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?

[heyo-captain-jac...]

Where the f*ck are you playing? I've never played a show that supplied anything more than monitors. And I always get at least fifteen minutes to get my shit set up/put away.

[Uronacid]

Hey, I'm his friend who's looking to purchase a laptop haha. Anyways...

All of you, thank you so much for your responses and help, I really appreciate the suggestions given.

However, there are a few things that I need to clear up.

I am looking for a "music" laptop, "studio", but not really for a studio that you may be thinking of. Most of my music is electronic based, dealing with plugins and midi. The other recordings I do of hardware instruments is not very intensive.

The laptop would not be for just a "studio", although I would use it there, this is why a desktop would be a problem: I am going to be using it a lot for gigs and performances. Thus, I need a laptop so I can be mobile, as I will be moving around a lot, which is why a desktop is out of the question. Any other intensive recording we do with a friend who has a good setup. This laptop is more for shows, etc.

You say this laptop wouldn't just be for "studio"... well that means you're going to do more with it. Which probably means you'll need it to be even more powerful. Which probably means you need to spend more than 600 dollars. What else do you want to do with it?

Dude, if you just want a laptop go purchase one. You have our recommendation. Purchasing a laptop for this stuff is just a big fat waste of money. Especially if you only have 600 dollars.

I love how you're suggesting you want to upgrade your current setup and we're telling you that you need to purchase a desktop so that you don't have to spend 600 dollars to upgrade your setup in the future. This is not enough for even an entry level studio setup based around a laptop. Chances are that a laptop that costs 600 dollars will be able to do just as much as the one you have. 600 dollars is not enough. Maybe you should wait until black friday.