Hey!

I sadly have to move to a way smaller appartement in two months. I have two kids so things will be pretty tight. So I'm concidering getting myself a laptop instead of my beloved stationary computer.

I need a computer that can replace my stationary computer. I'm fully aware of that I wont be able to get the same performance as before since I have a Intel hexacore i970, 24Gb and a bunch of SSD's. But I do have to have a powerful laptop and if it costs me some money thats fine. It just needs to be as good as possible to be able to be able to run Sonar X1 (and soon X2) without problems. And the higher resolution of the screen the better. I need suggestions.

I guess I will have to start freezing tracks etc ;-) Damn....

If this is concidered of topic then please kill the thread. I dont want to be banned or something. I'm desperate here and needs suggestions ;-)

/M

My studio consists of a Dell Precision M90 and a Dell Precision M6500 Laptop, both equipped with a RME HDSP Digiface, iPad, iPhone, and several MIDI controllers, everything connected via ADAT/MIDI (HW) and/or VEPro5/rtpMIDI/Copperlan

Still room for a Workstation PC... ;)

I recommend you get in touch with Jim Roseberry who is a SONAR user and PC builder and general great guy. his company will set you up with a specialist laptop that will do anything you need and certainly more powerful than your current desktop.

http://www.studiocat.com/3/index.php/Home

use the contact page to get in touch with Jim.

I picked up a budget HP I5 and honestly it has been great. Considering upgrading the Ram and getting a SSD.

For 3 years.... I used a plain old off the shelf Dell Inspiron 1720 and it worked fine. 

The key with a laptop is not to use the built in factory sound card. If you already have a decent USB interface simply install the software and drivers for it and keep on recording.... 

Unless you are composing for orchestra or using lots of synths and tracks..... you should be able to easily run projects with plenty of tracks. 

Freezing might be helpful on the bigger projects. 

I have an external soundcard. And of course freezing tracks is an option.

I have been doing some demanding 130+ tracks projects lately but of course I can freeze tracks and stuff like that. But I still want it to have the performance of a beast. Waiting for stuff to happend is not my cup of tea ;)

I would have liked one of those retina displays as well but that doesnt seem like an options for PC's yet.

/M

there are plenty of i7 based laptops with 1920*1080 displays..none cheap..but that and an extra monitor will do just fine.

Check out Rain computers. I'm running the i7. The laptop works great! (aside from Sonar's bugs) Built for Audio. Also comes with a Virtual PC (for safely surfing/exchanging files) called Rainzone. I've setup Virtual PC's for my Desktops too now since using Rainzone.

tabsel, what keyboard is at the bottom?  I believe I used to have that keyboard but my mind is drawing a blank.  Thanks!

Tabsel another equipment question.  What is the make and model number of the desk top mic stand your using for the Rode mic?  I'd like something like that.
 
Neil