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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 89
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 89 |
I have decided to take the plunge and upgrade my equipment, well, only my laptop really. Are there tips and advice out there? I am really quite committed to Windows and it is quite expensive to crossgrade BIAB, so I'll probably stick to Windows. Asus seems to be punted a lot, but Lenovo also looks good, but then again Dell seems to be OK, and HP's been in the game very long. If Asus, what model, or.....aaaarrrrrgggh!!!!!
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
That's kind of like saying, "What kind of car should I buy?". LOL. If you could put in some requirements of things you want it to run and be able to do, BIAB and other software, that would make it easier for us to assist. If you want BIAB only, you could get pretty much anything. If you want it for more hard core audio recording, you'll need something better. Let us know! 
 Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,285
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,285 |
I agree with Steve. In order to better answer your question we need more information and this will depend on your needs. If you are only going to use BiaB and RT only then like Steve said just about laptop will work. But if you are going to get into things like better MIDI sounds, pro DAWs, large loops, sound design, etc then you will need a more powerful computer.
Also what else are you going to using on this computer? Things like photography (both saving pictures and using photo software), movie watching, etc, will need a better computer.
Also include in your budget things that you may need for the above mentioned processes. You may need a good mic, near field audio monitors, audio interface, 7200 RPM hard drive, a Solid State Drive, etc.
So let us know what your needs are today and what you might need in the near future.
My guess for a starting point for a Win 10 music generation computer would be 64 bit, and 8 gigs of ram. The included on mother board video is OK as is the 5400RPM HD if you are going to only use BiaB/RT. A computer with a Solid State Drive would be faster for all operations.
Principal: Your child always causes trouble in school.
Me: My child causes trouble at home, do I ever call you?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 89
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 89 |
Thank you for your responses. Well, at the moment I use it pretty much for PG Music only. Would like to use it for gigs and some post production. Video and photography and gaming not so much, other than perhaps being able to extend the display to an external monitor; but I would like it to be likely up to the job in another 3 to 5 years time also. So I guess the string is as long as a lowish budget. These things are pretty expensive in South Africa!
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,285
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,285 |
If you want to add another monitor to a laptop you will need a USB to VGA adapter as described in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei58JE63jcwUSB to VGA adapters are around $10 to $20 USD: https://www.amazon.com/SYTIVE-Adapter-Monitor-Converter-1080-1-5M/dp/B077CXGSXX/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1528833747&sr=8-3&keywords=usb-to-vga+adapterYou can add this at any time in the future. Based on your last message I would suggest that you get the fastest CPU and largest monitor you can afford along with 8 gigs of RAM, and 500GB HD (any speed). You can always convert the 500GB HD to a 500SSD at a later date if you wish for faster load times. The above fastest CPU suggestion is my main thing when I get a new computer. I have found that the faster a CPU the longer the computer's life span.
Principal: Your child always causes trouble in school.
Me: My child causes trouble at home, do I ever call you?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,414
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,414 |
For safe measure - especially if your new computer is going to be for Band-in-a-Box exclusively - don't forget to pay mind to our system requirements for the Windows version. http://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.requirements.htm
Cheers,
Deryk
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 89
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 89 |
Thank you for all the advice. I bit the bullet and ordered a Lenovo Y520. It's sold as a gaming computer, but isn't that what we are doing here?
I'll keep you posted!!!!
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
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Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
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We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
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You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
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- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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