MacBook pro vs Thinkpad

**Karlos Santos** · 06-14-2011, 10:48 AM

I think a common misconception is that getting more bang for your buck (more spec) is the best option.
Get what suits your requirements.
Do you need more that 2 usb ports etc.?
Are you using power hungry apps that need the higher spec?

I know nothing of the Lenovo. I do know that Macs have worked for me but if i needed more spec id be looking at the PC option as well.

**lethal_pizzle** · 06-14-2011, 10:49 AM

@OP... to be honest the Macbook isn't massively future-proof. It'll run DJ software today no problem but if you are looking to produce or for something that'll still kick ass a couple of years from now you might be struggling.

eg. it has about the same spec as the HP PC I paid $800 3.5 years ago. I know apples and pears and all that. You might consider coughing up a few hundred more and get a better spec.

**fullenglishpint** · 06-14-2011, 10:52 AM

OK serious answer. Official refurb Macs are pretty good, but they tend to come in above the $500 price point. Despite what most of us mac fanboys will tell you, it's perfectly possible to run Traktor or whatever on a PC. It usually needs a little more tweaking, but it works fine. And as is obvious, you can generally get a higher spec PC for the same money.

**heaps** · 06-14-2011, 12:43 PM

Until linux has better DJ software (mixxx >.>), I'd go with the mac simply because it's a sensible unix-based system. I'm running a lower-spec 2006 macbook with no issues in Traktor, but some real lag when producing in ableton.

Thinkpad's are great though, Much better hardware IMO

**other1** · 06-14-2011, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by fullenglishpint

It usually needs a little more tweaking, but it works fine.

well I rly dont know how much tweakin one needs nowadays, my asus c90, thats like way to old, got itself an ssd and when w7 dropped it got that, and the only tweaks I did was turned off indexxing and wifi,

null problems

**lethal_pizzle** · 06-14-2011, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by heaps

Until linux has better DJ software (mixxx >.>),

this again

**fullenglishpint** · 06-14-2011, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by other1

well I rly dont know how much tweakin one needs nowadays, my asus c90, thats like way to old, got itself an ssd and when w7 dropped it got that, and the only tweaks I did was turned off indexxing and wifi,

null problems

And I don't have to turn off wifi

**Wala** · 06-14-2011, 01:25 PM

Hey OP look at some of the black macbooks. They're amazing laptops and built like tanks. I've been using mine for a while now, and highly recommend them!

**jimbob5000** · 06-14-2011, 01:43 PM

As a mac guy, my recommendation is (sorry, Karlos): base it on your OS preference. You like windows? Why switch? You like osx? Why bother about windows? IF you prefer osx, get a used macbook with at least a core2duo cpu. The coreduos will not be supported by osx lion anymore.

Really, for DJin, an older macbook WILL work fine. So will an older Windows notebook. Pure specs matter, but they're not everything. I mean, I've got a 2,4 GHz macbook, and I DJ with it, make my tracks with logic, do photo editing etc. So would I if it was a 2.4 GHz core2duo windows machine, I guess (except for the logic part, obviously).

If it's just about the money and you don't care about the OS, take the thinkpad. Usually pretty reliable machines.