Laptop PC or Mac?

azmills · Post by **azmills** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:53 am

On my current system (dual 2.7G G5) I am using Logic Pro Studio, Final Cut Pro Studio, Live 6 (soon to be 7) Traktor 3 & Komplete 5 plus other plug ins & editors. The G5 is starting to feel quite sluggish on many projects especially with some of the higher CPU demanding plug ins (MiniMonsta, Massive...etc.).

Otherwise I'm am very happy using the above mentioned software and I enjoy the inspiration and fresh start I get from going back & forth between them.

I am focused mainly on electronic music production (from downtempo beats to house to techno), but I've also done some soundtrack work for 6 or 7 short amateur films.

I have also been a DJ for over 20 years (clubs, raves) and now I want to be a laptop dj & I thought making my studio portable would be cool too.

Here's my dilemma: I am currently debating between a PC & a Mac. I had been waiting for the new Macbook Pro to come out and when it did I was very disappointed. I was expecting a much more significant upgrade.

At the price it will cost me to have it configured the way I want I can get a 2.8G 8 core Mac Pro. So that is what I am going to do , just not right away.

I still want to get a laptop but now it has come down to the old performance and affordability question. The Mac would have to be a standard Macbook with these Specifications:

• 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
• 250GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
• Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
• Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter
• Apple Remote
• Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
• AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth

Then there's the firewire question. There has been problems with the Macbooks Agere(?) FW chipset. I don't know if it has been fixed with the newest release. I need Firewire for my interface and an external hard drive.

Cost after adding $100 for memory to bump it to 4G: just under $1500

Now the PC I've been looking at is a Dell Inspiron 1520 configured like this:

System Color:
Jet Black

Inspiron 1520:
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T8300 (2.4GHz/800Mhz FSB/3MB cache)

Operating System (Office software not included):
Genuine Windows® XP Home

LCD Panel:
Anti-glare, widescreen 15.4 inch display (1280x800)

Video Card:
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100

Memory:
4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz

Hard Drive:
Size: 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)

Combo or DVD+RW Drive:
CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive)

Wireless Networking Cards:
Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card

Camera:
Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam

Battery Options:
85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)

Sound Card:
High Definition Audio 2.0

Network Card and Modem:
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

Processor Branding:
Intel Centrino Core Duo Processor

Anti-Virus/Security Suite (Pre-installed):
Trend Micro Internet Security 15-months

Office Productivity Software (Pre-Installed):
Microsoft Works

Warranty & Service:
2Yr In-Home Service, Parts + Labor, 24x7 Phone Support

DataSafe Online Backup:
Included 3 GB DataSafe Online Backup for 1Yr

This computer doesn't even have Firewire but the card slot can be used to add it for less than $50. The Mac has no card slot.

The cost of this computer to me would be $1065

That's more than $400 hundred cheaper for what on paper looks like a better spec'd machine. Is it worth spending another $130 for Windows XP Proffesional?

I realize I am going to lose the ability to use Logic and Final Cut. But as this computers main purpose will be DJing & I'll have Live & Traktor for that, plus Live & Komplete 5 for on the road production I can live with that knowing that I'll still have Logic & Final Cut at home.

What are your valued opinions ?

Thanks,

(sorry this is such a long post)

catch22 · Post by **catch22** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:45 am

My advice is this:
Think of every problem you've have had with your mac that you managed to solve yourself. Then ask yourself would you be able to solve the same problem on a PC?

I would stick with mac as that's what you are using at the moment.
Better the devil you know...

SubFunk · Post by **SubFunk** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:52 am

catch22 wrote:My advice is this:
Think of every problem you've have had with your mac that you managed to solve yourself. Then ask yourself would you be able to solve the same problem on a PC?

I would stick with mac as that's what you are using at the moment.
Better the devil you know...

i agree, if you are on a mac, OSX already and generally happy with your system... then i would definetely stick to mac, OSX

logic_user99 · Post by **logic_user99** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:57 am

Get a Mac. If you're already on a Mac, you do not want to go back to a PC. Seriously.

I've got a black MacBook on order (standard spec), and for the munehz, I don't honestly think you can go wrong. Yes, a PC of the same spec (with a whole bunch of extra shiz) will probably cost you a couple of hundred quid less. But, do you really want the PC configuration hassles, hardware and software incompatabilities, and general unworkableness that a PC gives...?

Just a thought.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:14 pm

Considering you use Logic and FCP, I don't know why you're even considering a PC.

Yhtomit · Post by **Yhtomit** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:56 pm

i would stay away from vista or leopard. Theyre both ugly new born babies atm. Babies filled with bugs (yuk) .. horror
Its bad timing right now to get a new computer. You ll have to choose between vista and leopard basically. On the other hand, you should be able to run XP on both machines. Tiger is a no-go. If you purchase a new MAC, youre stuck with Leopard. BOOHOO

SubFunk · Post by **SubFunk** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:17 pm

Tarekith wrote:Considering you use Logic and FCP, I don't know why you're even considering a PC.

yeah i overlooked that, if you are using live and logic then you certainly don't want to go live & cubase instead or something... stick to mac!

jesso · Post by **jesso** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:47 am

Why all the leopard hate?
Ive had veeeeery few probs. Havnt even noticed any difference, apart from the nice things. I supose there might have been a few extra crashes, but hardly noticable.
Dont buy a pc unless you want a world of hurt. Some people like a world of hurt.
FALSE ECONOMY!

blank · Post by **blank** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:58 am

I'm a pc guy all the way but when it comes to laptop for music production you must go with a macbook.

This is what I did and I really don't regret it.

On the other hand my main production tower is a pc ( custom build ) and it works like a charm.

I'm running 10.4.11 on my macbook and xp sp2 on my tower, I don't have bugs with both.

BaRaKa Sound · Post by **BaRaKa Sound** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:42 am

My $0.02

Nothing against macs I've just always been a pc guy. Wouldnt mind owning one someday as a second computer...

Anyways this is my setup and has served me very well with no problems...

Dell Vostro 1400 Core2Duo (same specs as a macbook pro even w/ same vid card for half price)

2 partitions:

1 with UbuntuStudio (all my online stuff, and my pissing around gets done here)

2 with WinXP ..all networking/internet functions disabled, only things installed is Numark Cue for DJ'ing, Ableton Live for producing and Vegas Video for Multitrack video editing.

no crashes or problems and i use it live

dysanfel · Post by **dysanfel** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:18 am

jesso wrote:Why all the leopard hate?
Ive had veeeeery few probs. Havnt even noticed any difference, apart from the nice things.

+1

azmills · Post by **azmills** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:34 am

Tarekith wrote:Considering you use Logic and FCP, I don't know why you're even considering a PC.

I will still have the Mac at home. And I'm hoping to get the 2.8gig 8 core at some point. That's why cost is becoming such a concern.

azmills · Post by **azmills** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:39 am

Yhtomit wrote:i would stay away from vista or leopard. Theyre both ugly new born babies atm. Babies filled with bugs (yuk) .. horror
Its bad timing right now to get a new computer. You ll have to choose between vista and leopard basically. On the other hand, you should be able to run XP on both machines. Tiger is a no-go. If you purchase a new MAC, youre stuck with Leopard. BOOHOO

Is Leopard still that bad? I definitely woudn't get Vista, Dell let's you choose XP or XP Professional for this model.

And what about the Firewire chipset in the new Macbooks? Has anyone heard if they've fixed it?

esky · Post by **esky** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:55 am

Get a Mac. If you're already on a Mac, you do not want to go back to a PC. Seriously.

I disagree. The argument OSX is so much easier to handle than XP is totally overrated. I switched from mac to pc last year, after 14 years on mac OS. Live runs rock solid on my system.
By the way...if you run into hardware problems with your mac, you're totally in the hands of the apple service provider. And in many cases your fucked then. Apple spare parts are expensive as hell,services often takes long.
Apple manufacturing is often poor.
My Setup stays as an apple free zone...!

azmills · Post by **azmills** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:26 am

Tried to delete this. See my next post please.