The laptop has a 10 hour battery life that provides you with enough time for the creative process involved in music production. With a 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD and an i7 processor, the laptop loads files without delay. The Intel core allows you to work comfortably due to a high processing power and speed of up to 4.0GHz. See full list on ototo.fm. At least 2.2Ghz i7 quad-core processor At least 4GB of RAM 64-bit operating system At least 256GB of internal storage (HDD or SSD) At least a 15-inch screen.
For modern producers the laptop is the centerpiece of any music production studio.
You use a laptop to run your DAW where you create, record, mix and master your tracks.
Nothing is more frustrating than getting a perfect take only to find that your computer crashed during the recording session.
There are ways to reduce DAW latency and cut down on the demands your software is making on your system.
But sometimes a new laptop is what you need to get up and running.
Here’s the 10 best music production laptops on the market today:
In this guide we’ll look at the basic system requirements you’ll need to successfully use DAW software and we’ll list our top ten choices for music production computers.
If you’re just getting started with a home studio you really don’t need anything super fancy or expensive.
There are plenty of affordable computers that can handle the demands a DAW puts on their systems.
There are plenty of affordable computers that can handle the demands a DAW puts on their systems.
There’s lots to consider when picking a music production computer.
But in general, watch for these four factors.
The processing speed of your CPU is still one of the most important factors for processing audio.
Watch for computers that come with more processing cores and faster clock speeds above the 2.0Ghz range.
Adequate RAM means having enough working memory for plugins, tracks, presets, and recordings to do their thing smoothly in your DAW.
For music production tasks we suggest having at least 8GB of RAM. You might want more, but it’s not always necessary.
Hard disc drives are somewhat a thing of the past. Today it’s all about the Solid State Drive or SSD.
If your DAW and plugins are installed on your SSD they’ll load much faster and be more responsive.
You want at least 512GB worth of storage space, but even that will get taken up pretty quickly.
The key is to be organized with how you store your data.
The key is to be organized with how you store your data.
Hot tip:In the past, hardware guides recommended that you track your audio files on a separate volume from the drive that stores your OS and DAW.
This is less of a concern with modern computers, but using a fast external drive for your session files can still help you get the most from your system. Consider using an external drive for tracking.
A smaller monitor makes your setup more portable, but it also means more scrolling and wasted time in your workflow.
If you don’t mind using a larger machine, the extra screen real estate will help you see what you’re working on more clearly.
Ideally, any laptop you own should come with some kind of external display port so you can hook up to a larger secondary monitor.
Without further ado, here are our top ten picks for the best music production laptops today.
The MacBook Pro is a long-standing favourite among music producers.
You’ll see them everywhere from on stage at Coachella to the DJ booth at your local night club.
The MacBook Pro comes out of the box ready to go, it even has Garage Band pre-installed on it.
But chances are you’ll eventually want to upgrade to the Apple OS exclusive Logic X, which is widely seen as one of the world’s best DAWs.
MacBooks are powerful, versatile and designed with creators in mind.
The MacBook Pro is a long-standing favourite among music producers.
There are a few downsides to consider. The latest generation MacBook Pro is only equipped with Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports.
That means you’ll have to buy the correct adapters to connect peripherals like your audio interface and midi controller.
For a more affordable option, you could consider searching for a refurbished unit or buying one on the used market.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 is one of the most interesting laptops on the market right now.
It comes with a higher price tag, but it’s worth it considering the features, high powered specs, and functionality the laptop has.
The defining feature of the Surface Book 2 is its detachable 13.3-inch touchscreen tablet display.
The tablet itself is very high quality and compares favourably with the Apple iPad.
Tablets open plenty of new avenues for your production workflow.
Plus you can even use a smartpen stylus on the screen, making it a great option for artists who also create visually.
Since its launch the Surface Book 2 has come down in price significantly, but it still sits on the higher end of this list.
But considering that it comes as a two-in-one tablet and laptop package, the price tag is fairly justified.
The HP ENVY x360 is a very good and very affordable option for a music production laptop.
It may not have the same power that a gaming laptop or the Surface Pro 2 has but its technical specs easily meet the requirements you need to produce music.
This laptop also features a tablet-style touch screen that is compatible with a smart stylus.
It doesn’t separate from the body like the Surface Pro 2, but the screen folds a full 360 degrees so you can use the laptop and touch screen in a variety of ways.
With its 8GB of ram and i5 processor, you can comfortably make music in your DAW too.
If you’re looking for an affordable music production laptop this is definitely one to have on your list.
The most affordable option on this list is the ASUS VivoBook Slim.
The most affordable option on this list is the ASUS VivoBook Slim.
It’s a fairly simple laptop with a modern-looking design, a large 15.6 inch display, comprehensive connection ports including modern USB 3.1 Type-C and Type-A connectors and standard USB 2.0 ports.
Its lower price makes the VivoBook a greater starter laptop that can handle your music production needs even if it comes with only 8GB of RAM and an Intel i5 processor.
While it’s more known for being a business computer, Lenovo’s ThinkBook series is known for being a powerful yet portable option.
The ThinkBook is known for its long-lasting battery life and durability.
The laptop is water-resistant and is protected from spills, extreme temperatures, and vibrations.
So if you often find yourself working in a thumping, spill-prone night club this could be a good option for you.
We recommend choosing a model with a larger screen, at least 8GB of RAM and an i5 or higher processor.
Microsoft word for macbook air 2013. The Razer Blade is first and foremost a gaming laptop so its higher price tag is justified by a superior graphics and sound card.
The Razer Blade is first and foremost a gaming laptop so its higher price tag is justified by a superior graphics and sound card.
You won’t need these to produce music, but the powerful 16GB RAM, i7 processor, and 512 GB SSD drive that comes with it will give you more than enough to create without limits in any DAW.
This model of laptop is popular amongst many FL Studio users given its powerful specs and cool aesthetic.
It comes with an eye-catching shifting neon backlit keyboard.
The 13-inch model comes with a smaller screen, but it is very portable and comes with ample USB, USB-C, and HDMI connections so you can easily hook it up to a larger monitor.
Considering how much power the laptop packs, you are getting very good value for its mid to high-range price.
Another gaming laptop that should be on your list is the ASUS Rog Strix.
Despite its admittedly gamer aesthetic, the laptop comes with very powerful specs at a comparable price to other gaming laptops.
Its main advantage is its larger 15.6-inch screen even if it’s a bit bulkier than other laptops on this list.
If you are looking for a laptop in the mid to high price range this a good one to consider.
The last gaming laptop on this list to look at is the HP Omen 15.
This laptop certainly offers plenty of power with 12 GB of RAM, an i7 processor, and 128GB of SSD storage on top 1TB of hard drive storage.
While it has that bulkier gaming aesthetic, the laptop offers a sizeable a 15.6-inch display.
The HP Omen 15 prices slightly lower than its counterparts on this list since its specs are slightly behind the Razer or ASUS Rog Strix.
But for music production, this laptop has ample processing and memory for any project.
It’s not a laptop, but it’s a portable, powerful, and affordable option.
There are plenty of music production apps and DAWs that work very well on iOS.
In fact, some of the biggest tracks today were produced with mobile apps.
In fact, some of the biggest tracks today were produced with mobile apps.
Working with a touchscreen interface is an entirely new experience that can sometimes be inspiring.
Plus, you can purchase hardware add-ons that enable you to use a keyboard and mouse with your iPad.
If portability isn’t something you need, building a custom desktop PC might be your best option.
You’ll get maximum customizability and you can always change components if you aren’t satisfied.
There are plenty of builds you can find online in computer and music production forums.
Plus, you’ll get the satisfaction of having a computer that is uniquely yours!
If you’re looking for the best Mac for music production – get a Mac with minimum Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. Macs are among the best music-making laptops.
As a beginner or pro music producer, you’ll love the above iMac Pro 27-inch for composite video or mus productions. Its Retina 5K display is thin (5mm), in-built CPU, and built-in speakers.
If you’re a traveling producer, get a sleek, light, and compact Mac. MacBook Pro 13-inch is excellent for on-the-go music production (when you’re traveling). Read Also: Good camera for music videos.
This portable MacBook Pro 16-inch comes is a beast for audio engineers and musicians. Has improved speakers plus high-quality display – you can upgrade to 8TB of storage plus 64GB Ram.
MacBook Pro 16-inch comes with a 16GB RAMp plus a 6‑core i7 processor. This gives a pro performance since minimal monitoring and recording projects could choke it.
Sneak Peek:
In addition to high portability, this MacBook Pro has a large screen and will also effectively run the DAW software plus plugins with little latency – great video editing laptop.
I tested this MacBook Pro’s low-latency performance using Ableton Live in Pro Tools and stand-alone with excellent results. It has pro ports – (4) 40Gb Thunderbolt 3 that also act as USB‑C connections.
Despite that, the 16-inch screen can’t compare to the 27-inch in iMac Pro, MacBook Pro is significantly better than most Macs when it comes to less software clustering for music production.
MacBook Pro 16-inch has a Touch Bar that’ll work great with Logic Pro X. You can use its six operation modes, and you can use it as a MIDI controller (with a plugin) or quickly move through the tracks.
However, this MacBook Pro has limited USB ports besides the 4 USB-C ports. Therefore, you’ll require a different cable or dongle to connect any USB-A peripherals.
MacBook Pro also has a 6-speaker system that will overshadow your headphones plus studio monitors- plus it as the “Force Cancelling” woofers – check these affordable noise-canceling headphones.
With an 8-core i9 processor, 1TB SSD, and 16 GB RAM, this MacBook Pro is great for music production. Its studio-quality mics plus 6-speaker surround – sharp treble, crisp and pronounced bass.
On graphics, the MacBook Pro 16-inch comes with its onboard Intel chipset (plus man AMD chip) that’ll become functional when during low demand for visual performance.
On microphones, this Mac has three mics, and thus your calls will be much clear – including on iPhone with better sound fidelity and improved noise reduction.
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch is similar (with Touch Bar to improve music making productivity) to Apple 15″ MacBook Pro but with a smaller sized display and some trade-offs in features.
The machine has an Intel Core i5 (2.4GHz) style quad-core processor. Further, the SSD (Solid-state drive) type of storage you can easily (and quickly) navigate various music or audio files.
New features include the True Tone display, Hey Siri, and an improved Magic keyboard – just like in MacBook Air with the physical Escape key and essential travel being 1mm.
Sneak Peek:
But with the highly portable 13-inch MacBook Pro (thin and light), I can now work at coffee shops, trains, or planes. This Mac has analog modeled plugins and fabulous mixing headphones to allow fast editing tune vocals and drums while traveling.
The MacBook Pro has a silicone layer below every key, and thus you won’t experience stuck keys. With its 2560 * 1600 pixels’ True Tone display is colorful, bright, and sharp in resolution. It has Intel Iris 655 Plus graphics, which are awesomely helpful for video and photo editing.
Increased portability – While editing my band’s drums and tracks, I would suffer from the cold fluorescent lights. This made me seek increased portability of my music-making machines and devices. Its Thunderbolt 3 will support 2 – 5K displays and a 40GB/s data transfer for music-making.
With the True Tone technology, your display will change the panel of Mac’s white balance to match the color temperature. Therefore, you’ll have better viewing when making music for an extended period.
With the new T2 chip to allow full disk encryption for secure booting and for storing data in the SSD. Further, the Hey Siri will allow you to use your voice to change settings while producing music. It has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports and the 720p HD camera (Face-time) to allow better video calling.
Ample SSD Storage – It has 128GB SSD storage to allow power-efficient and high-speed memory. Therefore, you can start multiple apps or import huge files very fast. The 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with two speakers that’ll offer you balanced and abundant audio. Further, it has a 58 watt-hour battery that will guarantee a more extended power supply for the laptop.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with fast processors for recording or handling various audio work. For the 2018 MacBook Pro, you’ll get an additional Ram and a 2TB SSD.
MacBook Pro is the top music production laptop, performing & recording. Your DAWs, API, or sub-systems (CoreAudio) must be super responsive.
iMac Pro 27-inch is great for large video or audio editing projects, including 4K & 8K plus for VR simulations and 3D rendering. You’ll get a powerful iMac to record and produce with most DAWs.
For your home studio, I recommend this iMac Pro 27-inch as it has many USB and USB-C ports plus adequate power to run your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software easily.
Sneak Peek:
The Radeon Pro Vega 56 graphics (with 8GB HBM2 memory) are great for music and video editing. The 5-mm thin screen and built-in CPU won’t take much space and will display vast information compared to the 21.5-inch model.
You’ll get an SDXC slot and the headphone mini-jack that’ll allow the production of fantastic sound from your internal stereo speakers. In addition to the Mac Pro features, this iMac Pro has a 5K retina that’s simple to set up.
After giving an update to the Logic Pro X, this iMac Pro is even better for production. Logic Pro X now supports eighteen processor cores (named 36 threads). It can now run many plugins plus tracks and sample libraries.
The iMac Pro will easily handle 12 times more plugins in real-time DAW working compared to the previous iMac model. The machine will export multi-track sessions about five times faster.
Further, Sculpture & Amp Designer are better in this iMac Pro and will thus give about 12 times more performance. Also, you may connect two additional 5K monitors to your iMac Pro.
The iMac Pro is a multi-purpose Mac like for music production, video editing, VR, 3D, or 2D design work. In addition to having SB 3 ports, this Mac has 4 USB-C – maybe connect an external SSD drive.
This iMac Pro has higher-bandwidth connectivity and advanced graphics technologies that will enhance your music production on this desktop computer.
For sound designers, film engineers, voiceovers, podcasters, and music producers, here’re the consideration to make while selecting your Apple’s iMac Pro.
However, the many peripheral ports are positioned at the rear end of the iMac Pro, which will be difficult to access regularly. So, get a USB hub for iMac the easy to access at the bottom of the display.
iMac Pro’s 8-Core Xeon w chip is excellent for handling music production. This includes multitasking, editing, and selecting multiple music tracks, as shown in the video below.
The MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air for Music Production debate came up lately on an apple discussion. It has Thunderbolt 3 ports, a Retina display, a new trackpad and keyboard, and a modern Intel processor. Apple has maintained the 12 hours battery life, which is great for music production while traveling.
Compared to the old MacBook Air, this laptop has achieved a 30% upgrade on its Graphics performance. It has a 128GB SSD storage to take 1 GB/sec and 2 GB/sec in write and read speeds, respectively. This is blazing fast for a laptop its size.
MacBook Air Retina display comes with a 2560×1600 resolution (with DCI-P3 color gamut). This is four times better compared to the older MacBook Air. It has black bezels, lighter (2.75 pounds), and thinner – just about the size of the MacBook Pro. It has Touch ID, which provides the real ESC key and Function keys. The T2 processor allows audio processing, disk encryption, secure booting.
MacBook Air has a new butterfly-switch keyboard with a silicone membrane for a quieter typing experience. This is because MacBook Air has low travel and prevents dust. Further, it has louder speakers with bass response. It also comes with the modern Force Touch trackpad that is easy to click and is more substantial.
Apple has done away with the MagSafe connector, SD card reader, USB-A ports. Instead, MacBook Air adopted USB-C charging and has two Thunderbolt 3 connectors (40 Gbps). Due to a lack of USB-A connectors, you’ll need to purchase a dongle.
Macs are still a favorite with music-makers & DJs. Apple 15″ MacBook Pro Retina is robust, has many USB ports, MagSafe present, and no noisy butterfly keys. Further, It’s compatible with many DAWs that are optimized to work with the Mac OS. Therefore, there are fewer performance issues or crashes.
But, why didn’t I include the MacBook Pro 2016? Well, MacBook Pro 2016 has a decorative touchpad – whose application is not fully utilized for music production. But get some hard-drives for great studio work.
Also, the 2016 model lacks the MagSafe connector, Firewire sockets, and USB ports. MacBook Pro 2016’s Touch-Pad may allow faster access to the tempo, record, stop and play controls on the Ableton Live.
Apple 15″ MacBook Pro will comfortably run sessions with many plugins and tracks running actively. This is because it has superior 16GB RAM and processing power (quad-core Intel Core i7). But this Mac has some noise fans that could disrupt your recordings – if you’re doing this in the same space.
SSD storage (256GB) for large-sized files: Also, Apple 15″ MacBook Pro uses SSD storage (256GB), and thus you can easily store the large-sized files without slowing the machine. The base model has 8GB RAM and a 3.6 GHz processor (dual-core) that’s making.
Here’s how different music producers use their Macs. (1) Traditional production – Record music tracks via mics & instruments and finally mix. (2) DJs and performing musicians will use their Mac in recording and producing tracks and yet in playing. (3) Lastly, hip-hop artists and EDMs use DAW with Best Laptops For FL Studio, MIDI-keyboard controllers, & sequencers. Check a review video.
This MacBook MLHC2EA is also lightweight (just 2 pounds) and is thin in build. You’ll find it very portable for your on-the-go music production, in addition to offering high performance.
With a native resolution of 2304 x 1440, LED backlights, and uni-body design that makes it highly compact. It has one USB-C port for both connectivity and power needs – thus, you might need a dongle.
So, for your recording studio work, you’ll need to know the considerations to make for the MacBook MLHC2EA that’ll capture your original sounds and audio.
Further, there is a wide selection of plugins and software available for Macs for recording music. Also, with MacBook MLHC2EA, you’ll get adequate storage space and peripherals for studio work.
Innovative and smart people (including music producers) love working with Macs. Well, Macs are workhorses, beautiful, trendy, and dependable – also try these best keyboard workstation.
Finally, get a Mac that has appropriate ports to work excellently with your hardware in the additional gear you’ll connect to the computer.
For example, the Mac must have a USB-A port for connecting your MIDI controller keyboard plus a USB-C for connecting musical instruments and audio interface.
Further, you’ll require some MIDI interface, good production headphones, and studio monitors. Also, get large-screen MAC like the 27-inch iMacs for better working space.
Sound professionals will use “out of the box” audio through virtual instruments and sampled sounds while creating sounds. Other professionals will record the sound with acoustic instruments and voices while using microphones with their audio interfaces.
The Mac you choose must work seamlessly with your digital audio workstation (DAW). So, get a machine has above average compute specifications.
For example, the minimum MAC requirements for Ableton Live 10 are 4 GB RAM and Intel Core i5. Also, for Logic Pro X, get a mac with a minimum of 63 GB storage space and 4 GB RAM.
For your MAC, check these Ableton’s guidelines on MAC specifications for producing music. But most DAWs won’t need unique graphics cards.
Get multiple SSD internal storage, an Intel i7 or i5 multi-core processor, and 16+ GB of RAM. Check requirements for Audio plugins like the OmniSphere synthesizer – require 2.4 GHz+ RAM.
Considerably, Mac will be more reliable and stable than windows computers. For music production, you want a laptop with adequate RAM and CPU that won’t max out.
So, I confirm that Macs will offer a reliable and stable recording environment. However, secure a dedicated production Mac to avoid inefficient processes running in the program’s background.
For example, you might need to disconnect your internet and uninstall programs like Whatsapp or Facebook from the MAC. Also, have the audio software loading from a separate partition.
Further, to reduce possible compatibility problems, avoid upgrading to a new macOS version too soon. This must also be the case with updates with other plugins and production software.
On reliability, ensure that the battery life will be excellent to work great when unplugged in coffee shops and portable gigs.
The computer must give you adequate space to display and utilize your creativity. So, the Mac computer must have little frustration and friction while you’re producing the music.
For example, some windows computers tend to delay starting up before they’ve fully installed many software updates – this can’t happen with Macs.
Further, you might require to work simultaneously with many plugins, a mixer window, and tracks. Get a Retina display that’s large enough to show the necessary extensive details.
Finally, the production room must be soundproof to avoid noise pollution while also isolation space from external noise – and hence such sound won’t be picked by the studio mics for vocals.
On storage, you’ll require a Mac with enough internal disk space for your current projects. But you’ll need to transfer other files to an external SSD storage – about 500 GB.
Also, ensure that the room’s surfaces and shape are appropriate so that they won’t negatively affect the sound’s EQ during the recording sessions. I recommend the iMac Pro 27-inch as the Best Mac for Music Production.
0 
Star