This time, I’m not talking about cameras, lenses or other equipment, but about the fact that I’ve bought a computer for RAW development.
A quick look.
Well,
I wrote an article a while ago about how my mobile notebook PC was too weak to run PhotoLab8. This was actually a problem that was quite serious both in terms of work and life, and I was worried for a while about whether there was any way to solve it. I think I made the mistake of upgrading the software too soon.
As a measure to resolve the situation, I decided to give away my familiar mobile notebook and the gaming notebook (for PhotoLab) that I had just bought last year to a friend, and to introduce a new lightweight notebook PC that could handle both work and life on a single device.
Is there such a convenient machine that can handle both mobile-based business use and hobby use such as RAW development and high-load image processing without any problems? Three years ago, this would have been a pipe dream, but thanks to technological innovation, the realization of such a dream is now becoming a realistic possibility even in my country, which is a perpetual beginner and a low-level citizen state.
However, the country does not have the economic power to be able to buy the latest and most powerful equipment as we wish, so how to successfully procure this with a limited budget is a major undertaking that is, so to speak, a matter of national fortunes.
After much agonizing, we decided on the procurement requirements that my country could not compromise on.
It could be either Intel or AMD, but it had to be a current-generation CPU released within the past year, a GPU of at least NVIDIA RTX4060 LAPTOP, and it had to have 1TB of SSD and 32GB of memory. In addition, it had to weigh less than 2kg, including accessories, and have a safe appearance for taking to work.
Based on this, we deliberated over the choice of camera as seriously as we would over anything else, and we agonized over it for a long time. After meeting the requirements, 3 models were left in the final selection.
1) Acer Swift X 14 (Core Ultra7 155H)
2) Asus TUF A14 FA401UV (Ryzen 7 8845HS)
3) Asus TUF A14 FA401WV (Ryzen AI 9 HX370)
These three models are similar in terms of specifications, with the exception of the CPU. “Models 1” and “3” are so-called AI computers, but that doesn’t really appeal to me, so I didn’t consider them when making my selection. When comparing the three, I found that “1” and “2” were similar in terms of both performance and price, while model “3” was a cut above the rest (although the price is gradually decreasing).
At first, I was about to choose Acer “model 1”, which had the lowest total weight (including the power adapter) and the most affordable price. However, even though half a year had passed since this model was released, I couldn’t find many reviews of the actual product in Japan online. When I looked for overseas reviews and video content just in case, I found out that it was a good product but had one weak point.
The cooling fan is very hard-working, but it only has one cooling fan, so the operating noise is quite loud. For example, here is an introduction article that points this out most clearly.
Hmm, I’m not sure about this as a work PC.
On the other hand, the remaining “model 2” or “3” ASUS models are gaming PC siblings. They have specs and designs that perfectly match my needs, and there don’t seem to be any major drawbacks. The fact that the manufacturer has an extended warranty system is also attractive.
Yes, they are quite popular, as even I, a complete novice, find them attractive. With the “model 3” being reduced in price even further at the end of the year, sales increased at online stores when the winter holidays began, and the distribution stock of both models decreased rapidly. Unfortunately, I had some “adult circumstances” that meant I couldn’t buy them until 2025, so I could only watch as they sold out one after another.
Finally, on December 30th, even the official store of the manufacturer ran out of stock (pre-orders being accepted), and I thought that I would have to give up on getting one, even if it was just a few, as it would be difficult this time.
So, what happened in the end?
I decided to give it a try anyway, so I waited for the moment when the date changed to January 1st 2025 at a certain online shop that was still selling the game, and I bought it. I was lucky enough to get a copy of “model 3”. It was a close call, as both “2” and “3” were completely sold out at all stores 15 minutes later. I was just in time.
No, although I included a suggestive photo at the beginning, I haven’t even touched the actual machine properly yet, and I haven’t achieved anything. I’ve only just finished installing PhotoLab, so it’s too early to say whether it’s really any good or not.
Anyway, that was just a long little story about a nerve-wracking PC procurement event at the start of the new year.
