Laptop for DJing

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6 years ago

The evolution of DJing has come such a long way that it becomes difficult to believe it all started with two turntables and mixer (even this was an advancement from its original state). If you are to be a well-rounded DJ, there is no doubt that you must learn to use as many DJ tools and methods as possible, both old and new school.

Looking back, it is easy to see that when everything went digital, the gradual advances in technology changed everything. DJs can now live, work and travel with their entire mix/production studio on just a laptop, resulting in an explosion of remixes, mashups, and mixtapes.

On top of that, modern DJ software programmes democratised the art of DJing, making it more accessible to more people so that anyone with a disc drive and a dream could climb on board.

Professional DJing is not just about the tools you have but what you do with them that counts. Learning how to use every available method of DJing from old-school to nu-school matters so that you’re well-rounded and prepared to DJ in any situation.

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When you want to configure your laptop, different manufacturers or brands will offer a selection of CPUs, as follows:

2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
2.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i7
2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7

Most people have no idea what this information means. All you need to know is that quad (meaning “four”) is twice as fast as dual (meaning “two”). When you see a value like “2.4GHz,” it’s telling you how fast your computer can execute instructions–decode files, create MP3s, and so on.

When a computer has 2.4GHz dual-core CPU, this means that the machine has two identical “brains,” and each brain can perform 2.4 billion calculations per second. A quad-core computer, with its four brains, is twice as fast. This is why a quad-core CPU costs more.

Memory is another key component to look at. Most computers come with four gigabytes of random-access memory (RAM), which is what allows programmes to load projects without slowing down. The good thing is that memory is cheap, and the more you add, the better your computer will perform.

There are two types of hard drives; mechanical and solid-state. Mechanical hard drives have moving parts inside, similar to an old clock. Solid-state hard drives resemble a mammoth rendition of a computerised digital camera memory card that contains a great deal of information. With a solid-state drive, a laptop performance will be enhanced and applications will load faster almost instantly.

Finally, what do you look out for when purchasing a laptop for DJing? If you are new to DJing, it is important that you start small and then get into more complex hardware over time. Below are a few minimum requirements to consider: