Best Laptops for Pro Tools LE

[Allen Hallada]

Updated 1/13/07

Current recommendation is to get the new MacBook or MacBook Pro for PTLE. They will also run on Windows XP using either BootCamp or Parallels software making them the most versatile laptop on the planet. I highly recommend using OSX with PTLE however. If you have ever had a virus on your computer you will appreciate OSX.

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/


Digidesign Recommended Laptops (from compatiblity pages)

Best Notebook Forum on the Web



MacBook Pro or MacBook Dual Core or Core 2 Duo Intel 2Ghz or higher. Get at least 1GB of ram.


And Dude, DON'T buy a Dell!

Nuff said!




For those PC diehards that want less computer for more money this applies to you:

Installing Standard PC

If you are running into recording errors do one of the following two:

1. Disable the "Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery" in the device manager.

2. I highly recommend switching from ACPI to Standard PC by reinstalling WinXP and using the F5 option during install to switch to Standard PC. Reformatting will also remove any unwanted programs and give you a clean computer. I recommend installing WinXP SP1 if using PTLE version prior to 6.9, or update your Pace drivers to the most current version. You can use your SP2 disc authorization numbers to register an SP1 install if needed.

While the above link is the current recommended list by Digi, we realize that Digi is not able to test every laptop made and most of these laptops are discontinued. For this reason, I encourage people to participate here. Please list your system specs below and let us know what is working and what isn't. Include your Davec Performance Test results also. Just copy and paste the following list into your post and fill in the information.

Digi Hardware:
PTLE Version:
Laptop Name and Model #:
Ram type and Amt.:
Hard Drive Config.:
Firewire Card or Connection (Name and Model#):
Experiences:
Davec
Test Results:
Dverb Test Results:
Recommendation1-5) 1= Highly, 5=Sending it Back

Thanks everyone for your help here in making Windows PTLE a powerful, fun, enjoyable, and professional recording platform!

Allen

[Chris Cavell]

It would be nice Allen, if we could get a sampling of DaveC scores to follow your post. Anybody with any of these comps willing to join in the survey?

[ecalcagnino]

I would really like to see the VAIOs on that list [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] . Sounds like there have been some that do very well. I wonder if it is the "iLink" thing that is keeping them off.

I would really like to see some DaveC scores, too. I just posted looking to pick up a laptop and there aren't may posts with scores out there. What a timely post!

Eric

[WorldOfWiz]

funny how you don't see sonys on the list since digi and sony did a tour.

Wiz

[kmshroom]

Originally posted by WorldOfWiz:
funny how you don't see sonys on the list since digi and sony did a tour.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">yeah, when the 002 came out, they toured with a Sony laptop, boasting about how they came out with PC and Mac release at the same time.

of course, at the london Turnkey demo, the computer started doing strange things in the middle of the presentation, and the Digi guy kept muttering curse words and saying, "see, this is why I use a real computer, a Mac."

[kmshroom]

(btw, i'm a PC user, and def there's a reason i'm not a Mac user, so don't start chewing me out for being some Mac-addict)

P4 2.53gHz, 1gb DDR RAM, P4PE mobo, etc etc..
Digi001.

[natdoe]

dear all
i am new user in this room ,can anybody tell me about my problem,
i bought a 003 rack factory and new laptop dell 1537 running vista 32 bit extreme edition ,core 2 duo ,T6400 2 GHz ,4 G Ram .
and when i load up my protools software ...it's stop and freeze .i talk to the degidesign on the phone ,they talk some [bleep][bleep][bleep][bleep] and they told me to change my laptop ,actually i can't refund my laptop to bestbuy ,it's over one month .
so i need to stick with this laptop and 003 rack .
can anybody help to fix problem for me ???
respect
soe ...

[macr0w]

Originally Posted by natdoe

can anybody help to fix problem for me ???
respect
soe ...

Sadly........No.......

[macr0w]

I wonder if this would run le?

[pickerdd]

Originally Posted by natdoe

dear all
i am new user in this room ,can anybody tell me about my problem,
i bought a 003 rack factory and new laptop dell 1537 running vista 32 bit extreme edition ,core 2 duo ,T6400 2 GHz ,4 G Ram .
and when i load up my protools software ...it's stop and freeze .i talk to the degidesign on the phone ,they talk some [bleep][bleep][bleep][bleep] and they told me to change my laptop ,actually i can't refund my laptop to bestbuy ,it's over one month .
so i need to stick with this laptop and 003 rack .
can anybody help to fix problem for me ???
respect
soe ...

Just my 2 cents here, but you should consider buying an extra internal hard drive for your laptop and loading Windows XP on it and using it only when you record. You'll need an external hard drive to record. You shouldn't/can't record to the internal primary drive where protools is loaded. If you want to follow a similiar path that I've taken wit my M440 go here for more info: http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread...76139&page=229

I was not able to get PT 8 to run properly using Vista on my Dell M4400. I had to install XP Pro on a hard drive and I use it specifically for recording to my external drive.