laptop question

[punkrockacademyfightsong]

I'm thinking about buying a laptop to make my setup more portable. My main concern is having a hard drive that will be able to save all audio in real time.
I was wondering if any of you guys have experience with laptops as DAW and have any good tips on what to pay attention to.

Any idea how these specs would work out?:

Processor
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8400 (2,26 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2-cache)

Monitor
17,0-inch WXGA+ WLED (1.440 x 900) TFT-breedbeeldscherm met TrueLife™
Videokaarten
Geïntegreerde Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100

Video
256MB ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3650

Memory
4096MB 800MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x2048]

Hard disc:
320 GB (5.400 rpm) SATA harde schijf

Optic
Fixed Internal DVD+/-RW Slot Load Drive including Software

Wireless
Intel WiFi Link 5100 (802.11 a/b/g/n 1X2) 1/2 MiniCard

I'm planning on running Windows XP since it's more compatible with my hardware (mackie onyx 1640 + fire wire) and uses less RAM
As I said before: my main goal is to be able to record 16 channels of audio at 44,1 kHz / 32 bits float simultaneously

thanks in advance!

 

[Seizure.]

I just lent one exactly like in your specs for some recordings and did fine...
You can also just record to the hd and then set it over to a portable or other hd when your done right?
Why are you recording 32 bit float btw?

 

[punkrockacademyfightsong]

you recorded 16 channels together and didn't have any problems with glitches / dropouts?
Adobe Audition saves in 32 bits float by default, I guess it saves CPU because it doesn't need to convert the 24 bits into 32 in real time, since all programs / plugins and hardware will be calculating in 32 bits anyway, or am I totally wrong here?

 

[James-Doolan]

For audio purposes the TI firewire chipset is recomended. Im guessing your going to be recording to a external harddrive if so make sure its at least 7200rpm and e-sata compatible and try and hook it up using e-sata express card to your laptop. When i was getting my rig done scott from ADK recommended this route to me for the following reason

average firewire HDD thruput about 35meg/s

eSata average is over 80meg/s


Other than that i think your specs are fine cpu and ram should be more than enough to cope with 16 tracks

 

[Seizure.]

you recorded 16 channels together and didn't have any problems with glitches / dropouts?
Adobe Audition saves in 32 bits float by default, I guess it saves CPU because it doesn't need to convert the 24 bits into 32 in real time, since all programs / plugins and hardware will be calculating in 32 bits anyway, or am I totally wrong here?

Nope worked fine, fireface with asp008, and had about 16/17 channels.

And yeah your right.. i even think most plug ins sound better when they have 31 bit float to work with.. i export my own unmastered stuff to 32..

 

[Sloan]

I've done 18 live tracks straight to a Maxtor USB hard drive with no problems. This is on some old laptop with like 512mb of RAM.