Help with picking a new laptop for DJing/Photoshop

David_798

Prominent
Jul 13, 2017
1
0
510
Hi everyone,
I'm going a little crazy looking at videos, reading reviews all over, and it's just making my head spin.

I'm looking to buy a laptop, I want to get one that is powerful enough to smoothly run photoshop, DJ software also possibly some video editing.

My budget is 650-700 max. I've been saving up for this, hoping I can get something that will last me a good few years. Touch screen and battery life is not important to me as much as power is.

any help/advice would be very much appreciated!!!
 
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I have had an i5 (4th or 5th gen, can't remember) for about 4 years now, and i have to say i think its been perfect, coupled with 8GB of RAM. The internal storage with a laptop (in my view) isn't that important, as all my music is on an external 1TB USB3.0 drive, which provides a perfectly adequate speed, and using Serato, the processor is merely ticking over when i am playing out. I do not have any paid for security on it, as i do not use it for any internet usage, just purely a music machine. As you are using photoshop, i would probably look at one with a slightly larger HDD, but speed is not hugely of the essence in this case (in my experience)
The key with a music laptop, is cleanliness, and not filling it up with software, so it...
Hi, which DJ software are you gonna be using? I am a laptop DJ too. My Toshiba laptop is about 4 years old now, 4th gen i5 ( I forget the model now) 8GB RAM on windows 10. This was also a re-con laptop. I have had no issues what so ever with these specs, runs Serato DJ with so much ease! Where are you based? (Just for currency conversion)
 

gopher1369

Distinguished
Jan 20, 2012
100
0
18,660
100% what Kenton says about DJing software. It's surprisingly non-intensive. I started with Traktor in about 2008 with a Core 2 Duo and 2Gb RAM, ran with no issues whatsoever. Pretty much anything from the last 5 years will work without any issues whatsoever.

I don't use Photoshop myself, but I am aware it loves RAM, I'd certainly look for 16Gb myself, but it's easily upgradeable on many laptops, getting an 8Gb laptop and upgrading it to 16Gb is normally a trivial process. Beware, a few manufacturers do solder the RAM onto the motherboard, making this impossible (Microsoft and Apple, for example).
 

Airyellis

Prominent
Jul 18, 2017
3
0
510
Hey all, thanks so much for your replys. (I was on my dad's laptop when I started this thread and I forgot the password) oops lol

I use serato DJ. My main current laptop is a Toshiba satellite, it's slowly dying tho. It's been a great laptop, but it's a good few years old so I'm clueless now adays on what's good.

If anyone could answer at least one of these questions it would be so helpful.

Is Dell a good way to go? I've had bad experiences with HP and Asus. The XPS looks like a dream but the price tag, a nightmare lol

Is touchscreen really useful?

And is SSD really that much better?

Someone also told me the i5 is no good? I forgot the reason, but it stuck with me for some reason.

I'd love a bigger HDD (to store music). But just something that can keep up with heavier programs (like Photoshop, or Vegas). If I just wanted to browse and watch stuff this would be so much easier lol

Again, thank you all! Really appreciate it!
 
I have had an i5 (4th or 5th gen, can't remember) for about 4 years now, and i have to say i think its been perfect, coupled with 8GB of RAM. The internal storage with a laptop (in my view) isn't that important, as all my music is on an external 1TB USB3.0 drive, which provides a perfectly adequate speed, and using Serato, the processor is merely ticking over when i am playing out. I do not have any paid for security on it, as i do not use it for any internet usage, just purely a music machine. As you are using photoshop, i would probably look at one with a slightly larger HDD, but speed is not hugely of the essence in this case (in my experience)
The key with a music laptop, is cleanliness, and not filling it up with software, so it can concentrate on performing. The last thing you need when you are playing out is a PC full of unnecessary stuff.

Good luck, and i hope you find something you are happy with mate.
Regards,
K
 
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