what to buy - please help

[DJ jordi J]

hello all,

i am now looking to buy a new laptop for DJing running "Virtual DJ" but unsure on what to go for. i have a fairly limited budget of roughly 350 max has anyone got any ideas ?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

hello all,

i am now looking to buy a new laptop for DJing running "Virtual DJ" but unsure on what to go for. i have a fairly limited budget of roughly 350 max has anyone got any ideas ?

I'll let you know when mine arrives... :D

[DiscoMagic]

I'll let you know when mine arrives... :D

I know its a bit above your budget, but I would highly highly recommend an Apple, or perhaps a refurbished one. I've got two, and my older one (7years old) still does a job nicely, but I would avoid the temptation of filling what ever you get up with cr@p, just use for djing only .


:):)

[yourdj]

I know its a bit above your budget, but I would highly highly recommend an Apple, or perhaps a refurbished one. I've got two, and my older one (7years old) still does a job nicely, but I would avoid the temptation of filling what ever you get up with cr@p, just use for djing only .


:):)

You can get a black 2.5 gig version for that budget. Great machine for the money.
same innards as the aluminium pros a few years back:

Like this one with 1 terabyte drive, 4 gig ram!!
Great nick for £389

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Customised-Apple-Macbook-1TB-13-black-HDD-2-4-GHZ-4GB-Ram-Black-Isight-/111173801716?pt=UK_Computing_Apple_Laptops_ET&hash=item19e27996f4

[ukpartydj]

I have a Dell latitude laptop which cost me £150 on eBay (backlit keyboard too) with something like 2.6ghz duo processor and 4 gig ram.
If you're using video then maybe you'll need more, however this amount of power is plentiful for running up to 4 decks in traktor.

My Backup laptop is an i3 processor which cost £200, have that running connected and ready to go at all times - also doubles as my DMX controller or video for projector.

I sold an i7 £600 laptop to get both of these and the £150 laptop runs better than the £600 one... I think that is due to the slow clock speed, I'd advise a higher clock speed 2.2ghz or more as DJ programs don't seem to utilise the whole multiple core idea all that well from my experience.

[DJ Jules]

I have a Dell latitude laptop which cost me £150 on eBay (backlit keyboard too) with something like 2.6ghz duo processor and 4 gig ram.

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm using an ex-corporate reconditioned HP Elitebook 6930p that I picked up for £130.00 and it's more capable than the i3's I've tried. I've had to replace the keyboard and the battery, but these are both 5min jobs and because these laptops are so common, the parts are both less than a tenner! I did also upgrade the internal HDD to a 500Gb 7200rpm model for £60 or so, but I did this because I keep all my tracks on the internal drive, not an external drive.

I do have a Dell latitude 630 as well that I use for lighting control that I got for free from work and also use as a backup. Same deal, you can pick them up for almost nothing on eBay and I've had to just replace a few bits for a few pounds.


If you're using video then maybe you'll need more, however this amount of power is plentiful for running up to 4 decks in traktor.

This laptop does video and Karaoke quite happily on Virtual DJ with a second screen. If you were worried about this, you could pick up an HP Elitebook 8530p for less than £200 and these have fast top end Dual core Intel processors.

Julian

[ukpartydj]

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm using an ex-corporate reconditioned HP Elitebook 6930p that I picked up for £130.00 and it's more capable than the i3's I've tried.

I used to have on of those a few years ago, such an absolute bargain - these "business laptops" are by far the best. No cheap flimsy plastic, no overheating - just raw power, solid construction and after a couple of years - stupidly cheap to pick up.
Saying that my Dell is the cheaper version so instead of stupidly solid airplane grade aluminum that's virtually unscratchable (Elitebook) I've got plastic.

[DJ Jules]

I used to have on of those a few years ago, such an absolute bargain - these "business laptops" are by far the best. No cheap flimsy plastic, no overheating - just raw power, solid construction and after a couple of years - stupidly cheap to pick up.

They're £1200+ new, so they ought to be well built :D Something people often forget about is that laptop speed isn't all about the processor, the supporting components (memory controller, memory, hard disk controller, hard disk drive, graphics card, etc) can have a huge impact on how effectively the processor performs. New laptops with i3 processors should outperform the older Dual Core laptops in theory based on CPU performance for pure maths operations, but frequently, they don't, because the supporting components in the older high end models are superior.


Saying that my Dell is the cheaper version so instead of stupidly solid airplane grade aluminum that's virtually unscratchable (Elitebook) I've got plastic.

As much as I love the Elitebook series of laptops I certainly wouldn't say the lid is un-scratchable. I made the mistake of biking to work once with my work laptop in a pannier bag and the movement against the padded bag during the journey was enough to make it in a couple of places. You do have to watch the bottom corners of the plastic bezel around the screen as well as the screws that fix the lid to the metal hinges are anchored through the plastic, and this can cause the bezel to crack and the lid to become loose. Again, you can pick up spare lids and hinge assemblies on eBay for < £60.00 (sometimes with the screens included!)

Julian

[ckpr2]

I use a quad core 2GHz laptop I got off ebay for £175. Its like new.
VDJ can use quite a bit of graphics power with its complex display so go for a faster laptop if you can.

I used to use VDJ but dropped it for some simple DJ software I wrote myself.
The screen is used for playlists rather than fancy record deck simulations.
I have digital effects in my amp so no need for those in DJ software.

[Andy P]

My Backup Lappy is a Toshiba Satellite which cost me around £500 before I took up DJing. Dont get one the processor sucks

[BitterVirtue]

I've just bought this one http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/acer-aspire-e5-511-15-6-laptop-iron-10108807-pdt.html

Will be using it for DJing only.

[Benny Smyth]

My Backup Lappy is a Toshiba Satellite which cost me around £500 before I took up DJing. Dont get one the processor sucks

My Toshiba Satellite was about that price and has lasted me two years so far with no problems. :beer1:

*desperately touches wood, just in case!*

[DazzyD]

I'm sure the OP values your comments, guys. Or rather he would if he was still an active forum member! He hasn't been on here for nearly a year and this thread is 21 months old so I'm pretty sure he's sorted out his new laptop by now! ;)


My Toshiba Satellite was about that price and has lasted me two years so far with no problems. :beer1:

*desperately touches wood, just in case!*

Incidentally, my Toshiba Satellite Pro, the one with the onboard Harman Kardon sound, was a great machine. Well, until the lid jammed and I snapped it off trying to open it!

But, genuinely, I'd recommend them to anyone!

[Benny Smyth]

I'm sure the OP values your comments, guys. Or rather he would if he was still an active forum member! He hasn't been on here for nearly a year and this thread is 21 months old so I'm pretty sure he's sorted out his new laptop by now! ;)

Valid point, however I'm pretty sure that the knowledge and experience passed on in any thread is of value to more than just the original poster. ;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

The OP works for me and is mentored by me too, so get's the best advise away from here. :D

[DazzyD]

The OP works for me and is mentored by me too, so get's the best advise away from here. :D

Then why do you not tell him to get his backside on here more often and share his education??!!?? :eek:

Actually, I didn't click on it was Jordan from the name. I mean - DJ Jordi J from Reading - could have been anyone!!! :zip:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Then why do you not tell him to get his backside on here more often and share his education??!!?? :eek:



He prefers FB groups. Not sure why when there are so many idiots on them...