newsflash...there are some of us old people that like to make mix cds and play in the car or use elsewhere
OT: looking for a new computer
- Thread starter Kbee3
- Start date
newsflash...there are some of us old people that like to make mix cds and play in the car or use elsewhere
I doubt you are older than me and I connect to my car system via Bluetooth and play playlists from my phone. When Costco stopped selling Blank CDs it was a sign for me to move on.
Buy a Mac Mini off the Apple Refurb site, BYO monitor and keyboard. You get a decently spec'd Mac for ~$500.
Except he told you he is doing music work... making CDs. Not just facebook and gmail.
If you know and OWN all the PC software you need to keep doing what you're doing, stick with PC. And chances are there are plenty of free PC programs to do what you want to do.
Also.. if you think video work is also in your future... you best get that handled as well.
If you are going to get all new software to do this work.. Apple may make things easier.
If your wife wants an Apple.. and it sounds like that is the case.. remember, happy wife, happy life.
But really.. if you already know how to do what you want to do on PC.. PC is the way to go. Get a laptop with an Intel Kaby Lake processor (latest/greatest). AMD is about to release some new processor (called Ryzen) with a lot of cores and threads and that will put price pressure on Intel.
Here's a recent story on best laptops for audio editing.. enjoy
The Asus ROG laptop they mention may be something I saw at Costco for about $899... I think the graphics chipset is kinda last generation.. nvidia 960m.. the 1050-1080 stuff is current... but the 960m was among the best last year. Most laptops you see have far less graphics power.
You need to prioritize a list of what you want and how much you are willing to pay.
Want a 2-1 touch screen light enough to be a tablet and still do processor intensive tasks? Write that down. You'll figure it out. It is all about choices. Eliminate the stuff that cannot do the job. Eliminate the stuff you don't want to pay so much for. Then see what feels right.
One more thing to consider.. powerful laptops often have cooling fans that whine when they get hot and spin fast. If the laptop can be picked up by the mic.. that could be an issue, I suppose. So a lower powered fanless design with SSDs and no hard disk might be the way to go.
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What you want is a basic OS. There isn't an OS on the market that can't do what you want. Go to a store and play with the machine and determine which one feels right to you. Apple is NOT a more secure machine. In fact, the reason hacker conventions hack PC's is because Apples are easier to hack. The reason there isn't as much malware attacking Apples isn't because they are more secure (and more of a challenge), but because there are far fewer of them with less valuable data. Infecting 1 computer or 1000 computers carry the same penalty, so why waste your time infecting only one?
Yes, sir. Along with floppy disks, cassette tapes and VHS machines, CDs are yesterday's technology. The world moved on several years ago.
CDs are kaput but Blu-ray discs are still good for archiving things. A good BR drive can be had for $25-30 on sale.
Why Facebook thinks Blu-ray discs are perfect for the data center
https://arstechnica.com/information...lu-ray-discs-are-perfect-for-the-data-center/
Why Facebook thinks Blu-ray discs are perfect for the data center
https://arstechnica.com/information...lu-ray-discs-are-perfect-for-the-data-center/
Lenovo Thinkpad: Work. Started off on a Mac in 6th grade, but can't go back at this point.
iPad: Casual.
Still hanging onto my VCR (never use, LOL), but yeah even this lover of the 80s ditched the CDs. I use an iPod Nano to transfer my playlists off iTunes, and either carry that bad-boy around or leave in car (got annoying so eventually bought two).
iPad: Casual.
Still hanging onto my VCR (never use, LOL), but yeah even this lover of the 80s ditched the CDs. I use an iPod Nano to transfer my playlists off iTunes, and either carry that bad-boy around or leave in car (got annoying so eventually bought two).
Several Rutgers mousepads--https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...BESTMATCH&Description=rutgers&N=-1&isNodeId=1
Why is that so hard for people to understand ?
I happen to possess a very large library of music CDs...and vinyl albums. And I do...or did until my computer crashed....download a bunch of tunes from them onto my computer and periodically create my own mix. I'm actually pretty good at it.
I also like the idea of purchasing an artist's latest particular body of work...not just downloading their latest single. Some of my favorite stuff was found in this manner.
And BTW I still buy CDs and in fact have friends who still buy vinyl albums.
And finally, we're leaning towards Apple, but if they can't provide the vehicle for me to create a library of music and create my own mix CDs....we'll look elsewhere.
Oh yeah.....and thanks to all for their help.
I've got a healthy supply of blank CDs, thank you very much.
Oh....and price isn't really that big of a deal.....QUALITY is. And the non-complicated nature of operating is also far more important than $.
Thanks again to those that provided info.
The next Surface Book might end up being the best PC laptop on the market.
If you buy any computer or laptop from the Microsoft Store (in person or online) it comes without any bloatware. Microsoft markets them as Signature Edition.
This is what Bill Belicheck thought of his Surface tablet and I can understand how he felt. I would be careful to really work with a new tablet during return period. You can love a tablet the first few hours and then really get to hate the thing. They ALL fight back. You want it to respond and it wont. You want it to sit still and instead it launches a bunch of things at slightest mis-touch.
Bill Belichick is through with the NFL's Surface tablets
https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/18/bill-belichick-patriots-coach-hates-tablets/
Bill Belichick is through with the NFL's Surface tablets
https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/18/bill-belichick-patriots-coach-hates-tablets/
The Mac Mini and an external optical would be plenty powerful for this, and would be a Mac OSX solution for around $500. The Mini used to have an optical but they took it out a while back. You can get an external for $25-$75. Don't waste money on the Mac one.
Surface Book is not what he was usingThis is what Bill Belicheck thought of his Surface tablet and I can understand how he felt. I would be careful to really work with a new tablet during return period. You can love a tablet the first few hours and then really get to hate the thing. They ALL fight back. You want it to respond and it wont. You want it to sit still and instead it launches a bunch of things at slightest mis-touch.
Bill Belichick is through with the NFL's Surface tablets
https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/18/bill-belichick-patriots-coach-hates-tablets/
still buy cds too..not as much as before but I like the physical product in my hands, something about opening of the case and reading the liner notes and lyrics as I am listening. That is an experience that cannot be replicated by hitting right click. For some hardcore music fans, its something we are not willing to give up and part of the overall experience. I realize for others its about simplicity and the latest technology and thats okay for them. I have like 500 music cds I bought over the ages, I wasnt going to throw them away just because of the mp3. I was just lamenting the other day about the loss of the record store..being able to spend hours on a Saturday. Still can get that vibe at Princeton Record Exchange but I feel sorry for the millennials who just grew up in a different world and never got a chance to experience that
Yes.. I had thought he was making music.. not just mixes. ANY computer is capable of that. And I suggest kbee look into plex or kodi or some music manager (10 best music manager article here)
I'm with you guys. I've still got CD's I bought in the early '90's. Going to Cheap Thrills on George Street just to browse was awesome. A trip to Tower Records was like a pilgrimage to Rome, LOL. Vintage Vinyl in Edison- another great shop. Just poking around, you found some of the best stuff, things you'd never hear on the radio. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I just kind of feel like unless I know exactly what I am looking for, it's incredibly hard to just stumble across great new stuff, be it rock, industrial, jazz, thrash, big band, what have you. Frankly, I despise mp3 to begin with, it's lossy, sub-par quality without the liner notes and art at a higher price. Just stamp idiot on my forehead, why don't they?
Don't buy an Air if you want to burn CDs or DVDs, for that you probably want a Pro, possibly a refurbished one. I bought a refurb iMac (big screen 27") back in 2011 and it's still going strong with just a low-cost RAM upgrade I did on it a couple years ago.
Coming to this thread late, and was surprised to see how long it took people to recommend the Mac-mini. If you're coming from a PC, you already have the monitor/keyboard/mouse, and can plug in a MacMini for $500, and add a Mac SuperDrive (CD) for an extra $79. You don't have the shell-shock of spending $1500, and if you're looking for a desktop replacement, then you're probably not looking to pay the premium for a laptop...
I turned to a MacMini after going through a bunch of PCs. I got fed up with all the PC malware that you accidentally downloaded when upgrading legit software. (You know, the type that changes your search engine without you knowing it, and then updating your registry with other crap.) Each time it happened, it would take an hour or so of web searches to clean that up. Now that I'm on a Mac, I've spent zero time on that.
Also, I have Microsoft Windows for the Mac, so if you're in love with Office, you can still use it on the Mac.
I turned to a MacMini after going through a bunch of PCs. I got fed up with all the PC malware that you accidentally downloaded when upgrading legit software. (You know, the type that changes your search engine without you knowing it, and then updating your registry with other crap.) Each time it happened, it would take an hour or so of web searches to clean that up. Now that I'm on a Mac, I've spent zero time on that.
Also, I have Microsoft Windows for the Mac, so if you're in love with Office, you can still use it on the Mac.
I was waiting for somebody to properly answer his original question about security. This is exactly what I was coming here to say. NOT more secure!
Our place for vinyl was Alwilks(sp) in Elizabeth back in the day. I could get lost browsing in that place for hours. Or Tower Records. I still have a large collection of vinyl and a larger one of CDs.
Still shopping for the right PC and laptop.....and hoping this one doesn't fail before we get a replacement. A tech we know has checked this laptop out and thinks "it's the hard drive".
We'll have a replacement soon enough.
replace it with an SSD and it may feel like a new machine.. then again.. SSDs tend to be more for running the OS and programs fast.. your music thing may have a lot of "writes" going on. If you can have 2 drives in there.. SSD for OS and programs and a 7200rpm 2.5 HD for storage will make it all feel brand new.
Also, I enjoy reading as well and although I know about Kindle, I still buy books and magazines.
And on Sunday I even buy newspapers....even though I check the internet for news.
Imagine that.
there used to be nothing better than sitting down on a Sunday morning and reading the Daily News and the Star Ledger with a cup of coffee and breakfast. Sad those times are gone, paper content is just terrible these days
O.K.
Here we disagree. When you say "reading the Daily News" you mean "look at the pictures", no ?
Every Sunday it's The New York Times and the Ledger for me. And a stop at the local bakery.
Are the words in the Times too big for you or the paragraphs too long ? Not enough pictures ? Seriously, how long can it take to "read" the Daily News ?
Just found this good price on a 720p type laptop from mono-price... of course, the model is 4-5 years old.. but might make for a nice replacement for a similarly old model.. and you can prolly pick up a better laptop hard drive for more storage... or replace with an SSD... then again.. put $200 toward a new laptop is prolly a better bet... but Ill leave this post up here even though I think it is a bit old, tech-wise... price is about $50 ($70 with code) less than same thing at newegg
$199.. and you can get $20 off (with $100 purchase) with code "SPLURGE" today..2/17
HP EliteBook 8460P 14.1" Intel Core i5 (2nd Gen) 2.5Ghz 4GB 320GB 7200RPM HD DVD-CDRW Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) (Recertified)
$199.. and you can get $20 off (with $100 purchase) with code "SPLURGE" today..2/17
HP EliteBook 8460P 14.1" Intel Core i5 (2nd Gen) 2.5Ghz 4GB 320GB 7200RPM HD DVD-CDRW Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) (Recertified)
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