What laptop computer to buy?

[Jay Barracato]

Back in May my laptop died and since it was really at the end of it's processing life compared to current standards, i decided not to try to repair it. I have been without a laptop since then. My processing needs have also changed since that machine was purchased as that machine (a high processing power Gateway in it's day) was for working on my doctorate and processing large blocks of data in programs like SPSS. Now my needs for a show computer are basically controlling a Navigator system processor by USB and running Smaart.

We have had several threads about show computers since then that I have followed closely, but I did not see the cost of most recommended machines matching my needs, and I wasn't sure the upgrade cycle really justified spending that much. So I ended up purchasing a $279 Gateway with full windows 7, 2 Mb memory and the old standby Celeron processor. A little system cleaning and I can keep both the Navigator and Smaart running during a show at less than 1/2 the memory, even if the Windows 7 is a memory hog. Yesterday, during the show SMAART ran seamlessly for about 7 hours straight in the Spectrograph mode with one input from a room mic and the other input off of the cue bus of the console.

Post show, the limitation on surfing the web is the data rate of my droid with verizon but Netflix runs fine and I can easily read and respond to the boards. Not sure what else I would need, despite the salesman attempt to upsell me into a machine that was about 5 times as expensive.

Actually at $279 a piece, I could probably buy a machine to run each program I might need, or since that price is cheaper than most com stations or radios, use them for show com.

 

[gordon mcgregor]

Re: What laptop computer to buy?

There is a company here who have 3 or 4 small low price computers all of which run desk show control with enough performance for smaart and a kind of windows messaging system they use to "talk" from stage to FOH during theatre shows.
I also know of others including a netbook with a dry hire to run desk or controller software and they all seem to run fine especially after some clearing out of the junk that is installed from new.

 

[John B. Miller]

Re: What laptop computer to buy?

Computers these days are WAY more powerful than most people need them to be. My mother-in-law just spent $1500 on a Macbook Pro to do her email, internet browsing, and word processing...(sigh). I offered to give her an old laptop for FREE that I have around here that works just fine. Would I edit video on it? No, but for her needs, it's perfect. My wife's sister took her shopping to "look at" some computers, and they were summarily talked into buying the Macbook by the salesman. Arghh!!

If you want to record a bunch of tracks of audio or do photo and video crunching, get a fast computer, otherwise save your money.

What I've heard from friends in the computer biz is that the entry-level laptops, while cheap, are also more prone to failures throughout their lives, and since they usually come with maybe a 90-day warranty, ya takes yer chances. For $279 though...it's almost disposable, which is good and bad. In many cases, their advice has been to buy a 2-3 year old business-grade machine off a lease, which is what I have done a couple of times now and have been very happy.

I have a six year old laptop that runs smaart all day long. It's sure not as cool as a new Macbook, but I'd rather take the $1500 and save it for retirement. Just me...

j

 

[Greg Cameron]

Re: What laptop computer to buy?

My wife's sister took her shopping to "look at" some computers, and they were summarily talked into buying the Macbook by the salesman. Arghh!!

See John, that's the thing about Macs. They cater to more than just being a computer. People buy them because they're elegant machines and they offer a more rewarding 'customer experience' if you will. Sure, if all you care about is utilitarian function, you can buy any old thing and get the job done. But the Macs are easier to use out of the box for average & novice users. They also look and feel better than most machines out there even if you're running Windows on them. And for some people, it does matter. Yes, you pay a premium for them. But for some, it's worth the extra cost. So don't be too down on your in-laws. My mom was just visiting this past weekend and was using my Macbook Pro. She wants one now too.

Greg

 

[John B. Miller]

Re: What laptop computer to buy?

See John, that's the thing about Macs. They cater to more than just being a computer. People buy them because they're elegant machines and they offer a more rewarding 'customer experience' if you will. Sure, if all you care about is utilitarian function, you can buy any old thing and get the job done. But the Macs are easier to use out of the box for average & novice users. They also look and feel better than most machines out there even if you're running Windows on them. And for some people, it does matter. Yes, you pay a premium for them. But for some, it's worth the extra cost. So don't be too down on your in-laws. My mom was just visiting this past weekend and was using my Macbook Pro. She wants one now too.<BR><BR>Greg

Fair enough, Greg. Even if I grant you that Macs have some kind of "je ne sais quois" (which I'm not sure they do beyond Apple's astute marketing), my mum-in-law could have bought a 3 year old Macbook with a current OS for a third of the cost and still retained the mystical touchy-feely Mac experience.

I suppose I'm just fed up with our consumer culture that constantly tells us we need the latest and greatest, and if we don't have it, we're losers. Whether you fancy a PC or a Mac, get one that does what you need it to do, and spend accordingly. My mother-in-law isn't exactly made of money, and she was talked into the new machine, plain and simple.

Too many folks wear their tech toys like fashion, and I guess that's fine if you have the money. It seems awfully wasteful to me to disregard perfectly good gear because it's a couple years old and doesn't have the "aluminum unibody construction". Sheesh.

Some of the people I work with buy new cell phones every year (and sometimes TWICE a year!) and throw their "old" perfectly good ones in a drawer to rot, all in the name of "I've just got to be the coolest." Then they complain that their credit cards are always max'd out and they can't get ahead.

Sorry...I got a little off topic.

j

 

[Adam Whetham]

Re: What laptop computer to buy?

I'm with you Jay, My biggest thing for my newest laptop needs was that I wanted a laptop with a dedicated video card so I could play a few games while on the road (Civilization, Age of Empires, Elder Scrolls series) I ended up finding a basic Asus for 480 bucks. My other laptops I have for my sound stuff are an old LE1600 and a Samsung NC10 netbook which works great.

I enjoy the high end hardware, and back in the day I spent way to much money on fancy laptops and desktop computer parts. but now days. for the price of my mom's Macbook Pro or my Friends "Gaming" Asus laptop I can buy 3 of mine. Thats one for home, one for the road, and one for the workbench downstairs.

 

[TJ Cornish]

Re: What laptop computer to buy?

Fair enough, Greg. Even if I grant you that Macs have some kind of "je ne sais quois" (which I'm not sure they do beyond Apple's astute marketing), my mum-in-law could have bought a 3 year old Macbook with a current OS for a third of the cost and still retained the mystical touchy-feely Mac experience.

I suppose I'm just fed up with our consumer culture that constantly tells us we need the latest and greatest, and if we don't have it, we're losers. Whether you fancy a PC or a Mac, get one that does what you need it to do, and spend accordingly. My mother-in-law isn't exactly made of money, and she was talked into the new machine, plain and simple.

Too many folks wear their tech toys like fashion, and I guess that's fine if you have the money. It seems awfully wasteful to me to disregard perfectly good gear because it's a couple years old and doesn't have the "aluminum unibody construction". Sheesh.

Some of the people I work with buy new cell phones every year (and sometimes TWICE a year!) and throw their "old" perfectly good ones in a drawer to rot, all in the name of "I've just got to be the coolest." Then they complain that their credit cards are always max'd out and they can't get ahead.

Sorry...I got a little off topic.

j

LOSER!! (just kidding )

The great thing about the free market is everybody gets to be right. Those that value what the higher-end things bring - whether PA gear, cars, computers, homes, etc., can save up to buy them, and those that don't value those things or can't afford them have other choices, plus the ability to call the other group lavish, or wasteful, etc. Those that buy what they can't afford have a problem that has nothing to do with Apple.

I have made virtually every dollar of my life supporting PCs and Microsoft software. I use a Mac as my main computer at home, and will spend probably $3500 on another one in 2012, as it's worth it to me.

Buy what you like and be happy.

 

[[waldo] Casey Williams]

Re: What laptop computer to buy?

My mother-in-law just spent $1500 on a Macbook Pro to do her email, internet browsing, and word processing...

I call this the SUV mentality. (Maybe salespeople have a more refined term.)

I once had to haul skis or a sack of concrete, therefore I need an SUV. I once had to edit a photo, or my computer once ran out of memory, therefore I need a macbook pro. I once had a dozen houseguests, therefore I need a mcMansion.

As TJ says, everybody gets to be right in the free market. I'm much happier owning a prius (which I have once hauled a load of 16' joists in) and a 12" macbook (which I sometimes edit video on). What's the rule-of-thumb we have? Own enough gear to cover 80% of your gigs, and cross-rent for the 20% that are bigger? The general populace hasn't heard of that rule.

-w

 

[Gene Hardage]

Re: What laptop computer to buy?

I like my new MacbookPro and even though I could get Windows and use bootcamp for Crown's System Architect or Band Manager I just couldn't stand that idea for a variety of reasons. Too bad Crown/Harmon won't write programs that go both ways. :evil:

Now I have a few of the new Crown Xti 2 series and want to use a laptop to make a few custom presets. I just happen to have an older Toshiba PC laptop with Windows XP or something on it but it's not a dual processor and it's brain is not the recommended size to fire up the latest System Architect 3. (It would seem that they have not yet updated Band Manager to talk to the new series 2 Crown Xti's even though they are the only amp being made and sold now?!?! wasupwidat?) So I took a chance because the little peabrained processor is almost big enough even though it's not a dual processor. I downloaded the new System Architect 3 and IT WORKED! Now if I can just limp this thing along just long enough to program a bunch of presets I can put off buying a new PC type laptop - hooray!