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Thinkpad x230 replacement for music production (Ableton)
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2023 6:34 am
by TOTAL
I am very happy with x230 16 gig ram but would like to make a smart switch to a newer model.
Which ones have the optimal performance to price ratio in 2023?
I suppose this is the last one with DIY architecture?
Would you consider different brands for the successor, such as dell xps13
Re: Thinkpad x230 replacement for music production (Ableton)
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2024 11:06 pm
by mikemex
Can the replacement be a little bigger?
If so, get yourself an L14 Gen 4. It has two DIMM slots for a whopping maximum RAM of 64GB. The battery in the L series used to be smaller, but in this generation you can get up to 63Wh, which is even higher than a T14. All the features available on the T series are now available in the L: IR camera, fingerprint reader, WWAN. There is basically no downside to buying an L series anymore, other than the sightly cheaper feeling plastic casing. Actually, I think the ergonomics on the L series are better now, since they retain the tilting and recessed Trackpoint buttons and long key travel for the keyboard.
Re: Thinkpad x230 replacement for music production (Ableton)
Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 2:33 am
by axur-delmeria
If you're looking into second-hand Thinkpads, there have been many T480 units being sold since last year. Of course, if you find newer ones like the T14 Gen 1 AMD, that's great too.
Re: Thinkpad x230 replacement for music production (Ableton)
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2024 3:38 pm
by TOTAL
Thanks a lot for your answers and sorry for the delay - I must have overlooked the notification.
Getting back to this subject. L14 looks tempting but is sold at GBP 450 with energy-efficient, weak processors. The laptop does look impressive, yet I have established which corners I am ready to cut, considering the application, and it must be the laptop itself.
Purpose: Running Ableton Live and Traktor DJ software smoothly. No heavy sample libraries (meaning 16 gigs ram is good enough)
Processor: My budget maxes out around an Intel i5 12450H. Are there better value equivalents or cheaper options without sacrificing performance?
Budget: GBP 300 (max. 400)
Other Specs:
No external audio card needed (I can work with latency)
Budget-friendly, thicker laptop models are fine (like Lenovo Ideapad or similar)
Battery life isn't a priority
16GB RAM (can do without extra slots)
250GB SSD
Integrated graphics are fine
windows 10 is good enough (11 might be overkill - I am hearing the subsequent updates are increasing resource demands)
I'm open to specific laptop recommendations, but my main question is: what processor will give me the most bang for my buck?