Get that Macbook Pro?
Get that Macbook Pro? Posted on: 10.09.2012 by Salena Bonjean Hi there,I have quite powerfull but very unreliable (cheap) laptop (i7QM, 8GB Ram, SSD...) so I'm looking for a new one. I am considering bying a Macbook Pro because of it's reliability, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. I'm running Traktor and Maschine and sometimes Live. My question is if it's realy worth it. Compared to a Dell XPS or most other good Windows-laptops I could save somewhat between 500 - 1000 | |
| Elmira Billard 20.09.2012 | HP Envy 14 beats i7. Wiped and clean installed Win7 to remove bloatware. Further tweaked services and process settings, it runs like a demon and has never let me down, even in gigs when I forgot the emergency cd's Get it in the States for about |
| Elmira Billard 20.09.2012 | HP Envy 14 beats i7. Wiped and clean installed Win7 to remove bloatware. Further tweaked services and process settings, it runs like a demon and has never let me down, even in gigs when I forgot the emergency cd's Get it in the States for about |
| Elmira Billard 20.09.2012 | HP Envy 14 beats i7. Wiped and clean installed Win7 to remove bloatware. Further tweaked services and process settings, it runs like a demon and has never let me down, even in gigs when I forgot the emergency cd's Get it in the States for about |
| Elmira Billard 20.09.2012 | HP Envy 14 beats i7. Wiped and clean installed Win7 to remove bloatware. Further tweaked services and process settings, it runs like a demon and has never let me down, even in gigs when I forgot the emergency cd's Get it in the States for about |
| Elmira Billard 20.09.2012 | HP Envy 14 beats i7. Wiped and clean installed Win7 to remove bloatware. Further tweaked services and process settings, it runs like a demon and has never let me down, even in gigs when I forgot the emergency cd's Get it in the States for about |
| Alberta Oberti 28.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by sebastiannz
@boarderbas: Spot on. It's that flexibility/complexness of Windows which makes it incapable for some tasks. The new Windows 2012 Server can be installed as a command prompt only system (Power Shell), just like Linux. No needs for the fancy stuff that causes many crashes. |
| Queen Zachariasen 21.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by deevey
Hardware compatibility is Windows' strong point, and as EFI loaders gain traction, you'll see "Target Disk Mode" enabled under various names from many manufacturers. I know my desktop has it already, and it's enabled because of EFI instead of BIOS. EDIT: You seem to be confusing Boot from USB with Target Disk Mode also. Any laptop has the ability to boot from a USB drive. Any computer made in the last 6 years can do that. You also don't seem to understand that Windows Activation doesn't care for 30 days. I have a legit upgrade copy of Win 7 from when I had been running XP, and ignored activation for almost four months, and all it did was remove my wallpaper and block my updates. Then I got free copies of 7 Pro from my school. |
| Rolanda Clodfelder 21.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by poizone
The point is that when you boot off a USB drive on a mac, everything will work as though its your own machine with no extra steps needed. If,for example you own an Asus laptop and try a network boot or dropping the hard drive into a Dell, most likely it will BSOD or require a ton of drivers before you get full functionality, thats assumming of course windows activation allows you to boot at all due to the hardware change limitations. |
| Queen Zachariasen 20.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by deevey
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| Elmira Billard 20.09.2012 | HP Envy 14 beats i7. Wiped and clean installed Win7 to remove bloatware. Further tweaked services and process settings, it runs like a demon and has never let me down, even in gigs when I forgot the emergency cd's Get it in the States for about |
| Loan Oballe 01.10.2012 | yea i rock a MBP, was able to get a few discounts. i was running a windows laptop before hand, and while it worked It crashed some times and ran like a charm others. MBP are what most DJ's and Producers use for a reason, 1. They are supported well 2. they tech doesn't go out of date quickly, as most software devs are happy keep supporting software (it's only been up untill now that the power book series are loosing support) 3. The reliability for dosh is fantastic. 4. If all you get is a base/used model you'll be set for 3-4 years. |
| Alberta Oberti 28.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by sebastiannz
@boarderbas: Spot on. It's that flexibility/complexness of Windows which makes it incapable for some tasks. The new Windows 2012 Server can be installed as a command prompt only system (Power Shell), just like Linux. No needs for the fancy stuff that causes many crashes. |
| Evia Nitch 25.09.2012 | What do you like more? Lego or Matchbox? A lego car is either a pain in the ass because it requires assembly and does not look very sleek and shiny, or it's a good toy because you can make a boat and a spaceship out of it too. Same comparison. Windows has more flexibility/scriptability/hackability. A mac does what it does well, but never will do more. When it comes to build quality, nothing surpasses a good IBM believepad |
| Peggy Gabrielson 23.09.2012 | I'm not a huge fan of Apple despite owning quite a few of their products. But the MPB is really good, I don't have any problems with it and can count the number of dropouts I've had over the last 2.5 years on one hand. |
| Elmira Billard 21.09.2012 | You could consider dual booting your PC with linux if you go PC route. Then, if Windows dies you still have a working OS from which to wipe and reinstall windows from the backup you already made. |
| Rolanda Clodfelder 21.09.2012 |
EDIT: You seem to be confusing Boot from USB with Target Disk Mode also. Any laptop has the ability to boot from a USB drive. Any computer made in the last 6 years can do that.
I do mean Target Disk via USB OR simply installing your hard disk into any other Mac Computer. This is Something that I've almost never found that works 100% between the majority of Windows machines without any additional steps - something would always be missing be that a LAN driver, Video Driver, Wifi Driver etc etc ... Something would almost always need to be installed and just dropping a computer from one machine into another without additional steps would frequently result in BSOD's or Unstability. |
| Queen Zachariasen 21.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by deevey
Hardware compatibility is Windows' strong point, and as EFI loaders gain traction, you'll see "Target Disk Mode" enabled under various names from many manufacturers. I know my desktop has it already, and it's enabled because of EFI instead of BIOS. EDIT: You seem to be confusing Boot from USB with Target Disk Mode also. Any laptop has the ability to boot from a USB drive. Any computer made in the last 6 years can do that. You also don't seem to understand that Windows Activation doesn't care for 30 days. I have a legit upgrade copy of Win 7 from when I had been running XP, and ignored activation for almost four months, and all it did was remove my wallpaper and block my updates. Then I got free copies of 7 Pro from my school. |
| Rolanda Clodfelder 21.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by poizone
The point is that when you boot off a USB drive on a mac, everything will work as though its your own machine with no extra steps needed. If,for example you own an Asus laptop and try a network boot or dropping the hard drive into a Dell, most likely it will BSOD or require a ton of drivers before you get full functionality, thats assumming of course windows activation allows you to boot at all due to the hardware change limitations. |
| Queen Zachariasen 20.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by deevey
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| Rolanda Clodfelder 20.09.2012 | One other thing a Mac has going for it. IF your laptop does happen to die, you can boot your hard drive via USB on ANY other mac (built within the past 6 yrs) you get your hands on and it'll work without any driver installs, conflicts, windows repairs etc etc .... |
| Elmira Billard 20.09.2012 | HP Envy 14 beats i7. Wiped and clean installed Win7 to remove bloatware. Further tweaked services and process settings, it runs like a demon and has never let me down, even in gigs when I forgot the emergency cd's Get it in the States for about |
| Marguerite Truka 16.09.2012 | I have used windows and mac's for DJing only ever had a problem once and that was with the mac, Traktor just randomly quite. Been using a mac for a year and a half and pc for around 3. I personally don't notice any difference really and both OS's have there advantages. part of the problem here is alot of ppl are comparing a |
| Queen Zachariasen 15.09.2012 | The problem buying a windows machine is that windows comes pre installed by the manufacturer. This can be a good or bad thing, but is usually bad. To get the price down they load crap software you don't need before you buy it. I have a mac, and Boot Camp Windows 7 for my CS courses. The windows 7 install is the best I've ever felt on any laptop. When I clean installed on my Asus ($450 AMD A6-3400) it felt exactly the same (Minus noticing the resolution difference a little.) The biggest differences for me are Core Audio and that I can plug and unplug my midi devices without having to restart Ableton. |
| Werner Bile 15.09.2012 | Windows user here. HP Envy 14 Beats edition. Works fine with ableton, traktor, and maschine. works fine with wifi on. Running Windows seven, never once had the thing crash on me. This is all out of the box to, I haven't done anything to it. |
| Alberta Oberti 14.09.2012 | After having lots of problems on my AMD Quad Core notebook since the upgrade to Traktor 2.5 I've bought the Macbook Air 13" 2011 model with a 256GB SSD. Ever since no problems using the remix decks and effects on all channels. Running OS X 10.8.1, Pioneer DDJ-T1, Traktor F1 and live input. |
| Brunilda Kora 14.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by Patch
Originally Posted by Me
I'd love a Mac. I just don't like the way people believe they HAVE to have a Mac to be taken seriously. If you can afford it, you should get one. If you can't afford it, Windows will do the job perfectly well. |
| Estrella Rozzo 14.09.2012 | It seems more that you already made up your mind a while back, and you need acknowledgement. Most people on production/DJ community
s will recommend you a MBP anyway. I'm a Windows user, and I'm pretty happy with that. If I could afford a MBP I would probably get one. But if I could afford CDJ's 2000, I would probably get those too... You just have to make that decision for youself. Good luck on your decision. |
| Salena Bonjean 13.09.2012 | I'm considering a MBP because it's definitly more likely that a Windows laptop becomes unstable. If anyone could give me a few scripts or anythnig else which would "guarantee" that a Windows laptop stays stable, I would happily accept it. But as long as it's a game of luck, I'll still consider a MBP. Btw: I also had a T61 and it screw up after a year. Maybe I did sth wrong, but that's the point in bying an overexpensive MBP. You don't have to make up your mind about things like that. I hope... |
| Erica Charvet 12.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by Fischkopp
I don't dual boot, and I multi-task like a mother during wedding receptions. Some models seem to inherently have issues, though. If you go with a Windows machine, stick to a good business-class model. Those are typically built and serviced on a much higher level than the general consumer machines. |
| Merideth Garnder 12.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by Fischkopp
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| Shonda Soulier 12.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by Patch
I know it's case-by-case, but I've never once heard a horror story when a Mac is in play. Look for a refurbished mid-2010 13" MBP. Make upgrades to RAM and SSD as you're able. It would be plenty of muscle for today's DJ apps. |
| Salena Bonjean 12.09.2012 | Well ok, so even the Windows users agree, that I have to spend work on configurating and maintaining a Windows laptop instead of buying a MBP without having these things to do. Searching guides in the internet and doing this stuff sill consume some time I guess. So thanks a lot for now, it seems that most of you share my just stated opinion. It's my turn now to decide what hourly rate I charge for my spare time. I'll let you know. ;-) Thanks again! |
| Rolanda Clodfelder 12.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by Patch
At the end of the day, you buy a Mac and it'll last you 3-4 years before beginning to feel sluggish (even without optimization). A top of the range Macbook pro 13' with an SSD will set you back appx $7 a week once you factor in the abnormally high resale values which are around double that of similarly spec'd PC's. Now I don't know what your time is worth, but being able to multitask between surfing, audio work, video, web development, and skyping with clients all without a reboot to me is priceless and certainly has made me WAY more money than I would have ever saved buying a Dell or HP. |
| Brunilda Kora 12.09.2012 | I don't get problems with my Windows machines. You have to take the time to learn how to optimise them. There are a MILLION guides on-line. Start by making a new partition/OS installation for audio work (DJ'ing, production, etc...) and then strip out everything that is not absolutely necessary for audio. What you end up with is 2 computers on the same machine - 1 for your day-to-day "computering" (shopping, e-mails, surfing, etc... Think of this as your daily runner, in car terms, a people carrier), and 1 for your audio stuff (this is your weekend car - you can't go shopping in it, or pick up the kids, but it goes like shit off a shovel). Take your new Audio Partition, uninstall unnecessary software, stop services, disable automatic updates/firewall, disable networking, turn off graphical enhancements/animations, stop system sounds.... The list goes on. It all enhances your system, and makes it a more reliable machine.
Originally Posted by rillep
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| Jonas Hanway 12.09.2012 | Macbook Pro and you won't ever look back. During a usual evening when DJ'ing where I usually play I have the following on: Traktor (self explanatory) with audio 8 DJ and an X1. (Latency less than 10m/s) Audacity for recording the evening . iTunes for browsing. Finder/spotlight for quick browsing of tracks and loading. WiFi connected to the bar/club's internet Safari in case I need to download a quick few tracks. Maybe one or two other programs open. And it doesn't cause a single issue. Everything runs perfectly. And that's with a 4GB Mid 2012 Macbook Pro. I've got 2 4GB sticks of ram at home to install, but there just isn't any need just yet. |
| Salena Bonjean 12.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by Ashigari
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| Patty Mcgilbra 12.09.2012 | never had a problem with my windows laptop and it's used both for gaming and music. Only thing I had to optimize was installing the drivers and turning off WIFI, if I had the money I'd probably get a MBP just for the ease of it though... |
| Salena Bonjean 12.09.2012 | Back on topic: Did anyone use a Windows Laptop with much software installed that worked flawlessly? I'm still concerned about the price. Like I said, it's buying a MBP or a Windows laptop AND a high class midicontroller for the same price. |
| Erica Charvet 11.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by ksandvik
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| Salena Bonjean 11.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by ksandvik
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