I often see threads on here asking about if a laptop or desktop is good for camming. To make things easier, I wanted to start a thread about how to shop for computers, decide laptop vs. desktop, and the basics on desktop building.
The Specs
I know how absolutely overwhelming the list of technical specs on any computer can be. I swear sometimes they just add extra information or split things up just to make a computer look more impressive.
The things you really need to pay attention to are:
Processor—brand, speed, cores, model
You will find that sometimes they won’t list the exact model and generally this is done to keep you from looking up that model’s benchmarks online. If the model is listed, you can google the model name plus benchmark to find out how it compares to other processors.
SM recommends an i5 bare minimum and an i7 for camming. Keep in mind that all processors of one line are not the same. There are lower end i7s that will not allow you to run the encoder properly and mid to low end i5s that will give you trouble too. Always check the benchmarks to see how it performs. A good rule of thumb is you want a processor with 4 cores MINIMUM (6 is better, 8 is GREAT) with a high ghz listed. (ex: a 1.9ghz processor will not be anywhere near as good as a 2.7ghz one, but be sure you check the model as some low end processors will have a high ghz but less cores and overall processing)
AMD vs Intel. This is the eternal tech nerd debate. When building a computer, if budget is your concern, go with an 8 core AMD processor. If budget doesn’t matter, go with an i7 Intel processor. For laptops, most will have Intel. The best thing to do is just look up the benchmarks on whatever processor is in the computer, and see where it falls in the list as both AMD and Intel are compared in the same list. Overall, brand does matter.
RAM—current capacity, max capacity, is it upgradeable?
4GB is the bare minimum for RAM, and you always want to be able to upgrade it. A system where you cannot upgrade the RAM will shorten the shelf life. For the best performance, I recommend 8gb of RAM. 16gb is excellent and well rounded. Many desktops can go up to 32gb of RAM, but you won’t need that unless you are seriously multitasking such as editing videos while camming or gaming.
**Many Apple laptops now have the RAM soldered to the motherboard to prevent upgrades.
Hard Drive—capacity, cache
Capacity—The bigger the better ESPECIALLY if you record your shows or make clips.
Cache—This isn’t always listed for laptops, but basically this controls how fast your hard drive pulls the data you need. The higher the cache the better your hard drive will perform and the faster your programs will load.
If you’re building or have a choice, I only recommend Western Digital or Seagate hard drives. WD has an amazing warranty exchange that is super easy if it breaks. Seagate also has great customer support. Both those brands have tiered hard drives to quality. Green/Blue are usually the low end. Black is usually the high end.
Graphics—integrated/dedicated
Since us girls are always camming/video editing/etc… I strongly advise against integrated graphics. A dedicated graphics card you can replace once it becomes outdated and it has its own memory to support the card as opposed to sharing RAM with the rest of the computer. Again, you can always search the model of the video card in google with the word benchmark to see how it performs.
USB ports—how many, what speed
We use TONS of USB devices, so get a computer with an absolute bare minimum of 3 usb ports and preferably 4+.
USB 3.0: this is a necessity and NOT an option in the camming world. USB 3.0 runs significantly faster than 2.0 and is best for tuner cards and webcams vs. 2.0. Make sure anything you’re buying has at least 1 USB 3.0 port. (PS: the usb 3.0 port is generally labeled on your computer. Apple’s new lightening connector is also very fast)
Things to consider while laptop shopping
Size and weight: Ultrabooks are super lightweight and portable, but often have much less power than a comparably priced normal laptop. A good rule of thumb is the smaller you get the less power you have. 17” computers tend to have more dedicated graphics options available as well as 10 key (the number pad on the side).
Who you’re buying from: If you aren’t buying from a reputable place, don’t even bother buying. You can shop online, but if you can’t find information on the store, or it isn’t in the US, RUN! The last thing you want is a laptop with no warranty and no way to return it if you have problems.
Refurbished vs. New: New will have a longer manufacturers warranty in most cases, as many refurbished devices only come with 90 days. If the refurbished product is cheaper and has a 1 year warranty, go for it. If the refurbished is cheaper but has a 90 day warranty, it is up to you to risk it. If they're about the same price or close in price, GO NEW!
BRANDS!
In an ideal world, specs are important and not so much the brand. In the real world shit breaks. Brand is important to an extent, as you want to make sure that your warranty is legitimate and you can get support if you need it. All brands have horror stories related to tech support, but it can be difficult to determine which are legitimate or idiots who like to scream if they don’t get their way. Most main brands (Apple, Dell, HP, ASUS, Lenovo, Sony) will have good tech support and honor their warranties. If you’ve never heard of the brand, google it. There are some scary brands out there surrounded by nothing but fail.
I will absolutely be adding more later, but this took a long time to type. Feel free to add info tech savvy girls, and I'll be happy to put it in the original post! Also, don't hesitate to ask any questions or ask me to add a topic you have questions about!



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