Best laptop setup for $1k

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gbarrett
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2011/03/07 21:04:17 (permalink)

Best laptop setup for $1k

I need to get a new laptop, mine is more than 4 years old.  I've got about $1000 to spend.
What's the best bang for the buck machine?  What should I avoid? 

It will need to be an "off the shelf" machine.

Thanks for the help!

Greg

A real musician knows the difference between the music and the notes.
#1

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    djtrailmixxx
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 14:27:20 (permalink)

    -Most important thing is the hard disk. Only go with 7200 RPM drives, hybrids or SSD. 
    -I also personally recommend the 64 bit OS option. 
    -Also, for serious work, a good dedicated video card is better than Intel crap.
    -And because I'm assuming this is for X1... Screen resolution. Ideal would be 1600 x 900 or greater


    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152250

    http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/xps-15/fs $799. If you haggle with a sales rep and get it through their credit line, you will prolly be able to knock a 100 or 200 off of the price. I did. Then take the money left over and save up for a 256GB SSD drive which are going for about 430 now, and use the old disk as additional storage for tracking or samples.

    If possible, go to a store and see what you can do in the bios as far as customizing, you will have to be able to customize the bios to get solid performance.


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    #2
    gbarrett
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 14:31:38 (permalink)
    Thanks for the info.  I used to keep up with all of this stuff, but I've been out of the loop for the last couple of years.

    What do you know about CPUs?  AMD, Intel?  Phenoms?  i3, i5, i7?

    Thanks!

    A real musician knows the difference between the music and the notes.
    #3
    pinguinotuerto
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 14:32:28 (permalink)
    I'd recommend one with an extra bay for a 2nd drive (like mine). I have two 7200 rpm 500 gb drives in mine.  Also, an Intel processor.

    HP DV7-3085 Laptop (Intel Core i7 720 1.6 GHZ, 6 GB RAM, 1333 MHZ FSB, 2 500GB 7200 RPM Internal HDs, 17" screen), HP 2009m Monitor, 2TB Ext Drive
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    #4
    pinguinotuerto
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 14:32:59 (permalink)
    My i7 rocks!!!!!!!!

    HP DV7-3085 Laptop (Intel Core i7 720 1.6 GHZ, 6 GB RAM, 1333 MHZ FSB, 2 500GB 7200 RPM Internal HDs, 17" screen), HP 2009m Monitor, 2TB Ext Drive
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    #5
    djtrailmixxx
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 14:56:33 (permalink)
    I think, at this moment, I'd have to recommend an Intel i5 or i7. As much as it pains me (AMD fanboy), they are better than anything you can get from AMD in the mobile space, until summer.

    Sonar Platinum X64 - Win 10 x64 - Intel SB-E 3930 - Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4 - 16GB DDR3 - AMD R290X - 4x 1TB SSD RAID 0 (Sys and Data partitions) - 2x UAD2 Quad - 1x UAD2 Octo - UAD Apollo Dual
    #6
    chuckebaby
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 14:57:45 (permalink)
    my wife set mine up and bought it for 600 bucks..it has an i3-2.40 ghz..4gig ram..and a hard drive of 500 g...i use an exturnal for my projects..and i have been running super somooth..i wish i had more usbs(2)and dvi,cause its only got one vga for an exturnal monitor that i use.im sure i could have gone bigger..but im using multi soft synths 20 tracks of audio and bundles and bundles of vsts and i havent broke 43 on the performance module

    Windows 8.1 X64 Sonar Platinum x64
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    #7
    shawn@trustmedia.tv
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 15:09:27 (permalink)
    I have an HP Dv7 4069wm got it for $850.00 at walmart it has TWO internal 7200rpm harddrives 4gig ram triplecore 2.2 processor and does EVRYTHING I WANT TO DO IN SONAR, I love it, it's a beast and a value...it also has 3 usb2.0 1 usb 3.0/esata hdmi +++ I highly recommend this laptop
    here is a shot of the beast:


    Studio SONAR X3. Axiom 25 midi controller, DUNE 2, Producer Content, Good Times, Bandlab Mojo

    #8
    pinguinotuerto
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 15:12:52 (permalink)
    He's a beast alright.  Look at him work those fingers at the speed of light! a multi-tasking monster is what he is! 
    Is he on the iphone at the same time?

    HP DV7-3085 Laptop (Intel Core i7 720 1.6 GHZ, 6 GB RAM, 1333 MHZ FSB, 2 500GB 7200 RPM Internal HDs, 17" screen), HP 2009m Monitor, 2TB Ext Drive
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    #9
    dr.hashmk3
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/08 15:58:03 (permalink)
    I have an I5 HP Pavilion, as long as you are not using firewire it rocks.  4 USB 2 ports an E-Sata port for extra hard drives, hdmi for big screen tv.  7200 hard drive internal drive, 4 gig of ram and most importantly an express card slot all for a $1000.

    Don't worry about 64 bit it is overkill and "may" give you more headaches than the intended speed increase than it's worth.

    Dr.Hash
    www.aaudiomystiks.com
    #10
    digi2ns
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/10 07:29:45 (permalink)
    Cakewalk has recommendations for SONAR listed. Go to Support Tab/Computers/Laptops and check their list also. The HP-DV7 is listed.  ;)


    MIKE

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    #11
    chuckebaby
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/10 15:31:46 (permalink)
    shawn...love that pic...the more i look at it the more it reminds me of my kids..keep him going man..he'll follow in your footsteps.

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    #12
    pinguinotuerto
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/10 18:19:52 (permalink)
    Yeah I love that picture too.  Although Shawn insists that's him!

    HP DV7-3085 Laptop (Intel Core i7 720 1.6 GHZ, 6 GB RAM, 1333 MHZ FSB, 2 500GB 7200 RPM Internal HDs, 17" screen), HP 2009m Monitor, 2TB Ext Drive
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    #13
    Zo
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/10 20:57:12 (permalink)
    Music is keeping people young in their mind and physically !!

    Put money on the side and go HP elite book 8540W (low dpc, usb 2and 3, esata, second bay , quadro graphics , i5,i7, mate display , 3 years waranty ...)....or call Jim or Scott


    hp :

    http://h71016.www7.hp.com/dstore/ctoBases.asp?oi=E9CED&BEID=19701&SBLID=&ProductLineId=539&FamilyId=3156&LowBaseId=32187&LowPrice=$1,425.00&familyviewgroup=2375&viewtype=Matrix

    go for the third one 1349 dollars
    post edited by Zo - 2011/03/10 21:02:45

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    #14
    StarTekh
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/10 21:06:59 (permalink)
    that little Korg usb mixer looks nice. penny & giles faders >? haha
    #15
    chuckebaby
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/10 21:29:05 (permalink)
    pinguinotuerto


    Yeah I love that picture too.  Although Shawn insists that's him!


    wasnt that funny as anything...i fell on the floor laughing..."what kid"...lol

    Windows 8.1 X64 Sonar Platinum x64
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    #16
    pinguinotuerto
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/10 21:31:37 (permalink)
    chuckebaby


    pinguinotuerto


    Yeah I love that picture too.  Although Shawn insists that's him!


    wasnt that funny as anything...i fell on the floor laughing..."what kid"...lol


    One of the funniest things I've read on the forum!!!! He had me rolling on the floor too!

    HP DV7-3085 Laptop (Intel Core i7 720 1.6 GHZ, 6 GB RAM, 1333 MHZ FSB, 2 500GB 7200 RPM Internal HDs, 17" screen), HP 2009m Monitor, 2TB Ext Drive
    Line 6 UX8 with PodFarm 2 Platinum
    2 Joe Meek VC6Q British Channels
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    KRK VXT 8 Monitors
    Frontier Alphatrack, Razer Naga Mouse, nanoKontrol2     
    #17
    pinguinotuerto
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/10 21:32:39 (permalink)
    By the way, great job on your tune. I just heard it.  Great guitars!!!! Are those live drums?

    HP DV7-3085 Laptop (Intel Core i7 720 1.6 GHZ, 6 GB RAM, 1333 MHZ FSB, 2 500GB 7200 RPM Internal HDs, 17" screen), HP 2009m Monitor, 2TB Ext Drive
    Line 6 UX8 with PodFarm 2 Platinum
    2 Joe Meek VC6Q British Channels
    Sonar Platinum & X3e Producer (64 Bit)
    AD2 w Roland V-Drums (TD4KX2)
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    Frontier Alphatrack, Razer Naga Mouse, nanoKontrol2     
    #18
    jerry@macwood.com
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    Re:Best laptop setup for $1k 2011/03/12 04:45:46 (permalink)
    i bought my dell studio xps with an esata hard drive port I hook up my external and record away .  did get a belkin pcmia firewire card the firewire did work but was doing some live recording and i wanted to make sure. I've done about 8 live concerts some over an hour and a half 12 tracks and it has run fairly solid with xia and producer 7.0

    Gerald Jerry Patrick Wood
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