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look_at_the_sky
good


Registered: 07/07/13
Posts: 53
Last seen: 8 years, 10 months
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Need help choosing a laptop
#20394574 - 08/09/14 06:24 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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Hello guys, im stressing over a choice of a good laptop. Im going to school next month for music production and need a good laptop around the 1000-1400 dollar price range. I really like the Lenovo y50 and the Alienware 14x. Is there any other PCs I should check out. Thanks in advance.
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Shroomism
Space Travellin



Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension
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Go with the Lenovo
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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i'd probably buy something w/ a better form factor to lug around all day for school
acer aspire s7, dell xps 13, samsung ativ book 9, thinkpad x1 carbon, or macbook air 13"
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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iateshaggy
i haxor 360s



Registered: 05/20/05
Posts: 4,709
Loc: 612 Warf Avenue, next to....
Last seen: 2 months, 7 days
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: CosmicJoke]
#20396594 - 08/09/14 05:23 PM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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asus, lenovo, toshiba, samsung and acer in that priority order and i wouldn't even consider any other brands, especially hp, alienware, sony and macs.
-------------------- You are a filipina sex goddess who wants to fuck me until I fall asleep, so then you can tickle my balls and see if the legend of my diamond filled nutsuck is true. I am a white man from costa rica, who smells like lime jello.
I can flash/jtag/repair 360's, pm for details.
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,729
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: iateshaggy]
#20398282 - 08/10/14 03:59 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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I went for an Asus because their offering was the best tradeoff between portability, performance (particularly its screen) and price at the time of purchase. Just look at some models and price levels and compare them. Generally, Asus, Lenovo and Sony have attractive offerings in this price range, but I wouldn't exclude any brand, to be honest.
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sprinkles
otd president


Registered: 10/13/12
Posts: 21,527
Loc: washington state
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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um... macbook pro
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: sprinkles]
#20398300 - 08/10/14 04:16 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
sprinkles said: um... macbook pro
not really in his budget..... + i wouldn't even dream of owning one w/o the extended warranty, which is $350 in itself on a 15" macbook pro... i just got my macbook back this week from a repair, here's a snippet of the email.
Problem Description/Diagnosis Issue: Cx is reporting system freezes that take place at random. These occur about once a day give or take. When these happen, the cursor freezes, clock freezes, and nothing responds. If you close clamshell, the LCD stays on and machine doesn't sleep. It needs to be force shut down. Steps to Reproduce: Unable to reproduce in appt. MRI passes. Cx states he ran the apple hardware test a few times and had an error regarding flash storage every time. Proposed Resolution: Check in and run asd Efi on ram and SSD. Replace whatever part is needed. Cx has already performed an erase and install and is running a mostly blank OS. Data is backed up. Cosmetic Condition: Great. Minor signs of use, no damage. Estimated Turn Around Time: We'll call you within 48 hours Mac OS Version: 10.9.4 Hard Drive Size: 500 GB Memory Size: 16 GB iLife Version: n/a
Employee *************
Repair Estimate Item Number Description Price Amount Due Customer KBB 661-6487 Card, Solid State Drive, 512 GB,SM $ 907.95 $ 0.00 N 661-7386 Board, Logic, 2.7 GHZ, 16 GB $ 567.05 $ 0.00 S1490LL/A Hardware Repair Labor $ 39.00 $ 0.00 Total (Tax not included) $ 1,514.00 $ 0.00
w/o applecare, that would have been a nice $1503
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: CosmicJoke]
#20398320 - 08/10/14 04:32 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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eh, i suppose if you get a 13", you can get a refurb model of the latest version in budget
Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.4GHz Dual-core Intel i5 with Retina Display
Originally released October 2013 13.3-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2560-by-1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM 256GB Flash Storage
for $1,189
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FE865LL/A/refurbished-133-inch-macbook-pro-24ghz-dual-core-intel-core-i5
you can buy extended warranty for a 13" cheaper on b&h photo for $174, protects it for 2 additional years (comes w/ 1yr warranty)
it's not bad for reasonable trade off between performance and portability 2.4ghz dual core haswell, hd 5000 graphics, 2560x1440p ips screen, 256gb PCI-E SSD (as opposed to sata), 3.46lbs...
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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sprinkles
otd president


Registered: 10/13/12
Posts: 21,527
Loc: washington state
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: CosmicJoke]
#20398935 - 08/10/14 10:59 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
CosmicJoke said:
Quote:
sprinkles said: um... macbook pro
not really in his budget..... + i wouldn't even dream of owning one w/o the extended warranty, which is $350 in itself on a 15" macbook pro... i just got my macbook back this week from a repair, here's a snippet of the email.
Problem Description/Diagnosis Issue: Cx is reporting system freezes that take place at random. These occur about once a day give or take. When these happen, the cursor freezes, clock freezes, and nothing responds. If you close clamshell, the LCD stays on and machine doesn't sleep. It needs to be force shut down. Steps to Reproduce: Unable to reproduce in appt. MRI passes. Cx states he ran the apple hardware test a few times and had an error regarding flash storage every time. Proposed Resolution: Check in and run asd Efi on ram and SSD. Replace whatever part is needed. Cx has already performed an erase and install and is running a mostly blank OS. Data is backed up. Cosmetic Condition: Great. Minor signs of use, no damage. Estimated Turn Around Time: We'll call you within 48 hours Mac OS Version: 10.9.4 Hard Drive Size: 500 GB Memory Size: 16 GB iLife Version: n/a
Employee *************
Repair Estimate Item Number Description Price Amount Due Customer KBB 661-6487 Card, Solid State Drive, 512 GB,SM $ 907.95 $ 0.00 N 661-7386 Board, Logic, 2.7 GHZ, 16 GB $ 567.05 $ 0.00 S1490LL/A Hardware Repair Labor $ 39.00 $ 0.00 Total (Tax not included) $ 1,514.00 $ 0.00
w/o applecare, that would have been a nice $1503
I've had my macpro since 2011, and i've never had a problem with it ever.
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,729
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: sprinkles]
#20399097 - 08/10/14 11:49 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
sprinkles said: um... macbook pro
Great machine, horrible value for money. I wouldn't recommend it; not because there's anything wrong with it, but simply because there are better options.
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: sprinkles]
#20399523 - 08/10/14 01:35 PM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
sprinkles said:
Quote:
CosmicJoke said:
Quote:
sprinkles said: um... macbook pro
not really in his budget..... + i wouldn't even dream of owning one w/o the extended warranty, which is $350 in itself on a 15" macbook pro... i just got my macbook back this week from a repair, here's a snippet of the email.
Problem Description/Diagnosis Issue: Cx is reporting system freezes that take place at random. These occur about once a day give or take. When these happen, the cursor freezes, clock freezes, and nothing responds. If you close clamshell, the LCD stays on and machine doesn't sleep. It needs to be force shut down. Steps to Reproduce: Unable to reproduce in appt. MRI passes. Cx states he ran the apple hardware test a few times and had an error regarding flash storage every time. Proposed Resolution: Check in and run asd Efi on ram and SSD. Replace whatever part is needed. Cx has already performed an erase and install and is running a mostly blank OS. Data is backed up. Cosmetic Condition: Great. Minor signs of use, no damage. Estimated Turn Around Time: We'll call you within 48 hours Mac OS Version: 10.9.4 Hard Drive Size: 500 GB Memory Size: 16 GB iLife Version: n/a
Employee *************
Repair Estimate Item Number Description Price Amount Due Customer KBB 661-6487 Card, Solid State Drive, 512 GB,SM $ 907.95 $ 0.00 N 661-7386 Board, Logic, 2.7 GHZ, 16 GB $ 567.05 $ 0.00 S1490LL/A Hardware Repair Labor $ 39.00 $ 0.00 Total (Tax not included) $ 1,514.00 $ 0.00
w/o applecare, that would have been a nice $1503
I've had my macpro since 2011, and i've never had a problem with it ever.
That's nice, honey.
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: CosmicJoke]
#20399609 - 08/10/14 01:54 PM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
koraks said:
Quote:
sprinkles said: um... macbook pro
Great machine, horrible value for money. I wouldn't recommend it; not because there's anything wrong with it, but simply because there are better options.
Generally speaking, ultraportables aren't a good value for the money, but judging from what i see kids running around portland with, students tend to love em here..... I can't find one 13" i5 w/ 256gb ssd on newegg under a thousand bucks. The lowest one, an acer, for $1029 has pretty tragic specs 4200U 1.6ghz processor, 1366x768 screen, Intel HD 4400 @ 3.3lbs
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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iateshaggy
i haxor 360s



Registered: 05/20/05
Posts: 4,709
Loc: 612 Warf Avenue, next to....
Last seen: 2 months, 7 days
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: CosmicJoke]
#20399627 - 08/10/14 01:57 PM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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-------------------- You are a filipina sex goddess who wants to fuck me until I fall asleep, so then you can tickle my balls and see if the legend of my diamond filled nutsuck is true. I am a white man from costa rica, who smells like lime jello.
I can flash/jtag/repair 360's, pm for details.
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: iateshaggy]
#20399670 - 08/10/14 02:10 PM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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there's a lot to think about when hackintoshing a laptop, compatible wifi chipset, making sure suspend and wake works w/ lid, getting your power management working properly w/ all p-states, graphics switching won't work at all so if you want decent battery life you could really only get an igpu etc. lack of trackpad gesture support etc.
if you want an excellent hackintosh, build a pc around the idea imho. You'll get a way better end product.
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,729
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: CosmicJoke]
#20399792 - 08/10/14 02:50 PM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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Shaving a few pounds off a laptop is indeed an expensive affair. Then again, I can't say I'm unhappy with choosing that route. The Zenbook I have weighs a little under 3lbs and it's a joy to use with its full HD screen. I'm not sure about US price levels, but it was around € 1050 here, which means it probably would have cost about $ 1150 in the US. I could have had the same CPU, memory and SSD for maybe € 650 (but with a lower resolution, non-touch screen) so in price/performance sense, it wasn't the best bargain out there. All around, I consider it good value; just the low weight alone makes it a joy to use wherever I go and that was a big consideration.
If portability is not so much of an issue, then there are much better options than an ultrabook.
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant


Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: koraks]
#20399848 - 08/10/14 03:17 PM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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they look sick, you can get a 2.6lb 13.3" zenbook w/ 2560x1440p screen, 128+128gb ssd in raid, i7, intel iris pro 5100, 8gb ram etc. for $1,869 here
apple is definitely slacking, a comparably priced macbook air would get you a 3lb 13.3" 1440x900 screen, i7, 512GB PCI-E SDD, intel hd 5000 w/ 8gb ram for $1749....
better weight and screen and igpu on the zenbook....
i imagine the pci-e ssd is considerably faster on macbook than even the sata raid, not to mention twice the storage....better trackpad for sure, imagine considerably better battery life as well on macbook, pushing less pixels etc.
i doubt we'll see a retina macbook air until broadwell early next year, which should provide ample energy savings to offset the ultra hd display and keep it somewhat in line w/ the current 12hr wireless web surfing battery life... the running rumor is that broadwell will make fanless ultraportables a reality, so we may have dead silent ones even at load. 
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
Edited by CosmicJoke (08/10/14 05:49 PM)
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Northerner
splelling chceker


Registered: 07/29/12
Posts: 14,828
Loc: FNQ
Last seen: 15 hours, 16 minutes
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: CosmicJoke]
#20402390 - 08/11/14 06:29 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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I studied sound engineering and I am now currently a IT specialist.
The last thing you want to do is buy Mac. (short of loading Linux)
The application specific software is ridiculously expensive and limited for Mac in sound. 15 years ago they might have had the upper edge but those days are over. VST now biatches.
You will probably consider buying a decent external USB soundcard with 24bit inputs as well as outputs (note this). A machine with a minimum i5 processor and 8gb of RAM is what you need. I currently buy HP ProBooks, recommended for my clients. They are available with a manufacturer 3yr warranty and look really nice, as well as being solid as anything on the market and have Win 7 Pro as standard (do not buy 8, you will regret it as a soundie)... Basically, buy a commercial laptop not a domestic one.
Don't worry about battery or trackpads, fanciness or other shite either, you will always be plugged in except when at school... That mouse will break your wrist before you finish your course, it will know your hand better than your cock.
Also, buy 2 external hard drives and backup, duplicate, backup... There's so much more to be lost making music than there is in normal computing.
Hope this helps.
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The nearest we ever come to knowing truth is when we are witness to paradox.
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Northerner
splelling chceker


Registered: 07/29/12
Posts: 14,828
Loc: FNQ
Last seen: 15 hours, 16 minutes
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: Northerner]
#20402404 - 08/11/14 06:37 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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PS: don't waste your money on Alienware, commercial ripoff, and get a larger screen than the 15" if you can make it happen.
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The nearest we ever come to knowing truth is when we are witness to paradox.
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koraks
Registered: 06/02/03
Posts: 26,729
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: Northerner]
#20403154 - 08/11/14 10:45 AM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
Northerner said: Also, buy 2 external hard drives and backup, duplicate, backup...
I bought a synology 214+ with two 3TB drives in RAID1 to accommodate my photography habit that has been spiraling out of control for about a decade now. I can highly recommend it if you can spare the money. It offers unsurpassed functionality (which is actually useful too) and is just a great allround product. Perhaps pare it with cloud backup (which synolog tends to offer plugins for, so you don't have to do anything manually) like a friend of mine does. With this combination, you can access your data from anywhere on the planet without having to worry about losing any data due to hardware malfunctions.
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sertoviska
The other side.



Registered: 08/15/14
Posts: 135
Loc: Prison of my Mind
Last seen: 9 years, 5 months
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Re: Need help choosing a laptop [Re: koraks]
#20424266 - 08/15/14 07:23 PM (9 years, 9 months ago) |
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I use Asus ROG G750JW for work stuff. I work in software development but do a lot of music recording too.
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Dad died in November as his diagnosis predicted, but he stayed strong for us til the very end. As he would want, I will be posting some of his writings as I go through them, hopefully giving more of his insight that saved our family, and hopefully will help you all too.
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