Best Windows laptops for audio/video production?

Hey there,

I'm looking to pick up a new laptop somewhere in the Chicago area.
Just need the basics—browsing the web, streaming movies, needs a webcam, and a 15.6" screen is plenty for me. I don't want anything too heavy to lug around, and honestly, I have zero interest in gaming.
I do want a solid processor, though. I'm planning on doing some audio and photo editing, and maybe even some light video work down the road (nothing crazy). As far as the audio goes, I’ll probably just hook up an external sound card, but it would be nice if the machine could handle things reasonably well on its own.
Price isn't really the deciding factor right now. If you guys could give me a range—from the budget-friendly stuff to the Best Buy sweet spot, all the way up to the high-end premium models—I’d really appreciate the insight.🎉
P.S. No Macintosh for me. Too much elitism and the price tag is just... yeah. Maybe one day when my luck changes, but for now, it's definitely not worth it.

Thanks! 😁

Get an SSD, seriously. 🎉
You could even just pop one in yourself after you buy it. 😉

If you're doing photo editing, you're gonna need a decent monitor,
but how good a laptop screen actually is... that's a whole different story.

Make sure it's an IPS panel. No exceptions.

Price matters. We shouldn't just be throwing numbers out there blindly.

Then from 2000 to $1333 🙂

Look, I was thinking about offering a laptop in the $1,100 range, but honestly, that’s just a waste of everyone's time.

At that price point, I’d just grab this Lenovo:

It’s got a solid i3 processor, dedicated graphics (just so it doesn't hog your RAM), decent build quality, and it's easy to upgrade the SSD and RAM. I’d definitely slap an SSD in there too. If you buy it from Best Buy, they'll usually handle those upgrades for you for free. Instead of the optical drive, I'd just toss in an old hard drive since 120GB is tiny, but you'll need this bracket to make it work. For the SSD specifically, I'd go with this one:

Having an SSD is going to make a massive difference in how fast you can open and save those huge files you're working with.

First off, there’s a thread you really should have read before posting. Second, I’m not sure how much you actually know about current laptop pricing and availability. For $667, you aren't getting anything at all. With $1333, you’re looking at a budget-tier machine—especially if you need Windows included (check that top thread for details)—which will handle your basic needs just fine, provided you aren't trying to do heavy audio or video editing. I mean, almost any laptop can technically run those tasks, but it comes down to efficiency: on one machine, a video encode takes a couple of hours, while on another, you'll be waiting days...

Did you honestly think you could pick up a Macintosh for that kind of money?

darkowl72 said:First off, there’s a thread you really should have read before posting. Second, I’m not sure how much you actually know about current laptop pricing and availability. For $667, you aren't getting anything at all. With $1333, you’re looking at a budget-tier machine—especially if you need Windows included (check that top thread for details)—which will handle your basic needs just fine, provided you aren't trying to do heavy audio or video editing. I mean, almost any laptop can technically run those tasks, but it comes down to efficiency: on one machine, a video encode takes a couple of hours, while on another, you'll be waiting days...

Did you honestly think you could pick up a Macintosh for that kind of money?

Look, I never said I knew everything. I specifically mentioned I wasn't going for a Macintosh because I don't have that kind of money. It's all right there in the title and the post itself. Honestly, the whole reason I'm posting here is because I *don't* know the prices and the options available. Thanks for the input though, 😉

Thanks for all the input, everyone. What’s the consensus on the Toshiba Satellite L50-B-2HF?

Look, you need to provide a specific link, or if it's not online, write out the exact specs. Otherwise, we’re flying blind here. All I can find is the L50-B-2HF with an i7 processor and Windows pre-installed for over $2.00, so what are we even talking about now? If the budget changed, just tell us if you actually want help... 🤷

That’s the one. Budget isn't really the main headache here—I mean, if you're asking how much I actually want to shell out, obviously I'd love to spend next to nothing and just get as much music as possible.
I'm mostly just checking in to figure out what my baseline should be, since I'm clearly flying blind on this. Honestly, I wouldn't even mind a used laptop if it does the trick.
Thanks for getting back to me 🙂

Toshiba Satellite L50-B-2HF, 15.6" HD LED 1366x768, Intel Core i7-5500U 3.0 GHz, 8GB DDR3, 256GB SSD, Intel ® hd Graphics 5500, DVD-RW, Bluetooth, Intel ® dual band Wireless-AC 3160, Gigabit LAN, HD web kamera, HDMI, USB3.0, Windows 8.1 64, jamstveno 24 mjeseca, PSKTGE-03H00DY4

You’re being pretty sneaky here...

Look, that's fine, but at least try to show some progression in how you approach this. If you didn't realize, this forum isn't a place for bickering or messing around; people come here specifically for advice when they have no clue what computer gear to buy.

And the advice comes from people who actually know their stuff—people who volunteer their knowledge, effort, and time for free just to help those newcomers out. We don't ask for or expect anything at all from people seeking help, but we do politely ask them to read the top topic so they understand how to ask questions and so we can figure out how to address their specific needs and budget.

But you're totally abusing that. How? In case it hasn't clicked yet, Jeffrey Chavez6 spent his time hunting down a laptop that fits your specs, and I also wasted my time digging up that Toshiba you couldn't even be bothered to provide a link for. And even now, you haven't posted a link so we can see the price. What are you hiding? The store? The cost? Trust me, we know way better than you where to find things in American retailers and what they actually cost. Then you go ahead and claim that your budget isn't an issue. I believe it's not. You're the issue.

With the way you're acting, you're showing how little you value our expertise, our hard work, and the time we spend on this forum. You're just wasting our time for nothing.

I actually found the exact same laptop you're talking about. It’s sitting there in this one single shop at a specific price point. I know, I know, you already posted the Links, but I was just double-checking the specs on my end. And honestly, I'm not going to start spamming Links around here—I'm not running an ad agency for anyone. Anyway, it's that exact same model, the only one left:
I was digging through some listings earlier and stumbled upon this Toshiba Satellite L50-B-2HF. Honestly, looking at the specs, it’s one of those machines that makes you wonder if we ever actually move forward as a species or if we just keep recycling the same old hardware. It's running an Intel Core i7 with Intel ® hd Graphics 5500, which sounds decent on paper if you're living in 2015, I guess. It’s got an SSD, so it won't take ten years to boot up, and it’s packing Windows 8.1 64. Probably feels a bit dated now—kind of like trying to use a flip phone in a Starbucks in downtown Chicago—but hey, it gets the job done if you aren't trying to run high-end software. It’s got Bluetooth and that Intel ® dual band Wireless-AC 3160, plus USB3, so connectivity isn't exactly a nightmare. Just seems like one of those mid-range workhorses you'd find sitting on a desk at a local library or a small office in Seattle. Nothing flashy, nothing groundbreaking. Just a laptop. If you need something basic that won't immediately die when you open three Chrome tabs, maybe it's worth a look, but don't expect any miracles.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who actually bothered to help me out. Much appreciated.
Alright, I’m off to go hold a full-on ritualistic ceremony just to decide which laptop I'm actually going to buy. Expecting some divine intervention at this point.
Good grief...

🍿

Jose Thompson61 said:That’s the one. Budget isn't really the main headache here—I mean, if you're asking how much I actually want to shell out, obviously I'd love to spend next to nothing and just get as much music as possible.
I'm mostly just checking in to figure out what my baseline should be, since I'm clearly flying blind on this. Honestly, I wouldn't even mind a used laptop if it does the trick.
Thanks for getting back to me 🙂

Toshiba Satellite L50-B-2HF, 15.6" HD LED 1366x768, Intel Core i7-5500U 3.0 GHz, 8GB DDR3, 256GB SSD, Intel ® hd Graphics 5500, DVD-RW, Bluetooth, Intel ® dual band Wireless-AC 3160, Gigabit LAN, HD web kamera, HDMI, USB3.0, Windows 8.1 64, jamstveno 24 mjeseca, PSKTGE-03H00DY4

That 1366x768 screen? You're gonna be staring at giant pixels all day.
If you're doing any kind of audio or video work, an IPS panel is a non-negotiable, and you definitely want full HD (honestly, that's pretty much the baseline these days).
When you've got your software open, you'll need space to lay out your tools on one side and keep your video or photos visible on the other.
And don't waste your money on a 120GB SSD. For a tiny bit more, you can grab a 240 or 250GB SSD, which is way smarter.

I have no clue what laptops are going for right now, but those are the absolute minimum specs you should look for.