Nuc Pc, Anyone got any thoughts? Options

[Phil66]

Hello folks, I'm thinking of upgrading my music laptop. I don't really need a laptop but I don't have room for a second desktop tower. I've come across these and wonder what your thoughts are.

Any advice/opinions gratefully received, thanks.

https://www.intel.co.uk/content/www/uk/en/p...s-kits/nuc.html

I would likely purchase from HERE something like THIS spec but with 512gb SSD and 32gb ram.

I just want to be able to swap it with my laptop, for the record, my laptop only has 3 usb ports and an hdmi out.

It needs to come in at around £850 before tax.

Thanks in advance of your help, I keep wondering if I'm missing something that is staring me in the face as to why I can't just swap it over, obviously there will be the set up but I'm hoping there is some quick way of cloning the hard drive from one to the other, somehow, maybe

Cheers

Phil

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[Phil66]

Thanks Todd

Do you think a laptop will be better value? I'm just thinking I'm paying for a screen that I don't need, my current laptop goes to my main monitor.

Cheers

Phil

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[Todd Simpson]

The "Gaming" laptops (seems to scare Mertay for some reason) typically have higher performance specs than "non gaming" laptops. They are machines that typically outlast their non gaming brethren as they usually have some of the best/fastest hardware available.

I too plug my laptop in to a 50 inch HD monitor. I don't typically use the laptop screen. However, it can be handy to have a screen that is attached to the machine itself in various scenarios. For example, if you do need to move the unit for whatever reason at some point, it's self contained. Also if you do need a secondary monitor (E.G. a output monitor for editing video so that you can use the main monitor for actual editing. Also, it is only a bit more expensive than the NUC box and it's got WAY better specs especially for graphics. For video editing, having a good graphics card is very important. The integrated graphics in most one piece box computers are CRAP as they are typically intended to be used as a media computer for playback, not as production machines for heavy lifting. But it's up to you in the end to get whatever you feel comfy with. Or if the word gaming scares you like Mertay, then avoid gaming machines

If I were to get a one piece unit I would probably get a Mac Mini. it can run window or mac osx and has solid hardware.

Then again, you can get a used macbook pro (which is what I used) and also run windows or Mac osx. My quad i7 16gm ram 1tb sst was only $700 and LOGIC was $200 so I had a Pro Quality machine with the same software used in many pro shops all over the world for under $1,000. IT would be 750 pounds. But some folks are just not "mac people" and don't want to learn a new OS and a new DAW so if that's you, just grab a powerful gaming laptop as they are typically just more beefy and can be more upgradable, have better graphics, etc.

Thanks Todd

Do you think a laptop will be better value? I'm just thinking I'm paying for a screen that I don't need, my current laptop goes to my main monitor.

Cheers

Phil

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This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Aug 13 2019, 01:06 AM

[Mertay]

The "Gaming" laptops (seems to scare Mertay for some reason) typically have higher performance specs than "non gaming" laptops. They are machines that typically outlast their non gaming brethren as they usually have some of the best/fastest hardware available.

If a typical system is a brand sports car, gaming computers are more like modified Japanese cars so its not as simple as more power is better:

Fan noise; Its not like in a desktop you can fit a bigger fan to reduce noise, gaming laptops generate way more heat (cause of overclocking) so this can be a real issue.

Overclock (turboboost); Overclocking has a risk of stability even for playing games, when recording if it activate/de-activates you're basically screwed. It's something to seriously consider or avoid specifically for music production, likely all computers branded gaming has this feature.

Graphics card; A decent one is needed even for music specific computers, with gaming though not only you get one you'll never use its potential but it will generate unnecessary heat or extra fan noise (no fan vs 2-3 fans for graphics card).

Bundled software; To manage this overclocked system extra software is needed means the system uses extra ram you could have use for production. Disabling them is riskier compared to a normal operating system, often bios adjustments needed and anything can go wrong.

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This post has been edited by Mertay: Aug 13 2019, 10:38 AM