I am researching (& about to buy) a laptop. For MY purposes, I question whether it is really important to have this famous TI chip set you all talk about. Can you comment? Allow me to explain my situation...
Since I already have a desktop DAW (and prefer that over using a laptop), my new laptop purchase will mainly be for use other than DAW use. However, I thought it might be wise to buy a machine with DAW specs (just in case I ever needed to use the laptop for an occasional fling field-recording of some kind.
The thing is, I never use fire wire. In my own solo-musician practices (and with my drum softsynths already mixing my drums virtually), I only need 2-in/2-out (I use an Echo Indigo Express card).
Isn't fire wire mainly for those need to multi-track more than 2 channels? If I do not use fire wire, does this mean I can safely chose a laptop that does not necessarily have that TI chipset?
I have my eye on several almost perfect laptops (for my needs) but some have the Intel PM45 chipset instead of the TI set. For example, the Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q711 and Gateway P-7805u FX.
In my case, is that TI chipset still important?
Comments
A laptop will not have a TI chipset 99% of the time so that is a
A laptop will not have a TI chipset 99% of the time so that is a moot point. You'll want to get a Express Card firewire card. Also, onboard 1394 ports tend to be of the mini 4 pin variety which won't provide independent power and are IMO flimsier than the bigger 6 pin ports.
When I only had one laptop it served many purposes and I did not encounter much in the way of problems. I would stay away from Gateway/eMachine laptopss. At least in the past they have had tons of built in latency on their motherboards.
The advantage of firewire over usb is basically that the ASIO driver can control the firewire port better whereas usb is a passive protocol better for one way traffic IMO.
If you can wait about 6-12 months then USB 3.0 should be beginning to be implemented (not to mention Win7) and that will change the ball game again.