An Alternative To Laptops

[tunes4046]

For as often as you have Gigs its should be able to last you until you go to your grave!

Now that's funny, very true I am working 4 to 5 nights a week a regular basis, it is vital that I have the best tool available for the job, I too have a $500 laptop, but it's for my kids to use so they don't screw up the good ones

 

[steve149]

Well I guess that those who do this as a Hobby instead of a business won't see the Value, so too are those who have to go to their wives to ask permission to buy their new toys! Their wives won't let them! :bananen_smilies046:

Some realize that laptops are pretty much a commodity. The lifespan (based on depreciation) is around 3-4 years. SO .. I'd rather buy a middle of the road unit for 30%-50% of what you paid, and then buy another in 3 years or so and rotate the current to backup duties.

It's not about not seeing the value .. I see value .. when it's there .. not when it isn't.

And as much as I like MBPs, some features just aren't needed on a DJ setup, such as the Retina display, which tacks almost a grand on the unit. I would think a pretty sweet MBP could be had for $1500-$1750 if one desired a Mac.

 

[ahoustondj]

Some realize that laptops are pretty much a commodity. The lifespan (based on depreciation) is around 3-4 years. SO .. I'd rather buy a middle of the road unit for 30%-50% of what you paid, and then buy another in 3 years or so and rotate the current to backup duties.

It's not about not seeing the value .. I see value .. when it's there .. not when it isn't.

And as much as I like MBPs, some features just aren't needed on a DJ setup, such as the Retina display, which tacks almost a grand on the unit. I would think a pretty sweet MBP could be had for $1500-$1750 if one desired a Mac.

Errr, my Laptop is a Tool and as long as that Tool performs I do not have to keep up with the latest trends. As a Business one would know that if it ain't broke it does not need fixing. You also do your best to get the best tool that won't break too often, to quick or at all!

 

[steve149]

Errr, my Laptop is a Tool and as long as that Tool performs I do not have to keep up with the latest trends. As a Business one would know that if it ain't broke it does not need fixing. You also do your best to get the best tool that won't break too often, to quick or at all!

Yes .. but the "best" tool, isn't always the most expensive one. I have been in IT for 30+ years, and have worked for major PC/laptop vendors and know what I need for a reliable machine. With a Mac, you're buying style mostly, along with quality parts and cutting edge design .. however those same exact parts (less the retina display) are available in a PC laptop version for half the price, with the same reliability, albeit without being able to easily run MacOS.

As for something like a Dell laptop, I'll wager that my Dell (Latitude E5420) has the same parts in it as whatever model you have (except maybe you have a different processor) and I paid $700. Is yours demonstrably better or better built? I would venture to say no.

 

[ahoustondj]

Yes .. but the "best" tool, isn't always the most expensive one. I have been in IT for 30+ years, and have worked for major PC/laptop vendors and know what I need for a reliable machine. With a Mac, you're buying style mostly, along with quality parts and cutting edge design .. however those same exact parts (less the retina display) are available in a PC laptop version for half the price, with the same reliability, albeit without being able to easily run MacOS.

As for something like a Dell laptop, I'll wager that my Dell (Latitude E5420) has the same parts in it as whatever model you have (except maybe you have a different processor) and I paid $700. Is yours demonstrably better or better built? I would venture to say no.

I can only go by the History my friend. The first Special/Custom Order One is now 7 years old and still kicking. That is about $18.00 per month. I would say that is a heck of an Investment. Given for inflation, the new one is $2,000.00 and is one year old this month = $166.00 per month, a tiny fraction of a monthly Gig. Hard to beat! Now that is how a businessman thinks!

 

[steve149]

I can only go by the History my friend. The first Special/Custom Order One is now 7 years old and still kicking. That is about $18.00 per month. I would say that is a heck of an Investment. Given for inflation, the new one is $2,000.00 and is one year old this month = $166.00 per month, a tiny fraction of a monthly Gig. Hard to beat! Now that is how a businessman thinks!

No doubt, but I haven't lost any of my "off the rack" laptops either. I'd rather spend the difference on other things.

 

[SoftJock Rick]

I can only go by the History my friend. The first Special/Custom Order One is now 7 years old and still kicking. That is about $18.00 per month. I would say that is a heck of an Investment. Given for inflation, the new one is $2,000.00 and is one year old this month = $166.00 per month, a tiny fraction of a monthly Gig. Hard to beat! Now that is how a businessman thinks!

Actually, they probably saw you coming a mile away -- there's one born every minute...

Now, if you spend thousands for all this fancy hardware, that does nothing more than mine -- why do get yer cables at the dollar store...? Seems somewhat odd to me -- kinda like buying a $5,000 rifle, and putting a $5 box of ammo in it...

 

[ahoustondj]

No doubt, but I haven't lost any of my "off the rack" laptops either.

I see you have another Hobby! Laptop Collecting!

 

[steve149]

No .. they usually get farmed out to a family member in need. Reuse and repurpose.

 

[rickryan.com]

Well I guess that those who do this as a Hobby instead of a business won't see the Value, so too are those who have to go to their wives to ask permission to buy their new toys! Their wives won't let them! :bananen_smilies046:

Well I guess those of us who actually know how to stay married understand that showing basic courtesy to our wives is not having to "ask permission".

 

[ahoustondj]

well i guess those of us who actually know how to stay married understand that showing basic courtesy to our wives is not having to "ask permission".

Yep you better show them courtesy otherwise you won't get any toys at all.
lololololololololololololololololol

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Canute why buy something if you really don't have to? I have things on my wish list that I really want. Now the question is it something I really need and can I make my money back. Basically what is my ROI if I buy something. Some things are nice to have but is it really needed?

 

[ahoustondj]

Canute why buy something if you really don't have to? I have things on my wish list that I really want. Now the question is it something I really need and can I make my money back. Basically what is my ROI if I buy something. Some things are nice to have but is it really needed?

YES!!!!! and it has paid for itself many times over.

 

[SoftJock Rick]

For as often as you have Gigs its should be able to last you until you go to your grave!

Interestingly enough, just for S&G, I went over your post count for the last 6 days or so -- 75 plus, during all hours of the day and night. When do you find time to do business...?

How exactly do you find time to set up your equipment, do site visits, frame and hang "art", hang upside down tomatoes, chase snails, and waterless cooking...?

So, you probably maybe do six gigs a year, best I can figure.

And then, you tell us your MEP can do more than a computer. Can it search Google, view CNN.Com, the Weather website. Can it open 20 tabs in Firefox, burn CDs and read your Pop3 emails all at once? Can I use scratching knobs -- sure, works fine on my software with a mouse or keyboard shortcuts.

There is some missing information here...

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

YES!!!!! and it has paid for itself many times over.

For me I would love to buy a laptop that has a back lit screen to be able to see the screen better. Especially in low light. In time I think I will do that. Now I know you would suggest to spend a ton of money on a custom built one instead of one off the shelf. But if you were to buy one off the shelf what would you choose and how much would it cost me?

 

[ahoustondj]

For me I would love to buy a laptop that has a back lit screen to be able to see the screen better. Especially in low light. In time I think I will do that. Now I know you would suggest to spend a ton of money on a custom built one instead of one off the shelf. But if you were to buy one off the shelf what would you choose and how much would it cost me?

Talk to Steve and Mike, the Tech Guys. They can help you out. The specs that I choose for my Laptops are for DJ purposes only and since the MEP does all the DJ related stuff then it really does not matter much anyway.

 

[steve149]

A lot depends on what you plane to do with the machine. Video requires a little more CPU and much more graphics capability. Random file searches benefit from faster hard drives, SSD or hybrid drives.

High resolution screens (1920x1080 or Apple retina) benefit very large screens (17"+) or those that do graphics (photography type) on their laptop.

So come up with the needs and we can help pick a machine.

 

[djsarge]

I think I'd rather take the advice of an IT guy than one that keeps trying to convince himself he is a business man. Heck, we don't even know if he's a real DJ!

 

[DjDennis]

hahahahahaha

I shake my head!!