core2 duo vs i7 for Logic

yavuz

yavuz

Logician
I have MBP given to me from work.
It is 2.4Ghz C2D with 4GB RAM.
Should I just upgrade the RAM to 6 and go on using this MBP?
Or should I upgrade to an I7 MBP with 6GB?

I am leaving my job and get this MBP for $1500.- and upgrade to 6GB for $150.-
I can also buy a newer I7 MBP for $2550.-

What do you guys think?

Right now, everything works nicely on my MBP except NI Komplete 7.
I have a few instances of Kontakt and Logic bogs down.
If I use EXS, my MBP is more than enough.
 
Perhaps you need to ask yourself, is being able to use Kontakt the way you would like worth the extra money. If it is, then get the i7. If not, the C2D is a good machine and should allow you to do an awful lot with Logic.


kind regards

Mark
 
Markdvc said:
Perhaps you need to ask yourself, is being able to use Kontakt the way you would like worth the extra money. If it is, then get the i7. If not, the C2D is a good machine and should allow you to do an awful lot with Logic.
Click to expand...

That is the natural smart conclusion to reach from my post above and thanks...
However, I also wanted to know a real life experience with i7 and what else is better that I cannot imagine right now...

Thanks again...
 
The i7 cpu is MUCH faster than the core 2, for a number of technical reasons. That said, 6 gig of ram, while seeming to be allot, is not very much if you want to use allot of samples. in fact, you will likely burn through it so fast that you will be very upset you didn't just get a big desktop and go for 12 gig...

Now all that said, if you want a portable computer, the i7 will BLOW the doors off the other. SPEND THE EXTRA CASH ;-) Be sure to get the faster CPU and the 8 gig ram, forget the SSD drive, but get a bigger faster drive for stuff like samples...

I have an older MBP Core 2, and I put a 7200 rpm drive in the thing, installed Logic Pro (everything except the sound FX and music bed) then Komplete 6, and it's a self contained studio. The fan noise is what bugs me about this version of the MBP...
 
So, what is the measurable performance difference between C2D vs i7?
Any measurements so I know what the real difference is?
is it 30% or 100%, 200%?
Anyone did a comparison?
Reverb test?
 
Look at the Bear Feats info... it is MUCH faster.

And the not using SSD's is for sample storage. It will make no significant difference (that came from an Apple rep).
 
I had actually seen the comparison @ Bear Feats.
I just wanted a real life experience with Logic.
In Pro Tools forums people had created a reverb test and track count.
That is more math-based using the same tool.
 
Well, all I can tell you is this... my core 2 laptop is fine for some things... my i7 is much more powerful.... then again, I could easily run 48 tracks of audio with as many reverbs as I would ever need, (or eq's, etc) on that laptop. I can run hundreds of reverbs on my i7. I could run say 60 on my core 2. But the tests you are suggesting are for playback, where Logic will balance off power between the cores....

Here's the real issue: what is the CPU speed. the bottom line is that, because if you have a plug-in (say, ACE, which eats cpu cycles for a snack) that draws allot of cycles, you will overload the single cpu Logic uses for real time processing on live input.

So, a 12 core machine at 2.4 ghz is not really as good as a 3.2 ghz 4 core... do you understand?

So the old reverb test is only so good for actual use of Logic. So the magic answer is: Speed is the better way to go.
 
OK. I get it now....
I think I have noticed this when composing songs...

I mostly compose music with Logic.

Some of the stuff I do requires a bit more power ( jingles for TV and , film-score etc... )

For live-recording, I use 14 tracks tops since I record jazz live.

For electronic music ( I am still in the learning process of this genre ), I use Reason+Record. ( sometimes rewired to Logic ), but still R+R takes minimal CPU.

The only time I need more power is when I use Native instruments Komplete stuff.

I recently use more and more EXS which requires no power compared to NI stuff.
I might expand my EXS library ???

I will just have to make up my mind very soon about this.
 
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