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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28
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OP
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28 |
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
Posts: 6,967
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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 03:24 AM.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28
Enthusiast
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OP
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28 |
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: 6,447
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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
Posts: 28
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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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Apprentice
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Posts: 112 |
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
Posts: 6,967
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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
Posts: 27,352
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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; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: May 2003
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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
Posts: 1,796
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,796 |
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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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.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Video: New User Interface (GUI)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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