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Dave S

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 4, 2008
18
0
London
With no recent upgrades, I am going to order the smallest MacBook Pro but I'd like to hear any comments on the the screen size for running Logic assuming the processing power is fine. The Macs in schools where I work usually use big or multiple screens. Thanks.
 

spinnerlys

Guest
Sep 7, 2008
14,328
7
forlod bygningen
Depending on how manny tracks and instruments you have, you might be fine.

I ran Logic 4 (when it was still emagic's software) on a 1280x1024 screen, so it worked there too.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
28,346
12,461
"With no recent upgrades, I am going to order the smallest MacBook Pro but I'd like to hear any comments on the the screen size for running Logic assuming the processing power is fine. The Macs in schools where I work usually use big or multiple screens. Thanks."

Question: do you really, REALLY need the portability?

If not - if the computer will be used mostly in one location - you might consider an iMac as a better choice due to it's larger screen "real estate".

The other option would be to buy an external monitor to use.

Just about any digital audio application is going to use up a lot of screen space. This is particularly important because of the "audio timeline", which scrolls from left to right during tracking and editing.
 

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,581
1,697
Redondo Beach, California
With no recent upgrades, I am going to order the smallest MacBook Pro but I'd like to hear any comments on the the screen size for running Logic assuming the processing power is fine. The Macs in schools where I work usually use big or multiple screens. Thanks.

For simple recordig a small screen will work. But editing and music notation and many tracks can eat up screen space quickly. He best setup would be the small MBP for portibiity (if you really need that) and a larger monitor. For Logic, unlike any graphic arts app a "way-cheap" LCD monitor is OK. YU don't care about color fidelity so "big and cheap wins".

But do you need the small size? After all you'd be haulig around other gear, like microphones, cables and stands, what's an extra 2 inches on a notebook compared to that.
 

sagnier

macrumors regular
Sep 19, 2007
128
0
With no recent upgrades, I am going to order the smallest MacBook Pro but I'd like to hear any comments on the the screen size for running Logic assuming the processing power is fine. The Macs in schools where I work usually use big or multiple screens. Thanks.

Screensets and certain key commands make it easy to work with large arrangements and multiple editing windows, even on the 13" mbp. just spend a little time figuring out how to best use them, and developing some of your own to assist your workflow.

Of course a big screen makes things easier, all other things being equal, but the portability of a macbook is so useful, and im sure there's more you'll want to do with it your computer than just record music, and in one location. If so, the mbp is probably what you want.
 

Alvi

macrumors 65816
Oct 31, 2008
1,208
310
Mars
Better wait till tmw, let's hope something happens, there are some possibilities for one coming out
 

NoSmokingBandit

macrumors 68000
Apr 13, 2008
1,579
3
It depends on the individual. My monitor is 1920x1080 and sometimes i feel a little cramped. Other people can probably use a 13" MBP with no problems. The best thing you can do is find someone running logic on a 13" and borrow it for a few minutes to see if it feels right.
 

Teej guy

macrumors 6502a
Aug 6, 2007
518
2
Logic and Pro Tools are just about bearable on 15" MBP (1440x900) for recording. However, as soon as I start editing, productivity tanks. I bought a 24" monitor running 1920x1200 and work much more efficiently. Personally I couldn't imagine using Logic on a 13", very inefficient.

Of course, this is just my opinion, there are definitely people who use Logic on a 13" on a daily basis. Having said that, my guess is that they're not professionals and that they're not working as efficiently as they could be.
 

Comma

macrumors member
Feb 8, 2010
35
0
I use Logic Pro on my Macbook 13" (2.0GHZ, 2GB RAM) and the screen size can get annoying. It slows down my workflow a little, but once you get used to it, it's not too big of a deal.

I'd say given the chance, a bigger screen real estate is worth it, but if you're on a budget, just deal with it.
 

Big Boss Man

macrumors regular
Oct 27, 2006
134
0
I use a 15" MBP with the 24" ACD to run Logic. You can get by with 13" but it won't always be fun. You might want to also consider a Mac Mini with a 24" 1920x1200 display if budget is a concern. If you really need the portability, just go with the 13" MBP but know that you may need to add a display later on to make your work more productive.
 

Dave S

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 4, 2008
18
0
London
Thanks, everyone. It was price rather than portability that was the thing. As I may now be able to get a bigger educational discount than I thought and the fact that people seem to prefer the 15" I'll probably go with that.
 

SFXsource

macrumors newbie
Mar 5, 2009
26
0
yes the 15 inch and Logic Pro are a fine combination ... its what I've been using for about 5 years without annoyance and with great joy

i mean, if you're really passionate about sound and music you would probably be happy editing on a screen the size of an iphone, so 13" would suffice

but, like most things, the bigger the better .. and for me, at least, portability is key, do your work on a plane, in a coffee shop, in a car etc ....
 
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