Thanks again for all your excellent opinions.

SSD is a definite requirement on my new computers.

My on-stage computers will have minimal software on them. I'll buy from Lenovo directly, and have them set up without bloatware. Nothing will be left on the computer that isn't essential for the OS and tasks they are required to do. That includes networking.

Besides, when I take them out of the case and bring them into my office, a flash drive is as easy as hooking up an Ethernet cable.

After I set them up, I will shut down the WiFi and they will never go on the Internet again. They will be dedicated to doing nothing by playing those 3 file types.

I could be wrong, but I feel the less the computer has to do, the more reliable it will be, and the less prone to a crash. That might by why my 2002 ThinkPad running XP still works today, and the only time it failed was when the CMOS battery died. That was a $5 replacement.

But it's slow by today's standards, the case is very scuffed up, the display is old tech - not as bright as today's tech, the spinning HD takes a while to boot up, and it doesn't have a backlit keyboard. The identical pair I used to have on stage met its death when I dropped it. It still works, but the hinge broke and it was already over 10 years old, so the part wasn't made anymore.

Hopefully the new computers will give me this much service.

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Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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