Convertible Touch Laptop

[4partmusic]

I am looking to create a portable Varranger set up and use my Fishman Tripleplay guitar interface to drive it.   I have been looking at small laptops or convertible laptops.  My understanding from reading threads is that you need at least 4GB's of ram to take advantage of larger soundfonts.  I am wondering about these questions and hope people can share there experience:

1. What speed of processor do you need in Ghz?  Are the Atom and\or the Bay Trail processors good enough to drive Varranger?
2. Will touch screen work at all with Varranger or would I just need to use my Midi Buddy foot pedal to control once set up?
3. Are there options to the Microsoft Surface?  From what I have read here that seems to be the popular solution.  If that is the only real solution what is the least expensive version that will work. 

I also have a Ketron SD4 which I could use for sound source but that will most likely involve me purchasing the Fishman wireless foot controller for another $199. 

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Terry

[Dan]

I have a bought recently a little Chinese Atom tablet, and the CPU is OK for external synth, but the sound card was not able to handle low latency. Maybe with an external sound card added, it will work... I still need to test it.

If you want to go for a 100% software solution, it is better to go with an Intel i3/i5/i7... if you plan to use it for many years
4gb ram or more is welcome. (6gb, 8gb)

Touch screen can be ok, after some exercise, depending on the screen size, but hardware controller will always feel safer

Surface pro are really great for vArranger

If you use vArranger you don't need the Fishman MIDI wireless to use the SD4, as vArranger will do the link between the TriplePlay and the SD4

[Lylo]

More is better but i3 2,5ghz with 6go ram it's enought.