Any opinions and advice on whether this is wise? It’s got 64GB of RAM and Ryzen 7 PRO 7840U (3.30 GHz, up to 5.10 GHz Max Boost, 8 Cores, 16 Threads, 16 MB Cache).
Currently $1529 but it’s scheduled to come down to $1179 in a few days if supplies last. I’m used to spending double this price on a new computer so I’m worried that it might be underpowered for heavy use, but the fact that this sale price is 60% off the list price of $2949 is so tempting. (The description “this mobile workstation is tailored for entry-level professionals, educators, and students seeking top-notch performance” also worries me.)
I have a 4 year old ThinkPad P17 Gen 1. It’s a great laptop. I bought a preconfigured one for about half off. I think that you’re on the right track with that. My one concern with the model you listed is the AMD chipset. I’m no Intel fanboy (I worked for Motorola for 15 years), but I am a fanboy of compatibility. I’m guessing here, but I think that most software for Windows is developed and tested on Intel-based computers. That said, I think the level of risk is quite low. The 64 GB of RAM is really important. If there’s not an equivalently spec’d Intel-based ThinkPad that’s deeply discounted, I say go for it.
Thank you, this is great info! I’m willing to give the AMD a try I think (unless anyone has had bad experiences with it already?). This new machine will be my daily driver (for general productivity work and for audio and video editing), and will serve as my backup machine in case my current GP computer (Dell XPS 15, Intel) goes pear-shaped, so I should have ample opportunity to put it through its paces before relying on it on stage.
The Dell had some compatibility issues with my Focusrite interface, which mostly seem to be an issue if the USB cable gets pulled out or if the power fails, or if I’m attempting to run multiple applications at once that all need to talk to the ASIO driver. None of this has been a problem since I installed the computer and the interface in a rack case so the cables never get jiggled and since I only ever run GP on it, but it’s definitely time for me to have a solid backup alternative just in case.
I now think that the AMD-based laptop might be the best way to go, given what I just heard about Gen 13 and 14 Intel chips crashing. I don’t know the details, but if you’re interested, Google is your friend. There’s a claim that a BIOS update with fix the problem, but that’s unproven.
As far as your comment about multiple apps trying to access your ASIO interface, that’s the precise reason I plunked down $1400 for an RME Fireface UCX II interface: rock solid multi-client ASIO driver (and a superb hardware interface).
Re: VB-Audio: I do use VoiceMeeter when I’m working at home but I had the sense its latency (its minimum buffer size) was too high for live use, and also I wanted to avoid installing anything unnecessary on my GP laptop. Haven’t tried Matrix yet. On stage I don’t need multiple apps running, but during rehearsals it’s nice to be able to play music from say YouTube while also being able to play through GP through the same interface (allowing the whole band to listen to the song through the PA system).