Help: iBook or Dell XPS

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
JahGuide
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:33 am

Help: iBook or Dell XPS

Post by JahGuide » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:05 pm

I know his may have been ask a billions times before but I need some advice. I use a Desktop that I built about a year ago PC and its been driving me crazy lately. I am doing troubleshootin almost evey evening I come home instead of working on my music. How well do the iBooks perform for audio recording. I use Reason, Live and will be getting ReaKtor soon. Can the iBooks handle these apps well. I only have a grand to spend and do not want another PC. I was looking at the dell Xps laptops also do any of you have any experience with these either. Your thoughts please. Iam just frustrated, confused and pissed off.

dhilsabeck
Posts: 5935
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:52 am
Location: Chicago

Post by dhilsabeck » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:45 pm

i'd wait for the new macbooks. should be out sometime soon?!?
but that's just me.
cheers,
drew

D DAS
Posts: 890
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:37 am

Post by D DAS » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:58 pm

if you like working with an elegant computer go for an ibook with an intel chip, why not go for the ibook, you can run windows on the macs now.

glu
Posts: 2769
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:27 am

Post by glu » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:04 am

Subtotal $1,149.00


macmini w/ intel duo...

* 2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
* 100GB Serial ATA drive
* SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
* Mac OS X - U.S. English
* 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo
* Intel GMA950 graphics
* Accessory kit

note that your subtotal does not include sales tax or rebates.

and you can upgrade to a quad when they come out...
no prevailing genre of music:
http://alonetone.com/glu

Atomikat
Posts: 968
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2004 11:46 pm
Location: Elizabeth,NJ,USA and Colombia

Post by Atomikat » Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:58 am

If you get the IBook ($1000 is for a 12" ) get as much memory (RAM) as you can afford, I use an iBook,G4,512Mb and works great with Live and Reason rewired but not with Reaktor 5 wich is a CPU intense program.

ishimaru
Posts: 507
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 6:29 am
Location: Irvine , California

Post by ishimaru » Fri Apr 28, 2006 3:00 am

glu wrote:Subtotal $1,149.00


macmini w/ intel duo...

* 2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
* 100GB Serial ATA drive
* SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
* Mac OS X - U.S. English
* 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo
* Intel GMA950 graphics
* Accessory kit

note that your subtotal does not include sales tax or rebates.

and you can upgrade to a quad when they come out...

Is that the student rate? Because you can get it cheaper if you are :)
Every situation(1) should be confronted with its opposite(2) to come to a better situation(3).

1 Thesis
2 Antithesis
3 Synthesis

- Hegel

JahGuide
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:33 am

Post by JahGuide » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:49 pm

Atomikat wrote:If you get the IBook ($1000 is for a 12" ) get as much memory (RAM) as you can afford, I use an iBook,G4,512Mb and works great with Live and Reason rewired but not with Reaktor 5 wich is a CPU intense program.
Thanks for the info. I was how it would handle Reaktor which I will be getting also. I will also take a closer look at the Mac Mini's.

huffcw
Posts: 160
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:58 pm

Post by huffcw » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:58 pm

The thing that bugs me about the Mac laptops is that the screen resolution is not that great. On Dell computers, you can pay a little extra and get an ultra fine resolution - which gives you more screen space. This makes a big difference when working with Live and other audio applications.

(The other thing I like about the Dell Latitude laptops is that you can get a docking station that allows you to use a PCI card, such as a Creamware Scope.)

Miguex
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 1:16 am
Location: San Diego, CA
Contact:

Post by Miguex » Fri Apr 28, 2006 3:06 pm

huffcw wrote:The thing that bugs me about the Mac laptops is that the screen resolution is not that great. On Dell computers, you can pay a little extra and get an ultra fine resolution - which gives you more screen space. This makes a big difference when working with Live and other audio applications.

(The other thing I like about the Dell Latitude laptops is that you can get a docking station that allows you to use a PCI card, such as a Creamware Scope.)
I disagree..
Mac laptop displays are far superior than other displays on the market. (dell actually end up copying the new desktop displays for macs, remember?) I may say that ableton might run better on a pc, but when it comes to displays, there is no question about it. Remember that Mac came with the bigger dysplay ever made on a laptop? The resolution is way better, and colors are more accurate when it comes to prepress and pantone swatches.
my 2 cents.

Rokko
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:34 pm
Location: Scotland
Contact:

Post by Rokko » Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:08 pm

Yeah the new macbooks are supposedly due out any day now, i'd wait and get one of them. I think they'll pretty much be the same spec as a mac mini, and are rumoured to be coming out in black and white, just like the ipods!

polyslax
Posts: 2402
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 11:22 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Post by polyslax » Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:49 pm

Like Rokko said, the new iBooks (MacBooks) should be out shortly. I wouldn't buy a G4 iBook at this point. If you really can't wait go MacMini as suggested above.
Image Image

JahGuide
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:33 am

Post by JahGuide » Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:04 pm

I think I will wait then thanks guys.

inis
Posts: 665
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 9:12 pm

Post by inis » Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:04 pm

Miguex wrote:
huffcw wrote:The thing that bugs me about the Mac laptops is that the screen resolution is not that great. On Dell computers, you can pay a little extra and get an ultra fine resolution - which gives you more screen space. This makes a big difference when working with Live and other audio applications.

(The other thing I like about the Dell Latitude laptops is that you can get a docking station that allows you to use a PCI card, such as a Creamware Scope.)
I disagree..
Mac laptop displays are far superior than other displays on the market. (dell actually end up copying the new desktop displays for macs, remember?) I may say that ableton might run better on a pc, but when it comes to displays, there is no question about it. Remember that Mac came with the bigger dysplay ever made on a laptop? The resolution is way better, and colors are more accurate when it comes to prepress and pantone swatches.
my 2 cents.
well, unfortunetly, your 2 cents doesnt have anything to do with fact. I am an avid mac user, but in this case he has you.

Resolution available from dell on a 14" XPS: 1280 x 800
Resolution from apple on 14" iBook: 1024x768

Thats just the plain facts. And resolution=more work space.

studio615
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2005 2:17 am
Location: Carlisle PA

Post by studio615 » Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:40 pm

Sorry, but if you want to compare machines, you should try to compare models that are of comparable quality. The XPS is a higher-end Dell, the ibook is an entry-level mac. Of course they are going to be different. Compare the macbook pro 15" to the xps and then let me know how much of a difference you have. The 15.4" macbook pro is 1440 by 900 native. In my book, that beats out the dell.

glu
Posts: 2769
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:27 am

Post by glu » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:01 pm

ishimaru wrote:
glu wrote:Subtotal $1,149.00


macmini w/ intel duo...

* 2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
* 100GB Serial ATA drive
* SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
* Mac OS X - U.S. English
* 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo
* Intel GMA950 graphics
* Accessory kit

note that your subtotal does not include sales tax or rebates.

and you can upgrade to a quad when they come out...

Is that the student rate? Because you can get it cheaper if you are :)
OH HELL! I forgot about that... do you know how much the discount is? THis actually seems plausable for me now! muahhaaha
no prevailing genre of music:
http://alonetone.com/glu

Post Reply