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meganiam

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I don't have a very good price range to work with, but...

I'm putting a laptop in a three-month layaway program,
they can order anything I'd like them to order.

I'd like a Macbook, but I don't see being able to pay $1,000+ in 3 months.
Right now, I'm working with a Toshiba Satellitte P205. It's not mine, or I'd keep it and just add more RAM to it.

I'd like to find something $500 or less, that will serve the purpose.
Basic things (such as internet), music videos, and studio software...

I found this on the "Find A Laptop" option with Toshiba.
http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/satellite/C650/C655D-S5051
Would this serve the purpose I want it for?

Any advice on which laptop to invest in in this price range?
 
To be honest, I own a Macbook and am really really glad I waited longer and bought it over the laptop I could afford at the time(Not trying to start up a Mac Vs. PC debate:) )....

It came with Garageband which I use all the time and frankly find it does all I need. If I were you I would just save up for 6 months and buy the mac.

Just my two cents.:cool:
 
Put me down for the Macbook as well.

I was working with a PC for a long time and found I always had to fight with it to get it to do what I want, had a Mac for two years, not one problem yet.

Garageband is decent if you're penny pinching so if you don't have a DAW it comes standard with Mac's.
 
The_Salesman said:
I was working with a PC for a long time and found I always had to fight with it to get it to do what I want, had a Mac for two years, not one problem yet.
Click to expand...

My exact reason for buying both of the Macbooks I have. :)

The_Salesman said:
Garageband is decent if you're penny pinching so if you don't have a DAW it comes standard with Mac's.
Click to expand...

Totally agree there, Logic is a nice upgrade down the road, I have it on one of my Mac's.

GB has a nice simple interface, especially if your new to recording with a computer.
 
Just so you know that PC's aren't all fussy.

I run Sonar Producer 8.31 on a $285 Compaq laptop. I have had zero problems with this rig...and I'm running the notoriously unstable Vista OS.:cool:
 
I used to have one of those ultra-thin Sony Vaio laptops- ran with several software apps and Presonus firewire with no probs..
 
To be clear, I wasn't saying you couldn't get a PC to do what you want. Just saying I found the Macbook to be more my speed as far as setup and go.

There are tons of people running great PC rig's on inexpensive laptops.

I had a Toshiba Satellite for a while and I couldn't figure out where this noise was coming from(Random click leaving an audible noise in my recordings) I tried for months to make it it work for me to no avail. That's why I switched.

Was tired of the trouble shooting when I should be recording.

if you go the PC rout you will have plenty of help around here if trouble arises. ;)
 
there are a load of sub $500 laptops that will suffice any music making...

I can run ableton and a stack of vsts quite happily of my little sony viao and its half the power of some cheaper Compaqs out there


I also have an older Dell duel core laptop that works great as well...sticking in 4 gigs of ram was cheap and easy and it handles most project, I know because I used it exclusivity before I bought my desktop


you can grind anything to a halt if you use high cpu vstis and/or effects...but by being prudent, using freeze and bounce...theres no reason you cant run all but the largest projects
 
kcearl said:
there are a load of sub $500 laptops that will suffice any music making...

I can run ableton and a stack of vsts quite happily of my little sony viao and its half the power of some cheaper Compaqs out there
Click to expand...

Just wondering, what model is your Viao? I'm thinking now about looking for a inexpensive PC to run Acid and some of my old PC software on. Thanks!:cool:
 
Reek said:
Just wondering, what model is your Viao? I'm thinking now about looking for a inexpensive PC to run Acid and some of my old PC software on. Thanks!:cool:
Click to expand...

im using a PCG notebook so it probably wouldnt do for you...its like an 11" screen...

i use it with a little akai LPK25 and a line6 toneport when out and about or travelling etc

I love it...everything fits in a little laptop bag but its tiny :o
 
kcearl said:
im using a PCG notebook so it probably wouldnt do for you...its like an 11" screen...
Click to expand...

Yeah, My Macbook is decently small enough for travel, 11"? How do you see that?

kcearl said:
i use it with a little akai LPK25 and a line6 toneport when out and about or travelling etc
Click to expand...

I have a Nanokey but I miss the controls of my Oxygen 25.

kcearl said:
I love it...everything fits in a little laptop bag but its tiny :o
Click to expand...

Ah the wonders of modern tech, Hey let me know your thoughts on the new Reason 5 stuff, Cool?

Thanks for the quick answer too!
 
Reek said:
Yeah, My Macbook is decently small enough for travel, 11"? How do you see that?
Click to expand...

abletons zoom is pretty excellent...for sketches no probs...on the plane, just sketch some beats...Ableton also lets you use the laptops keypad as a midi controllers so making beats on the go is pretty simple with it



I have a Nanokey but I miss the controls of my Oxygen 25.
Click to expand...

I love the LPK, it has an arpeggator and weighted (well close to weighted) keys....great little thing

Ah the wonders of modern tech, Hey let me know your thoughts on the new Reason 5 stuff, Cool?

Thanks for the quick answer too!
Click to expand...

yeah the fact you can have this amount of recording power in such a small package is pretty amazing

I havent made the reason 5 leap...i will just havent got round to it, besides a bought a TC powercore card and some new cans this week..feel a bit guilty :o :)
 
meganiam said:
I don't have a very good price range to work with, but...

I'm putting a laptop in a three-month layaway program,
they can order anything I'd like them to order.

I'd like a Macbook, but I don't see being able to pay $1,000+ in 3 months.
Right now, I'm working with a Toshiba Satellitte P205. It's not mine, or I'd keep it and just add more RAM to it.

I'd like to find something $500 or less, that will serve the purpose.
Basic things (such as internet), music videos, and studio software...

I found this on the "Find A Laptop" option with Toshiba.
http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/satellite/C650/C655D-S5051
Would this serve the purpose I want it for?

Any advice on which laptop to invest in in this price range?
Click to expand...

How about the HP G62t. It has a faster 2 core processor, bus than Toshiba and it comes with 4gb of memory instead of 3 which is very important with windows 7 64. It as an extra USB port, 2 hours longer battery life, and you can upgrade it for pretty cheap.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/s.../psg/notebooks/Everyday_computing/G62t_series

You can see the clear performance increase in this processor

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_lookup.php?cpu=AMD+Athlon+II+P320+Dual-Core

Or you could get the Dv6t for $770 which has 2 inch larger screen, double Hard drive space (500gb 7200 RPM) and 2gb more ram (5gb) for half the price of a mac pro and not much more than your $500 spending limit.

So I agree with what others said, save your money so you have a little bit more money and a lot more capability, then get the windows PC, it just works and usually about half the price more than 90 percent of the population can't be wrong over the last 26 years.
 
kcearl said:
I havent made the reason 5 leap...i will just havent got round to it, besides a bought a TC powercore card and some new cans this week..feel a bit guilty :o :)
Click to expand...

I almost made the leap today, AH! Thanks again. Now to stop taking over this thread. HA!:)
 
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