Minimum laptop specifications for Musescore4?
I need to buy a new laptop and want to be able to use Musescore4 on it effectively. What would be the minimum specifications - eg for microprocessor and RAM and any other specs I should consider? Please bear in my mind that I am not very knowledgeable about laptop specs when giving any guidance
Comments
See https://musescore.org/en/download#System-requirements
In reply to See https://musescore.org/en… by Jojo-Schmitz
Thanks, Jojo. The minimum number of cores for a CPU is 4 but on my budget many CPUs are only dual core. What would be the effect if trying to use Musescore 4 on only 2 cores?
In reply to Thanks, Jojo. The minimum… by wdpgregory
dual core with hyperthreading? That's make 4 (virtual) cores
In reply to dual core with… by Jojo-Schmitz
Thanks again. So 2 physical cores with 2 threads each would get the job done for M4?
In reply to Thanks again. So 2 physical… by wdpgregory
It should
In reply to It should by Jojo-Schmitz
Thanks.
In reply to Thanks, Jojo. The minimum… by wdpgregory
Which CPU do you think to but?
In reply to Which CPU do you think to… by frfancha
Make sure it is intel i5 or higher, or AMD ryzen 5 or higher
In reply to Make sure it is intel i5 or… by frfancha
Hi, i5 seems to be over my budget and assume that Ryzen 5 would be too. However, I am finding some i3s with 4 threads on some laptops within my range.
In reply to Hi, i5 seems to be over my… by wdpgregory
Don't go too low. Who buys cheap, buys twice
In reply to Hi, i5 seems to be over my… by wdpgregory
Avoid HD, insist on SSD
In reply to Avoid HD, insist in SSD by Jojo-Schmitz
Thanks for the general advice! And the tip on SSD
In reply to Hi, i5 seems to be over my… by wdpgregory
13th Gen of i3 has 4 cores and is probably worth the stretch if an i5 is beyond budget. Jojo's advice is very true: if you underspend/underspec now then you may end up regretting it. SSD is essential these days but you could have a combo SSD + HD if you need loads of disk space for data.
This is not as straight forward a question as it might seem. Especially for those of us on a budget.
The question of whether or not an i3 works came up. One of my computers is an 8 year old laptop. It has a 5th generation i3. Dual core (4 virtual). 8 gigs of ram. Some time ago I put an SSD in it. This really brought the machine to life, in general. This computer, with the help of the settings here: https://musescore.org/en/node/339915 , and a cheap audio interface, plays large bombastic orchestra scores in MS4 just fine.
As you look at new computers, you will note that they will have SSD drives. But the more affordable ones will have very small drives. 128 or 256 GB. These smaller drives tend to fill up fast. Aim for 512 as a minimum. Sure, you can add another drive. I had to do this on my Surface Go. But it can be a hassle to maneuver. Just a thought here. SSD's are cheaper than a new computer and not that hard to install if your computer is a little older. People think it is hard, but it really isn't, and you get to learn something in the deal.
A note about the Surface, with all the same settings and equipment listed above, MS4 works, also. Pentium 2 core.
And my main laptop also requires all of the above.
However, the one computer I have that meets the minimum specs, runs MS4 without changing anything. If I remember correctly.
Also, my Focusrite Scarlett in place of the cheap interface works even better. Faster and stronger.
Just some things to ponder. Good luck. Not that I'm jealous of someone who can buy a new computer. Really. Not at all. Just sayin'.