Im currently using a compaq which has a intel dual cpu with 2.16ghz n 2gb ram! I run traktor and ableton both on it and they both overload badly! Like ableton has really bad cracking all the way so i generally freeze all the unnecessary tracks!
Now im considering buying a laptop but dont know which to buy. Why is that everybody uses mac. Also is it that if i buy a mac will i never run into a cpu overload??? Can do with out a mac too like buy a hp ultrabook or something??
or probably can u suggest some specifications my laptop should be having so i can work smoothly and dj commercial too. thank you
Which OS are you running? Have you tried running MSCONFIG and slimlining your startup/running processes? Also, you need at least 4gb of RAM mate. 2GB will work for basic mixing, but the added buffer is nice to have.
Mostly because people are stupid and buy into Apple’s hype. No, people have just as many issues with stability and performance on Macs as on PC hardware; MORE, even, considering how the price/performance ratio for Apple vs non-Apple hardware is almost half. Ie, the same amount of money spent on an Apple product will get you half the performance as a non-Apple one.
The biggest tip I can give you regarding your own laptop is to reformat it and re-install Windows 7 (or 8) using plain install media, not the manufacturer’s “restore CD”, as they’re typically filled with crapware which slows your system down. Also, do NOT install any form of 3rd party antivirus software, as that’ll eat up 30% of your system’s performance. If you MUST have AV software, use Microsoft Security Essentials and disable realtime protection; that way, if you ever have to run anything that you’re unsure of the safety of, you can right click it and click “Scan with Microsoft Security Essentials”.
My 10 cents worth - a devout PC fanboy until 10 days ago. Ran a lean, mean ASUS NJ61 which never gave me a day’s hassle, other than the screen autominimizing after updating to 2.6. This was resolved with the new GeForce driver. My motherboard got fried by a corrupt BIOS update (posted on the ASUS website no less!) and after comparing the new Zenbook with the MBP, I found that the price was comparable for similar spec’d machines. Opted for the MBP (13" 2.9GHz i7 750GB). I am BLOWN AWAY - Mac rules.
I have a MBP 13" 2.4GHz i5 and I love it! Runs Traktor 2.6 like a champ with very little lag. And thats just with 4 GB of RAM (updating to 16 GB soon slight_smile:
I’ve had no problems with Traktor on my Macbook Air with absolutely 0 changes to OSX settings or any “optimisation”, whereas people buying new Windows machines frequently have to tweak settings to get usable performance. CoreAudio is just a much better solution than sticking ASIO drivers on top of Windows.
I5 OR I7…will it make a huge diff to my cpu load?? becoz there is a huge cost difference. Though I5 has 2.5ghz n d i7 has 2.3ghz. Also does such a tiny diff of ghz affect?
Good point. i7 only really comes into it’s own if you are running multiple programs, functions and apps. Can enable the Multi Core option in Audio Set-Up in Preferences without compromise, but as Mak says, no audio advantage.
Okay guys thanks a lot for the advice. Im going ahead with a MacBook Pro 15’‘.
15’’ has only i7 option, no i5 option and i think 13’’ is too small to work with while djing since im use 15’’ right now. Though correct me if you really find no diff in the both and work as easily.
Im going ahead with this- MacBook Pro 15-inch quad-core i7 2.3GHz/4GB/500GB/HD Graphics 4000/SD - 2200 USD
Though a
MacBook Pro 15-inch quad-core i7 2.6GHz/8GB/750GB/HD Graphics 4000/SD - is costing me 2800 USD
MacBook Pro 13-inch dual-core i7 2.9GHz/8GB/750GB/HD Graphics 4000/SD -1800 USD
MacBook Pro 13-inch dual-core i5 2.5GHz/4GB/500GB/HD Graphics 4000/SD - 1500 USD
MacBook Air 13-inch dual-core i5 1.8GHz/4GB/128GB flash/HD Graphics 4000 - 1500 USD
MacBook Air 13-inch dual-core i5 1.8GHz/4GB/256GB flash/HD Graphics 4000 - 1800 USD
Though ive heard ‘Airs’ aren’t powerfull enough to handle the cpu for traktor or ableton so not really considering them.
Also on the other hand i have a good hp envy option.
Hp Envy dv6, 15’’ windows 8, Intel Core i7-3630QM (2.4 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache), memory- 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 - at 1200 USD
Just wana make a smart decision so lemme know. That in the future would i require a mac only or no or could i do with this windows. I generally only run traktor, ableton live and sometimes photoshop on my laptop. Also its filled with movies & music though i can always transfer these 2 on a external hard drive. I need to run traktor without any drop outs since i want to dj with it and also wana run ableton without all the cracking so i can hear the sound clearly.
Thank you all for your feedback until now. Lemme know if im doing the right thing.
Went from 17" ASUS to 13" and LOVING it. Also thought I’d miss the large screen option - truth is not at all. I am now discovering true mobility. I do however increase the Line Size in Preferences. Set up a mate’s Air and it works like a dream - personally I use the HD for my entire library and don’t want the hassle of an external HD.
For the 15-inch I would go for an i7 2.3GHz/8GB (although you can add this yourself)/500GB (also user upgradeable), and would highly recommend getting the High Res 1,680x1,050 screen option.
The 13" Pro isn’t that great as the resolution is so low (1280x800).
My Air handles all Traktor use with ease, and I would expect it to handle Ableton well too. The 2012 revision made the Air quite a powerful machine.
This thing is huge! It has a nice screen res of 1920x1080 and has a USB 2.0 port which helps for sound card compatibility. Not sure how Windows 8 is doing compatibility-wise but you can always downgrade to Win7 if you have problems.
The choice of Mac vs PC is up to you. The HP dv6 has good tech specs for a low price but may require some amount of tweaking to get good audio performance out of it, whereas the more expensive 15" Macbook is more likely to work smoothly out of the box and I’d say has much better build quality than the HP.
I’m using an ASUS Aspire, fantastic machine for the price. 2.2 ghz i7 processor, 8 gigs of ram, handles Ableton and Traktor simultaneously with no problems. 1 TB of HD space, plenty of room for tracks, samples, whatever. As a bonus, if you play games at all, it’s got a pretty decent video card. I play Skyrim on it from time to time on flights, downtime between sets, etc., and it runs pretty well around medium/high settings.
Go to a computer shop and play with both of them. Pick them up, type a few lines on the keyboard, open and close the lids, touch the trackpad, examine the way they are put together, the seams , the weight, the thickness, materials they are made from, the vent holes in the casing all round (or lack of) etc etc …
slight_smile:
Though I5 has 2.5ghz n d i7 has 2.3ghz. Also does such a tiny diff of ghz affect?