danegriff
I'm on the verge of getting a 2015 15" macbook pro. Being a windows user, this is a big leap. Here is the specs of the mac I'm looking at getting:-
i7 quad 2.2ghz with turbo boost.
16gb RAM.
256 SSD (music on external HDD).
No dedicated graphics card; built in Intel Iris Pro 5200 graphics card.
This is retailing at £1600.
My question, is the lack of a dedicated graphics card going to hinder me using VDJ, even though the in built Iris had been compared to a low end Nvidia? If so, the next option I have is to get the top of the line pro retailing at £2000.
Background here is I have to buy this brand new from Curry's in the UK due to having a £1000 store credit. I can stretch myself to get the £1600 MBPro, but couldn't justify spending £2000 for the top of the range as it's way out of my price range.
Link to the laptop: http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/apple-macbook-pro-15-with-retina-display-2015-10118364-pdt.html
Any advice here would be much appreciated. Thanks.
i7 quad 2.2ghz with turbo boost.
16gb RAM.
256 SSD (music on external HDD).
No dedicated graphics card; built in Intel Iris Pro 5200 graphics card.
This is retailing at £1600.
My question, is the lack of a dedicated graphics card going to hinder me using VDJ, even though the in built Iris had been compared to a low end Nvidia? If so, the next option I have is to get the top of the line pro retailing at £2000.
Background here is I have to buy this brand new from Curry's in the UK due to having a £1000 store credit. I can stretch myself to get the £1600 MBPro, but couldn't justify spending £2000 for the top of the range as it's way out of my price range.
Link to the laptop: http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/apple-macbook-pro-15-with-retina-display-2015-10118364-pdt.html
Any advice here would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Posted Sun 08 Nov 15 @ 5:15 pm
kradcliffe
On chip graphics work well enough on a Windows machine, but I can't vouch for a Mac. Personally I feel Macs are completely overpriced and unless you have a specific reason for getting one then a good Windows machine will save you a bit of money. VDJ on Windows also seems to have less trouble than the Mac version as well.
I have a Lenovo Yoga 2 i7 with 256gb SSD and it's the best machine have ever had. Runs video fine and was £1200 although it's discontinued now. The Yoga 3 was rubbish so you do need to be careful in what you choose.
Keith
I have a Lenovo Yoga 2 i7 with 256gb SSD and it's the best machine have ever had. Runs video fine and was £1200 although it's discontinued now. The Yoga 3 was rubbish so you do need to be careful in what you choose.
Keith
Posted Sun 08 Nov 15 @ 6:35 pm
groovindj
You've got £1000 store credit. Does it have to be spent on a Mac?
You'll get a really good PC for that money, and have a far better choice.
You'll get a really good PC for that money, and have a far better choice.
Posted Mon 09 Nov 15 @ 6:01 pm
kradcliffe
Only issue is that the choice in Currys/PC World is rubbish. They stock old out of date gear.
Posted Mon 09 Nov 15 @ 6:25 pm
dcomo
My two main audio machines are the 2014 models of Macbook Pro's:
(These are dedicated to DJ'ing, so no additional software is installed other than VDJ and Serato.)
i5 2.5GHz Processor
16GB RAM
256GB SSD (I don't keep any music on the internal drive, so it's just OS and VDJ)
Iris graphics (no dedicated GPU) - 13" displays
These machines are pure workhorses and work excellently! (I think each one cost me about $1,200 USD.)
(These are dedicated to DJ'ing, so no additional software is installed other than VDJ and Serato.)
i5 2.5GHz Processor
16GB RAM
256GB SSD (I don't keep any music on the internal drive, so it's just OS and VDJ)
Iris graphics (no dedicated GPU) - 13" displays
These machines are pure workhorses and work excellently! (I think each one cost me about $1,200 USD.)
Posted Tue 10 Nov 15 @ 4:43 pm
dcomo
Posted Tue 10 Nov 15 @ 4:44 pm
OldTom
I'm running two Apple MacBook Pro's with 15.4-inch IPS Retina Display, 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3L RAM; 256 GB PCIe-based Flash Storage, using OS X Mavericks.
Both are set up and running the latest VDJ8 builds at the same time (during gigs) on a Pro License. One runs the show with zero connection to the Internet. The other stands by with the same iTunes database as the first, ready to jump on the net for last minute downloads.
I refuse to use any skins other than the one provided native to VDJ8. Too many times on these boards when someone has a problem-- the first question asked is "which skin?"
Have been running them at gigs for over a year (started last November). They are dedicated DJ units, identical to each other (purchased at the same time) with one marked "A" and the other called "B" -- real imaginative huh. :)
Switching from "A" to "B" takes me about one second. "B" is standing by with a generic Automix selection cued up in case I ever have to take time to diagnose what happened to "A" in the middle of a gig.
That one second emergency switch to "B" has never happened in the past year.
All in all -- You can count me pleased with the gear and the software (VDJ8). One thing for sure, if I show up at a gig and I get an iTunes update or VDJ8 update message on the spot-- oh heck no-- it ain't happening today. No updates on gig-days = no surprises.
Both are set up and running the latest VDJ8 builds at the same time (during gigs) on a Pro License. One runs the show with zero connection to the Internet. The other stands by with the same iTunes database as the first, ready to jump on the net for last minute downloads.
I refuse to use any skins other than the one provided native to VDJ8. Too many times on these boards when someone has a problem-- the first question asked is "which skin?"
Have been running them at gigs for over a year (started last November). They are dedicated DJ units, identical to each other (purchased at the same time) with one marked "A" and the other called "B" -- real imaginative huh. :)
Switching from "A" to "B" takes me about one second. "B" is standing by with a generic Automix selection cued up in case I ever have to take time to diagnose what happened to "A" in the middle of a gig.
That one second emergency switch to "B" has never happened in the past year.
All in all -- You can count me pleased with the gear and the software (VDJ8). One thing for sure, if I show up at a gig and I get an iTunes update or VDJ8 update message on the spot-- oh heck no-- it ain't happening today. No updates on gig-days = no surprises.
Posted Sun 15 Nov 15 @ 4:59 pm
djlk4u
I'm running 2012 15" Macbook Pro (non retina) 16gb Ram DDR3, Intel quad core i7 2.7ghz and Nvidia GeForce 1Gb Video card with 2 internal drives, 1TB SSD and 2TB Mechanical. Running build 2522 on El Capitan...I've been using this mac for over a year with absolutely no problems from the mac...the only small snags I went through were related to build changes.
I gig a minimum of 3 nights a week so reliability is a must. I bought the 2012 in Sept of 2014.
I hate carrying and pluging in external drives so I removed the internal Disk Drive and put the mechanical in there giving me 3 TB of space. I download about 2gb a week of videos so space is important. I decided to go with the 2012 for two reasons, first, Mac started using un-serviceable drives to save space. In other words, you can't change them out because they are soldered to the main circuit board...(not good for us DJ's) Secondly it had a firewire port that my old external hard drive used. In my opinion you can't go passed a mac for audio applications and they fit the build for DJing perfectly.
Previous to this I had a macbook 13"2007 that I ran Tracktor and VD7 on. Also never had any problems related to the mac.
I concur with @oldtom Never do an update on a gig day. I would add to that I never took PC DJ's seriously for a while. Apple/Mac was far in front of PC for professionally handling audio. ( That probably is not the case today but was for a long time) and while the quality of PC's could be questionable, the build quality and integration of software and hardware for apple has always been of an industry setting standard.
Lastly I would add if you are a pro DJ, spend big now and don't regret it later. 2K a price tag is something you will earn back quickly and taking short cuts on product is never a good idea...Files and software keep getting bigger and more sophisticated and you don't want your machine's CPU or hard drive struggling to keep up...I pull some complex and amazing mixes and FX's out of VJ8 and my computer doesn't break a sweat...Seeing and hearing that will keep you feeling good about it all and your dance floor full!
I gig a minimum of 3 nights a week so reliability is a must. I bought the 2012 in Sept of 2014.
I hate carrying and pluging in external drives so I removed the internal Disk Drive and put the mechanical in there giving me 3 TB of space. I download about 2gb a week of videos so space is important. I decided to go with the 2012 for two reasons, first, Mac started using un-serviceable drives to save space. In other words, you can't change them out because they are soldered to the main circuit board...(not good for us DJ's) Secondly it had a firewire port that my old external hard drive used. In my opinion you can't go passed a mac for audio applications and they fit the build for DJing perfectly.
Previous to this I had a macbook 13"2007 that I ran Tracktor and VD7 on. Also never had any problems related to the mac.
I concur with @oldtom Never do an update on a gig day. I would add to that I never took PC DJ's seriously for a while. Apple/Mac was far in front of PC for professionally handling audio. ( That probably is not the case today but was for a long time) and while the quality of PC's could be questionable, the build quality and integration of software and hardware for apple has always been of an industry setting standard.
Lastly I would add if you are a pro DJ, spend big now and don't regret it later. 2K a price tag is something you will earn back quickly and taking short cuts on product is never a good idea...Files and software keep getting bigger and more sophisticated and you don't want your machine's CPU or hard drive struggling to keep up...I pull some complex and amazing mixes and FX's out of VJ8 and my computer doesn't break a sweat...Seeing and hearing that will keep you feeling good about it all and your dance floor full!
Posted Mon 16 Nov 15 @ 2:45 am
DJ Andrew Ryan
My 2011 MacBook pro work flawless as a DJ machine. Its dedicated to just DJing and I have no issues. To me, Im sure a 2015 Mac will do just fine
Posted Tue 17 Nov 15 @ 2:19 am