Good Laptop for Pianoteq live

I use PTQ on Linux but have tried it briefly under Windows as well. It runs well on both platforms and I don't believe there is much difference in performance when set up correctly. Go with the OS you're most comfortable with.

On some Linux systems it can be trickier to optimally set up PTQ than on Windows, but it also offers some advantages if you're familiar with Linux and audio tools for Linux. For a dedicated PTQ system I'd go with a simple Linux system with realtime/low-latency kernel and a very lightweight desktop environment. But it sounds like you're more at home on Windows so that's probably best for you. As far as reducing delay, your hardware performance will be the main determining factor not the OS.

As an update in addition to my earlier comment, I found AVLinux to be very good with old hardware. See http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/viewtopic.php?id=4192 for details

Microsoft Surface Pro - e.g. the new one with i5 (fanless) - here I am using a Pro3 (pianoteq in Tracktion or Bitwig) ....
Problem with Cubase might be the dongle though ....

just my 2 cents

If possible, buy a laptop that others are using successfully, but the risk is low I think. Just FYI, I've just bought a powerful and current model (the Dell XPS 15 9560, Win10), and it has terrible latency using the integrated audio interface. This is the first time I've encountered this problem - even a VERY VERY slow old "netbook" from many years ago has good latency. I suspect I'll find a solution (found a post about switching to a different Realtek driver, for example). Worst case is always using an external audio interface, but I like being able to use the integrated interface as well. (and contrary to what many say, I think the audio quality from internal interfaces is absolutely fine)

Greg

EvilDragon: thanks, but it's not that kind of problem - I don't have any dropouts at all. There is simply too much latency - literally, regardless of how small I set the buffer size. It's as if there is an additional, substantial buffer in the audio chain, in addition to the ASIO buffer. (btw, same problem using Windows Audio exclusive mode) As I said, I did find a post (elsewhere) about replacing the audio driver - haven't had time to try it yet. I don't know for sure the latency is being introduced in the audio chain - it's technically possible to be on the MIDI side, but I strongly suspect it will be audio.

Greg.
p.s I know it is normal for there to be a bit of additional buffering (and hence latency) in the audio chain, over and above the buffer that we have access to in the app/driver settings, but in this case, it appears that there might be way too much. This is just my initial thought - I haven't proven this to be the case yet.

Phew - problem was indeed solved by a different driver. Installing the generic High Definition Audio Service per the instructions in a reply to this post has done the trick: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/...o_garbage/
Latency now fine with both ASIO4ALL and Windows Audio (exclusive mode).

I don't care about losing the MaxxAudio enhancement thingy.

Greg

For me, GNU/Linux and Windows performance is quite similar (perhaps a little superior in Linux).
But Linux costs $0, and there are some laptops which come without operating system. In those cases, and if you only want to run Pianoteq, you save some money, so my vote goes to GNU/Linux.

Generally speaking, laptops that come without Windows, work with Linux (at least this is my experience with the 4 laptops I had in my life, I must admit that 2 of them came with Linux preinstalled)