Laptop processor recommendations

[Amether]

It's a boring thread, I know, but I was surprised not to find anything in here asking vaguely the same thing that isn't over a year old, so here we go...

I'm confident enough to know what to buy in terms of interface, RAM, HD, but I'm wondering how far wrong I can go when it comes to the processor.

I have a 2012 (or so) i5 MacBook Pro that is starting to stuggle: mostly soft synths and FX. It also doesn't turn on, which doesn't help, hence looking now. I will want to be able to do multitrack field recordings, but then I could do that 10 years ago without a laptop breaking a sweat so I doubt that's important these days.

I'm not going Mac again. The OSX UI and Finder keeps me in a state of perpetual misery. I'm feeling i7 is going to keep me happy, but obviously would prefer not to spend on what I don't REALLY need, seeing as processor speeds have presumably increased in the last 5 years anyway?

[Softsynth]

Suggest buying a dirt cheap laptop for the field recordings, and get a decent desktop instead.

Go laptop only if portability is of paramount importance. Otherwise buy or build a desktop for superior performance.

Comparing like for like laptop CPUs are nowhere near as powerful as their desktop counterparts. Also you are mostly stuck for upgrades and servicing, screen type and so on.

[Amether]

That's a fair recommendation, and I'd take that for tracking for sure.

That said, I'm going to want to be playing live with this too, so hoping to have the ability to add dozens of random synths in Ableton a 4am in a haze without grinding to a halt...

[vanhaze]

IMHO, you can never ever have raw (single cpu core) performance enough, regarding audio production in DAW's.

That's even a bigger statement when you are going live, cause that workflow will even strain a cpu more.

Don't hold your money back on cpu and also ram. (but cpu more important if you don't do heavy usage of sampler plugins with lots of samples).

[Amether]

Aw no, don't say that. I'm was hoping someone would say I'll be fine with a little steam engine...

i7 > i5 in every case? New i5 vs older i7?

Use a few sampled instruments but never more than half a dozen at a time. My old MacBook handled that fine.

[Softsynth]

Originally Posted by Amether

Aw no, don't say that. I'm was hoping someone would say I'll be fine with a little steam engine...

i7 > i5 in every case? New i5 vs older i7?

Use a few sampled instruments but never more than half a dozen at a time. My old MacBook handled that fine.

If you intend to stick with a few sample instruments only then a top end i5 (desktop) will give you plenty of headroom, even a new i5 Laptop will probably be fine for several years.

OTOH if you wish to use CPU hungry soft synths (and not all the good ones are CPU hungry by current standards) then you should think i7 only for Laptop or top end i5 or i7 for desktop.

It all depends on how many tracks. Many users would even get away with an i3 or modern desktop Pentium if say only using 8-10 tracks with a couple of modest CPU soft synths, 2-3 instances of sample instruments and the rest as live recording/wav files.
For future proofing a top end i5 or i7 will last longer even then; who knows what will come with future virtual instruments.

OTOH if you were into serious orchestral mock ups (pro grade with high tens or hundreds of tracks) or big soft synth tracks with the most CPU hungry synths then get the most powerful i7 your wallet can cope with.

Orchestral guys will want lots of ram too. Proper soft synths do not benefit from lots of ram, just CPU power.

[Amether]

Thanks guys. All appreciated.

Prob going to splash out on the i7 but keep myself to 8GB RAM.

I really hate spending money.

[Greedy]

I've had good luck with refurbished Dells. Here's some i7s about $300.

https://www.dellrefurbished.com/lapt...rand=190%2C360