Help finding new "computer" for recording and general use

[Errant Tiger]

(I thought about putting this in the tech/recording section, but it's pretty dead over there, so I'm here)

So my 10 year old Macbook Pro is finally teetering on the edge of uselessness, and it's time to replace it. I'm completely swamped by the options available to me (iPad pro? Macbook Plus? desktop?), and would love some recommendations. My needs are pretty simple:

1. Garageband (currently using a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 as my interface)
2. Hard drive space or ability to work with external storage
3. iTunes/phone support
4. Internet
5. Sonos controlling
6. Some - but not much - word processing
7. Not buying (for $$$ reasons) top of the line anything.

I should say that I'm pretty comfortably ensconced in the Apple ecosystem, but am willing to consider alternatives/equivalents, if they more or less meet the above criteria (I know GB is Mac-only, but if there were a Windows equivalent I could maybe consider it, though I'm not interested in throwing myself into learning something significantly more complicated).

Please assume I am an idiot when it comes to technical details.

Thank you!

[frigid midget]

I'm a Garageband/Scarlet 2i2 user too, though I can't say I really recorder much of anything the last couple years...
I'm an idiot when it comes to technical computery shit.

I've got a love/hate thing with my 13" macbook pro. It's from mid '12, from the last generation that didn't completely suck. Still isn't great though. I payed a small fortune for a superior OS, but the hardware is nothing to write home about. Pretty much everything has been replaced at siome point, except for the dvd drive and monitor. Last week the graphics card started acting up.

As power/performance goes, I could've got a similar machine, only with a Dell/HP/whatever logo instead of the Apple one, and running windows.

itunes is a bitch, and so are the video/photo app thingies. And don't get me started on Apple's customer service
But I guess that's all old news to you.

Dispite all of that, the OS has been relatively stable, reliable, and virus free, considering I haven't always been carefull and gentle with my laptop. So there's a chance I'll end up with another macbook pro. Logic Pro X looks sick btw.

Anyway, I'm in the same boat as you, or at least a similar one. Huawei Matebooks seems to have a good spec:price ratio, but I haven't yet checked any in depth reviews or anything.

[odontophobia]

Dealing with audio drivers on a Windows was bothersome to me.

Not in a, I don’t understand this kind of way but in a “I work in tech and don’t want to fix issues at home” kind of way.

I’ve had iMacs for years. Built a pc but eventually went back to an iMac. Logic Pro was superior to me based on what I knew and garbage familiarity. Mainstage is lit.

Portable computers seldom have great value. Are you tied to a laptop?

[Errant Tiger]

Dealing with audio drivers on a Windows was bothersome to me.

Not in a, I don’t understand this kind of way but in a “I work in tech and don’t want to fix issues at home” kind of way.

I’ve had iMacs for years. Built a pc but eventually went back to an iMac. Logic Pro was superior to me based on what I knew and garbage familiarity. Mainstage is lit.

Portable computers seldom have great value. Are you tied to a laptop?

Not necessarily. While I love the idea of being able to take my recording rig elsewhere, I have pretty much never actually done so. The main real-world advantage of a laptop is that I don’t have a dedicated studio space that’s not also common space (so not dedicated, I guess) and sticking a big desktop (and desk) in any of our current spaces might be aesthetically displeasing. But I’m open to any recs!

[odontophobia]

Dealing with audio drivers on a Windows was bothersome to me.

Not in a, I don’t understand this kind of way but in a “I work in tech and don’t want to fix issues at home” kind of way.

I’ve had iMacs for years. Built a pc but eventually went back to an iMac. Logic Pro was superior to me based on what I knew and garbage familiarity. Mainstage is lit.

Portable computers seldom have great value. Are you tied to a laptop?

Not necessarily. While I love the idea of being able to take my recording rig elsewhere, I have pretty much never actually done so. The main real-world advantage of a laptop is that I don’t have a dedicated studio space that’s not also common space (so not dedicated, I guess) and sticking a big desktop (and desk) in any of our current spaces might be aesthetically displeasing. But I’m open to any recs!

I mean -- iMac's are pretty small. But it could be cumbersome in your living space, I suppose. I could pick mine up and pack it away, alongside my interface, and have it all in a different room pretty quickly.

Works for me but may not be what you want.

[Errant Tiger]

I mean -- iMac's are pretty small. But it could be cumbersome in your living space, I suppose. I could pick mine up and pack it away, alongside my interface, and have it all in a different room pretty quickly.

Works for me but may not be what you want.

It’s sometjing to think about, for sure. Especially as there IS a space I keep thinking about turning into a dedicated studio. I dunno, right now I’m still pretty overwhelmed by it all. But I appreciate the input!

[Bassist_Diver]

Re: Storage

You really have two major options - get a fucking huge external hard drive, or keep everything on the cloud of your choice. Preferably both, if your budget allows.

[Errant Tiger]

Re: Storage

You really have two major options - get a fucking huge external hard drive, or keep everything on the cloud of your choice. Preferably both, if your budget allows.

Yeah, the former of which wouldn’t work if I got an iPad...

[Bassist_Diver]

Re: Storage

You really have two major options - get a fucking huge external hard drive, or keep everything on the cloud of your choice. Preferably both, if your budget allows.

Yeah, the former of which wouldn’t work if I got an iPad...

You can go with a wireless external HD, but they still cost around $200 for 2TB.