Cubase Elements 13: PC laptop - Intel 15 or 17?

Cubase
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Hello! I will purchase a new laptop to worh with Cubase Elements 13 , besides current utilization, and I found a pretty good deal in a PC with this specifications: Intel Core i5-1235U - RAM:16 GB - 512 GB SSD PCIe - Intel Iris Xe Graphics. The question is: will this be enough to work with Cubase Elements 13 using a considerable amount of plugins, or should I spend more money and purchase an i7 processor? Thanks!

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I would go for an i7 but also make sure the laptop is capable of audio streaming. Not all are and you can’t change out components in a laptop. I would go to somewhere you can get a laptop that has been tested for audio work. In the UK I use SCAN. I know this may cost more but it’s better than stuck with a laptop that won’t work reliable. Of course you can chance it as many laptops are capable but you won’t know until you get one, optimise it for audio and test it.

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Hi there. I’m actually considering to get an i7 now that I’ve done some research.
I’m thinking of this one:

  • Asus Vivobook F1505ZA-72COHDS | 15.6" | I7-1255U | 16GB | 512GB SSD Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Do you by any chance know if it’s ok?
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I couldn’t say. It would need someone who has one to reply. That’s why I go for PCs actually tested and setup for audio.

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Buy the very best hardware you can safely afford. You may not need the power today, but if you intend to keep the thing for a few years, you’ll need that power in a couple of years.
If you decide to use sample libraries, now or in the future, your RAM and drive space will be gobbled up before you know it.

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PLEASE PLEASE do not fall in the i7 trap…
Intel’s branding is sadly confusing and sometimes misleading.
Debating i7 versus i5 gives only a small part of the whole picture!
The CPU series is actually more important than i7 vs i5.
Most i5 in the « P » series are actually more powerful than most i7 in the « U » series!

Short answer: avoid the U series for serious work, it’s good for Office/Word/xls/emails, but not for Cubase (except smaller projects).

Long answer, read in details, and watch specifically for Pcores:

You can also consider H/HX series, but they consume much more wattage and tend to be noisy laptops.

My personal pick recently was the i7-1370P for its 6 Pcores.
But about any i5 « P » will be preferable to an i7 « U ».

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