What laptop for digitial dj?

Zascar

Ok lads my mate has just bought one of those funky dennon mega controllers and now needs to get a suitable laptop. I'm telling him mac. I'm fairly well known for my utter hatred to all things apple, but despite this I still think they are the best for digital djing. I had laptops for years and had horrendous problems with drivers and crashing etc etc - got a macbook and (as much as it pains me to say it) "Everything just works". You just plug it in and it works. Simples.

Now, he says his budget does not stretch to a macbook, I say buy second hand and resinstall the os and you'll be grand but he thinks its risky. He also wants for convenience a big hard drive to out all tunes on there and not have to worry about bringing external hard drives etc. So windows it is.

So, any advice for him on what spec to pick or what to avoid etc?

unclebill98

Try the apple refurb store. Mac airs as low as €700. Full warranty.

All my macs are refurbs inc one PowerBook hitting its ninth year and going strong.

I'd agree about a mac, being using it for music for years after having enough of windows.

old gregg

My understanding is that running the likes of Traktor does not place that much of a load on a processor. I've a mate doing Traktor stuff on a 2 year old entry level Toshiba and never has a problem.

I'm running it on a 1 year old Sony i5 processor with 4GB RAM under Win 7 and it's virtually no load at all.

I reckon just like working with a DAW much comes down to whether you want to configure a system as a dedicated music machine in which case you'll always run smoothly or as an all round laptop for music and everything else in which case you'll always run the risk of stuff going wrong.

My guess is that any €500 laptop will do the job as long as it's a dedicated machine for running his music software. I'm a fan of Toshiba if that means anything.

Tow

Panasonic Toughbook, perfect for the DJ enviroment.

BetterCallSaul

If he's serious about it, he needs to splash the cash. You get what you pay for.

He will be replacing a €500 Laptop in a few years again.

old gregg

For a music production system I'd agree. For digital dj work, why drive a Ferrari to the shops when a Golf will do the job just as well.

Zascar

Cause in this case a golf is more likely to break down. I've had the pleasure of having to reinstall drivers in the booth before a gig. It's not very much fun!!

BetterCallSaul

It will do the job, no doubt. In my experience, people who start out with a cheap budget laptop always end up replacing it within a few years.

It depends how interested in the scene you are but my advice to anyone starting out would be to just buy a Mac in the first place.

old gregg

Fair enough. Maybe I've just been lucky working with a configured for production/gigging windows system that does nothing else. Never saw the point in paying for an apple logo but that's just what works for me.

BetterCallSaul

I'm far from an Apple lover, quite the opposite actually.

Phone is android, mp3 player is Cowon and Laptop is Sony.

I'd still recommend a Mac for anything digital music related though but that's just my own experience.

jtsuited

I've been a mac fanboy since back in the day (haha). Tell him to turn a few tricks etc to get enough for a mac.

Thecon21

If you can stretch to a grand, this beast is more than capable. Will handle music production (Ableton, Reason etc) without any issue of overloading and completely handle digital dj'ing without any issue.

Very solid and will last years, monster of a HDD on it also if you need it.

http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/17_18_inch/80007348/asus_17_3_n76vz_v2g_t1120v_i7_3610qm_8gb_1tb/details.aspx

FensterDJ

"Have to replace a laptop after a few years...." what do you see as the useful life expectancy of a Macbook, or any piece of technology these days beyond "a few years"?

BetterCallSaul

FensterDJ wrote: »

"Have to replace a laptop after a few years...." what do you see as the useful life expectancy of a Macbook, or any piece of technology these days beyond "a few years"?

My point was that if someone spends circa €500 on a laptop for DJing, 9 times out of 10 they end up buying a higher end laptop or macbook within a couple of years as they become interested in production etc. (this might just be my experiences of it, but I've seen it with a good number of friends and that's why I said it depends how interested in electronic music they are to begin with).

A high end laptop or MacBook should last you 5-6 years at least. I've mine over 5, works as good as day one.

old gregg

But, high end laptops are already not an option as far as the topic is concerned.

The 9 out of 10 example is sort of wishy washy in that plenty of people want to dj and may not ever want to produce. If they do decide to start producing seriously then they have a whole new set of needs anyway.

A €500 laptop is little use to you, me or any serious producer but as an entry level dj system it is perfectly fine for a few years I still believe.

BetterCallSaul

old gregg wrote: »

The 9 out of 10 example is sort of wishy washy in that plenty of people want to dj and may not ever want to produce.

Agreed. I said it's just my own experience from people I know.

old gregg wrote: »

A €500 laptop is little use to you, me or any serious producer but as an entry level dj system it is perfectly fine for a few years I still believe.

Yup, I've said it will do the job for a few years.

sweetie

ive been using for my main playout a 5 yr old compaq i bought on adverts for 100e!
I carry as backup my main laptop, a dell with i6 processor but the stripped down compaq has very little on it bar my tunes and djing programs. Basically, whatever you use dont clog it up or endanger it with viruses by using it day to day.

The_Honeybadger

Using a 5 year old Core2Duo Dell myself and it has yet to crash or falter in any way at a gig, it has a stripped down version of Win 7 at the moment, software and tunes, nothing else. You don't need a top end laptop for DJ work IMO, any normal laptop will do the job once it's not loaded with crap and it's looked after properly, and you use legitimate software and install all drivers correctly. Planning on getting a very good lappie myself shortly, but that is because I have gotten into video and need a good gfx card.

ghostdancer

re: the Apple thing, just been watching a Four Tet live set, using a Sony Vaio laptop and (i think) a Dell XPS, and Nathan Fake now on with something that definitely isn't a Mac either...

Klaas

I would advice you to take a macbook. It won't betray you. Also if you want to start produce your tracks, it's the best. Many top class djs/producers are working with mac. I believe it is the best credential...

bboyhary

A MAC IS A MAC .. pc is windows.. i am a programer for 15 years.. if u now how to set up windows.. u wil still have problems.. so go for mac .. you 'll don't have problems in the middle of the party for sure