What Makes a Laptop a Good Choice for Music Production

When choosing a laptop for music, there’s a few things to weigh in the balance. Music production – similarly to video editing – is a labour-intensive endeavor for a laptop. No matter if you’re a hobbyist or a touring and recording professional, you want a tool that doesn’t compromise on power and performance when handling your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) or any other of your staple music production applications.

Power vs Performance vs Weight

You want a CPU that performs steadily so that there is no lag in rendering your tracks or recording music. At the same time, it’s ideal to have a laptop that doesn’t burn through the battery life in a flash during high-performance. And, when you’re handling several audio files, it’s best to have a reliable SSD hard drive on board so you can access and manage files seamlessly. Then, there’s also the issue of weight. Lugging around a heavy laptop is never ideal.  But a very lightweight laptop may imply stripping it of a lot of ports and other hardware such as a fan.

Spec Grade vs Price

When looking at the spec requirements to handle high-grade music software, it’s generally advisable not to settle for minimum requirements. You want a machine that won’t drag itself painfully when recording music or performing live.

With all this in mind, price may be a concern. While it is true that a powerful laptop that ticks all the boxes, it can easily become a considerably big financial investment, there’s stiffer competition, and some brands are setting a lower price entry point on some of their models.

With all this considered, we’ve put together a list that will help you pick the best laptop for music producers in 2022. But before that, we introduce the top brands according to processor – intel core laptops, AMD (Ryzen) laptops, and Apple laptops.

Choosing the Right Processor for Producing Music

There are three key developers for processors (CPU) that dominate the market – Intel, AMD and Apple.

Intel as Market Leader

The market leading one in terms of distribution is Intel by far. Current generation chips range from i3 to i9, and most laptops use mid-range chips – i5 and i7. The speed per chip – measured in GHz – varies from one model to another within the same category.

AMD as Top Gamer’s Powerhouse

AMD develop chips known as Ryzen, also categorized numerically just like Intel chips. These ones tend to be gamers’ go-to processors.

Apple as Top Creative Suite

Then, standing in a category of its own, we have Apple. Loved by many, less by others, Apple has been developing processors that lead the way in creative fields for years now. And when competition seemed like it was finally neck-to-neck, Apple went ahead and revealed its M1 – and soon after, the enhanced M1 Pro and M1 Max. This combined several components onto one chip, boosting efficiency and power even further.

Apple’s Pros and Cons

At first glance, it would seem that Apple is the way to go, especially considering that it’s the only viable platform to run Logic Pro on – a popular choice for recording music. But Apple has drawn up a high wall of exclusivity around its products. Due to this, third-party application compatibility suffers a lot. This is aggravated even more with the development of the M1 chip. Many third-party developers haven’t made the transition yet and are not able to offer native support. Ableton and Akai are all caught up but brands like Pro Tools are yet to make the M1 leap.

How Do You Choose?

The best way to choose a new laptop is to take into careful consideration what your setup is. If compatibility issues don’t creep up and a steep price doesn’t deter you, take a close look at Apple’s MacBook. However, if compatibility or the idea of too much inflexible exclusivity are an issue, Intel or AMD are better choices.

Our Top 5 Choices

1. Apple MacBook Pro 14″

Specs

CPU: Apple M1 Pro chip; 8-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores; 14-core

GPU: 16-core Neural Engine; 200GB/s memory bandwidth

RAM: 16GB unified memory

Storage: 512GB SSD

Display: Liquid Retina XDR

A King of a Music Production Laptop

Apple’s uninterrupted reign as a favourite laptop brand among creatives  – both pro and hobbyists – cemented its position even further when it loaded its MacBook Pro 14-inch with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips last year.

Apple’s M1 CPU and Storage Space

The new trend started a year prior with the novel M1 chip. Since then, not much has changed in terms of the laptop’s industrial look. But under the cover, it received a remarkable boost in CPU performative power and graphics speed. It comes loaded with 8 Core CPU, 8 Core GPU and 16 Core Neural Engine. And, if breaking the bank is not an issue, you can spec it out with 64GB RAM and 8TB SSD storage.

Apple’s Macbook Pro Display

The display is exemplary. Its XDR retina display’s brightness peaks at 1600 nits. It accommodates a wide array of colours. Thanks to True Tone technology, the machine automatically balances white in relation to its surroundings’ colour temperature.

Apple’s Macbook Pro Camera and Mic

As expected from a top pick among music producers, the MacBook Pro’s audio interface and in-built speakers are the best you can find on the market. The HD camera is capable of serious noise reduction, and this, along with its high-grade mics, will give you the best video calls.

Apple Macbook Pro Peripherals

A MagSafe charger that replenishes the battery – capable of excellent battery life – an SD card slot, an HDMI port and three Thunderbolt 4 ports just make this choice laptop an even sweeter deal.

Apple’s Macbook Pro Software Compatibility

One more vital reason that places Apple’s platforms squarely on the podium is that the hardware plays extremely well with its home-designed software. Whether we’re talking about its own macOS or other programs developed in-house, these last few years have seen Apple reduce performance issues to a negligible minimum, while tweaking access and user-interface. Die-hard fans are not the only ones to be pleased; newcomers making the transition from other operating systems will sync in no time.

2. MacBook Air M2

Specs

CPU: Apple M2 chip; 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores; 8-core

GPU: 16-core Neural Engine; 100GB/s memory bandwidth

RAM: 8GB unified memory

Storage: 256GB SSD

Display: LED-backlit display with IPS technology

Lightweight Younger Brother of the King

Apple occupies the second place as well with its second iteration of the MacBook Air introduced earlier this year – loaded with an M2 chip. This compact laptop weighs in at a negligible 1.24 kg, and it’s in its slimmest form ever – only 11.3mm deep. A more economical alternative to the Macbook Pro, and one of the all-round best value laptop choices.

Apple’s Macbook Air vs Its Bigger Brother

Realistically speaking, it falls somewhat short of its bigger brother’s high-grade music mixing and mastering capabilities. But it can still handle all music applications and software with remarkable ease. So, for a music production platform, it still cuts it by a wide mile. What’s more, it’s equipped with four speakers capable of Spatial Audio, and music playback is crisp and clear.

Macbook Air Peripherals and Battery

Other perks include a battery that gives you up to 18 hours of performance – not bad compared to MacBook Pro’s 20 hours. It also comes with 2 Thunderbolt USB 4 ports.

Stripping Down and Testing the Macbook Air

There’s been a lot of talk about MacBook Air’s lack of a fan. Heating up was a potential issue skeptics brought up. But a few tests using benchmark music projects as listed on logicprohelp.com showed that the Air only increased slightly in temperature. This adds a notable advantage for music makers. Working with a laptop that doesn’t have fans means a quieter environment to work in when using mics.

3. Dell XPS 15 OLED

Specs

CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H

GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.

RAM: 16GB

Storage: 512GB SSD

Display: 15.6-inch OLED touchscreen

Dell’s 15-inch iteration to the XPS range is one of the top choices for music producers who favour Windows OS-powered devices. It’s not just glitz and glamour due to its appealing looks – it harnesses some considerable processing power. Unless you go for a high-grade gaming laptop, it’s the closest you’ll get in terms of quality, performance and power to a MacBook Pro without signing up for Apple exclusivity. It can handle creative workloads remarkably well.

Intel Alder Lake Processor

It packs the new 12th generation Intel Alder Lake processors, RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and an all-round faster RAM than many contemporary competitors, many of which have higher specs. Dell has pulled off the impressive feat of fitting their relatively powerful GPU within a ¾ inch chassis. The concern here is cooling. This is something Dell had to forego, along with a reduced number of ports, so as to keep everything compact.

Dell’s XPS Display

Despite being very thin and lightweight, it comes equipped with one of the sharpest displays currently available on a laptop. It’s capable of up to 500 nits of brightness. The keyboard is lined with carbon fibre palm rests – making it as comfortable to use as it looks classy – and a total of four speakers.

Dell’s XPS Battery Life

While it doesn’t have the extremely long battery life Apple’s MacBook has, it can give you up to 12 hours of life, which is a lot for the power-hungry Alder Lake processor.

Dell’s Price

While slightly more economical than the MacBook, it’s price entry point is not quite friendly anyway. if you take it an extra mile and upgrade the hard drive and other specs (maximum  specs vary according to your region), the price bar rises fast.

4. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition

Specs

CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H processor, 8 Cores / 16 Threads, 2.3 GHz / 5.1 GHz (Base / Max Turbo), 16 MB Cache

GPU: NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 with Max-Q Design (16GB GDDR6 VRAM)

RAM: 32GB

Storage: 1TB SSD

Display: 4K OLED, Touch, 100% DCI-P3

Razer Blade’s Processing Power

Gaming laptops have been long hailed as some of the best power platforms for music production. And Razer is held in the highest regard within that niche. The Blade 15 Studio edition spares no punches with its 8-core 10th generation i7 processor, 1TB of PCIe NVMe storage, and 32GB of DDR4-2933MHz RAM.

Razer Blade’s Peripherals and Innovative Functionality

This slim monster has a processing speed clocking in at 5.1GHz Max Turbo and a stunning 4K OLED touchscreen. It also utilizes Wi-Fi 6 and Thunderbolt 3. And, one of the most innovative features is its liquid cooling system, which keeps temperature under control even when you’re placing the machine under performative duress.

Razer Blade’s Unforgiving Price

So, why doesn’t such a beast of a laptop score higher on our list? The answer is simple – the price. This machine comes with a price tag hovering on either side of 4K USD/EUR. If you thought that the MacBook Pro’s entry price was steep, think again.

A Gaming Powerhouse as Laptop for Music Production

That said, if you’re as passionate about music production as you are about gaming, make no mistake – Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition (along with a handful of other Razer laptops) is the money shot. And if you happen to be a music producer who makes music for games, even more so.

5. Microsoft Surface Pro 8

Specs

CPU: Quad-core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor OR i7-1185G7 Processor

GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics (i5, i7)

RAM: 8GB

Storage: 128GB SSD

Display: 13” PixelSense Flow Display (with 10-point multi-touch)

Microsoft Surface 2-in-1 Magic

Microsoft’s 8th surface laptop is the latest entry in its series that has gained a lot of traction among creatives over the years. One of the main reasons for this is that it’s often quoted as, hands down, the best 2-in-1 laptop out there. It’s versatile, light (less than 2 pounds), and powerful.

Surface Pro Power and Performance

Whether you choose the 13- or 15-inch surface laptop flavour, you’ll have a 120Hz touchscreen and the power of an Intel Evo Platform Core i7 CPU at your finger (our touch pen) tips. The battery gives you up to 16 hours of life – one of the best in the field. You can choose to have it come with 8, 16 or 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of SSD storage. This last option is worth the stretch if you want all your music files saved locally. More on hardware as the Surface 8 Pro also comes loaded with Wi-Fi 6, USB-C and Thunderbolt 4 ports

Surface Pro’s Seamless Integration with Microsoft OS

There’s also a seamless integration between the surface laptop hardware and Windows 11 OS, making your music production sessions smoother. At the same time, as tends to be the case with integrated systems, the power in performance is limited when compared to other contenders built from discrete parts. That said, this machine packs enough power to handle some of the most demanding creative endeavours.

Surface Pro’s Multipurpose Advantage

And, there’s no denying that the Surface Slim Pen and the detachable Signature Keyboard give you the comfort of sketching out your ideas in one mode whenever they pop in your head. Then, convert it to laptop mode, and you’re ready to flesh those ideas out on your favourite music production bundle such as Reason+. And with the surface laptop battery life having been extended to 16 hours, this platform won’t let you down when you’re in the middle of your creative flow.

FAQ

• What laptops are best for making music?

  If your setup allows it and you don’t mind 3rd party software exclusivity, Apple’s MacBook Pro continues to top most lists as the music production laptop of choice.

   

• Which laptop processors are the most common for music production 2022?

Intel, AMD and Apple processors (CPU) are the most popular three choices in 2022.

• What laptop do most producers use to run Digital Audio Workstation software (DAW)?

  When choosing a laptop for your Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), Apple is the only that handles Logic Pro. Reason, Ableton and Akai give you the choice of any processor since they offer native support in all cases. At this time, Pro Tools does not function on Apple’s M1 chip.

• Are gaming laptops good for music production?

Absolutely. The sheer performance and power laptops such as the Razer Blade series offers are optimized to handle heavy creative workloads as well. The only deterring factor for some is that they tend to come with a high entry price point.

The post Best Laptops for Music Production in 2022 appeared first on Electronic Music.

But it quickly developed on a grander scale. It now consists of a reconfigurable grid made up of backlit key pads.

Monomes are connected to a computer and an application on the computer then determines the interaction between the lights and the keys.

Hard-wired functionality is eliminated. Its capabilities and functions are virtually limitless. The Monome works as a live sample cutter, a drum machine, a sequencer, and a tonal map. It can also do math simulations and create visualizations. An owner can even play games on their Monome.

The Monomes are unique in their modern design which allows them to blend effortlessly among technology and musical instruments alike. The rubber keypads are custom manufactured from high-quality silicone and feature a bright orange backlighting. There are no visible screws anywhere on the Monome even in the clear top plate constructed from aluminum.

Live example – Demonstration 1:

The black walnut enclosure is hand crafted and utilizes a black rubber lining along the bottom to eliminate slips that could risk the structural integrity and function of the Monome. The grayscale edition of the sixty four model features a bright white backlit keyboard with black silicone fitted over a steel enclosure protecting the hardware of the artist’s Monome.

There are four options centered around three major designs: a sixteen by sixteen, a sixteen by eight, and an eight by eight. The Two Fifty Six model is the largest, with a sixteen by sixteen display and two hundred and fifty six total buttons. This model is 10.75 inches long, 10.75 inches wide, and 1.5 inches deep. Secondly, the One Twenty Eight model features one hundred and twenty eight total buttons on a sixteen by eight display face and is 10.75 inches long, 6 inches wide, and 1.5 inches deep.. The last two options are the same size – the sixty four is an eight by eight until with sixty four total buttons and is 6 inches long, 6 inches wide, and 1.5 inches deep.

Live example – Demonstration 2:

The only difference between the standard sixty four and the grayscale sixty four is that the grayscale sixty four features silicone over steel. All other Monomes are made from 6061 anodized aluminum, translucent and conductive silicone, and black walnut. All of the components are lead free and models are powered by USB 2.0, compatible with OS X, Windows XP, and Linux.

Current availability is in flux due to the popularity of the Monomes but prices for the Sixty-Four models start at $500 for the arc two and rise to $800 for the arc four. The One Twenty Eight model starts at $800 and the Two Fifty Six model will run musicians and programmers $1400. All of the models require a $20 North American shipping fee or a $120 shipping fee for international orders. All prices are for the latest edition of the Monomes, distributed in January 2011.

Monome 8x8

Monome 16x16

Monome 8x8 and 16x16 next to each other

Live Performance – Demonstration 3:

Monomes were created by Brian Crabtree and Kelli Cain. They strive for manufacturing practices that are economical and ecologically sustainable with an overall goal of producing more versatile yet less complex technology.

Related:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduinome

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Sound_Control

List of OpenSource hardware projects:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open_source_hardware_projects

Official website and contact:
http://monome.org
info@monome.org

The post Monome: Music With Buttons appeared first on Electronic Music.

Pioneer SVM-1000 Audio/Video Mixer

Listing at $8000, the Pioneer SVM-1000 Audio/Video Mixer is one of the best on the market. This is the first DJ mixer on the market which offers DJs 4 channels of audio and video mixing capabilities. It also features an LCD touch panel which can be used to add effects to both the audio and the video. In addition to those features, this mixer includes fader curve adjustment, a peak level meter, a talk over function, a video monitor selection option, MIDI functions, AV sync, a video equalizer and video trim.

Xone 4D

The Xenoe 4D by Allen and Heath lists at $2999. The Xone 4D includes a USB 2.0 soundcard which allows for 20 channel mixers and switches easily between output and input formats using digital converters. This mixer also includes three turntables with an option for an additional turntable using an internet link and a dual rail cross fader. The MIDI controller used with this mixer provides 105 different control options with 8 push switches, 2 jog wheels, 4 micro switches, 10 rotary encoders, 8 liniar faders, and 50 other switches. The sound quality is also amazing. The 32 bit DSP allows the DJ to mix witout losing an of the sound quality of the original sources.

Edirol V-8

The Edirol Mixer is an 8 channel DJ mixer which lists at $2195. It features new special effects which give DJs plenty of new and interesting options. It includes three outputs and eight inputs including a direct input for a computer. Each input has its own fader which is adjustable in addition to the master fader. Not only does the V-8 offer options for multiple audio sources but also multiple video. It’s so easy to use that he video can even be controlled through this device while the operator is playing a musical instrument using the V-LINK technology.

Numark NS7FX

This DJ mixer’s list price is $1799. The Numark NS7FX includes two turntables which can operate at 33 or 45rpms. Also included are many effects by Serato ITCH, the same provider of the controls and software. The track access, loop and cue controls are easy to access and cover a wide range of options. The MIDI can be controlled on the mixer itself without using a keyboard or mouse though it does include a laptop stand. This mixer also incorporates new Strip Search technology which offers DJs a virtual needle drop option for more accurate selection of time marks. Also included are D-TYPE line faders and a CP-PRO crossfader.

The post DJ Mixers appeared first on Electronic Music.

Note: This is a research project only and is no longer in development.
Credits: Paul Harvey: Electronic Engineering, System Design, Programming & Dejan Petrović: Multimedia, 3D & Concept Design.

Link: http://analogik.com/midi/ | University Paper
The file is in pdf format (suitable for most printers.)

Planning to get our new LCD TV soon for FutureBlast project as a background screen for video interveiws with scientists, artists and futurists.

How to get your XBOX to a new level?

The post MIDI CONTROLLER RESEARCH PROJECT appeared first on Electronic Music.

Download 40 samples for free
http://www.blipdrums.com/blip_drum_sample_set.zip

Blip Drums have put together a special for Analogik readers. For a
limited you can purchase the complete Blip Drums library for only
$19.99.  When purchasing our sounds, just type “analogik” in the
coupon form.

The post Blip Drums appeared first on Electronic Music.

Magic Voice says
– Please put out the milk bottles.
– Please put out the rubbish bin
– Warning when the Solarhardt is too cold

This thermistor records the temperature on the bench. Another thermistor is glued to the Solarhardt & measures the temperature of the Solarhardt. When between 3am & 7am and 3pm and 7pm and temperature is under 30 degrees it turns it on until 40 degrees is reached.

NEWS:

Tours and travel to South America with Colibri Umweltreisen, the specialist for nature tours to South America. If you plan a trip to Argentina, Brasil, Ecuador-Galapagos, Peru or other South American countries, Colibri is the best choice tour operator for South America.

The post Advanced C64 implementation appeared first on Electronic Music.

Asimo is a robot. Its makers at Honda claim the inspiration came from the legendary fictional character Astroboy and its name is for AdvancedStep in Innovative MObility. Although officially denied, we would still like to think that his name comes from the father of The Three Laws of Robotics, visionary, prophet, and the greatest science fiction writer of our time – Mr Isaac Asimov. In order to be politically correct and in line with Mr. Asimov’s vision, one must refer to Asimo as ‘it’ and not ‘he’ or ‘she’ and when referring to its full name one shall use the following format: R. Asimo Honda (Where ‘R.’ stands for Robot).

Being only seven years old and 130 cm tall, R. Asimo has already seen more of this planet than most of us humans, capturing hearts of kids and attention of their parents. Its job is not a simple one, and certainly not one to be taken lightly. Being Honda’s mascot and a spokesman, R. Asimo must perform without failure. To ensure that things run smoothly Honda’s robotic representative has its very own support team who make sure his performance runs smoothly and step in case of an unlikely emergency (it happens to all professional performers at least in one stage in their career).

Kudos to Honda’s marketing team and companies’ initiative to use their cutting edge technology and invest a bit on a costly side project with no immediate commercial benefit. Quite frankly we expected something like this from Toyota – but they seem to have been blinded by their continuous commercial success and missed a great opportunity to represent their company by something as cool and awesome as a robot – a robot that features all advanced technology developed by one company in once small artificial being.

So how intelligent is R. Asimo really? At the beginning of the show, its human stage partner lists all the things R. Asimo can do – and one of them is ‘talk’. We found this to be a bit of a misleading statement. Asimo could probably be programmed to play a number of pre-recorded messages, also perhaps equipped with a text to speech mechanism or even made to generate its own responses based on dialog input; this is far from what the audience at the ASIMO HON DA show were made to believe. R. Asimo seemed to respond in a choreographed manner with a cued human voice message which has either been pre-recorded or spoken live by a human behind a microphone.

Nevertheless, R. Asimo’s motoric skills are highly impressive, starting from smooth motion, depth perception, motion recognition and coordination. Did we mention it can also walk at 2.7 km per hour and run at impressive 6km per hour without any evident difficulty (apart form battery life cost).

During the show R. Asimo was also asked to pick up a tray with a drink from a person and served it at the table on the opposite side of the stage, it kicked the football, shook hands, imitated person’s actions, danced and waved at the spectators. It is not clear whether these activities are voice generated or simply cued as part of the entire show choreography in form of a ‘play list’. One would like to believe that it is not the latter; however that would probably have to be a rather optimist view.

R. Asimo’s design is highly adequate for its purpose. Its motion is benign, shape, form and materials combined to create an image that is publicly loveable yet futuristic enough to touch the hearts of the techno lovers like yourself. We shall monitor the progress of Honda’s technology and hope that they release ASIMO V2.0 which could interact and converse. Maybe one day in our lifetime (ASIMO V10?) we witness something that can be described as sentient.

We are of opinion that Honda is following the right direction in development of clean fuel vehicles (hydrogen engine) and hope other manufacturers adopt similar concepts. Although the whole Honda show was woven with promotional messages in quite a cheesy show really, we were quite pleased with the whole picture looking at everything from ‘above’.

Just imagine a circus tent, ticket office painted in the vintage-style illustrated ASIMO with rays bursting in the background, posters, line-up of excited kids with their parents, holding hands. And inside? A first reasonably real-motion humanoid robot, having a ‘job’, representing a company. What a beautiful and almost romantic naïveté. The only thing that was missing was an announcer boy saying “Hoi, hoi, for one night only, a real, live, walking and talking robot – get your tickets at the box office – one night only! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the future!”

The post Robot as a superstar? appeared first on Electronic Music.

For about the same price as a high quality DVD player you can get yourself the most complete multimedia entertainment solution. With the ease of use and speed of a DVD player, smaller than and with more features than a Windows Media Center PC, the original Microsoft Xbox, mated with a mod chip, is the complete solution. Not only this, but custom software can be employed; in particular, Xbox Media Center, or XBMC. XMBC is open source software that replaces the standard Microsoft launch menu, and is packed with features that you would pay triple the price for in other products.

An Xbox with Xbox Media Center installed will allow playback of basically any media format you can throw at it. With an adapter you have surround sound support, and HDTV support allowing resolutions up to 1080i.

The experience gets even better when you connect the Xbox to your LAN or to the internet. You may share your media files on your PC and watch them directly from the Xbox. XBMC supports the common streaming media formats from the internet, so you may listen to all of the Shoutcast or similar radio stations on the net. And of course there are also the obligatory visualisations available to make the music look as good as it sounds!

The great thing about this product is the continued development of the XBMC software. That is not to say it is not a complete package, because it is. But as we all know, technology is continually improving, and as such, support for new media technologies is always needed, and will long be provided by the XBMC project.

As I am sure you would agree, the huge amount of powerful features make this an extremely complete multimedia solution for any lounge room. If you also take into account the Xbox’s original purpose of playing games and its affordability, the mod chipped Microsoft Xbox running XBMC is the most complete entertainment solution money can buy.

For more info contact our XBOX Mod Chip Experts

The post XBOX Mods – XBOX modifications and XMBC appeared first on Electronic Music.

Most of us have had a chance to see AND head an ordinary AMD computer in action. It’s more of a vacuum cleaner than a computer really. It gets extremely hot and it gets very noisy. This was one of the main reasons musicians wouldn’t buy these things in spite their high performance and lower prices comparing Intel CPU PCs or Mac machines. Now they say it’s going to be fast, cool and quiet. OK, should we believe this? Or is this just one of the marketing catches?

If you go talk to someone at your nearest AMD shop they will tell you stories about this new revolutionary chip from AMD but be careful. Those places are noisy and what seems quiet there might sound quite loud in your home, especially at night. Also indication of noise level can also be tricky sometimes as these new machines control the fan speed depending on the heat the CPU produces. I guess there is one way to find out. If someone buys it before us – let us know!

“AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor: Now Available in Models 4000+

The new 64-bit AMD chip scales down to a lower clock rate when idle and at those times you can barely hear the fans. That’s why it is a good idea to load the test machine, with applications/games/benchmarks and try to make it sweat for a while to get a better idea of the maximum noise it might produce.

You live at the forefront of technology, and you won’t settle for less from your favorite software. That’s why AMD is proud to bring you the AMD Athlon™ 64 processor, with AMD64 technology for dramatically higher performance and built-in support for future 64-bit applications — even 32- and 64-bit simultaneous computing .

Comments from our visitors:

From: Rohan Maverick

Hey…..
Whatever made u think that AMD PCs were Hot n noisy in the first place….

THATS a COMPLETE MYTH……

Regarding HOT…….thats absolute rubbish….they run at lower clock speeds compared to Intels……so r theoretically cooler….secondly…that myth orignated from the fact that, people wud use P3 fans on AMD Athlons………its something line using a 1 ton AirCon to cool a 1000sq.ft. room…….now off course that wont do…..

The newer AMDs come with the fan as a part of the package so r as quiet as the P4s ……..

oh yean n AMDs RULE…..try them urself…..

NOISE…..that depends on the fan u use n has nothing to do with the CPU……

PS: Ur Cabinet Fans make more noise than ur CPU fan……

From: Lee

It’s the cpu fans not the cpu that’s noisy. See this:

33 user reviews for the quiet ‘Speeze EEA67B4 Vulturespin’ AMD fan for XP up to 3200 & Sempron up to 3000 are found here:http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/store/52/cat/Cooling-Fans It’s 19bB!

I recently discovered www.quietpc.com (they have websites for different countries) who sell many components that are quiet. www.quietpc.com list most of their cpu fans at about 20dB – quiet. Lower than 25dB is quiet.

Today’s cd drives are noisy. There’s software called Nero Drivespeed which slows these drives down.

The post AMD Athlon – Heat and noise level issues with computers appeared first on Electronic Music.

wiki

The post Commercial C64 – C64 used for commercial purposes appeared first on Electronic Music.