UltraHD or FullHD

[dslater]

So I suddenly find myself in need of a new computer. For various reasons, I'll need to get a laptop even though I know that's not ideal for photo editing. The laptop I am looking at has a 17" screen with 2 different resolution options. I can either get a FullHD screen resolution (1920x1080) or an UltraHD screen resolution (3840x2160). I use photoshop for my editing. Assuming all other things are equal and my primary goal is to produce prints, is there any advantage to the UltraHD resolution over the FullHD resolution? Will the smaller dot pitch of the UltraHD resolution help or hinder me when trying to determine the correct level of sharpening for an image destined for print?

[Erik Lund]

Is it not possible to have an external screen?

I would go for UltraHD, sound great Make?

[BEZ]

Go for the 3840x2160 it is better for editing/photo viewing and reading text  ....most software now supports high resolution screens.

Cheers

[Mike G]

I realise you are probably talking PCs here but as an Apple retina screen user, high res is always goner be the best!

[dslater]

Is it not possible to have an external screen?

I would go for UltraHD, sound great Make?

External screen is possible, but that's something for the future, not in the budget right now. I'm looking at an Acer Aspire V17 Nitro laptop. Quad core I7 processor,16G RAM, Nvidia card, 17" IPS screen that displays the full AdobeRGB color gamut.

[Bjørn J]

High res is nice, but more important is the screens ability to show correct colours. Laptop screens have generally much narrower colour gamut than good external monitors, and they also have more uneven distribution of light (darker in the edges). Also important is the viewing angle, many laptop screens changes colour and brightness if you move your head ever so slightly.
The screen is the most expensive component in a laptop, so to press the price down manufacturers often skimp on the screen quality. A laptop with a high quality screen for photo editing is expensive.

[dslater]

High res is nice, but more important is the screens ability to show correct colours. Laptop screens have generally much narrower colour gamut than good external monitors, and they also have more uneven distribution of light (darker in the edges). Also important is the viewing angle, many laptop screens changes colour and brightness if you move your head ever so slightly.
The screen is the most expensive component in a laptop, so to press the price down manufacturers often skimp on the screen quality. A laptop with a high quality screen for photo editing is expensive.

Yes, this is not an inexpensive laptop. The company touts the display's color gamut and accuracy. The choice between FullHD and UltraHD is an option on this laptop, so everything else is equal. My main question is how the smaller dot pitch of the UltraHD screen affects making judgements about sharpening when preparing for print.

[BEZ]

My main question is how the smaller dot pitch of the UltraHD screen affects making judgements about sharpening when preparing for print.

You have more detail and are able to make better judgements  ....the higher resolution is better for editing in every aspect.

[pluton]

There are...or were... scaling issues when judging sharpness on the new high resolution LCD srceens.  The command "zoom to 1:1" means one result from a 1080 screen, and another result from a 2160 screen. Supposedly, most major softwares have now dealt with the issue.
IPS, 2160, and Adobe RGB are very high specs for a laptop.  Having correct color is worth it, especially if you plan on making prints.