Mac to PC switch and which labtop to buy for best performanc

Daduk · Post by **Daduk** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:29 pm

Yes,

I just sold my G5(desktop) and Logic!!

It is quitte radical but that's how I am. I realise that I am going to miss OSX and it's stability but selling now generates the money I need to buy a decent and fast labtop for my future "live" performances.

What I want is a good looking pc (sony vaio or something) with the best parts possible for music making. It wil not become an internet pc.

Thanks to my Mac relation of the last two years I am out of the pc world for a while and tha's why I ask you guys for help.

So what I want is:

* speed (harddrive and ram etc)
* stability
* good looking
* does not matter which operating system as long as its stable

Maybe Apple solves my problem in januari by releasing a new Powerbook on Intel but this might also be a bit risky as it will be the first generation...

questions questions..

Anyone who has a clear vison on this?

Thanks.

Atomikat · Post by **Atomikat** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:38 pm

Daduk wrote: So what I want is:

* speed (harddrive and ram etc)
* stability
* good looking
* does not matter which operating system as long as its stable

Stable...stable,hmmm...Why don't you jus get a powerbook?

quandry · Post by **quandry** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:40 pm

many people on this forum have had great sucess with toshiba laptops, myself included. Can't say that I've ever read anything negative about toshiba laptops here or elsewhere reguarding music. I have read a few negative things abouts sonys, though I can't recall what other than a somewhat flimsly/delicate build. Search these forums for more info on either.

I know that there's more viruses on the pc platform than on mac, and of course it is safer to keep your computer off the net than on, but I personally think the whole "music only" thing is a bit excessive. I've been constantly on the net for three years, I run all sorts of graphics and CAD programs for work and grad school on my toshiba, use internet explorer all day long, etc. and have had zero problems. ymmv, and surely it is technically safer to not be on the net, and "technically" smartest to just have music apps on your music box, but I'm here to say it isn't necessary, and that when you are working on a project and want to come to these forums to ask a question (or post a bug about 5), or email a friend, or whatever, it sure is nice to not have to go to another computer, or wait til you are at work just to get on the internet. just my 2 cents. toshiba.

ryan

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:47 pm

The machine I am on is an Asus, it is pretty sturdy although not up to powerbook build. It is on the net (yep, you guessed) with no virus/rootkit problems in the year+ I have had it. Although I tend to know what I am looking for, so that helps.

it cost me £1k a year ago with an echo indigoDJ bundled and the whole thing 'set up for music'. That means its now obsolete of course.

It scored at 26% cpu on the Live 5 performance test, which is pretty good.

I have an idea that Asus laptops are slightly more difficult to get hold of in north america ?

If I was you I would wait until January just to see what Mr Jobbs anounces, there just might be a powerbook in early Feb. I believe the Yonah Powerbooks will run Live 5 about as good as the machine I am on (Live has no Altivec to translate) You would then keep your favoured OS.

worth considering it if you can wait that long.

Daduk · Post by **Daduk** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:56 pm

Fantastic and usable responses! Thanks for that guys.

I am going to check the Toshibas immediateley, I did not know tham untill now.

I think it will be wise to wait to what Apple is going to do so I need to keep the patience..

Angstrom, where is the performance test you are talking about?

Daduk

macdeath · Post by **macdeath** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:57 pm

you can make a very stable pc by using intel chipset with intel processor instead that a lot of others like amd because of higher floating point calculation. i personally dont agree because i dont like to use floating point instead of fixed point in audio applications (specially at recording)...

I DONT THINK BY ANY MEANS THAT EVEN IF YOU OPTIMIZE IT FOR AUDIO THAT YOU COULD GET BETTER PERFORMANCE FROM A G5 DUALCORE...
I DONT READ ALOT OF TESTS BUT I AHVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO CHANGED INTO MAC

WHAT THEY SAY????

"WHEN YOU GO MAC YOU NEVER GO BACK!!!"

PS:If you want a laptop for live performance you wiil only go to a powerbook...
except if the sound of cpu overloads is a part of your music...

quandry · Post by **quandry** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:07 pm

macdeath wrote:you can make a very stable pc by using intel chipset with intel processor instead that a lot of others like amd because of higher floating point calculation. i personally dont agree because i dont like to use floating point instead of fixed point in audio applications (specially at recording)...

I DONT THINK BY ANY MEANS THAT EVEN IF YOU OPTIMIZE IT FOR AUDIO THAT YOU COULD GET BETTER PERFORMANCE FROM A G5 DUALCORE...
I DONT READ ALOT OF TESTS BUT I AHVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO CHANGED INTO MAC

WHAT THEY SAY????

"WHEN YOU GO MAC YOU NEVER GO BACK!!!"

PS:If you want a laptop for live performance you wiil only go to a powerbook...
except if the sound of cpu overloads is a part of your music...

bullshit. read the peformance test threads. read post BY ABLETON DEVELOPERS AND CODERS, where they explicitly say (and the tests prove) that Live runs WAY smoother on pcs--i.e. more tracks and more effects--this is a proven and accepted fact, even by mac users. Not trying to start a flame war here, but you don't really know what you are talking about, and the ableton coders do. Many people on these forums (myself included) perform regularly with pc laptops, and most with zero problems. And don't think there macs don't eff up on stage--I can gladly point you to long forum threads about the mac drop-out bug and other problems people have had with macs on stage. And your G5 comment is also wrong--do yourself a favor and read the performance thread again--a decently specced pc laptop with a gig of RAM can rival the most pimped out G5. This thread is about helping Daduk find a pc laptop, not slamming his choice to go pc and spouting the typical mac-loving steve-jobs-I-want-your-baby babble--do some research, speak the truth, don't just spout forth at the mouth about how great macs are without having some facts.

amo · Post by **amo** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:14 pm

Hi,

If you go for a laptop, I'd say I'm very happy with my IBM R51. one year and a half old, and still a very powerfull beast...
Best,
amo

tim-e · Post by **tim-e** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:50 pm

I have one PC laptop - it's a Toshiba, and is excellent.

subterFUSE · Post by **subterFUSE** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:52 pm

a decently specced pc laptop with a gig of RAM can rival the most pimped out G5

Minor Correction: A poorly spec'd PC laptop will rival a G5 desktop within Ableton.

A decently spec'd PC will absolutely run circles around it.

Just the facts.

Mike Goodwin · Post by **Mike Goodwin** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:16 pm

macdeath wrote:I DONT READ ALOT OF TESTS BUT I AHVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO CHANGED INTO MAC

WHAT THEY SAY????

"WHEN YOU GO MAC YOU NEVER GO BACK!!!"

PS:If you want a laptop for live performance you wiil only go to a powerbook...
except if the sound of cpu overloads is a part of your music...

Total bullshit

I have a dual G5 sitting right beside my AMD XP computer. Guess what? I run live on the PC and dont even bother with it on the mac. Why? because my PC is WAY FASTER than the mac. So sick of mac folks talking crap. Also in the last year I have had at least as many problems with my mac as with my pc. So again I went out and spent $3000 bucks on a mac and it has proven to be little if any more stable than my pc. Biggest difference is that on the pc programs will crash from time time and on the mac they just dissapear! Who cares. I am typing this on my mac and I love my mac but my next computer is going to be a pc.

as for laptops here is another vote for the toshiba's

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:44 pm

macdeath wrote:you can make a very stable pc by using intel chipset with intel processor instead that a lot of others like amd because of higher floating point calculation. i personally dont agree because i dont like to use floating point instead of fixed point in audio applications (specially at recording)...

AHHH HA HAAAA HAAAAA HAAA, OMFG !

yeah, real pros never use 'floating point' calculations, they use 'fixed point' whatever the fuck that is!

HHAA HA AH AHAHAH HAHAAAA , really what a pro!

On top of a basic lack of comprehension on what a floating point number might be, this fool obviously is unfamiliar with the

>>>Live 5 performance test <<<

smutek · Post by **smutek** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 5:27 pm

quandry wrote:
macdeath wrote: I DONT THINK BY ANY MEANS THAT EVEN IF YOU OPTIMIZE IT FOR AUDIO THAT YOU COULD GET BETTER PERFORMANCE FROM A G5 DUALCORE...
I DONT READ ALOT OF TESTS BUT I AHVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO CHANGED INTO MAC

WHAT THEY SAY????

"WHEN YOU GO MAC YOU NEVER GO BACK!!!"

PS:If you want a laptop for live performance you wiil only go to a powerbook...
except if the sound of cpu overloads is a part of your music...
bullshit. read the peformance test threads. read post BY ABLETON DEVELOPERS AND CODERS, where they explicitly say (and the tests prove) that Live runs WAY smoother on pcs--i.e. more tracks and more effects--this is a proven and accepted fact, even by mac users.....do some research, speak the truth, don't just spout forth at the mouth about how great macs are without having some facts.

Yeah, I own three macs, and I have to say I totally agre with you Quandry. thats the kind of post that makes people think all Mac users are dicks.

I don't ever see myself buying a windows computer, but if I did I would prbably look at the Toshibas.

drush · Post by **drush** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 5:44 pm

smutek wrote:
quandry wrote:
macdeath wrote: I DONT THINK BY ANY MEANS THAT EVEN IF YOU OPTIMIZE IT FOR AUDIO THAT YOU COULD GET BETTER PERFORMANCE FROM A G5 DUALCORE...
I DONT READ ALOT OF TESTS BUT I AHVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO CHANGED INTO MAC

WHAT THEY SAY????

"WHEN YOU GO MAC YOU NEVER GO BACK!!!"

PS:If you want a laptop for live performance you wiil only go to a powerbook...
except if the sound of cpu overloads is a part of your music...
bullshit. read the peformance test threads. read post BY ABLETON DEVELOPERS AND CODERS, where they explicitly say (and the tests prove) that Live runs WAY smoother on pcs--i.e. more tracks and more effects--this is a proven and accepted fact, even by mac users.....do some research, speak the truth, don't just spout forth at the mouth about how great macs are without having some facts.
Yeah, I own three macs, and I have to say I totally agre with you Quandry. thats the kind of post that makes people think all Mac users are dicks.

I don't ever see myself buying a windows computer, but if I did I would prbably look at the Toshibas.

i also own 3 macs (and a PC). yep, what quandry said is absolutely right. it runs better on the PC for now, no question about it.

i think the mistake mac owners often make (besides hubris) is confusing the fact that Live will run respectably and fully usefully on a mac... but that regardless, currently it runs *that much* better on a PC. it's just that many/most of us cannot suffer through Winbloze for that added performance. and it's really not hard to work around if and when you bump your head on the mac ceiling.

anyway, this guy has ALREADY SOLD his mac and is going to buy a PC lappy. so Daduk, the real answer to your original question:

1. CENTRINO. or AMD64. *NOT* P4 or Celeron.
2. As much RAM as you can afford.
3. At least a 5400rpm internal drive. If you can get a 7200, go for it.

done.

after that it's just pick a brand. i've had great luck with HP. others love Toshba. IBM seems to be bulletproof. Sony is either fantastic or garbage, depending on who you talk to. Dell seems to always be 50/50.

you also might want to wait until after January 10 to see whether or not all these macintel iBook rumors pan out. you might be able to go right back to OSX after all..

Goran@Irrupt · Post by **Goran@Irrupt** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:02 pm

drush wrote:
1. CENTRINO. or AMD64. *NOT* P4 or Celeron.
2. As much RAM as you can afford.
3. At least a 5400rpm internal drive. If you can get a 7200, go for it.

done.

WORD!

that's about all you should think of.
i'm thinking of buying a Compaq Presario v2000z myself.
check it out at: http://www.hpshopping.com

it looks slick and for the price of 1400$ you can get AMD Turion @ 2.0Ghz, 2Gb's of RAM and 80Gb's 5400rpm HD + 12 cell battery which will run for 5 hours.
i also like the fact that it's 14"er. widescreen.
w

Mac to PC switch and which labtop to buy for best performanc

Mac to PC switch and which labtop to buy for best performanc

Re: Mac to PC switch and which labtop to buy for best perfor