How much RAM needed for MIDI-only sequencing?

Track 7 · Post by **Track 7** » Mon Dec 10, 2018 11:54 pm

Hello. I'm thinking of getting a new Windows laptop to run Cubase 10 plus some added sound libraries. Something like this ASUS VivoBook.

The plan is to do all MIDI and no audio recording. Just soft synths and virtual instruments.

I expect Cubase and the sound libraries to take up 40-50GB of disk space.

Is there any reason to get the normally recommended 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD for this? Or will half of that do? How RAM-heavy are VSTs compared with live audio tracks? Worth looking at a ZenBook instead?

I'm also eyeing something like a $1,500+ gaming laptop, such as a Dell Alienware. Would that be overkill for VST MIDI sequencing? Or would gaming graphics be a plus for the DAW software?

voip · Post by **voip** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 9:10 am

The MIDI data itself takes up very little storage space and CPU time. It's the VSTs that can get more than a little hungry for resources. Omnisphere and UH-E Diva can be CPU and memory hogs. Other VSTs, too.

16GB RAM and 512GB SSD will soon become quite ordinary, underpowered even, in the ever advancing world of computing requirements by software.

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Track 7 · Post by **Track 7** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 2:22 pm

Thanks, Voip. In that case, I'll stick with 16/512.