PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production Laptop recommendations?

So, I'm working with a Satellite C675 Windows laptop, upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10. With the stimulus money, I'm considering getting a more dedicated laptop to run BIAB/RealBand, along with Finale, possibly AVS Video software. Currently I've got Band-in-a-Box and RealBand 2019 Full (Windows) on the external drive.

What should I be looking at? Currently have Band-in-a-Box UltraPAK Upgrade with RealBand. I teach, so I'd like to be able to create good-sounding backing tracks for lessons as well as possibly for use in a live duo situation. Currently not using out outboard gear, would like to keep that to a minimum.

I needed a new laptop that I use for live shows, I bought an Acer 2 in 1. I thought a tablet might be handy however I never use it in tablet mode. What it does have is a i7 with 8G memory and 512G SSD. I only use this device to play backing tracks plus as my amp using TH3 as the basis for my guitar amp. I connect via a Presonus 24C USB audio interface. I also have a FCB1010 MIDI foot controller hooked up to this to control the amp sim. As well as that Songbook to display my songs and control the show. What I have is overkill but for the little extra it is worth it.

I’m not plugging the Acer but I would say go for more than you need. (You will use it)

Tony

budget?

Well, I'm thinking of using my stimulus check, so maybe $600-800, with a little left over for peripherals, such as an interface, or maybe some suggested soft synths?

Used my stimulus payment ($750 AU) to upgrade from a Celeron CPU 64g storage 4 g ram to an Asus Zen Core i5 8 g ram and 256g ssd. Running biab ultrapak from 256gb micro SD card in slot provided.
Real styles with all real tracks now load and ready to play in a couple of seconds. Took up to a minute on previous computer.

This laptop minimum recommended for processing 4k video by my video software supplier.

Garth

The fact of the matter is that practically any decent recent laptop will do a great job for you. Just spend as much as you need but there's no need to buy the latest and the greatest. Unless you're setting up a pro studio, any good off the shelf lappy will do the job just fine.

I actually did a similar thing to what you're considering. When I decided to get back into digital recording after OS upgrades killed my first studio, I bought a nice laptop, an interface, and speakers to get set up right. That was back in the day when even the cheapest laptops were not cheap. BTW, that laptop runs Windows ME and is still totally functional and gets used on occasion. I later built a desktop that I still use as my main DAW daily.

I'd seriously look into getting a nicer USB external musical interface and stop trying to use the built in sound card on the laptop. The realtec cards are not designed to do what we do. Spend a couple hundred dollars on a nice Presonus or Focusrite and do it right. You need a card that runs native ASIO, has a minimum of 2 inputs with low and high impedance jacks, phantom power, and the outputs you need.

Have fun.

Also, if you are serious about getting into softsynths then RAM is an important feature. I would suggest you get 16 gigs of RAM.

But if you are not going to get into softsynths then 8 gigs of RAM is plenty.

A third thing to thing about is near field monitors. A good computer, an audio interface, and near field monitors are a necessity for recording and playing music IMHO.

I always provide the same answer when asked about what computer someone should buy. Buy more than you think you need in processor, memory, storage etc. Buy as much as you can get for what you are willing to spend. Several good ideas already posted about external interfaces etc.

I agree with etcjoe on processor and ram.

You may consider skipping the touch screen capability. That might add $100 to the price.

I purchased a Dell XPS I use for BIAB when I travel. It has a touch screen.
First thing I did was hook it up to a bigger monitor.
BIAB just begs something larger than a small laptop screen.

The mixed metaphors (touch screen on one/ no touch on the other) were both confusing and annoying.
Turns out I almost never use the touch on the xps.
YMMV.

Anyway, might give you enough extra to buy more RAM or a faster multi-core.

I LOVE REFURBS. but get a warranty.
enter into google the following.
"intel i5/i7 ssd 8/16 gigs ram REFURBISHED".

Yes sir, I'm all about those too, more specifically with Dell. I stick with Intel chips too. A weak computer with a weak AMD processor is a bad combo as it gets older and out of spec.

This is a good time to do the research. We find no shortage of people eager to relieve us of the stimulus check. It's not mad money. I say it is a good time because there are tech suppliers willing to devote more time to pre sales than during the usual hectic pace. Lucky for you, one of the best is not so far away. No, i have no connection.
https://www.microcenter.com/site/stores/cambridge.aspx
Six applications were mentioned: BiaB, lessons, performance, personal duet recording, and some video, later. Maybe have the following window open when talking to tech support:
https://www.microcenter.com/site/stores/cambridge.aspx
My thought is that you have a system designed and build it as budget permits, keeping the big picture in mind. Also, laptops aren't seen so much in live performances lately. One reason is that the environments are so unpredictable. Maybe you can look again at your projected application list.
Two last things: 1) you want to talk to someone who is up to date on audio visual compression advances. Thanks to You Tube and Soundcloud, compression and straming are hot topics with big $$ on the line. Not your father's MP3 or MP4.
2) note the increased use of external hard drives, HDD, such as Passport and Seagate. I'm no expert, but check me on this with someone who is, regarding compression and storage.
Externals can be slow. Suggesting to mention this to the pre-sales.
---------------
Finally, look at what Getac is doing. For what it is worth.
https://www.bobjohnson.com/getac-laptops/

For my little input on this, after reading some of the above comments ..
RAM is not to be discounted. The more RAM you have, the more efficient your processor can be under heavier loads (although you can go into overkill on this just like you can on any of the parts).

Once a system has to start using the temp hard drive storage (when the RAM gets full), it slows down a lot ..
In my experience a so-so processor with enough RAM will outperform a better processor with less RAM once that temp hard drive storage/swapping starts getting invoked too often due to lack of RAM.
Once the RAM starts needing that hard drive temp file too often things can start bogging down.

On my newest system, W10 running just the OS and a browser to post this, takes up about 4 gig of RAM.
In other words, I think I'd get 16 gig RAM if you can swing it .. 32 may be overkill, but 8 may be limiting in the future.
just my thoughts, take with 2 grains of salt if needed

These are all good answers and very helpful. I like the idea of the Asus Zen Core(is that i5 or 15?), although I would maybe consider upind the RAM, a la Rharv's recommendation. Of course, I'm not sure if upping the RAM is possible, but that's another question that I can address offline.

So, I'm thinking about my applications of the software. Currently, I'm doing backing tracks for lessons, and I'm getting good used out of what I have now, on this laptop that I'm typing this on now. I'm using BIAB and Real Band from the external drive presented by PG Music(actually, I backed that up and I'm using the back-up). I'm not having any issue with speed, as I'm not using it live. I'm not using BIAB or Real Band live, just creating sound files of the sequences. I'm considering recording some of my vocals, guitar, and/or bass parts into Real Band for demos in order to hustle band positions and auditions, maybe demos for arrangements in a band situation. I'm working out the kinks of using a Behringer interface to get these things to record in Real Band. I guess the two unknowns, or little knowns, would be what I may want to do for the impending duo situation, and outside of BIAB, I may want to be able to do some video for online lessons and/or band demos. I'm not even sure if it needs to be HD vid. I've been editing video on this machine with AVS software pretty well for lessons and stuff.

I've got a singer who I used to work with, and she now wants to do some duo work. Some of the things she'd like to do would be "Ain't Nobody" by Chaka Kahn, other funk and blues material that we both like. Some of this seems like it's going to be pretty challenging to do with one guitar and two vocalists. Back in the day, we worked together in another keyboardist's sequenced band. I don't have access to that guy any more, and as I'm pretty good with arranging, I'm considering running sequences off of this impending laptop. Is this a good use of my resources, or should I just create the backing tracks in Real Band and save them as soundfiles, playing/singing with the soundfiles live? I know that the original reason to do sequences was to be able to mix the different instruments live for different rooms, and recordings weren't quite as portable. Is it still worth playing live with a sequence, or are recordings the way to go?

That said, would I be looking at soft synths? I'd like to not be filling my house up with external hardware, such as keyboards and hard synths. I'm not a keyboard player, and am more of a step-edit kind of guy(I'm a guitar player).

I throw myself at the mercy of the court. What should I be considering? I like the idea of the Asus coming in between $600-700. Looking at how the world is going with the virus, I don't know that I want to go much more than that, and would prefer less. Or am I trying to spread things too thin?

What does everyone think about the Chromebooks?

As far as I know Chromebooks only run Chrome OS.
You probably don't want that.

BIAB won't run on it.
Not sure any DAWS run on it.

I'll bet Chrome runs real well on it.

I won one at a raffle.

I played with it for a while. It is somewhere in the house. Not sure where.

...Deb

Yeah, it's pretty much just for web browsing.....

Hardware-wise, to run BIAB, first get the fastest CPU you can afford.

Next, get enough RAM although it's hard to go wrong here anymore. 8 GB is plenty unless you work with a lit of software synths.

Then get a fast disk, SSD if possible.

Don't worry about graphics capability or speed.

What's the difference between the Focusrite and the Behringer UM2? What makes the higher price worth it?

A couple things I notice
-The dials on the Focusrite input adjustment have a ring that lights different colors for different level input signal .. kind of a simple (but effective) input meter that the UM2 does not have on the front of it.
-192 kHz vs 48 kHz
-The Focusrite 2nd input has a Line/Instrument switch (for plugging guitar in directly, or plugging it in via FX/etc (different level of input signals)
-IMO a better build quality, especially on the dials.

That said the UM2's first input can be Line or XLR .. the basic Focusrite (SOLO) unit appears to be XLR only on that input.
So stereo signal connection may be easier to accomplish on UM2.

If you were comparing UM2 to the 2i2 (and not the SOLO) then the stereo connection mentioned above does not apply at all.
2i2 link
$99
The 2i2 is better in many more ways

Well, I do have stereo outputs on my Line 6 XTLive. Might be cool do do some stereo recording.

Yeah, I don't think I could get by with a single input device.
I would regret that decision.

The 2i2 is a nice unit. I have one for 'in the field' recording use.
Grab it and go type stuff.

I have Behringer preamps and Focusrite preamps.. I wouldn't call the Behringer ones noisy or anything (they work fine), but the Focusrite preamps are cleaner to me. I use them whenever possible.

Another caveat/tradeoff is the Behringer headphone out is louder then the Focusrite headphone out, which simply means I have to turn the headphone dial up more on the Focusrite.

Funny part - my main system sends two of the Focusrite outs to a Behringer headphone amp so I can have multiple sets of headphones. <grin>
I have nothing against either brand, just my opinion on quality.

Funkifized, going back to your "do I need softsynths" question, are you primarily using RealTracks or MIDI? If Realtracks, then softsynths won't help, but they definitely will if you need better quality sounds from MIDI arrangements.

I'm using Real Tracks, but I would like to write parts that sound decent. Can't get a good guitar groove the way I like it or horn parts that I could chart with what comes with BIAB. Writing my own bassline comes to mind, or arranging unison lines between guitar and bass(or anything, really). Can't arrange tunes by The Meters with no unisons between guitar and bass, or Tower Of Power horn parts with decent sounding unison lines.

This thread is nearly five years old. Too much has changed.

While any current Mac or Windows laptop from anyone can run BIAB without breaking a sweat, this is not true for many other types of applications we might run.

Those of us who deal with AV and AI find that only the most powerful computers we can buy will do the job in a reasonable time period. My Mac Studio M2 Ultra renders AV ok—I’m not crunching animation files. A 2 hour video with multiple edits and special effects might take 8–15 minutes to render and perhaps another 10 minutes to export. Considering that my 2010 iMac would take a week to render that same file, this is pretty good and what I’ve come to expect.

Recently, I picked up some fairly sophisticated AI tools. Holy cow! Having done stem splitting in the past, I hadn’t really considered how long that simple task took—should’ve paid attention. I was surprised how much horsepower is required to render some of those files. A 4 minute project I was working on a few days ago in ACE Studio AI took 15 minutes to render and nearly 45 minutes as four tracks. Yikes! I may have to buy the new Mac Pro rumored to ship in a few months just to keep up.

Yes, it's the same 'rinse and repeat' scenario. The software pushes the hardware limits, and when the hardware catches up, the software pushes the hardware limits....

Ain't that always the truth! That's why I'm glad BB is "lightweight" so to speak, and will happily run on a decade-old machine.

Knowing that one user is still running macOS 10.6, that means any Intel based Mac can run BIAB. Some are 19 years old.

Make that two - though I'm using a 2010 Mac for that