2. pc-audio
  3. 1258852496

Shopping for a new netbook or laptop...

Hoping to get some advice. I'm not very computer savvy. I'm looking for a netbook simply to listen to internet radio and browse the web. I'll hook it up to my 2 channel system via USB cable and external DAC. Borrowed my wife's work laptop today to listen to Pandora. Are there any critical hardware components or performance specs I should be looking for? Will the quality of the computer's sound card have any effect on things? Don't really see myself downloading music files etc, so don't think I need a huge hard drive (but maybe I should). Thanks in advance for your time and input. If something recent on this topic has already been posted, please let me know. I missed it, if so. Thanks again.
ghosthouse
milesd77
25 posts
 
Spend the extra money and get a Macintosh. You'll be supporting a man (Steven Jobs) who founded the company and then was thrown out by the board until the company foundered without him.

Who do we know in the audio world who experienced the same business setback?

Mr. Jobs company has a beautiful line of aluminum laptop cases machined from a solid block of Aluminum.

God Speed!
elevick
2,638 posts
 
I think that HP's are the best out there for the money. However, their sound cards are the weak point. Mac's do excel here.
With external DAC via usb you will be fine. Don't expect much with headphone outs or with the internal speakers.
tgrisham
1,291 posts
 
I recommend you check out Computer Audiophile website. Great information on equipment and how to set it up. They prefer Apple but are flexible with a variety of configurations. Good luck.
buff's avatar
buff
210 posts
 
Agree with the mac recommendation. Switched to Apple computers about 4 years ago for business and personal and have never been happier.

The entry level macbook has 2g ram with a 250g harddrive and 13" screen and is $999.

Best Buy is giving a $150 gift card with purchase of the macbook on Black Friday FYI.

I am getting one of those then, and it is a great machine very capable of what you are looking for.

Also it has a toslink digital output which will output 24/96 resolution should you decide to get an outboard dac later.
lapierre
547 posts
 
NPR reported a new research study on laptop reliability and HP has the worst rating in laptop repairs in a two year span. Macintosh was rated number one followed by Sony as being more reliable but not by a wide margin. Reason is the component parts tend to be better quality then other OEM who tend to get massive orders of lower grade parts at a very cheap price.
More to discover