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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28
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I'd like to hear some suggestions for a new Windows Laptop to run BIAB Audiophile 2019. I'd like to keep the cost to around $800 (US).
I'm not really hip to all the different CPU's on Windows machines, so that could be helpful. Also, what level of graphics should be looking at?
Would an SSD drive be better for running the program.
I usually load in the 2nd install option so that I can write my charts up without having to hook up the hard drive and then I hook up the drive to save tracks as WAV files which I then transfer to Logic on a Mac. I'm primarily a Mac user for audio stuff, but I've been using the Windows Audiophile BIAB since I think 2009. Right now I'm using a Lenovo T410 ... it's getting a bit sluggish and as far as I can tell it won't run 64 bit.
thanks
Dave
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Mar 2018
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Dave,
I believe Thinkpads are a better choice all around. Mainly because they are built better than most PC computers, you can easily swap hard drive(s) or memory (if it is not soldered). Parts are very easy to get and relatively not expensive. Thinkpads usually have fantastic warranty, everything is prepaid "overnight" so if there is a defect they will address it the right way.
Take a look at thinkpad P50 / P51S
If I was looking for a laptop that is under manageable budget that would be my choice #1
You can get a used one for around $700-800, which would still have a year or so warranty left.
In any case, I would go with no less than:
i7 7500 (or higher)
8gb RAM (upgradable to at least 16gb)
500GB SSD. SSD Drives are MUCH! faster than spinning ones.
USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2 (Gen2 is important!) / Thunderbolt 3 (at least one port like that)
Best regards,
Misha.
Last edited by Rustyspoon#; 12/12/18 04:24 AM.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28
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Hello Misha, thanks for the suggestions!
Dave
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,348
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+1 on the ThinkPad recommendations. They are built like tanks. I'm still using one on stage that I bought in 2002.
As far as specs are concerned, I think Misha gave better advice than I could.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Sep 2011
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 112
Apprentice
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Hey Dave, Boy have laptops changed over the years. A big thing with CPUs in laptops is that they don't give an accurate read on the power unless you know what to look for. For example, take a i7-8550U, this PHENOMENAL CPU only has a clock speed of 1.8 GHZ, until you see the turbo of 4.0 GHZ. Keep an eye out for any machines running this CPU specifically, as it is a pretty new unit that is in higher end laptops that you can find around your price point. Graphics, do you play PC games? If not, not a concern, the HD graphics in the Intel chips will be more then enough. At home I am still running a i7-4770, I can run modern games (On Low) straight off my CPU internal graphics, I can't imagine what a few years of improvements have done. When looking at Hard Drives, do not dump all your money into a SSD. At this point, for music production, you do not need it. What I recommend, which you will commonly find, is a Laptop with a small SSD (120GB) for your OS, whit a larger HDD for your other programs and content. Also, Hybrid Drives are a really good middle ground. There are defenders of that treat the SSD like miracle workers, but like any piece of hardware, they have their applications, but may not be justified in price. It was 2016 before I moved to SSD, and I STILL only run a 128GB. Take a look around the refurbished models as well. Here is something I think fit's what you are looking for, or at least similar: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834235052&Description=8550u&cm_re=8550u-_-34-235-052-_-Product
C-sharp when you cross the street… or you’re going to B-flat.
Mikke - PG Music
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Mar 2018
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Dont listen to Mikke on SSD. Yes, your production needs SSD! Spinning hard drives are a dying breed. Slow and not efficient. Boot / seek times of SSD are MUCH faster than spinning drives. Hopefully I will never have to buy a spinning drive again. 240 GB Kingston SSD is $30. https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-240GB-Solid-SA400S37-240G/dp/B01N5IB20Q/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1548958757&sr=8-5&keywords=256gb+ssdHybrid drives are not a popular item, as SATA SSDs are becoming a very affordable solution. Thinkpads are the best laptops in terms of: they are built like tanks and very user serviceable. You can swap hard drive in the matter of 5 minutes without special tools. (with standard Phillips screwdriver)
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jul 2000
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An SSD is immensely better to run BIAB on a laptop. It also provides better security for your data than a conventional hard drive.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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I have 2 Thinkpads. Both awesome.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Dec 2007
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Expert
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Expert
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If you intend to do a lot of rendering as with video, go for an i7 processor, and at least 8GB of RAM.
Years ago in XP days i had an AMD Acer, processor blew up on me, only 2 years old.
Usually with computers you get what you pay for; i bought an expensive refurbished Dell Precision, had windows 8, now 8.1, and the wife confiscated it for every day use: gaming, mailing, shopping. Put an extra (old BIAB 1.5 TB drive pulled out of the USB case) in it as it had an extra bay. Never regretted this Dell; superbly stable and fast for over 4 years now.
SSD drives came down quite a bit pricewise, but with windows you'll need at least 100 GB room for the OS only, so if you use a lot of DAW and audio, and BIAB installed internally you will need quite some storage space ... f.i. an extra 1-2 TB drive.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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My suggestion is to run an external SSD for storage of your projects. Song projects with audio files will fill up a drive pretty quickly no matter how big it is.
I follow this protocol. I have a folder on the C drive from convenience. All new projects go in there. At the end of the year, I move that folder to a backup drive and create a new folder in C for the new projects. If I need to work on something from the old folder, I simply go to the drive it's on and get it. That keeps my C drive from filling up with gigs of unused/old/finished project files.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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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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Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
Join the conversation on our forum.
Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll also keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
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Reference this forum post for One-Stop Shopping of our Band-in-a-Box® 2025 Mac Videos — we’ll be adding more videos as they’re released!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac is here, packed with major new features and an incredible collection of available new content! This includes 202 RealTracks (in Sets 449-467), plus 20 bonus Unreleased RealTracks in the 2025 49-PAK. There are new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 4, two new sets of “RealDrums Stems,” XPro Styles PAK 8, Xtra Styles PAK 19, and more!
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If you have any questions, feel free to connect with us directly—we’re here to help!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 Italian Version is Here!
Cari amici
È stata aggerate la versione in Italiano del programma più amato dagli appassionati di musica, il nostro Band-in-a-Box.
Questo è il link alla nuova versione 2025.
Di seguito i link per scaricare il pacchetti di lingua italiana aggiornati per Band-in-a-Box e RealBand, anche per chi avesse già comprato la nuova versione in inglese.
Band-in-a-Box 2025 - Italiano
RealBand 2025 - Italiano
Band-in-a-Box 2025 French Version is Here!
Bonjour à tous,
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 pour Windows est disponible en Français.
Le téléchargement se fait à partir du site PG Music
Pour ceux qui auraient déjà acheté la version 2025 de Band-in-a-Box (et qui donc ont une version anglaise), il est possible de "franciser" cette version avec les patchs suivants:
BIAB 2025 - francisation
RealBand 2025 - francisation
Voilà, enjoy!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 German Version is Here!
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Already using Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 1128 now from our Support Page to enjoy the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Stay up to date—get the latest update now!
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