I need a new recording computer. thinking mini mac. halp?

Guitar techniques, music theory, recording and anything to do with actually playing your guitar

Moderated By: mods

User avatar
Nick
Y'SEE!?
Posts: 9459
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:13 am
Location: Albany, NY

I need a new recording computer. thinking mini mac. halp?

Post by Nick »

My recording pc is from 2008. I think it has 3gb of ram, and an Amd Phenom tri core processor. I did a fresh install of win 7 not long ago but it still crashes and lags. I began this recording project with a former bandmate months ago and it's to the point where working on this computer is so dodgy that it has to be the very last thing I ever record on it.

I think I want a mac. They seem easier to work with when it comes to music production. My bandmate seems to find garageband to be a helpful songwriting tool and I would of course want to put a more serious program on it as well. This would only be used for music recording, and as a hub for my digitial music collection for basement playback and dropping into my oldass ipods.

The current mini macs seem expensive for what they are and not as powerful as the generation before it. Should I hunt down a used 2.5ghz I5 w/8gbs of ram from like 2012 or are there other reasons the current gen is superior?

Is a $300 dell better for recording than a $400 mini mac from 2012? I reeeealy hate windows after 7 tho.
User avatar
Bacchus
Whatever's handiest
Posts: 23431
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 4:10 am
Location: wandering

Post by Bacchus »

My old (2009) MacBook is still going strong, but about two years ago the screen stopped working (inverter cable I think). Rather than fixing it, I've had it behind the TV since, where it's essentially a minimac.

My point is, a broken MacBook might be cheaper.
Image
User avatar
Nick
Y'SEE!?
Posts: 9459
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:13 am
Location: Albany, NY

Post by Nick »

Do you still use it for recording or is it more/less an entertainment box now?

Thanks for the tip in any case, it's something to think about. It seems macbooks with dead batteries and/or damaged screens sell for pretty cheap, but I still think I would prefer the form factor of a minimac for a tidy setup, and due to their nature if I'm buying 2nd hand seem like they'd have less likelihood of having been dropped or damaged at any point.
User avatar
Nick
Y'SEE!?
Posts: 9459
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:13 am
Location: Albany, NY

Post by Nick »

Welp I had some monies in my paypal still from selling a guitar so I jumped on a late 2012 mac mini on ebay today. We'll see what happens. It still has the factory 4gb but that'll change before I try any serious recording projects. Also asked two of my mac using friends who both seemed to think this should suit me well.
User avatar
Bacchus
Whatever's handiest
Posts: 23431
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 4:10 am
Location: wandering

Post by Bacchus »

Sweet!
Image
User avatar
jcyphe
.
.
Posts: 16888
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:18 am

Post by jcyphe »

The mini mac line was cool but Apple seems to give zero fucks about it these days.
paul_ wrote:When are homeland security gonna get on this "2-piece King Size Snickers" horseshit that showed up a couple years ago? I've started dropping one of them on the floor of my car every time.