In my opinion if you can afford a Mac it's the best computer for music production. I have a 2011 MacBook Pro and it's still running strong. No issues with any music production or video editing programs at all. I'm not an Apple fan boy, I have had mostly PCs in my life but Apple just has a lot of advantages. CoreAudio is a HUGE one. Of those we have reviewed today the DELL XPS Thin and Light makes for an exceptional choice, it is definitely one of the best music production laptops on the open market. It does have a rather alarming price tag, largely due to its touchscreen nature.
Your computer is one of the most important pieces of hardware you’ll need if you want to get into music production. Desktop computers are great investments for your home recording studio, but laptops provide more portability if you ever need to hit the road while working on a project or if you constantly perform live.
It goes without saying that if you’re going to get a laptop, you’ll need to go all out and get a reliable one that comes with all the necessary specs that meet your workflow requirements. After all, its quality will affect your performance and efficiency as a music producer.
To help all you budding music producers or sound engineers with your buying decisions, we’ve compiled a list of the best laptops for music production—read on to see which ones made the cut.
Adorama Price:
When it comes to music production, Macbooks have been known to dominate the market—and this laptop is no exception. From memory to storage, the Macbook Pro 15 provides everything you need to produce music. It’s virtually a plug-and-play laptop that works with almost any audio interface, MIDI controller, and digital audio workstation (DAW). And speaking of DAW, it already has the beginner-friendly Garageband preinstalled to help you get started on producing music or podcasts right away.
This most basic version already comes with a 2.2GHz quad core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB storage, which is good enough for most music production applications. If you have the money to upgrade, you can go with models that have a faster processor (either the 2.5GHz or 2.8GHz) or bigger storage space (512GB or 1TB). Of course, if you want the biggest and fastest, you can get the Macbook Pro 15 () with the 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 and 1TB SSD storage.
You can of course opt for the more recent models like the MacBook Pro 15.4” with Touch Bar () that came out in late 2016, which has roughly the same specs. However, it may not be the most convenient choice due to the fact that it has fewer ports—and when working with music production equipment, you’re definitely going to need a few of those.
Adorama Price:
As we’ve already established, Macbooks are widely considered to be standard laptops for music production. This Macbook Pro 13-inch with Touch Bar is somewhat more expensive, mainly because of the added touch bar feature. However, if your top requirements for a laptop are portability and convenience, this may be a better option than the first MacBook we mentioned.
Music producers who are constantly on the go will usually need something a bit lighter (not everyone needs 15 inches of screen) and thinner, and this model is less than 1 centimeter thick and weighs just a little over three pounds—1.5 pounds lighter than its 15-inch, touch bar-less counterpart. It has a dual-core Intel Core i7 3.5GHz processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, which should give you more than enough space and just the right processing power for producing and storing music.
This Macbook Pro also comes with Garageband, so you’re also killing two birds with one stone. If your budget is a bit more flexible, you can get the Macbook Pro 13” with Touch Bar () to enjoy 1TB storage capacity for all your music.
Adorama Price:
Laptops from Dell’s Alienware series are designed for hardcore gaming, but for music production, its specs list definitely fits the bill. The Alienware 15 R3 in particular offers 16GB of RAM (with a maximum capacity of up to 32GB) and at least 1TB HDD of storage, giving you more than enough extra space for your sample libraries and tracks. As a Dell laptop, it also features a superior cooling system to greatly reduce the operating temperature when using intense applications.
Moreover, the Alienware 15 provides all the ports you need for connecting your external hardware. You can also choose to go with the Dell Alienware 15 with 1.5TB () to enjoy a slightly faster processing speed of 2.9GHz and additional 512GB SSD storage.
Adorama Price:
The Lenovo Ideapad Y700 is much more affordably priced, but it doesn’t fall short in terms functionality and performance. It’s equipped with a pretty decent 8GB RAM for standard music production and a large 1TB HDD storage that can accommodate your heavier samples and tracks.
If you’re looking for a laptop with a bigger display (compared to the 15-inch model), the Lenovo Ideapad Y700 has a 17-inch full HD screen for better viewing. Despite being less than $1000, this budget-friendly laptop definitely delivers optimal performance for your basic music production needs.
Adorama Price:
Touchscreen computers are becoming a popular option for on-the-go music production. The Surface Pro is possibly the best, most versatile laptop-tablet hybrid that you can use on stage, as its 12.3-inch PixelTouch display provides more dynamic use of the computer, compared to a laptop with a trackpad and keyboard.
The all-touch capability enables you to access your apps during live sets quickly and easily, making it a great alternative to analog DJ stations. One more thing we love about the Surface Pro 4 is that its bright and sharp display is great for low light situations, such as clubs and enclosed concert spaces. It also has an impressive battery life (it can last up to 9 hours while watching videos) despite its thin and lightweight body.
Adorama Price:
The 2017 13.3-inch Macbook Air is ideal for music producers who want a reliable computer but prefer an even thinner and lighter device to work with. Fortunately, the lack of bulk means the Air comes at a slightly lower price than the Pro.
It’s the perfect mix of sophistication, performance, and portability. It has the latest dual-core i5 processor with Turbo Boost of up to 2.9GHz, as well as 8GB RAM, which are just enough for you to start making tunes. Surprisingly, it also includes enough ports for at least your audio interface, MIDI controller, and monitor—a definite plus for those who are worried about the Mac not having enough ports.
If you have a bit more cash to spare, you can get the same Macbook Air 13.3” () model with the more powerful 2.2GHz i7 Dual-Core processor.
Adorama Price:
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is perfect for big, high-resource recording productions. Its powerful quad-core Intel Core i7 processor has a maximum turbo boost of 4.2GHz and 16GB memory enable music producers to run intensive audio recording operations smoothly.
Its SD card slot and three USB ports are perfectly compatible with most audio interfaces, plus it has a detachable touchscreen monitor that can provide convenience for audio recording applications and other activities that don’t require the use of the bulky keyboard bottom.
Should you need the extra space for all your tracks, you can upgrade to the Microsoft Surface Book 2 15” ($3,195) with 1TB storage.
There’s no point in spending money on the most expensive laptops if they don’t even have the specifications and features you need to be able to efficiently use them for your desired applications. Computer specifications may seem confusing, especially if you’ve never purchased a laptop for intensive applications, but you’ll only really have to check the following:
The computer’s processor is one of the most important specs to consider for any user who needs a workhorse that can run smoothly and fast even while using several heavy applications at once. When choosing a laptop for music production, check the number of cores its processor has. Four cores are pretty standard with laptops, but if you want something lighter and more compact, you may have to settle for a dual-core processor.
Another thing to consider is clock speed. For music production, it’s best to go with something within the 2.4 to 4.2GHz range. Again, you may have to go a little slower than that if you want a light and portable machine.
Nobody wants to deal with slow and glitchy programs—it can disrupt your workflow and may even affect the quality of your final product. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, make sure to get a laptop that has enough Random-Access Memory or RAM. Music production requires at least 8GB of RAM to enable you to work smoothly without any issues, but 16GB would be ideal.
Working with audio files will require you to have a lot of storage space. Before purchasing your laptop, decide whether you want one that has plenty of built-in storage space, or if you want to simply use an external hard drive to store all your files.
If you do want to store most of your files on the laptop itself, go for at least 1TB of storage.
You may also want to consider SSD vs. HDD when it comes to your laptop’s built-in storage. SSD reads and writes data much faster, but it’s definitely more expensive (per GB) than HDD. You can also go with a combination of both, similar to the storage setup on the Dell Alienware 15 R3.
Music production involves the use of several equipment, including microphones, instruments, control surfaces, audio interfaces, and more. With that in mind, one of the most important things to consider is whether a laptop has enough ports to create a seamless and efficient music production setup.
Of course, you can always purchase a USB hub—if you have one, the number of ports on your laptop may not matter as much. However, if you require a more portable setup, keep in mind that this is another added item to your gear list.
Finally, consider the screen size of the laptop you want to get. If you’re monitoring more than 10 tracks, then you’re obviously going to want a bigger screen. This specification is mostly a matter of preference or convenience, as anyone can easily work with whatever screen size they feel comfortable with.
Camfrog pro free download for ios. Keep in mind that the more complex your productions are, the better, faster, and bigger these specifications have to be. There are many choices out there that may not have been mentioned here, but hopefully our list can help narrow down your choices.
This is the third article in a multi-part series designed to help you build a home recording studio. Whether you are a beginner who has never recorded before, or if you are more advanced with years of experience, I hope you find value in the series. If you have any questions or would like me to cover a specific topic, please drop a comment at the end of the article. I read them all and will respond!
If you missed articles one and two in this series, I shared some of the basic building blocks most people will want to consider when putting together a functioning home studio.
In this article I will help you choose the computer that is best suited for your music production requirements. Most people will want to weigh the importance of a few factors including budget, processing power, connectivity, and portability.
Let’s begin by saying that if you are on a limited budget, you can absolutely get started with whatever computer you already own, whether it’s a Mac or a PC. If your computer is more than 5 years old, and depending on how advanced your productions become, you may find that you’ll outgrow its capabilities over time.
Be that as it may, the Mac is the preferred choice for professional studios around the world. So if you are planning to purchase a new computer, you’ll be in great company should you decide to go with a Mac. It really is the gold standard in the music production industry. If you decide to use a PC, you’ll still have many options to help you unleash your creativity. Using a PC instead of a Mac will not be a roadblock in your creative endeavors. Just remember, there are plenty of great machines out there no matter which direction you choose.
Hopefully this helps you decide between making a Mac or PC the centerpiece of your home studio. Next, let’s explore the differences between laptops and desktops.
The desire for flexibility and mobility has made laptops ubiquitous, from offices to college campuses and beyond. While desktops are still undeniably more powerful than their mobile counterparts, laptops are very viable options for music production thanks to technological advancements over the last decade. In particular, Thunderbolt-equipped laptops offer exceptional expansion and performance capabilities previously only available on desktop-class machines.
In most professional recording studios you’ll find desktop computers. There are a few benefits:
Generally speaking, desktop computers like the Mac Pro use components that are simply faster than their laptop counterparts. Everything from desktop processors to RAM is generally in a class above what you’ll
Desktop computers often offer additional connectivity including more USB ports, Thunderbolt ports, and more. This will come in handy as you expand your music production rig, whether you’re adding USB midi keyboards, MPCs, mixing control surfaces, or other peripherals. With modern laptops, you’ll likely have to purchase a Thunderbolt expansion dock to achieve this level of connectivity.
Need more RAM to run additional plugins? Want to add a lightning-fast SSD to improve virtual instrument load times or upgrade your video card? A desktop computer will typically give you multiple ways to achieve performance enhancements. My 2010 Mac Pro has the latest generation USB connectivity because I installed a USB 3.1 USB-C PCIe card. That’s pretty incredible when you consider the machine is almost ten years old. By contrast, upgrading the components in a laptop can sometimes be challenging or downright impossible, as in the latest generation MacBook Pro (literally nothing inside is user upgradeable… yikes).
Ultimately it’s up to you to decide if the advantage of portability offered by a laptop outweighs the performance and customization afforded by choosing a desktop computer. There are many project studios and DJs who rely on laptops at the center of their setups. A relatively recent laptop will give you adequate horsepower to run your recording sessions; a desktop machine will simply give you performance that’s a cut above at the expense of mobility.
My two cents: Go shopping for a Mac Pro “cheese grater” tower, specifically any model 2010 and newer. You can bargain hunt and find great deals all over the place, including at OWC’s Used Mac section. You’ll pay a small premium over eBay and Craigslist, but OWC has a well-regimented process for checking and refurbishing every used Mac they sell. For me, that additional peace of mind is easily worth the investment. And at the end of the day, you’ll have a powerful machine capable of running the latest music production software.If you’ve decided a laptop is the best choice for you, you’ll find that Apple offers three Mac laptop models and a wide variety of options on the PC side.
Apple currently offers three laptop models: MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.
My recommendation: If you’re buying a new or used Apple laptop, go with a MacBook Pro. They are significantly faster machines compared to the MacBook and MacBook Air. If you already own a MacBook or MacBook Air, there’s no harm in getting started with what you have, but you will probably find yourself limited in how complex your arrangements and mixes can get. You’ll also probably want at least an i7 quad-core processor and 16GB of RAM. More RAM and faster processors = more plugins, more audio tracks, and faster load times. You’ll also probably want to consider a Thunderbolt dock to give you additional ports for connecting a wide variety of music production peripherals. With MacBook Pro laptops, you generally only have a pair of USB ports and one or two Thunderbolt ports, so you’ll definitely appreciate the flexibility.
If you’ve decided to go with a PC laptop, you’ll have more options than you can count. With such a wide variety available, it can be difficult to choose the right solution. You’ll likely get more bang-for-the-buck when it comes to raw performance, but you’ll want to make sure your new PC meets a few particular technical specifications including a quad-core processor, at least 16GB of RAM, and SSD storage. You’ll also be happy down the road if you choose a model that has Thunderbolt 3 and/or USB-C connectivity. even if it comes with a modest price premium.
Here are a couple I’d recommend looking at. Just make sure to upgrade as necessary to get you the quad-core (or above) processor, 16GB of RAM, and SSD storage.
Apple offers four desktop models: Mac mini, iMac, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro. If you’ve decided on a PC, you’ll have more choices than you can count once again.
Ask any commercial studio facility what computer they use to run their DAW (digital audio workstation) and they’ll probably tell you a Mac Pro. Some will still be using Mac Pros as old as 2009 (cheese grater style), while others will sport the 2013 Mac Pro (black cylinder).
You may wonder how these older machines are still relevant in 2019, and it’s really quite simple. Mac Pro desktop computers are not only incredibly stable machines, but they are easy to upgrade too. In fact, you can upgrade just about any component in a Mac Pro, from the processor to RAM, to multiple hard drives or SSDs — even the graphics card. I personally have a 2010 Mac Pro with a six-core Xeon processor, multiple SSDs, 16GB of RAM, USB-C card, UAD-2 Octo DSP card, and an upgraded graphics card to run MacOS Mojave 10.14 (the current MacOS as of this article’s publishing). It works great and I am able to run very large Pro Tools sessions with tons and tons of plugins. What’s more, you can pick up refurbished 2009, 2010, and 2012 Mac Pro at incredibly affordable prices.
Shop a great selection of used Mac Pro computers at OWC
If the idea of a Mac Pro seems intimidating, a Mac mini is the perfect budget desktop for your first music production workstation. For under $1000 you can pick up a brand new Mac mini that features great performance along with cutting-edge Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.
A Mac mini is a great option for anyone who already has a display, keyboard, and mouse and just needs a capable machine to drive their digital audio workstation. OWC also has great deals on customized, refurbished Mac minis.
The iMac, similar to the Mac mini, is a great choice for anyone who is just beginning to experiment with music production. You’ll get predictable, reliable performance in a sleek, convenient all-in-one package. For many people, the iMac is the goldilocks computer for music production. You can purchase the newest models that feature Thunderbolt 3 technology and a 5K display, or buy late models from OWC’s certified refurbished program and save a ton of cash. If you stick to the recommended specs of a quad-core processor and 16GB of RAM, you should be quite satisfied with the performance of your audio workstation.
The iMac Pro is currently Apple’s most powerful computer. Its performance is simply incredible and it would be absolutely gorgeous at the center of any studio setup. However, its starting price tag of $4,999 makes it too impractical to recommend as
The best way to get the biggest return on your financial investment is to build your own PC. If you’re the type who is comfortable completing that kind of project, just remember some of the desirable specs I mentioned a few times in this article:
If you’ve never built your own PC and don’t want to go there, here are a couple of models to consider from Dell and HP. Neither offer Thunderbolt technology, but do provide USB-C connectivity along with plenty of capacity for upgrades and enhancements. At the expense of mobility, you’ll experience noticeably increased performance compared to their PC laptop siblings.
If you’re purchasing a new (or used) computer for music production, it’s ultimately up to you to determine what factors are most important. With a relatively modest budget you will find there are a number of options available to you, whether you are seeking more processing power or the flexibility of a portable laptop device.
Questions or comments? Drop me a line in the comments and I’ll do my best to help you!
Stay tuned for my next article where I’ll explore some of the most popular software options for recording and music production.
Josh Sularski is a lifelong musician and audio engineer with over 20 years of experience. He is currently a producer and mix engineer based out of the Indie Room at Covert Station in Brooklyn, NY.In my opinion if you can afford a Mac it's the best computer for music production. I have a 2011 MacBook Pro and it's still running strong. No issues with any music production or video editing programs at all. I'm not an Apple fan boy, I have had mostly PCs in my life but Apple just has a lot of advantages. CoreAudio is a HUGE one. Of those we have reviewed today the DELL XPS Thin and Light makes for an exceptional choice, it is definitely one of the best music production laptops on the open market. It does have a rather alarming price tag, largely due to its touchscreen nature.
Your computer is one of the most important pieces of hardware you’ll need if you want to get into music production. Desktop computers are great investments for your home recording studio, but laptops provide more portability if you ever need to hit the road while working on a project or if you constantly perform live.
It goes without saying that if you’re going to get a laptop, you’ll need to go all out and get a reliable one that comes with all the necessary specs that meet your workflow requirements. After all, its quality will affect your performance and efficiency as a music producer.
To help all you budding music producers or sound engineers with your buying decisions, we’ve compiled a list of the best laptops for music production—read on to see which ones made the cut.
Adorama Price:
When it comes to music production, Macbooks have been known to dominate the market—and this laptop is no exception. From memory to storage, the Macbook Pro 15 provides everything you need to produce music. It’s virtually a plug-and-play laptop that works with almost any audio interface, MIDI controller, and digital audio workstation (DAW). And speaking of DAW, it already has the beginner-friendly Garageband preinstalled to help you get started on producing music or podcasts right away.
This most basic version already comes with a 2.2GHz quad core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB storage, which is good enough for most music production applications. If you have the money to upgrade, you can go with models that have a faster processor (either the 2.5GHz or 2.8GHz) or bigger storage space (512GB or 1TB). Of course, if you want the biggest and fastest, you can get the Macbook Pro 15 () with the 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 and 1TB SSD storage.
You can of course opt for the more recent models like the MacBook Pro 15.4” with Touch Bar () that came out in late 2016, which has roughly the same specs. However, it may not be the most convenient choice due to the fact that it has fewer ports—and when working with music production equipment, you’re definitely going to need a few of those.
Adorama Price:
As we’ve already established, Macbooks are widely considered to be standard laptops for music production. This Macbook Pro 13-inch with Touch Bar is somewhat more expensive, mainly because of the added touch bar feature. However, if your top requirements for a laptop are portability and convenience, this may be a better option than the first MacBook we mentioned.
Music producers who are constantly on the go will usually need something a bit lighter (not everyone needs 15 inches of screen) and thinner, and this model is less than 1 centimeter thick and weighs just a little over three pounds—1.5 pounds lighter than its 15-inch, touch bar-less counterpart. It has a dual-core Intel Core i7 3.5GHz processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, which should give you more than enough space and just the right processing power for producing and storing music.
This Macbook Pro also comes with Garageband, so you’re also killing two birds with one stone. If your budget is a bit more flexible, you can get the Macbook Pro 13” with Touch Bar () to enjoy 1TB storage capacity for all your music.
Adorama Price:
Laptops from Dell’s Alienware series are designed for hardcore gaming, but for music production, its specs list definitely fits the bill. The Alienware 15 R3 in particular offers 16GB of RAM (with a maximum capacity of up to 32GB) and at least 1TB HDD of storage, giving you more than enough extra space for your sample libraries and tracks. As a Dell laptop, it also features a superior cooling system to greatly reduce the operating temperature when using intense applications.
Moreover, the Alienware 15 provides all the ports you need for connecting your external hardware. You can also choose to go with the Dell Alienware 15 with 1.5TB () to enjoy a slightly faster processing speed of 2.9GHz and additional 512GB SSD storage.
Adorama Price:
The Lenovo Ideapad Y700 is much more affordably priced, but it doesn’t fall short in terms functionality and performance. It’s equipped with a pretty decent 8GB RAM for standard music production and a large 1TB HDD storage that can accommodate your heavier samples and tracks.
If you’re looking for a laptop with a bigger display (compared to the 15-inch model), the Lenovo Ideapad Y700 has a 17-inch full HD screen for better viewing. Despite being less than $1000, this budget-friendly laptop definitely delivers optimal performance for your basic music production needs.
Adorama Price:
Touchscreen computers are becoming a popular option for on-the-go music production. The Surface Pro is possibly the best, most versatile laptop-tablet hybrid that you can use on stage, as its 12.3-inch PixelTouch display provides more dynamic use of the computer, compared to a laptop with a trackpad and keyboard.
The all-touch capability enables you to access your apps during live sets quickly and easily, making it a great alternative to analog DJ stations. One more thing we love about the Surface Pro 4 is that its bright and sharp display is great for low light situations, such as clubs and enclosed concert spaces. It also has an impressive battery life (it can last up to 9 hours while watching videos) despite its thin and lightweight body.
Adorama Price:
The 2017 13.3-inch Macbook Air is ideal for music producers who want a reliable computer but prefer an even thinner and lighter device to work with. Fortunately, the lack of bulk means the Air comes at a slightly lower price than the Pro.
It’s the perfect mix of sophistication, performance, and portability. It has the latest dual-core i5 processor with Turbo Boost of up to 2.9GHz, as well as 8GB RAM, which are just enough for you to start making tunes. Surprisingly, it also includes enough ports for at least your audio interface, MIDI controller, and monitor—a definite plus for those who are worried about the Mac not having enough ports.
If you have a bit more cash to spare, you can get the same Macbook Air 13.3” () model with the more powerful 2.2GHz i7 Dual-Core processor.
Adorama Price:
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is perfect for big, high-resource recording productions. Its powerful quad-core Intel Core i7 processor has a maximum turbo boost of 4.2GHz and 16GB memory enable music producers to run intensive audio recording operations smoothly.
Its SD card slot and three USB ports are perfectly compatible with most audio interfaces, plus it has a detachable touchscreen monitor that can provide convenience for audio recording applications and other activities that don’t require the use of the bulky keyboard bottom.
Should you need the extra space for all your tracks, you can upgrade to the Microsoft Surface Book 2 15” ($3,195) with 1TB storage.
There’s no point in spending money on the most expensive laptops if they don’t even have the specifications and features you need to be able to efficiently use them for your desired applications. Computer specifications may seem confusing, especially if you’ve never purchased a laptop for intensive applications, but you’ll only really have to check the following:
The computer’s processor is one of the most important specs to consider for any user who needs a workhorse that can run smoothly and fast even while using several heavy applications at once. When choosing a laptop for music production, check the number of cores its processor has. Four cores are pretty standard with laptops, but if you want something lighter and more compact, you may have to settle for a dual-core processor.
Another thing to consider is clock speed. For music production, it’s best to go with something within the 2.4 to 4.2GHz range. Again, you may have to go a little slower than that if you want a light and portable machine.
Nobody wants to deal with slow and glitchy programs—it can disrupt your workflow and may even affect the quality of your final product. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, make sure to get a laptop that has enough Random-Access Memory or RAM. Music production requires at least 8GB of RAM to enable you to work smoothly without any issues, but 16GB would be ideal.
Working with audio files will require you to have a lot of storage space. Before purchasing your laptop, decide whether you want one that has plenty of built-in storage space, or if you want to simply use an external hard drive to store all your files.
If you do want to store most of your files on the laptop itself, go for at least 1TB of storage.
You may also want to consider SSD vs. HDD when it comes to your laptop’s built-in storage. SSD reads and writes data much faster, but it’s definitely more expensive (per GB) than HDD. You can also go with a combination of both, similar to the storage setup on the Dell Alienware 15 R3.
Music production involves the use of several equipment, including microphones, instruments, control surfaces, audio interfaces, and more. With that in mind, one of the most important things to consider is whether a laptop has enough ports to create a seamless and efficient music production setup.
Of course, you can always purchase a USB hub—if you have one, the number of ports on your laptop may not matter as much. However, if you require a more portable setup, keep in mind that this is another added item to your gear list.
Finally, consider the screen size of the laptop you want to get. If you’re monitoring more than 10 tracks, then you’re obviously going to want a bigger screen. This specification is mostly a matter of preference or convenience, as anyone can easily work with whatever screen size they feel comfortable with.
Camfrog pro free download for ios. Keep in mind that the more complex your productions are, the better, faster, and bigger these specifications have to be. There are many choices out there that may not have been mentioned here, but hopefully our list can help narrow down your choices.
This is the third article in a multi-part series designed to help you build a home recording studio. Whether you are a beginner who has never recorded before, or if you are more advanced with years of experience, I hope you find value in the series. If you have any questions or would like me to cover a specific topic, please drop a comment at the end of the article. I read them all and will respond!
If you missed articles one and two in this series, I shared some of the basic building blocks most people will want to consider when putting together a functioning home studio.
In this article I will help you choose the computer that is best suited for your music production requirements. Most people will want to weigh the importance of a few factors including budget, processing power, connectivity, and portability.
Let’s begin by saying that if you are on a limited budget, you can absolutely get started with whatever computer you already own, whether it’s a Mac or a PC. If your computer is more than 5 years old, and depending on how advanced your productions become, you may find that you’ll outgrow its capabilities over time.
Be that as it may, the Mac is the preferred choice for professional studios around the world. So if you are planning to purchase a new computer, you’ll be in great company should you decide to go with a Mac. It really is the gold standard in the music production industry. If you decide to use a PC, you’ll still have many options to help you unleash your creativity. Using a PC instead of a Mac will not be a roadblock in your creative endeavors. Just remember, there are plenty of great machines out there no matter which direction you choose.
Hopefully this helps you decide between making a Mac or PC the centerpiece of your home studio. Next, let’s explore the differences between laptops and desktops.
The desire for flexibility and mobility has made laptops ubiquitous, from offices to college campuses and beyond. While desktops are still undeniably more powerful than their mobile counterparts, laptops are very viable options for music production thanks to technological advancements over the last decade. In particular, Thunderbolt-equipped laptops offer exceptional expansion and performance capabilities previously only available on desktop-class machines.
In most professional recording studios you’ll find desktop computers. There are a few benefits:
Generally speaking, desktop computers like the Mac Pro use components that are simply faster than their laptop counterparts. Everything from desktop processors to RAM is generally in a class above what you’ll
Desktop computers often offer additional connectivity including more USB ports, Thunderbolt ports, and more. This will come in handy as you expand your music production rig, whether you’re adding USB midi keyboards, MPCs, mixing control surfaces, or other peripherals. With modern laptops, you’ll likely have to purchase a Thunderbolt expansion dock to achieve this level of connectivity.
Need more RAM to run additional plugins? Want to add a lightning-fast SSD to improve virtual instrument load times or upgrade your video card? A desktop computer will typically give you multiple ways to achieve performance enhancements. My 2010 Mac Pro has the latest generation USB connectivity because I installed a USB 3.1 USB-C PCIe card. That’s pretty incredible when you consider the machine is almost ten years old. By contrast, upgrading the components in a laptop can sometimes be challenging or downright impossible, as in the latest generation MacBook Pro (literally nothing inside is user upgradeable… yikes).
Ultimately it’s up to you to decide if the advantage of portability offered by a laptop outweighs the performance and customization afforded by choosing a desktop computer. There are many project studios and DJs who rely on laptops at the center of their setups. A relatively recent laptop will give you adequate horsepower to run your recording sessions; a desktop machine will simply give you performance that’s a cut above at the expense of mobility.
My two cents: Go shopping for a Mac Pro “cheese grater” tower, specifically any model 2010 and newer. You can bargain hunt and find great deals all over the place, including at OWC’s Used Mac section. You’ll pay a small premium over eBay and Craigslist, but OWC has a well-regimented process for checking and refurbishing every used Mac they sell. For me, that additional peace of mind is easily worth the investment. And at the end of the day, you’ll have a powerful machine capable of running the latest music production software.If you’ve decided a laptop is the best choice for you, you’ll find that Apple offers three Mac laptop models and a wide variety of options on the PC side.
Apple currently offers three laptop models: MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.
My recommendation: If you’re buying a new or used Apple laptop, go with a MacBook Pro. They are significantly faster machines compared to the MacBook and MacBook Air. If you already own a MacBook or MacBook Air, there’s no harm in getting started with what you have, but you will probably find yourself limited in how complex your arrangements and mixes can get. You’ll also probably want at least an i7 quad-core processor and 16GB of RAM. More RAM and faster processors = more plugins, more audio tracks, and faster load times. You’ll also probably want to consider a Thunderbolt dock to give you additional ports for connecting a wide variety of music production peripherals. With MacBook Pro laptops, you generally only have a pair of USB ports and one or two Thunderbolt ports, so you’ll definitely appreciate the flexibility.
If you’ve decided to go with a PC laptop, you’ll have more options than you can count. With such a wide variety available, it can be difficult to choose the right solution. You’ll likely get more bang-for-the-buck when it comes to raw performance, but you’ll want to make sure your new PC meets a few particular technical specifications including a quad-core processor, at least 16GB of RAM, and SSD storage. You’ll also be happy down the road if you choose a model that has Thunderbolt 3 and/or USB-C connectivity. even if it comes with a modest price premium.
Here are a couple I’d recommend looking at. Just make sure to upgrade as necessary to get you the quad-core (or above) processor, 16GB of RAM, and SSD storage.
Apple offers four desktop models: Mac mini, iMac, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro. If you’ve decided on a PC, you’ll have more choices than you can count once again.
Ask any commercial studio facility what computer they use to run their DAW (digital audio workstation) and they’ll probably tell you a Mac Pro. Some will still be using Mac Pros as old as 2009 (cheese grater style), while others will sport the 2013 Mac Pro (black cylinder).
You may wonder how these older machines are still relevant in 2019, and it’s really quite simple. Mac Pro desktop computers are not only incredibly stable machines, but they are easy to upgrade too. In fact, you can upgrade just about any component in a Mac Pro, from the processor to RAM, to multiple hard drives or SSDs — even the graphics card. I personally have a 2010 Mac Pro with a six-core Xeon processor, multiple SSDs, 16GB of RAM, USB-C card, UAD-2 Octo DSP card, and an upgraded graphics card to run MacOS Mojave 10.14 (the current MacOS as of this article’s publishing). It works great and I am able to run very large Pro Tools sessions with tons and tons of plugins. What’s more, you can pick up refurbished 2009, 2010, and 2012 Mac Pro at incredibly affordable prices.
Shop a great selection of used Mac Pro computers at OWC
If the idea of a Mac Pro seems intimidating, a Mac mini is the perfect budget desktop for your first music production workstation. For under $1000 you can pick up a brand new Mac mini that features great performance along with cutting-edge Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.
A Mac mini is a great option for anyone who already has a display, keyboard, and mouse and just needs a capable machine to drive their digital audio workstation. OWC also has great deals on customized, refurbished Mac minis.
The iMac, similar to the Mac mini, is a great choice for anyone who is just beginning to experiment with music production. You’ll get predictable, reliable performance in a sleek, convenient all-in-one package. For many people, the iMac is the goldilocks computer for music production. You can purchase the newest models that feature Thunderbolt 3 technology and a 5K display, or buy late models from OWC’s certified refurbished program and save a ton of cash. If you stick to the recommended specs of a quad-core processor and 16GB of RAM, you should be quite satisfied with the performance of your audio workstation.
The iMac Pro is currently Apple’s most powerful computer. Its performance is simply incredible and it would be absolutely gorgeous at the center of any studio setup. However, its starting price tag of $4,999 makes it too impractical to recommend as
The best way to get the biggest return on your financial investment is to build your own PC. If you’re the type who is comfortable completing that kind of project, just remember some of the desirable specs I mentioned a few times in this article:
If you’ve never built your own PC and don’t want to go there, here are a couple of models to consider from Dell and HP. Neither offer Thunderbolt technology, but do provide USB-C connectivity along with plenty of capacity for upgrades and enhancements. At the expense of mobility, you’ll experience noticeably increased performance compared to their PC laptop siblings.
If you’re purchasing a new (or used) computer for music production, it’s ultimately up to you to determine what factors are most important. With a relatively modest budget you will find there are a number of options available to you, whether you are seeking more processing power or the flexibility of a portable laptop device.
Questions or comments? Drop me a line in the comments and I’ll do my best to help you!
Stay tuned for my next article where I’ll explore some of the most popular software options for recording and music production.
Josh Sularski is a lifelong musician and audio engineer with over 20 years of experience. He is currently a producer and mix engineer based out of the Indie Room at Covert Station in Brooklyn, NY.