Check for refurbish refurbished.
3 Likes
Got screens, don’t need more plugins, novation controllers are cheap as fuck, my wife runs a tech company, they’ve got loads of hubs laying around I can steal.
Will pick up a second hand MOTU M2 or 4 at some point.
3 Likes
Save £280 on this… 
Sure 
I just referred to a laptop as in the post it was kind of embebed that he was after using/looking for a laptop, but yes, I wouldn’t recommend laptops either for actual work, unless there isn’t any other options.
On the other hand, if he may have access to different screens, a Mac mini version may be an option, but then when not in the studio there won’t be options to make music with it.
When I’m saying Mac’s are expensive, I am based on my experience last time I was looking for a laptop, being 17" and with enough ram to make some audiovisual work, even a bit heavy for my taste
Prices for Mac were about 2800€ and PC was about 800€, that’s what I found them pricey.
It’s too bad that Behringer doesn’t make laptops
3 Likes
Myeah but spec wise they would not have come close. If you take the specs of that 2800 euro mac no way would you be able to get that for 800. That’s more a question of, if 800 is the budget, can I buy a 17” Mac? Nope.
But hardware wise they wouldn’t really be comparable.
Don’t get me wrong, Apple is absurd when it comes to pricing on things like RAM or extra HD storage. It’s filthy even. Or simple cables, chargers etc. Really absurd. Going from 256 HD to a 1tb HD in price is an additional kidney.
On that front pc’s are definitely unbeatable
Sorry for this derailing Fin. Totally useless this 
1 Like
That’s basically what I meant when I referred to Mac’s being pricey.
In any case, what it may be pricey for someone it may not be for another one, but I just wanted to tell my experience regarding that in case people weren’t that aware.
All good and also sorry for derailing a bit too
1 Like
I hate the Apple company, I really do. I refuse to buy one.
But they are better for audio at a fairly deep level. I say that after working as a professional tester of audio software, switching between platforms every day. I don’t like it. I don’t want to admit it. But it’s true.
That said, I’ve gone PC for my own laptop, because I am a stubborn fellow, and currently Win11 with a Motu M4 works absolutely fine, better than any previous Windows setup I’ve used.
Note that the real headache with Windows audio is that it doesn’t want you to use more than one audio device at a time, or more than one audio-producing app at a time. Mac doesn’t have this problem. The Motu driver seems to have solved it somehow too, which is witchcraft to me as a Windows veteran.
TL;DR: the people saying go Mac are correct, but being a mule about it and refusing isn’t the end of the world.
4 Likes
bapple.
2 Likes
Because they are standards at work, I periodically have to use Teams, and occasionally Office 365. These have kept my hatred of Microsoft current.
5 Likes
2015 MBP and add full ram to it. Shouldn’t break the bank and it’s more than enough to run Ableton and a shitload of VST’s.
I have a friend who’s a sound designer / engineer and he does all his work on two 2011 MBP’s and one 2012 MBP, with full RAM and SSD’s added. You really don’t need the latest and greatest.
1 Like
What, no mention of Macs? Turing test fail!!! 
1 Like
It can produce the perfect forum post:
- Misunderstands the question
- Writes an authoritative answer anyway
- Gets many important details wrong
7 Likes
This.
What does she suggest? If she is fluent with Windows, you’re all set.
1 Like
I have been following this advice for years and can confirm!
She doesn’t know shit.
She doesn’t even know how to backup her WhatsApp.
Luckily, she doesn’t run the tech bit of the tech company.
4 Likes
Gotcha!