Need a new PC, what should I look for?

In all fairness I think any good i5, i7 Intel processor should do, as should any 4- and 6-core AMD processor. Intel seems to have the better papers, BUT there is a pretty significant price difference between Intel and AMD CPU’s.

8GB of internal RAM memory should be plenty. Although at today’s prices it is cheap enough to upgrade to 16GB if you want.

Another tip, and I think this is more important to spend the money on than CPU or RAM memory, is how QUIET the system is. You can make/buy PC’s that have been silenced. They do this by putting in fanless or low noise fans on the CPU coolers and system fans, rubberized mounting of the harddisk and very low noise power supplies. Invest in silence if you are into producing. The sounds of running fans can become a big distraction.

Another option would be if you can have your PC in another room and just run extension cables for screen, mouse and keyboard!

All this goes for PC’s running Windows (get 7 or wait for 8.1 which you can tell to behave like 7). Lots of folks in the production business don’t want to be caught dead with DOS-Boxes as they call ‘m, but will only have Mac’s to work with.

Although I am not partial to either, they apparently think that the pro’s of a Mac are worth the SIGNIFICANTLY higher price. Especially since these days a Mac is exactly the same on the inside as far as (i5/i7) processors and memory and such goes.

Something you would like to get in either a Mac or a PC is a SSD or Solid State Disk/Drive. It is, in essence, a really big memory stick in the shape of a hard disk. No moving parts and ridiculously fast. Combine it with a 1 or 2 TB hard disk for a both of best worlds situation. You programs and such on the SSD and your harddisk for storing all your projects.

Be sure to make backups if you are running a 1 harddisk configuration!

Obviously you want a good sound card, which means not the one on-board. There are so many around it is hard to advise. M-Audio has some nice cards at decent prices, obviously you could go for a DJ-interface like Native Instruments or any of the other major brands. I’d say go for 24-bit 96KHz interfaces, if it weren’t for the fact that there are still some awesome 16-bit 48KHz around. Personally I think 32-bit and higher than 96 (192) KHz is a bit overkill for most situation. The biggest in interfaces differences are the number of input and output channels, the plug types (RCA, Jack, XLR, balanced or unbalanced). Also some have more buttons and knobs to control things on the hardware rather than in the software.

One more thing that is worth checking before buying. If you are not gonna be inputting/recording a lot of microphones, try to stay away from interfaces with mic inputs. A mic input requires a mic preamp built-in. Good mic preamps are expensive. So your interface will be needlessly expensive for something you won’t be using. In that case only line inputs (like DJ interfaces have) would suffice and help keep the price down.

Depending on what software you’ll be using it won’t hurt to check if they have like preferred interfaces.

Finally, realise that the things you’ll be using most are a keyboard and mouse. So don’t go low budget on those. And get a nice, high quality, screen 24″ minimum, but 27″ if you can afford it.

Good luck & greetinx,
C.

Glad I could help 🙂

*ahem* macbook pro *cough* 🙂

Chuck van Eekelen, post: 42118, member: 2756 wrote:

Another tip, and I think this is more important to spend the money on than CPU or RAM memory, is how QUIET the system is. You can make/buy PC’s that have been silenced. They do this by putting in fanless or low noise fans on the CPU coolers and system fans, rubberized mounting of the harddisk and very low noise power supplies. Invest in silence if you are into producing. The sounds of running fans can become a big distraction.

This is good one. My dad spent 4000 euros on his desktop, and more than 500 just on silent system ( fans etc…). It basically means that you get few huge fans instead of small with higher frequency rotations. Must say that it is TOTALLY silent.
BUT one day it started making noise. And dad went mad as hell, he called the manufacturers and said: If you still remember, first thing I said when I called you was: IT MUST BE QUIET!

They fixed it in a day…for free. But as you can see this seems like a big issue even if you pay helluva lot.
On the other hand I have HP Probook and dont hear it at all.

If you want a Windows PC to do stuff on, first decide if you want a laptop or desktop.

If you want a laptop, then use a reputable company with good hardware. Spend $1200-$2000 for a quality laptop.

If you’re going desktop, then you should look into getting a tech buddy to build you a custom-PC. You’ll get way more bang for your buck.

AND…Always use a FULL CLEAN INSTALL of Windows. Apple never allows bloatware into the Mac…and you shouldn’t allow it into your Windows PC. I know I don’t.

• MSI Z87-G45 GAMING ATX
• 2TB WD Caviar Green <— swap this with OCZ Vertex 3 240 GB SATA 6Gb/s, cuz its 6 gig transfer supa quick !
• Intel Core i7 4770K 3.5 GHz (Haswell)
• Cooler Master Hyper 412S
• Gigabyte GeForce GTX 760 2GB Windforce R2 <— drop this, as you don't really need high awesome graphics for music & production
• ASUS BW-12B1ST Blu-Ray/DVD <— maybe just the regular CD/RW/DVD combo be cheaper?
• Windows 8 64-bit OEM <— eh stick to Windows 7 64-bit Ultra Edition, Windows 8 is so so so right now…
• be quiet! Pure Power L8 430W 80+ Bronze M
• Fractal Design Define R4 White
• Samsung SSD Pro Basic 840-Series 256GB
• Corsair 16GB (2x8192MB) CL9 1600Mhz VENGEANCE LP <– 16 GB might be a lil bit overkill, maybe just stick with just 8 GB, with an opt to upgrade it later on

Its missing one of the essential parts… the sound card ?
Keep in mind like you stated earlier you want a PC for mixing and production music, so you should stick with that one and only purpose, if you need a PC for gaming build another one designed for just that, gaming.

5Raw, post: 42494, member: 9991 wrote: Does it work with Windows 8?

I’m not sure. I’ve not had the chance to really mess with Windows 8. Usually with most new versions of Windows I’ll end up on them after the first Service Pack…usually a year or two after release. It’s nothing against MS, but more that I move on when the current version of Windows I’m using suddenly hinders what I want to be able to do.

It also greatly depends on your software. If programs I use won’t work well on Windows 8, then I won’t use the OS just yet.

In terms of bloatware, I don’t know if MS loads up a clean install with anything, but I will tell you that when you buy a laptop from someone like Dell, Toshiba, HP, or even my beloved Lenovo, the disc they include is usually Windows with added stuff in it that was allowed. Many times you can just remove the bloat, but for DJing I’d tell someone to invest the little money it costs for an OEM install of Windows.

I rarely have a problem in Windows…about as often as I’ve had a problem in a Mac. Goes to show one of the big secrets to Apple’s success rate on Macs is that they use high quality hardware and keep the OS clean. It’s why I tell PC people (I’m a Windows person) that you can’t do well with a cheap $500 laptop. Make it an investment and something you’ll use for years, not months.