Quad-Core Laptop

[Deltaphoenix]

Well, I need a new computer just for running music related programs and DAWs, going to take all of the Bloatware off, etc.

I have found a Toshiba for $430.
It has an AMD A6-3420M accelerated Quad-Core Processor
6GB RAM 500GB Hard Drive
15.6" LCD screen.
That should be good enough for running a DAW and some VSTs right?
I could find the same computer (Toshiba Satellite L755D-S5163) cheaper but it would be refurbished and I don't want a refurbished one if I am going this route.
I thought about a refurbished Mac but that is at least $300+ more and I have never used a Mac much, My GF has one and they are cool
Money does matter at this point.

So, have you heard anything good or bad about this processor? I have had a Toshiba computer before, they are alright.
Do you have an awesome source for Computers that you are willing to share?

Thanks Homies.

[sonidero]

Most peeps will say go PC and save some money, but there is always MacMall...

http://www.macmall.com/

[bigchiefbc]

I don't know much about that particular processor, but AMD is usually pretty kick-ass for the money. I'm running a quad-core i7 that I got from Dell for right around 700 and it kicks some major ass, but I was able to justify the extra expense because I use this laptop for work, too.

I've used Macs a ton, and while they are cool and all, they are almost NEVER worth the money. The mark-up is truly insane.

[Deltaphoenix]

Yeah I would like one of those Quad-Core i7s. I saw some HP ones on eBay for $650 buy it now and a best offer.
I am willing to settle for something that lasts 3 years. I can always upgrade the RAM to 8GB.
I just wonder if I will regret getting I.5 GHZ vs 2.4 or so GHZ.
I do plan to use this computer to at the very least run NI Maschine in a live setting, possible Ableton Live 8 Suite as well. Massive or Reaktor could rear their heads as well as some VSTs.

I can't even get a dual-core Macbook air for $650 (they are $850)

$650 is my absolute max, but it would have to really have advantages for what I plan to do.

I mean $430 plus the cost of some RAM, if it will last 2-3 years, doing what I want, will sell me.
If the processor speed difference REALLY affects the uasability of the computer for running the prior mentioned programs, then I will find a way to scrape the money together.

[Deltaphoenix]

Anymore help out there?
I guess my main concern is processor speed.

[MSUsousaphone]

Yeah......I'm thinking about taking the laptop leap instead of pedals....so more of just sound processing than recording or sound scaping....and nothing else would go on the comp. I'm basically thinking of phasing out most of my board (excpet dirt) with a laptop.....

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

i'm not a computer expert by any means, soo FWIW i've heard RAM is more important than processor speed.

[Schlatte]

Well, in my experience AMDs tend to run hotter that Intels... I have a laptop with an AMD Turion CPU, 2x 2Ghz and it gets hot as fuck... friends of mine had similar experiences with their AMD CPUs...
I wouldn't want my PC to shut down because of overheating... but it is possible... maybe an outdoor gig... in the sun maybe?

[behndy]

yeah, i stay away from AMD's because i had a bad run of three ones that had issues with the firewire chipset i was using and overheating. but that was like 8 years ago.

i found a 15" Toshiba that had a quad core Intel chip, i think right around 1.7ghz, and it runs fine with Kontakt and Massive open. but i'm running them as stand-alone's instead of hosted. i need to upgrade the RAM because the audio dropped out for a fraction of a second the other day. only has happened once, don't want to deal with that shit live.

but yeah. from what i understand Moar RAM > Moar Processor.

[behndy]

oh jia. also, Best Buy (at least around here) does 15 days return with no restocking fee. so you could just buy it, strip it, run it hard for a few days and try to make the fucker glitch to see if it'll work out for you? that's what i did with ours.

[Deltaphoenix]

That sounds like a solid idea.

[MSUsousaphone]

From everything I'm hearing, the latency issue is a thing of the past....I dunno....or was the sound card you guys were using not very good? Did you use an external audio interface?

I mean, I value the people on this forum's opinions. You guys have helped me create one insanely awesome pedal board. So I'm not dismissing anything at all...and I'm not sold on the laptop route, either. Just gathering all the information. If I sold my entire pedal board at the conservative going used rate for all the individual pieces, it could be $2,500+....seems like I could get an INSANELY fast computer and audio interface with that and still keep my dirt pedals.

[Derelict78]

From everything I'm hearing, the latency issue is a thing of the past....I dunno....or was the sound card you guys were using not very good? Did you use an external audio interface?

I run logic, live and a butt load of plugins all at the same time and I NEVER have latency issues. I also use an M-audio firewire solo. Oh im running a mac 3.06GHz i3 4 GB

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

From everything I'm hearing, the latency issue is a thing of the past....I dunno....or was the sound card you guys were using not very good? Did you use an external audio interface?

I run logic, live and a butt load of plugins all at the same time and I NEVER have latency issues. I also use an M-audio firewire solo. Oh im running a mac 3.06GHz i3 4 GB

yea you should only notice latency if your buffer settings or whatevz are set wrong...or if youuu slam your computer superhard with more than it can handle, then it might start freakingout. but newer computers are soo good that you will almost never notice this unless you intentionally do it (or are using like 200 heavy plugints at the same time).

on my old pc, i used to love when ableton started freaking out, and i relaly wanted to figure out a way to record it

[behndy]

to me it falls into two different categories - sounds being produced entirey by the computer, sounds being sent to the computer to be processed then played back.

so yeah, i haven't had latency issues in forevers (except for a pc i just could NOT get to work with firewire. when i uswed a usb interface it worked fine.) with the playing a midi keyboard and having a soft synth or sampler output the audio. but sending vocals (i haven't tried it with bass for awhile) and having the pc software apply effects THEN having the signal come out as audio..... THAT i've had pronblems with. every direction the audio path has to travel is inherently going to add some amount of latency between the sound being mainpulated/produced and being sent out as a listenable format. comuters are so fast that reading MIDI data and sending put audio is pretty much seamless unless ypu're doing something weird, but processing audio - having an audio signal come in, be analyzed, converted from analog to digital, be processed, converted from digital to analog, sent back out to a speaker.... that's where i've had problems before. and it kinda sunds like that's what y'all were talking about? replacing a pedalboard with a laptop as your effects section?

but it could be me. i could have had shtuff set up all goofy like.