Laptop Purchase Options

[YDG]

My friend is looking for a laptop and his budget is 600 dollars. The primary use of the laptop is for recording/mixing and for live sets when he performs. He uses a lot of heavy-weight music programs. Any help?

[FUTUREtek]

So what are you going to do? Pick up the laptop and dance around while you're mixing? You'll still have a better time with a lightweight desktop.

No. I am not going to be mixing with it live, it is going to be running backing tracks and a midi instrument.

I don't know if you've ever played gigs, but trust me, you'll look pretty weird if you're using a desktop on stage instead of a laptop. That, and that venue staff are pretty damn tight about getting your stuff on stage, having it set up and ready to go, and getting your stuff off stage, really fast. Setting up and lugging around a desktop setup up and down stairs/ramps is much more difficult than a laptop, especially when I already have to worry about lots of other gear.

Also the biggest thing, you're going to need nice speakers no matter what. Laptop speakers are all really tinny. They push no bass. As I'm sure you're aware, electronic music needs bass.

For live shows, we use the venues system, so I don't need any speakers. I have played shows with my current laptop, I'm just looking to upgrade.
And for at home, I already have large JBL studio control monitors. I'm all good on the speakers/interfaces/etc, all I'm looking for is a laptop...thanks

Once again though, thanks for your help, I appreciate it, really.