• muha
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  • Registered: 2013-02-17
  • Posts: 8

Topic: Need a Win8 notebook for my new Babyface

Hello,
I am waiting for my Babyface at the moment and I wanted to use this time to search for a new laptop.
Unfortunately I am a bit confused about the DPC Latency and the fact that on Windows 8 the latency checker does not provide correct values. Now I wonder if anybody here can give me some tips for compatible Win8 Laptops for the Babyface.
I have no experience with mobile audio workstations but I will need one in future. Thats why I have ordered the Babyface, as it gives great mobility and it seems to fit perfectly for me. On the software side I use Adobe Audition CS 6.
My wish list for the laptop is as follows:
- Win 8
- very low DPC Latency
- quiet fan / good coling (I have also orderd the extension cable in case the laptop is too loud)
- no shared memory grafic card, I prefer a real NVIDIA or ATI card
- DVD/RW not needed, I want to use an external USB drive
- big battery, long battery life
- PCMCIA card slot (not mandatory)
- enough USB 2.0 and at least one USB 3.0

Anything else that is importand?

By the way, the DPC checker site says:

Windows 8 Compatibility: The DPC latency utility runs on Windows 8 but does not show correct values. The output suggests that the Windows 8 kernel performs badly and introduces a constant latency of one millisecond which is not the case in practice. DPCs in the Windows 8 kernel behave identical to Windows 7. The utility produces incorrect results because the implementation of kernel timers has changed in Windows 8 which causes a side effect with the measuring algorithm used by the utility. Thesycon is working on a new version of the DPC latency utility and will make it available on this site as soon as it is finished.

I hope that someone can help me becouse I want to make sure not to spend a lot money just to find out it was the wrong decision. The Baby needs a good playmate so it has fun playing wink

2 Reply by funkyspacecadet (edited by funkyspacecadet 2013-02-17 21:44:47)

  • Registered: 2011-05-03
  • Posts: 94

Re: Need a Win8 notebook for my new Babyface

I'd go for the Thinkpad T series, the T520 (and I think T530 is out now). 

I've got a T520 i7 quad core, 8GB ram, 80GB SSD+750GB HDD and a dedicated nVidia 420M, not the best graphics card but more than enough for everything except big modern gaming.

Solid build quality, cooling is good, fan is quiet.

Although I only use it for work since I have a better desktop PC, it would be a great DAW.

edit: if you're going for an i7 quad core, look for an extended battery option if that's important to you.

3 Reply by muha (edited by muha 2013-02-18 08:36:06)

  • muha
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  • Registered: 2013-02-17
  • Posts: 8

Re: Need a Win8 notebook for my new Babyface

I have already looked at Lenovo and they seem to build systems that would suit me.

funkyspacecadet wrote:

Although I only use it for work since I have a better desktop PC, it would be a great DAW.

Have you ever used your notebook with Audio Interfaces? I have read that a good overall performance still doesn't mean that the system is good for DAW becouse of DPC latency.

Edit: For a good DPC latency the most importand part seem to be good drivers and sometimes one network driver can ruin the whole system. I do not know if this problem is realy that serious? Maybe the internet is just full of drama queens?

4 Reply by funkyspacecadet (edited by funkyspacecadet 2013-02-18 10:55:42)

  • Registered: 2011-05-03
  • Posts: 94

Re: Need a Win8 notebook for my new Babyface

muha wrote:

I have already looked at Lenovo and they seem to build systems that would suit me.

funkyspacecadet wrote:

Although I only use it for work since I have a better desktop PC, it would be a great DAW.

Have you ever used your notebook with Audio Interfaces? I have read that a good overall performance still doesn't mean that the system is good for DAW becouse of DPC latency.

Edit: For a good DPC latency the most importand part seem to be good drivers and sometimes one network driver can ruin the whole system. I do not know if this problem is realy that serious? Maybe the internet is just full of drama queens?

IMO I think people make too much fuss about DPC latency readings.

And since it cannot be tested in Windows 8 properly yet AFAIK, it's kind of impossible to say.

Obviously no matter what laptop you get, I'd suggest you reformat and install it yourself.  Everyone's putting bloatware on OEM machines these days.  So the first thing I do when I buy a laptop is use Clonezilla to backup the original install (just in case / I want to sell it) and then nuke 'n reinstall.  I'm not sure about the OEM license for Win8 tho, I think Win8 actually has it's own refresh / reinstall internally, but I don't know if that'll nuke the bloatware.

I've read it's usually WIFI drivers that cause havoc with DPC and your DAW, if that's the case, just switch it off while you're making music, Thinkpads have a switch to disable WIFI, and the device can also be disabled in the BIOS, along with other things.  For example, on my T520 I have the finger print reader, smartcard, modem etc; all disabled in the BIOS since I don't need 'em.

I haven't used this machine for a DAW but I fail to see how it's going to be a bad thing.

In my experience, USB audio interfaces have been the biggest hurdle with latency, but I can't speak for the Babyface, I've heard it's really amazing so I'm sure it's fine.

Unless you really need the portability, build your own desktop :-)

  • muha
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  • Registered: 2013-02-17
  • Posts: 8

Re: Need a Win8 notebook for my new Babyface

Thank you for your answer. You have a good point with installing a clean Windows instead of the bloated OEM.

funkyspacecadet wrote:

Unless you really need the portability, build your own desktop :-)

In this case everything is about mobility. I still ty to find some info about Win8 Notebooks and DAW but it seems that there is not too much content out there in the internet.