Musician Gear & Tech Discussion

just wondering if anyone out there knows a good laptop for recording???

Depending on what software you are using, 4G RAM minimum, 7200 speed harddrive, and you're good to go (assuming you've got an audio interface, etc).

My Toshiba has been a good one. Dell and HP both suck. Strange, at one time Dell was the one I always recommended...but around 10 years ago they went downhill and joined the bottom feeders. I've had 2 Toshibas, my sister has one, about the only problems we've had are a CD drive died and batteries give out, both pretty normal for laptops. Batteries in anything don't last forever, optical drives have had a reputation for going south after a while since the windows 95 days.

You cross off the IBM T42 as well, unless you have an OLD ass software that is not resource intensive.

Any modern laptop will record just fine with a compatible interface. Figuring out "what" you want to record first, then how many tracks you might need, and who the recording is for will determine which software to work with. Once you have chosen software, find a laptop that will run it.

A few common choices:

Music demos or multitrack scratchpad> iPhone with Garageband app

More tracks and deeper effects, editing, mix and mastering to CD> Reaper and ASUS

Unlimited tracks, industry standard format for Film or Television production> MacBook Pro and Protools