cons
  • A bit heavy on the pocket

Best Laptops For Picture Storage Buyers Guide

Introduction

We have tried our best to come up with the best laptops for picture storage. Our picks have large built-in storage space along with good computational power. Moreover, all of them are under the high-end threshold of $500.
However, if you want to explore more options, then read on. Here, we are going to share some factors that you need to consider to get the best deal while buying a laptop primarily for picture storage and secondarily for other photography tasks.

Storage

It is no surprise that storage is the first and foremost thing you need to consider while buying a laptop for making it a picture depository. This requirement is really obvious. So, why are we discussing it here? The reason we are laying stress upon storage is many people often go on to buy a laptop for photo storage without calculating how much space they actually need.
Some go with the presumption that 500 GB will be sufficient, only to realize in the next 6-8 months that it is not enough.  On the other hand, some people go overboard and spend on hefty laptop models just because of their multi-terabyte hard drive. Many of them don’t get to use half of that storage even after years of use.
Here, we would recommend you to take the middle road and stick with 1TB HDD in your laptop. There is more than one reason why we advocate for 1TB machines as the best laptops for picture storage.
  • Laptops with 1TB storage are not much different from the machines with 500GB HDDs when it comes to price. Therefore, it is always better to add some bucks and go for a laptop with a larger storage space.
  • 1 terabyte space is actually enough space to put up a big photo library. A simple calculation tells us that 1TB HDD can store a whopping two million standard size (500KB) photos. So, whether you are dealing in 1080p photos or saving HD portraits, a 1TB drive is enough to store thousands and thousands of pictures.
  • For a photographer, it is really important to keep their photo repository organized so that any portfolio or file can be retrieved within a couple of seconds. In this context, a 1TB HDD proves to be handier since it is easier to sort out and manage it as compared to larger storage devices.
As you can see, there are some solid reasons to settle on 1TB HDD when you are trying to buy the best laptop for picture storage. This is the reason why every laptop entry on our list features 1TB internal storage.

Processor, RAM, And Graphics

Once you have decided how many bytes of space you need for your digital picture library, move on to evaluate the machine for its processor, RAM, and graphics configuration. Keep in mind that the laptop you are going to buy won’t remain a picture stockroom. There will certainly come occasions where you have to use the laptop to run a photo editing tool or any similar post-production application.
Therefore, it is important that your laptop must have computation specs that can support photography software and programs without causing the device to lag and crash. This is a bit tricky since there is no definite way to determine what set of computing specs will suffice for your photography work. However, make sure the laptop has these features.
  • It should not feature anything below the i3 processor. Although you can go for better processors (like #2 on our list), make sure they don’ dent your budget. If you are able to get a gaming processor at a reasonable price (like #3 on our list), then you are in for a good buy.
  • 4GB memory is a bare minimum when you want to buy a laptop solely for picture storage. However, we would recommend you to stick with 8GB RAM because it ensures the seamless running of simultaneous applications and browser tabs and also without a significant price hike. All our laptops feature 8GB memory.
  • Go for a separate graphics card if you have to work on heavy graphics (e.g., 3D modeling and rendering). Otherwise, the integrated graphics chip would be enough.

Display

The display of a laptop definitely matters when you want to use it as a picture store. However, many users overvalue the importance of this feature. Keep in mind that you want a laptop to store pictures and perhaps for some light post-editing and not to “display” your craft and work to masses. So, spending or rather wasting money on top-quality display laptops is not worth it if you are getting the laptop for personal use with the primary task of storing photos.
If you are buying a laptop just for the sole reason of storing pictures for later use and don’t have any plane to use it as your processing and editing console, then the standard 1366x768  resolution is good enough. The display is also good enough for editing requirements if you have plenty of experience of using photo editing tools.
However, if you want to use the laptop for some extensive post-production work that requires more detailed editing, then go for full-HD displays that support 1080p pictures. With a smart search, you can find laptops with large storage and HD display in a reasonable price range.
You can also find laptops with better and superior display results. For instance, 2560x1800, 3200x1800, and 4K resolutions are available in some high-end laptops. There is no doubt that these displays are stunning and tempt buyers to invest in them. However, getting such a supreme display in a laptop that you are primarily buying for storage purposes is not a wise move. Not only you have to arrange a hefty sum of money to buy any of those laptops, but you will also get a machine with low battery life because sharper, crisper displays consume more power.

Touchpad And Keypad

Touchpad and keypad may not appear as the most important features while picking a laptop for picture storage. But again, we have to consider the fact that the same laptop can also be used as the on-the-go editing platform. That’s why it is also important to assess the touchpad and keypad of the laptop you are interested in.
Make sure that the device has a wider touchpad with a Chiclet (island-styled) keypad. The better ergonomics of these keypads allow you to use them in a really hassle-free manner. Moreover, a wide touchpad lets you move the cursor all the way up and down in a single flick.
While taking care of these important features, also make sure that the laptop you want to invest in has a high-speed USB port. A laptop must have USB 3.0 or Type-C port to support the swift transfer of large sets of photo data.

FAQ's

Isn’t Tablet A Better Picture Storage Option?

When we look at the footprint and weight of a tablet, it definitely feels like it should be our photo repository. However, the current specs and prices of tablets are not meant for such heavy-duty storage. First of all, you can’t easily find a tablet with 1TB internal storage. And even if you succeed in finding one, you won’t be able to buy it in your prescribed budget.

What If 1TB HDD Runs Short?

A 1TB HDD can save years of your photography work. So, you may not face this issue immediately after buying a laptop. Nevertheless, if you feel that your 1TB hard drive is going to be full in the near future, buy a 2 TB or 3TB drive and replace it with the existing HDD instead of making a separate repository for future work.

Is Touchscreen Laptop Good For Picture Storage?

Most definitely. It lets you use your laptop like a real photo album where you can skip and skim through pictures with the flick of your finger. Also, some users find the tactile response of touchscreen laptops handier for light editing work.
As a photographer, a device that you can use as a digital library and a photo editor is an exciting prospect. It will definitely help you in streamlining your work. We really hope that you can find this ultimate device after reading these reviews, buyer’s guide, and FAQs.

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