I am currently using a pretty beefy desktop for Cubase Pro, but I am setting up a new recording space and I would like to buy an inexpensive laptop that would be used for recording. I would be primarily recording drums, typically with 7 microphones, and occasionally a full live band with up to 12 tracks. My sound interface would be a Mackie 12 channel Onyx mixer. I would mostly be recording everything dry, so I wouldn’t probably wouldn’t use many effects. I would use my desktop for mixing/mastering.
If I go with the minimum recommended system requirements should I be good to go? I tend to worry about going with “minimums”, but I am trying to keep this lean and mean (cheap).
I personally wouldn’t buy an off the shelf laptop. Too many bottlenecks that can’t be fixed. Maybe someone can recommend you one they use. My friend bought his from scan (uk) but they have stopped selling laptops for audio and only do towers. That could be because they got too many support requests.
I would strongly recommend to buy a laptop that exceeds the minimum system requirements. Meeting the minimum system requirements usually means that it will basically work but that you have to expect performance limitations as soon as your projects get a little bit bigger.