Music Student - Buying a laptop, any recommendations please?

JamesGranahan

Hi there,
I'm starting the music course in September and I was wondering if anyone has any advice for me on what I should look for when buying my laptop? (Keeping in mind that I will be running notation and recording software such as Sibelius and Cubase). Thanks in advance!

seacláid-te

Definitely a macintosh, a little pricey but well worth it! I got mine when I was in first year, It's fantastic, has never gave me hassle and is fantastic for things like music and media!!

JamesGranahan

seacláid-te wrote: »

Definitely a macintosh, a little pricey but well worth it! I got mine when I was in first year, It's fantastic, has never gave me hassle and is fantastic for things like music and media!!

Thanks I've been trying to decide between Mac or PC. you reckon its worth switching to Mac then yeh?

Fringe

A Mac wouldn't be a bad idea. Also, as a student, you get a free iPod.

JamesGranahan

Fringe wrote: »

A Mac wouldn't be a bad idea. Also, as a student, you get a free iPod.

Wow! thats a great deal!

I've heard that RAM is important for music. is this true?

Futurism

JamesGranahan wrote: »

Wow! thats a great deal!

I've heard that RAM is important for music. is this true?

Well generally the higher the RAM the better it'll run.

JamesGranahan

so good RAM and maybe get a Mac?

just looked them up there, its a nice deal but im afraid €815 might be too pricey

boblong

What is your budget?

JamesGranahan

boblong wrote: »

What is your budget?

well I cant really afford any more than €600. But maybe if i can get a job in the next few weeks I can make my budget bigger.

boblong

Okay well I just had a quick look in the current PC World leaflet and my current laptop is marked at 599.99. That's the HP-1210SA. IMO it's a great laptop, but if your heart is set on a Mac I do know that the college offers special deals on Apple products. You can get more information here: http://www.tcd.ie/iss/purchase/student_laptop.php where there's an email address you can contact for advice.

Pet

Definitely get a Mac. Even for stuff like faffing about with Garageband it's worth it. Also, most pro music software is written for Macs - Logic Pro, ProTools, etc.

You don't need a Pro, though, no matter what they say. A regular Mac is fine. Go to the Belfast Mac store, they're cheaper there than here.

The Walsho

Yeah for music, you'd want to be getting a Mac.

Fad

Pet wrote: »

Definitely get a Mac. Even for stuff like faffing about with Garageband it's worth it. Also, most pro music software is written for Macs - Logic Pro, ProTools, etc.

You don't need a Pro, though, no matter what they say. A regular Mac is fine. Go to the Belfast Mac store, they're cheaper there than here.

Apple have pretty much phased out normal macbooks, all that's left is a really standard whitebook, macbook pros are now the fairly standard model.

In all seriousness though if you can afford it, go for the mac, they are definitely worth the mac tax.

JamesGranahan

I heard Macs are very good for using Pro-Tool and the like. I actually personally prefer Cubase though. Can I run this program on Mac?

Fad

Yes, you can.

jingx3

If you get a PC instead of a MAC you can install Ubutnu which is free! Also all of the programs are free. Open sourse is the way!

Señor Juárez

ubantu

Brian

Gentoo.

boblong

Ubuntu could probably/possibly run Cubase through WINE, but I don't know if it's a worry-free solution in this case...

qwertyu

Macbook Pro definitely...

Brian

qwertyu wrote: »

Macbook Pro definitely...

>€600 budget

Closest thing OP is going to get to a Mac is a hackintoshed Dell Mini 10.

johnl

boblong wrote: »

Ubuntu could probably/possibly run Cubase through WINE, but I don't know if it's a worry-free solution in this case...

That would hurt.
Trying to get MIDI working in a virtual environment, between programs, with Linux's already terrible hardware support etc...
It doesn't bear thinking about.

I would recommend a 15" MacBook Pro.
13" if you're gonna bring it everywhere with you, 15" if you want it a bit more usable.

I think a Mac still marginally has the edge when it comes to music production, I certainly find them a lot easier to get along with.

Your mileage may vary.

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

You do realise he said he had a budget of €600 John.

Ron DMC

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI wrote: »

You do realise he said he had a budget of €600 John.

Fancy netbook/Decent laptop, and then install OSX if you like. Best of both worlds.

boblong

johnl wrote: »

That would hurt.

http://google-cyber.blogspot.com/
This guy did it, and it seemed fairly painless. But yeah I agree with you, a Linux OS is probably not the right path here.
The one other thing I'll mention is that if you can, having a production laptop with a firewire input is a massive bonus. Many interfaces (such as the ever popular Presonus Firebox) run through firewire... it isn't a necessity, but would be a nice boon.

jingx3

Get an Asus EEE PC. There cheap so you will probably have enough left over for music software!

Edit: If you install Ubutnu on it, that is. :pac:

boblong

An EEE PC would not run Cubase 5 well. Cubase 5 requires 2ghz, and a dual core processor is recommended. Plus a computer without a drive would surely be a pain for a music student.

Requirements for Cubase5. These are listed for Windows and Mac, but would give a ballpark estimate if you were to go with Linux --> http://www.steinbergusers.com/cubase/cubase_feat_req.php

johnl

Cubase is pretty bollocks anyway.

boblong

I prefer Ableton Live to tell the truth.

johnl

boblong wrote: »

I prefer Ableton Live to tell the truth.

Me too. Very much so.
I still mainly use Reason though. I like the "all-in-one" approach better than dodgy VST instruments...

dog_pig

If you're on a budget then why buy a Mac?

Just buy a similarly specced Windows laptop and stick OSX on it if you really need to.

Kopf

If you're going to be studying music then definitely go for a macbook (**** the budget, treat yourself!)

It's really the only choice - it comes with some of the best music software already installed (itunes etc)

snappieT

I'd vote for getting the white MacBook also. You'll get the free iPod which you can sell as new to earn a bit of your cash back.

Alternatively, get a second hand MacBook (though a new one will probably last you 4 years, a second hand one may not)

Captain Flaps

snappieT wrote: »

I'd vote for getting the white MacBook also. You'll get the free iPod which you can sell as new to earn a bit of your cash back.

Alternatively, get a second hand MacBook (though a new one will probably last you 4 years, a second hand one may not)

What bearing does the colour have on anything other than mac elitism? They're great machines but that suggestion's not much good to him on a budget of 600.

johnl

Captain Flaps wrote: »

What bearing does the colour have on anything other than mac elitism? They're great machines but that suggestion's not much good to him on a budget of 600.

"White MacBook" here means the previous generation, as opposed to the new ones with the metal case.

Captain Flaps

They came in black too, last time I checked.

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI

At a premium, as far as I remember.

Captain Flaps

Knowing Apple, I'm sure you're probably right.

johnl

ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI wrote: »

At a premium, as far as I remember.

Kind of ironic, wasn't it?

dog_pig

Kopf wrote: »

If you're going to be studying music then definitely go for a macbook (**** the budget, treat yourself!)

It's really the only choice - it comes with some of the best music software already installed (itunes etc)

iTunes is some of the best music software?


...

Captain Flaps

dog_pig wrote: »

iTunes is some of the best music software?


...

Hell yeah dawg you can make playlists and sheeit!

johnl

Captain Flaps wrote: »

Hell yeah dawg you can make playlists and sheeit!

Ar fheabhas!

Jim_No.6

dog_pig wrote: »

iTunes is some of the best music software?


...

music degree == listening to mp3s >_>


Whatever you do, just install LilyPond

Kopf

dog_pig wrote: »

iTunes is some of the best music software?


...

Definitely. It plays mp3s (no messing around with other codecs like flac or ogg) while only using about half a gig of memory for my vast 3,000 song music library and letting me browse it with funkyfresh album art whizzing past!! Worth every penny

papu

Kopf wrote: »

Definitely. It plays mp3s (no messing around with other codecs like flac or ogg) while only using about half a gig of memory for my vast 3,000 song music library and letting me browse it with funkyfresh album art whizzing past!! Worth every penny

i wish they had a subscription so they'd pump out updates more often , asking me if i want to install their Teriffic Web-browser Safarweeee ;/

Jev/N

Buy Mac and buy through Trinity if you can... I think they have ~13% discount for Sept/Oct only and you get the free ipod also

edit: just seen your budget so maybe mac mightn't be a great idea BUT I would advise you that you're better saving for something decent if you're gonna be relying on it for your degree

P.S Most important things to look out for would be RAM and a decent dual-core processor, don't go near a celeron or anything like it!

P.P.S Also check out the refurb store on the apple site:

http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/specialdeals/mac?mco=NzcwNjgwNQ

kawaii

You won't need anything fancy for music unless you intend on actually spending a couple of grand on the software that we study. There are computers in the music lab and that's where most people get their projects done. Anything with wordpad will do ya!

If you really want to go the whole hog then I'd recommend you get in touch with the music tech lecturer, Richard Duckworth. You should be able to find his email through the tcd website.

swingking

My best advice for you is to get a mac. They are really good for using music software. The computer labs in TCD are PCs but the main studio is a mac pro.

Agree with last poster, talk to Richard Duckworth, he knows lots about the software on macs and which would suit you.

PM me if you have any further questions about the course.