Steenamaroo
...
That's not true. I guess it's irrelevant if the OP isn't particularly interested in apple, but there are several benefits.
Whether or not they justify the price is opinion, but they're there.
That is a beast by comparison.
The OPs suggestion is, of course, an dual core system but still..+1 to your advice.
Ollie, if you can stretch for something like that, it will last you a hell of a long time.
PTravel
Senior Senior Member
Well, I don't want to turn this into an Apple v. PC thread, so I'll just let it go.
Though less powerful than my Uber Laptoppenstein that I got last month. It's so powerful that it knows when I'm coming and boots itself up before I enter the room. It's so powerful that it improvises along with me when I'm recording music. It's so powerful that it can compose its own lyrics to my music . . . in French! It's so powerful . . . well, you get the idea.
That was my thought, too. Incidentally, it's a Pentium, so only a single core. I think, if he can find a refurb, he'll be able to get what he needs. I got mine from eBay. I took a look at ebay.co.uk and saw this: hp dv6t refurb | eBay, but it doesn't have the specs and comes from the US (though I know the company and their reliable). There's this on US ebay which, I think, is within the OP's budget: HP DV6T 7000 15 6" 1080p i7 2 3GHz 8GB 1TB Pro BR Backlit KB GT630M Widi Laptop | eBay but the seller doesn't ship to the UK. This is the outfit that I bought my own refurb from (I have no connection with them, other than I bought a computer from them and I'm happy both with the machine and with the seller's service). Here's a dual-core HP Envy Pavilion dv6 7027NR Intel i5 2 5GHz 8GB 750HD Win7 OFF10 Mint DV6T 7000 | eBay that ships worldwide, but I don't know anything about the seller and I think buying used is a risk -- manufacturer refurbished comes with a manufacturer warranty.
Steenamaroo
...
Fair enough.Well, I don't want to turn this into an Apple v. PC thread, so I'll just let it go.
I just get fed up with these threads that go
"make sure you maintain, streamline and optimise your pc and keep it off the internet."
"Just buy a mac and don't do any of that."
"psssht, macs aren't better".
In that repsect, they just are. They're also a 'closed-system' if you like. You buy it because it will work with X,Y+Z.
If the OP buys your, or any, laptop then finds out his firewire chipset isn't compatible with something or whatever, it kinda proves my point.
There are benefits. They can also be viewed as limitations and restrictions.
It's pentium dual core.
The intel spec sheet says " no of cores - 2".
Maybe there's more to it that I don't know, or we're looking at different links.
Apologies if that's the case.
DM60
Well-known member
First thing is, I suggest fix the fan. Look up the model number of the computer, go to Youtube (I am sure there is a video on it) and fix the laptop. Even if you do buy another laptop, now you have a beater you can take with you and at some point in the future you can get another. I won't say what is the right computer or not as at this point, sounds like you have something that will work, just needs the fan fixed and I bet if you do a "little research" it will be well within your grasp.
Knowledge is the key to power! (You can use that if you like it
)
Knowledge is the key to power! (You can use that if you like it
)
PTravel
Senior Senior Member
[gritting teeth]
I won't take the bait.
I won't take the bait.
I won't take the bait.
[/gritting teeth]
No, I see you're correct -- it is a dual-core. I stand corrected (actually, I'm sitting
). The dual-core Pentium was manufactured from 2006 to 2009, which gives a sense for just how old the technology in this machine is. Four years is an eternity for computers, particularly for laptops. I worked for years on a Pentium desktop that I had overclocked to 3.0 GHz. Though, at the time, it seemed okay, in comparison with the two quad core machines that replaced it (one Intel, one AMD) it was horribly slow. I'd really go the refurb route. The OP said he had between 500 and 600 pounds to spend. At today's exchange rate, that $783 to $936. The refurb that I got was $799, right in the middle of the OP's range. I can guarantee he'll be happy with it.Incidentally, you raised a very important point: few Win-based laptops come with Firewire/1394 these days. If the OP is committed to a Firewire audio interface/DAC, he'll have no choice but to go Mac, as Macs still support this standard and there are no USB-to-Firewire/1394 converters available for some reason. However, if he goes with a USB device, I still think a PC is the way to go. [ducking]
Steenamaroo
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It's not like that man. I'm not doing a 'which is better' job here.I just wanted to counter "The hardware and software costs significantly more without offering any benefit." because pretty much anything in the world has benefits over pretty much anything else.
Incidentally, you raised a very important point: few Win-based laptops come with Firewire/1394 these days. If the OP is committed to a Firewire audio interface/DAC, he'll have no choice but to go Mac, as Macs still support this standard and there are no USB-to-Firewire/1394 converters available for some reason. However, if he goes with a USB device, I still think a PC is the way to go. [ducking]
Right enough. I always forget the FW seems to be on the way out.
Is thunderbolt taking off in windows based laptops? Just out of interest...
PTravel
Senior Senior Member
Not that I've seen. I have two Fasttrak Ultras and a Fasttrak Ultra 8R -- all USB based -- so when I was shopping for a new laptop I wasn't looking for Firewire. After I received the laptop and realized it didn't have Firewire, I did make a protracted search for a USB-to-Firewire adapter, just in case. I couldn't find anything.
Incidentally, this is the laptop that I got:
HP DV6T 7000 15 6" 1080p i7 2 3GHz 8GB 750GB HYB Backlit KYB GT630M Widi Laptop | eBay
It was $794.45 which, at today's exchange rate, is 509.32 pounds, well within the OP's budget.
Steenamaroo
...
Great spec machine.
I have an HP on the workbench at the minute. They seem pretty well built.
ollie99
New member
Wait I just had a quick look google search and found this on the hp website for £100 less than the amazon one.... and it comes with some beats headphones which I don't really care for.... would this be a good buy?
Steenamaroo
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Looks to be the same, right?
It's a heck of a machine and certainly more than power than you'll get from a used macbook pro at the same price.
I say go for it.
It's a heck of a machine and certainly more than power than you'll get from a used macbook pro at the same price.
I say go for it.
ollie99
New member
Looks to be the same, right?
It's a heck of a machine and certainly more than power than you'll get from a used macbook pro at the same price.
I say go for it.
Awesome and I just remembered that my mum owes me £50 which means that I now have £360 (paying half and half with my parents).
How much do you reckon those headphones that come with it are worth?
Steenamaroo
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PTravel
Senior Senior Member
That looks like a good machine. It's got a quad core hyperthreaded CPU, which means it looks to the operating system and software as if it has 8 cores instead of 4. The specifications also understate the processor speed; it's 2.4 GHz, but it will scale up to as high as 3.4 GHz when under load. 6 gig of RAM is adequate, but the machine will support up to 16 gig -- if you find you have to, you can add more RAM and this model makes it very, very easy to do so; it's just a single screw over a cover on the back. The HD is an okay size if you do what I do and use an external USB 3.0 drive. Those are rapidly becoming commodity items and, again, the size is adequate to get you started. Unless you're planning on doing video editing, the 5400 rpm speed is okay, as well. It has Windows 8 rather than Windows 7. I'm not a fan of Win8, but I haven't tried running any of the mainstream music programs under it; it may work fine. Win7 is still sold so, if you really have problems with Win8 you can always pickup an "upgrade" package of Win7 and install it using the product ID of the version of Windows on your old laptop as the "qualifying product." I'd strongly recommend using a program like Start8, which will let you boot directly to the "classic" desktop and avoid, entirely, the "Metro" interface (or whatever Microsoft is calling it now). This laptop has a 1366 x 768 screen. My old laptop had the same thing, and I used to use it for music work all the time. I prefer the 1920 x 1080 screen, i.e. HD, for the extra real estate which comes in handy. However, it's not a major drawback and if you are so inclined, you can always just buy the part and install it yourself. HP distributes the service manuals for its laptops on its website. Replacing a screen isn't what I'd call a "beginner's" project, but it's doable, and you may find that you're perfectly content with the somewhat smaller screen. The whole Beats Audio thing is, I think, more about marketing than anything. If you listen to music on the laptop speakers, though these machines have somewhat wider frequency response and can play considerably louder than other laptops, no one is going to think they're listening to a decent stereo system, much less a pair of studio monitors.
Also not in the specs is the fact that the laptop has a dual graphics system. It will auto-switch between an Intel-based low power graphics system and the NVIDIA card based on the demands of the particular program that you're running. This is a great feature, as it prolongs battery life.
All in all, I think this laptop is a much better choice and, given the CPU power, USB 3.0 ports, the amount of RAM and the easy RAM expansion, should serve you quite well for at least the next 3 to 5 years.
ollie99
New member
Thanks
Could you explain to me more about the start8 thing? I've seen adverts about the new 'metro' lay out and I'll give it a go but if I don't like it how easy is it to make it the classic lay out thing?
ollie99
New member
Oh wow, well if that really is the case then I will sell them
I'm just waiting for a catch though - so far it seems I'm getting a laptop that is good value for money and with a £120+ pair of headphones with it.... seems to good to be true right?
Steenamaroo
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Oh wow, well if that really is the case then I will sell them
I'm just waiting for a catch though - so far it seems I'm getting a laptop that is good value for money and with a £120+ pair of headphones with it.... seems to good to be true right?
It kinda does. I know nothing about beats and literally just went on the pretty pictures in google, so do your own research to be certain.
For all I know they have a dirt cheap range to fool people like us.
ollie99
New member
It kinda does. I know nothing about beats and literally just went on the pretty pictures in google, so do your own research to be certain.
For all I know they have a dirt cheap range to fool people like us.
Well my brother (who's and arrogant twat) is convinced that if I put them on ebay then no one would buy them because there are lots of fakes around so no one would risk even buying it when they could buy it new. I think he's wrong about no one buying it although it does seem possible that there are lots of fakes around. But even then I could just put it on for a low price and see how high the bids go - considering I'm getting them for free I can't lose anything.
Steenamaroo
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People are probably wary but just say you can provide proof of purchase from amazon or wherever.
PTravel
Senior Senior Member
The Metro interface was designed for tablets with touch screens and focuses heavily on social networking and the like. Though Windows 8 has a classic desktop layout, it requires several clicks to get to it and, once you do, there is no Start button which gives you access to all of the OS's installed programs and tools. Start8 is one of a number of programs that let you boot directly into the classic desktop and also restores the Start button, making Win8 a very close functional equivalent of Win7. Start8, if I recall correctly, is 15 USD and is produced by StarDock. I have one machine running Win8 -- I got it just to see what it was like -- and, as I already use other StarDock products, I bought Start8. There is also free software around that does the same thing.Thanks
Could you explain to me more about the start8 thing? I've seen adverts about the new 'metro' lay out and I'll give it a go but if I don't like it how easy is it to make it the classic lay out thing?
The Metro interface is fine, I suppose, if you're running it on a tablet and only concerned about what your friends have posted on Facebook, or what the local weather might be, and it is optimized for a touch screen. It is absolutely useless for the kind of tasks that those of us who use our computers for actual work, such as recording, mixing and mastering music need to do. A combination of the Win8 "classic desktop" and a program like Start8 restores functionality to Win8. Personally, I don't understand why anyone would want to run Win8 in the Metro interface mode on a laptop.