Optimise audio settings in Zoom conference software for the best audio streaming experience. Audio settings for online music lessons and fitness classes. Includes video tutorial and the NEW High Fidelity Music Mode option in Zoom.
Best Desktop For Music Production 2020
Best Computer For Music Recording
Best Computer For Music And Pictures
And unfortunately, for music production, there is no clear-cut winner that stands out from all the others. But as most people agreethe best PC laptops for music tend to be the best PC laptops in general. So here are 5 of the most popular and well-reviewed options: HP Envy (Amazon/B&H) Asus Zenbook (Amazon/B&H) LG Gram (Amazon/B&H).
Nov 11, 2020 For years now, Apple has produced some of the best laptops for music production. As the only portable platform for Logic Pro X, the Apple MacBook Pro is synonymous with the craft of music-making. By comparison, those of us using a PC have traditionally been chained to the desktop format, but that has changed considerably in recent years.
Best Laptop For Music Production With Large Screen Acer Aspire V17. Those who like larger screens for their laptops will find the 17.3-inch Acer Aspire laptop to be a great device. It packs an Intel Core i7 chipset accompanied with 8GB RAM and 1TB hard drive storage. It runs on Windows 10 Home and has a backlit keyboard to make working in dim.
[Updated: 14 April 2018] Weve curated the best laptops for music production this year. Go forth and make music!
Choosing a good laptop for music production shouldnt be too hard but it is a critical decision to make.
What you want is a laptop powerful enough for recording and music production. On top of that, it will last you many years to come, eventually making sense of your investment.
You possibly travel a lot as well and want a laptop to produce music, that isnt bulky or heavy.
I totally understand. In fact, in my years of producing music, I owned over 5 laptops, Macs PCs in the past 10 years of producing music. How To Choose A Good Laptop for Music Production
First of all, you need to think about the OS youd like to produce music on. Will you primarily make music on a Mac or PC?
Ive covered this topic about choosing a computer for music production previously, but just to add, choosing an OS to make music on usually depends on the DAW software you want to use.
Personally, I started my music production journey in 2006 with Logic Express. Since then, I have switched between multiple DAWs such as Cubase, Studio One, and even switch between using Mac PC a few times only to finally finding myself buying a MacBook Pro Retina to use Logic X almost 10 years later in 2016.
Choosing a good laptop for music production boils down to three main factors:
Main DAW software youll use
Processing power Youll want the fastest processor you can afford.
RAM You need more RAM for VST intensive production. I recommend a minimum of 8GB.
Dont make the mistake I did, by jumping into buying a laptop that didnt quite like for music production. I bought the Asus GL552VW on impulse. Good affordable laptop but not without some annoyance.
See the review video:
Of course, things such as battery life for making music on the go, available storage space to store your samples or available ports are important as well. But there are often workarounds for those.
Minecraft windows 10 edition wont load . Lets get started. Best 10 Laptops For Music Production in 2018
Here are the best 10 laptops that you can consider buying in 2018 for music production. Ill also briefly explain the pros and cons of each. 1 MacBook Pro Retina 2015
One of the best laptops to go for when it comes to music production is the MacBook Pro.
Why? Because it simply works. Im not going to discuss the war between PC or Macs for music production but having used both while it really boils down to personal preference , I still prefer using a MacBook Pro over any Windows laptop to produce music.
With a MacBook Pro (the Retina 2015 model) , you get everything you need to make music immediately. Fast SSD drive, Core Audio, RAM, battery life CPU power to take on most music production demands.
Hey, what about the latest Macbook Pro? To be honest, the current MacBook Pro model with the touch bar isnt bad. The reason I didnt feature it here is that of the need for more ports on a laptop for music production. The current model does not have enough ports without using a dongle.
Most MIDI controllers audio interfaces all work on a USB3 connection. And to be honest, the touch bar on the new MacBook Pros doesnt actually help your production workflow.
One more thing. If youre planning to buy the MacBook Pro need to add more RAM, dont buy the 13 model upgrade the RAM. Instead, it makes more monetary sense to buy the 15 base model as it comes with 16GB RAM installed, together with an i7 processor.
Pros
Ready to use out-of-the-box.
Solid performance quality.
Little driver or software issues with a Mac system.
Comes with Garageband (which is great for beginners)
Cons
Small SSD space. Not enough for keeping large samples.
Expensive.
May lack enough ports.
Not very upgradable.
RAM only up to 16GB.
Slower processor compared to many other Windows laptop. 2 Razer Blade Stealth 13.3
If youve been around the internet looking for a high-quality laptop, you may have heard about the Razer Blade Stealth. This laptop is great in many ways for music production and here are some reasons why. What is the mac address on my alexa device .
It has the 8th generation Quad Core i7-8550U that will deal with all your DAW plugins processing. It comes with 16GB of RAM which sadly isnt upgradable but should definitely do the trick for a travelling producer. In addition, it also has an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 106, which will be an extra help for your RAM usage when producing music, as itll help with some plugin processing.
A nice feature is the touchscreen display, so you could in fact, use the touchscreen to tweak your audio plugins draw automation. The standard SSD storage that comes with it, is a 256GB SSD, but you can upgrade it to 512GB. The 1TB version will cost you quite a bit more, and I foresee most music producers using an external hard disk with the Razer Blade.
However, a quick workaround is to use the USB-C port, where you can use an external SSD or HDD to load any of your projects, plugins or virtual instruments with ease. While the USB-C is pretty fast, make sure you get an external drive, preferably an SSD that is fast enough to load save samples.
Though the Razer Blade Stealth is marketed for gaming, where youll be putting down money for design the graphics card, the laptop will perform great for any music production usage.
Pros
Solid performance and quality.
Has USB-C. One of the most powerful USB connections to date.
Cons
Expensive.
Little option for upgrades.
There are cheaper alternatives if youre in a pinch. 3 Dell XPS 15
The Dell XPS series is a laptop series that has been around for some time. The Dell XPS 15 is also one of the sexiest 15-inch laptop you can buy for music production.
Unlike many other Chinese-made laptops which can be quite flimsy with its build, youll appreciate the strong premium build of the XPS 15, its nice borderless display, the touch deck how slim-profiled the laptop is. Its seriously a beauty of a laptop.
Performance wise, there are few models you can choose from, depending on your budget. But be informed that the Dell XPS is pricier than other laptops with the same performance, due to the build and component quality.
The entry model starts at $999 with the 7th gen i3 processor. Id advise you to bump your budget up and get the $1249 model that comes with the 7th gen i5 processor at a bare minimum. Or better yet, get the model with the i7 processor to future-proof your laptop purchase.
The entry model sports a 7200RPM hard disk drive which would be fine for music production, but if youre afraid of hitting into bottlenecks with the storage drive speed, get the higher end models that come with SSD.
The RAM on every model is upgradable to 32GB, making it ideal for music production. Theres also plenty of ports from USB3.0 to Thunderbolt, so connectivity in the studio shouldnt be an issue.
Pros
Beautifully designed solid
Very nice display
Powerful. Expensive models come with Nvidia graphics card.
Cons
No option to have 2 storage drives.
Pricier option. You pay for the build quality brand 4. PCAudioLabs (MC Mobile M7S)
PC Audio Labs makes laptops and computers for music producers. What you get is not off the shelf basic PCs, but specialized Windows systems, tweaked specifically for professional audio. Compared to many off-the-shelf laptops, where drivers are built by Windows, PC AudioLabs take it further by tweaking the drivers specifically for music production.
The MC Mobile M7s comes packed with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, it has the power to handle all of your processing in your DAW. In fact, the systems built by PCAudioLabs (including the MC Mobile M7s), has been used to score films, power DJ performances and becoming the heart of many commercial recording studios. Why you could upgrade the RAM to 64GB if you want!
Storage wise, you have an M.2/PCIe or an option for an SSD or an HDD. All of the storage can be upgradable to your needs.
In addition to the purchase of this laptop (other PC AudioLabs products/custom PC included), PC AudioLabs also comes with pro audio training from OBEDIA, a well-known company which profession is in helping music producers with training and solving technicalities. This largely separates them apart even from big companies like Apple. They also come with free lifetime phone and email tech support even when your warranty has already come to an end. Can i download google chrome on macbook air .
In summary, this laptop just shouts customisability and if youd like the idea of having a laptop built specifically for music production, this one is a go.
Pros
Made for music production.
Lifetime phone email support by pro audio hardware software techs.
Extremely customizable towards your needs budget.
Comes with pro audio training from OBEDIA.
Cons
Itll come with a cost.
Favors intermediate pro producers who know what they want. As a beginner, you might do OK on normal laptops. 5 HP Pavilion Power 15
The HP Pavilion Power 15 is a nice laptop with enough screen size for busy DAW edits. Packed with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, youll have enough processing power for large music arrangements and recordings. On the contrary, it only packs 4GB of RAM in which can be upgraded to 16GB only (max). The battery is a plus on the Pavilion if you like to do a bit of writing out of the studio.
The big thing to shout about with this machine is the fact that it has a dual storage option. With the capability of having an SSD and an HDD, you can put your programs on your SSD and dump all of your plugins and VSTs on your HDD which can be upgraded up to 2TB.
Video editing or some light film score on this laptop will work too, with an NVIDIA GeForce 1050. The Pavilion Power 15 makes a great laptop for the beginner or intermediate music producer who enjoys making music and doing other tasks. Just make sure you get the specs you want right from the factory, to save troublesome upgrades later on.
Pros
Huge storage w/ dual storage option.
Good amount of ports including USB-C.
Long battery life up to 14 hours.
Cons
RAM upgradable to 16GB only.
Plastic-built 6 Dell Inspiron 15 7000
An affordable gaming laptop that looks just twice as expensive the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is a workhorse, that should be considered. With models that start from only $799, the Inspiron 15 7000 comes with the latest 8th generation Core i5-8250U processor.
It packs a lot of power for the intermediate music producer.
There are also dual drives built into the laptop, with an SSD as its main drive, so DAW will feel snappy on this laptop. While the laptop comes with a big 15 display, giving you plenty of real estate for working in your DAW, the display is somewhat not as vibrant as compared to many other laptops.
This will be slightly discouraging if you plan on making videos with it as well as the colors are not exactly accurate. However, if producing music is your main focus and nothing else, then Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is worth a consideration without spending too much!
Pros
Long battery life up to 11 hours.
Decent performance at its price.
Great build, looks professional and solid.
Cons
Dull inaccurate display
Heavy.
Bottom of the laptop can get pretty hot with more need for processing. 7 HP Spectre x360 (2018)
Another well made laptop, the Spectre X360 allows you to use it like a normal laptop or as a tablet. Although a little small, its very well built. Also, expect great battery life on the Spectre X360. It is capable of running up to 8 hours with continuous online browsing.
Now sporting the latest 8th gen Intel Core i7, youll have all the power to record produce music. You could upgrade the Spectres storage to a whopping 1TB SSD, so streaming your tracks with it should be fairly fast while having all the space you need.
Where it used to fall short, now the RAM can be upgraded to a max of 32GB. This means the Spectre x360 while being a touch-screen laptop is capable of processing intensive music work such as film scoring.
The bummer would be the available ports on the laptop. Theres only single USB3.0 port that you could use for your audio interface or MIDI controller. On the right side of the laptop, theres another two USB type-C port which is meant for charging and a Thunderbolt 3 port. Using the HP Spectre X360 for music production means investing in some USB-hubs, unfortunately.
If you find yourself travelling a lot like a thin laptop that you can produce music on, then consider it. However, at the tech specs, youre getting, the Spectre costs considerably more than other laptops in its range mostly due to the build quality and slim profile.
The graphics card that comes with the Spectre X360 is not as powerful as the other gaming laptops I mentioned earlier, but for some light photoshopping or video editing, it should do fine. Just dont expect to play games with high graphics intensity on it which Ill doubt since youll be more busy making music.
Pros
Great battery life for travelling producing.
Very nice 4K display.
Can be upgraded with the latest processor, large SSD and RAM.
A silent laptop.
Cons
Very few ports. Need to get USB hub.
Heats up pretty quick due to its thin build
Decent graphics card.
Gets expensive with all the upgrades. 8 Asus GL503 15.6
The Asus GL503, (refresh from the FX503) is a gaming laptop that works well for music production. Why? Its pretty damn powerful for its size and weight. You get the latest Intel Core i7-8750H processor that would take on any recording and plugin processing without a hiccup.
As with most gaming laptops, the GL503 comes with a very powerful graphics card, an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti with 4GB GDDR5 VRAM which essentially is an overkill for any music production work, but very much welcomed if youre doing some video editing and film scoring as well. You could upgrade the RAM to 32GB, should you be a heavy plugin and effects user.
As for storage space, Id recommend you go for the 256GB SSD to install all your softwares and upgrade to the 7200rpm HDD (not the 5400rpm), to store and load your samples quickly. The build of the laptop isnt the best one out there, but if you can live with gaming-looking laptops, with lots of led lights and mostly a plastic build, youll do fine.
While the GL503 does boast about its cooling proficiency, it does get a little warm when youre doing lots of processing on it. As with most gaming laptops, the battery isnt that great when the laptop starts putting lots of load on the processor. But if youre going to be plugged in when making music, the Asus GL503 will perform like a charm.
Pros
Very powerful for its size weight.
Enough ports for most music production needs
Customizable upgradable to the power you need.
Cons
Battery life isnt as good.
Gets hot with lots of processing. 9 Samsung Notebook 9
Want a laptop that is thin light, but doesnt sacrifice on performance? The Samsung Notebook 9 is a great 15 laptop that is powerful, given that it comes with an i7 processor, 256GB SSD drive 16GB RAM.
The Samsung Notebook 9 is thinner than a MacBook Air and despite that slim built, it also comes with a dedicated Nvidia 940MX GPU built in. While the M.2 SSD 256GB SSD might seem small, it can be upgraded up to 1TB.
Design for the traveler in mind, theres also a USB-C port on the Samsung Notebook 9 that you can use to charge the laptop with a standard phone charger. Samsung claims that a 20-min charge would give enough battery juice for the laptop to last for 2.1 hours.
For us as music producers, there are also plenty of connectivity with USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and strangely a microSD port instead of a standard sized SD port on the laptop.
Pros
Extremely portable and ideal for the travelling music producer
Nice display and screen real estate
Upgradable SSD to 1TB a win!
Cons
RAM only upgradable up to 16GB. Wont be able to handle samples which are too huge.
Weird to have a microSD slot instead of a full standard sized SD card. 10 Asus Zenbook Pro
Prefer a thinner ultrabook, not as chunky as most gaming laptops, but is slick, slim and gets the job done? The Asus Zenbook Pro is an amazing laptop for music production with its powerful Intel i7 processor. Once again like most HP laptops, the RAM is only upgradable up to 16GB only.
This laptop has many ports and if youre a MIDI controller person, youll be happy to know theres enough. Storage on this guy is not that great but youll be relieved to know that they are PCIe SSD storage. This means youll have fast transfers speeds despite the low storage count.
In all seriousness, I think this laptop may be a little underrated but it seriously does its job as a slim, slick, powerful ultrabook.
Pros
Great performance build quality.
Excellent display.
Decent amount of ports including Thunderbolt.
Cons
RAM upgradable to 16GB only.
Low storage capacity. Bonus 11 Eluktronics P650RP6 Gaming Laptop
Never thought Id recommend this beast of a machine here but upon studying it, this is a must-have on this list.
The Eluktronics P650RP6 is a beast for a laptop, created by the Eluktronics, a US company who feels that 5400RPM hard drives shouldnt be placed inside modern laptops anymore. They pride themselves to use the best components and parts in the laptops they build.
Of the many models offered, the Eluktronics P650RP6 is one that shows promise in performance and also serving as a laptop for music production. With the top models, you can beef up the laptop, powered by a powerful i7 processor, 1TB SSD, 7200RPM HDD secondary drive RAM upgradable to a whopping 64GB.
With all this packed into a laptop, it makes the Eluktronics P650RP6 possibly one of the most powerful and best laptop for music production. Packed with a truckload of connectivity options for all your audio devices, its also a no-brainer if you use a lot of MIDI controllers or if youre planning to hook up multiple displays in the studio. Battery life on the laptop is also decent with approximately 4-5 hours of non-intensive usage.
In my opinion, the Eluktronics laptop falls short with its noisy fan noise under heavy computing load. This might not be so much of a big deal if you work in a two-room recording studio setting. But if you record mix in the same room, the noisy fans might be a nuisance when recording. Other than that, the Eleuktronics P650RP6 is a true beast of a laptop for music production at the right cost.
Pros
Pricer but price is right for the performance power.
RAM up to 64GB. Run all the samples you need!
Laptop with most connectivity in its class.
Cons
Noisy fans under heavy load.
Bulky and not very sexy. Conclusion
There are so many laptops you can choose to produce music on. However what matters at the end of the day is that you put your craft into practice and actually make music.
Many amateur music producers lust too much over new gear but dont spend the time to record, compose produce.
I hope youre not one despite the laptop, you decide to get, make sure you produce music. And if you do, feel free to post them over on Audio Mentors Facebook page so that the community can take a listen.
Lastly, what do you think of this list? What laptop are you using currently to record and produce music? Comment below. Best Laptops For Music Production From 2017
Weve kept some of the best laptops from yesteryears here below. Remember, choosing a computer for professional audio is different from choosing one to play games. The key is to know what you need in a system before getting one.
Feel free to reference them from the list below! 1. Acer Aspire VX 15
The Acer Aspire VX 15 is an affordable gaming laptop with a starting price from only $800. Although catered more towards gamers, it serves well as a music production and video editing laptop too. The entry model has an Intel i5 processor while the higher end models have an i7 but no matter the model, solid performance is not lost.
RAM can only be upgraded up to 16GB. The starting model only has a 256GB SSD built in hence, youll need to rely on external storage devices. A 2.5inch HDD drive can also be added with some assembly required. 2. ASUS FX502VM-AS73
The is a powerhouse of a laptop with plenty of ports from USB 3 ports, USB-C, HDMI even a mini display port. It is fitted with the latest 7th gen i7 core processor upgradable RAM up to 32GB. This laptop performs well as a video editing laptop too as it is equipped with an NVIDIA GTX 960M graphics card.
The laptop comes with an exceptional, impressive cooling system that keeps everything at bay even with the heaviest CPU/GPU workload. It is recommended to get the top end model because it comes with an SSD that is upgradable to 512GB and an HDD of 1TB so, you can install your programs on one and larger files on the other. The downside of this laptop is the battery life. 3. Asus ROG Strix GL553VD
The main attraction for the Asus ROG Gl553VD is the two storage drives. An SSD of 512GB and an HDD of 1TB at 7200RPM. Running with the latest Kaby Lake Intel i7 processor with the RAM upgradable to 32GB, there is no sacrifice in performance.
Equipped with an NVIDIA GTX 1050, your DAW will be able to take advantage of the GPU processing. There is a CD drive on the laptop too if you still need it.
This laptop falls short in which the battery life is limited and the touchpad is pretty lousy hence, it doesnt really make it ideal for producing music when travelling. 4. Lenovo Legion Y520 Laptop
The [easyazon_link identifier='B06XWFCKYX' locale='US' tag='audiowebazon-20'] is a laptop that shouts performance at a price that wont disappoint. Packed with the latest i7 processor, it is a pity that the RAM is only upgradeable up to 16GB. Fitted with an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics card, it should be pretty snappy to do some video editing or photoshopping on the side.
If you use a lot of MIDI gear, youll be happy to know that there are enough USB ports for them. You get to choose from a 256GB SSD, a 2TB HDD or a hybrid storage. Do take note that the HDD is not a 7200RPM type, so Id suggest getting the model with an SSD and use an external drive to store your data. 5 HP Envy 13
Unlike the Spectre X360, the [easyazon_link identifier='B06XKW9M56' locale='US' tag='audiowebazon-20']HP Envy 13 is yet another slim laptop that packs a punch. You could go for the 15 model if you like a bigger real-estate for making music, however, for the added screen space we personally felt the 15-inch variant wasnt priced for value. Again, it could make sense to go with the 13 variant. Its small, lightweight, slim and powerful. Drop Your Comments Here
Nowadays that virtually all music recording has gone digital
The first question on every musicians mind when first starting out with music production is:
Which computer should I get?
Though as Im sure you already know, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Because depending on factors such as:
budget
processing speed
portability
YOUR ideal option might be completely different from someone elses.
Which is why for todays post, I intend to show you everything you need to know to find the perfect computer/laptop for YOUR setup.
So lets begin. First up Laptops vs. Desktops
More and more these days, as technology becomes increasingly mobile
Desktop computers are slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Yet for music recording, theyre still what all the pros continue to use.
Heres why:
Theyre generally faster their larger housing offers room for maximum processing power to meet the high demands of todays DAWs and plugins.
They have more INs/OUTs which allow you to incorporate larger, more sophisticated routings to keep up with your ever-growing setup.
They offer greater customization which lets you add more RAM, extra hard drives, additional video cards, and moreas necessary.
They solve the noise problem by allowing you to keep the tower (noisy) in a separate room for your studio monitors and microphones.
Despite all these advantages, the ONE thing that desktop computers lack isPORTABILITY.
And in todays world of DJs and mobile studios, the portability of a laptop is a MUST.
Plussince most of us use a laptop for school/work anyway, it eliminates the need for 2 separate purchases.
Now at this point , Ill assume youve already decided whether a desktop or laptop computer is right for you.
So lets move on. Up next Mac vs. PC Best Desktop For Music Production 2020
Want to know the easiest way to piss-off a recording geek? Heres what you do :
If he uses a PC in his studio, tell him Macs are better.
If he uses a Mac , tell him PCs are better.
Because for some strange reason, this topic incites violent debatesthat last forever , and result in no real conclusions .
In fact, I absolutely HATE giving my opinion on this topic.
But here it is anyway:
Personally, I like Macs. Not just for recording, but for everything. And these days, most of the music world (and the rest of the world) agrees.
If YOU agree as wellget a Mac.
So why a PC then? Its usually 1 of 3 reasons :
Price Macs are usually more expensive than PCs, and not everyone can afford them.
Customization computer nerds typically prefer PCs, since they are much easier to modify/supercharge.
Windows some people just like the Windows OS.
If none of these 3 things apply to youget a Mac.
But whichever side you choose, just know that tons of great music has been created on either one, and this topic isnt nearly as important as some might have you believe.
Assuming youve made your decisionlets move on.
Up next Mac Desktops
With Mac desktops, you have 4 options:
Mac Pro
iMac
iMac Pro
Mac Mini
Now heres how they compare:
First, theres the Mac Pro .
For studio recording, theres probably nothing better. Peek your head into any pro studioand odds are, thats what youll find.
And the reason why is because its the only model thats made to be easily upgradable, whichever part youre looking to switch.
Now, up until not so long ago, the Mac Pro was just overkill for most of us, whether it was in terms of specs, or price.
However
There is a serious, brand new contender on the desktop mac scene: the iMac pro .
The iMac pro is basically the MOST POWERFUL (yes, way more powerful than the Mac Pro) mac to date, with the added benefit of being an iMac , meaning its an all-in-one computer with a monitor built-in.
Now, one look at the base model price and youll understand why this model is not for everyone And dont even look at the price of the fully upgraded model if youre faint of heart.
But if youre looking for the most powerful mac out there and dont mind making a (very) long-term investment, the iMac Pro will have you covered for at the very least the next decade.
Now for the overwhelming majority of us who cant afford the iMac Pro , the next option is probably the best: the regular iMac .
While not nearly as powerful, the regular iMac is equally as practical for a typical beginners setup.
If you can afford it, its quite likely the ideal choice for most home studios.
If you CANT however, your final option is the Mac Mini . Go microsoft com download .
How many times have your heard someone say:
I want to get a Mac, but theyre too expensive
Well the Mac Mini is proof that this is not entirely true.
And quite surprisingly, while the older models were definitely not on par with the iMac or Mac Pro in terms of speed
The newer models, and especially the boosted ones show surprisingly good performances on the benchmark, and in some cases even outperforms the regular iMac .
It may not have the speed or flexibility of the more expensive modelsbut it offers ALL the benefits of the Mac OSX, for a very modest price tag.
Mac Pro (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
iMac Pro (Amazon/BH)
iMac (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
Mac Mini (Amazon/GuitarC/BH)
Up next PC Desktops
For those of you guys who build custom PCs
I have no doubt you know far more about this subject than I do
So
If you can assemble something faster and better than a Mac Pro go for it .
I wouldnt dare try to convince you otherwise.
If however, you DONT fall into this category, and you really dont know much about computers at all
Then I suggest staying away from PC desktops altogether.
And heres why:
If youre NOT a huge PC fan, the only reason to choose a PC for your studio would be if youre a beginner trying to save money.
And since the main benefit of desktop computer is MORE PROCESSING POWER, it makes little sense to get any desktop that isnt blazing fast.
So if you only have $500 to spend, you might as well get a laptop, so you can at least have some portability as well.
Having said that, lets move on The 4 KEY Laptop Specs
Since weve already established that laptops arein a way less-than-ideal for music production
Here are 5 potential issues to look out for:
Mechanical Noise if youre a DJ in a loud club, this obviously doesnt matter. But in a bedroom studio, it matters a lot. One way to check for this: read a ton of user reviews. Another way: opt for a SSD (solid state drive) with no moving parts, over a traditional HDD (hard disk drive).
Backlit Keys in low-light environments such as lounges and clubs, these are a MUST-HAVE.
Screen Size you may not think its important now, but once youve spent some time with any DAW, youll quickly see how valuable a bigger screen can be.
Ports as laptops get increasingly smaller, the number of ins/outs gets smaller as well. So make sure you have enough to get by.
Now lets check out some laptops already Mac Laptops
With Mac laptops you have 3 options:
Macbook Pro
Macbook Air
Macbook
First, theres the Macbook Pro .
My best guess is Macbook Pros are the single most popular laptops for home recording.
Theyre ultra fast
Theyve got lots of inputs
They have large screen with detailed display, especially the new 16 version
If you can afford it, get it. If not
Then the Macbook and Macbook Air come in TIED at a distant 2nd place .
Theyre not as fast, and they dont have nearly as many inputs, but theyre extremely thin and lightweightthe Macbook Air ESPECIALLY!
So there you go. Check them out:
Macbook Pro (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
Macbook Air (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
Macbook (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
Up next PC Laptops
On one hand, PC laptops are GREAT
Because you have a virtually unlimited number of options to choose from.
On the other hand, PC laptops SUCK for the exact same reason.
And what I mean by that is
While its nice to have options, the more options you have, the harder it is:
to actually choose one
to be certain youve made the right choice
to be happy with your choice after youve made it
And unfortunately, for music production, there is no clear-cut winner that stands out from all the others.
But as most people agreethe best PC laptops for music tend to be the best PC laptops in general .
So here are 5 of the most popular and well-reviewed options:
HP Envy (Amazon/BH)
Asus Zenbook (Amazon/BH)
LG Gram (Amazon/BH)
Dell Inspiron (Amazon/BH)
Lenovo Yoga 3 (Amazon)
Up next DAW System Requirements Best Computer For Music Recording
One important point worthy of mention that rarely gets discussed
Is the system requirements for your DAW of choice.
Even though these days, most computers are compatible with most DAWs
In some rare casestheyre NOT , so you should always double check just to make sure.
If you dont have a preferred DAW yet, or dont even know what a DAW is, then dont worry about this part.
However for those of you that DO, here are the links to the system requirements for each of todays top DAWs:
Up next 3 Essential Computer Accessories
Once youve finally chosen a computer, next come the ACCESSORIES.
For recording studios , the 3 accessories I recommend are:
a keyboard
a mouse
a monitor
Now heres what you want from each one 1. The Keyboard
While any old keyboard will do
Your ideal keyboard should include 3 features:
DAW shortcut markers which help you memorize all those shortcuts WAY faster.
A number pad which includes a TON of useful shortcuts for most DAWs.
A wireless connection which allows you access to your transport controls from anywhere in the room.
NOTE : Even if you have a laptop, you may still find it worthwhile to buy an external keyboard. Thats how useful they are .
Now here are my 2 favorites:
Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard besides having a number pad and a wireless connection, this keyboard has one unique feature that you almost never see: solar power. That means no batteries or cables ever.
PC (Amazon/BH)
Mac (Amazon/BH)
LogicKeyboard Custom DAW Keyboards (website) easily the most well-known maker of software shortcut markers, LogicKeyboard has both custom keyboards and skin layovers for virtually every DAW/keyboard combo imaginable.
Up next 2. The Mouse
Againwhile any old mouse (or trackpad) will do
With a really good mouse
A few programmable buttons can give you access to your most frequently used DAW shortcuts without ever touching your keyboard.
And this one tool can speed up your workflow significantly .
While there are an almost infinite number of these mice to choose fromI suggest Logitech.com as a good place to start your search.
My personal favorite mouse in their line is the Logitech MX Ergo (Amazon/BH). If youre not sure what to get, I highly recommend it.
For some other great options, check these out as well:
Logitech MX Master 2S (Amazon/BH)
Logitech MX Anywhere 2S (Amazon/BH) 3. The Computer Monitor
When you first start out with home recording
You probably wont recognize the value of REALLY GOOD monitor right away.
But eventually, after working without one for a while
Youll notice 3 things:
Low resolution screens can only display a small number of tracks at once.
Flat screen TVs often look pixelated, and are awkward to view from close up.
Screens with slower refresh rates cant display level meters in sync with the track.
Any one of these problems alone is annoying. All 3 together will drive you crazy.
And once that happens, I highly suggest getting a good external monitor.
For a good high-end option, here is an example of something that would work well:
LG 27 4k (Amazon/BH)
As an alternative, any standard monitor (such as this one) will work almost as well, such as he HP 27er . Best Computer For Music And Pictures
Click here to compare prices (Amazon/BH)
Best Desktop For Music Production 2020
Best Computer For Music Recording
Best Computer For Music And Pictures
And unfortunately, for music production, there is no clear-cut winner that stands out from all the others. But as most people agreethe best PC laptops for music tend to be the best PC laptops in general. So here are 5 of the most popular and well-reviewed options: HP Envy (Amazon/B&H) Asus Zenbook (Amazon/B&H) LG Gram (Amazon/B&H).
Nov 11, 2020 For years now, Apple has produced some of the best laptops for music production. As the only portable platform for Logic Pro X, the Apple MacBook Pro is synonymous with the craft of music-making. By comparison, those of us using a PC have traditionally been chained to the desktop format, but that has changed considerably in recent years.
Best Laptop For Music Production With Large Screen Acer Aspire V17. Those who like larger screens for their laptops will find the 17.3-inch Acer Aspire laptop to be a great device. It packs an Intel Core i7 chipset accompanied with 8GB RAM and 1TB hard drive storage. It runs on Windows 10 Home and has a backlit keyboard to make working in dim.
[Updated: 14 April 2018] Weve curated the best laptops for music production this year. Go forth and make music!
Choosing a good laptop for music production shouldnt be too hard but it is a critical decision to make.
What you want is a laptop powerful enough for recording and music production. On top of that, it will last you many years to come, eventually making sense of your investment.
You possibly travel a lot as well and want a laptop to produce music, that isnt bulky or heavy.
I totally understand. In fact, in my years of producing music, I owned over 5 laptops, Macs PCs in the past 10 years of producing music. How To Choose A Good Laptop for Music Production
First of all, you need to think about the OS youd like to produce music on. Will you primarily make music on a Mac or PC?
Ive covered this topic about choosing a computer for music production previously, but just to add, choosing an OS to make music on usually depends on the DAW software you want to use.
Personally, I started my music production journey in 2006 with Logic Express. Since then, I have switched between multiple DAWs such as Cubase, Studio One, and even switch between using Mac PC a few times only to finally finding myself buying a MacBook Pro Retina to use Logic X almost 10 years later in 2016.
Choosing a good laptop for music production boils down to three main factors:
Main DAW software youll use
Processing power Youll want the fastest processor you can afford.
RAM You need more RAM for VST intensive production. I recommend a minimum of 8GB.
Dont make the mistake I did, by jumping into buying a laptop that didnt quite like for music production. I bought the Asus GL552VW on impulse. Good affordable laptop but not without some annoyance.
See the review video:
Of course, things such as battery life for making music on the go, available storage space to store your samples or available ports are important as well. But there are often workarounds for those.
Minecraft windows 10 edition wont load . Lets get started. Best 10 Laptops For Music Production in 2018
Here are the best 10 laptops that you can consider buying in 2018 for music production. Ill also briefly explain the pros and cons of each. 1 MacBook Pro Retina 2015
One of the best laptops to go for when it comes to music production is the MacBook Pro.
Why? Because it simply works. Im not going to discuss the war between PC or Macs for music production but having used both while it really boils down to personal preference , I still prefer using a MacBook Pro over any Windows laptop to produce music.
With a MacBook Pro (the Retina 2015 model) , you get everything you need to make music immediately. Fast SSD drive, Core Audio, RAM, battery life CPU power to take on most music production demands.
Hey, what about the latest Macbook Pro? To be honest, the current MacBook Pro model with the touch bar isnt bad. The reason I didnt feature it here is that of the need for more ports on a laptop for music production. The current model does not have enough ports without using a dongle.
Most MIDI controllers audio interfaces all work on a USB3 connection. And to be honest, the touch bar on the new MacBook Pros doesnt actually help your production workflow.
One more thing. If youre planning to buy the MacBook Pro need to add more RAM, dont buy the 13 model upgrade the RAM. Instead, it makes more monetary sense to buy the 15 base model as it comes with 16GB RAM installed, together with an i7 processor.
Pros
Ready to use out-of-the-box.
Solid performance quality.
Little driver or software issues with a Mac system.
Comes with Garageband (which is great for beginners)
Cons
Small SSD space. Not enough for keeping large samples.
Expensive.
May lack enough ports.
Not very upgradable.
RAM only up to 16GB.
Slower processor compared to many other Windows laptop. 2 Razer Blade Stealth 13.3
If youve been around the internet looking for a high-quality laptop, you may have heard about the Razer Blade Stealth. This laptop is great in many ways for music production and here are some reasons why. What is the mac address on my alexa device .
It has the 8th generation Quad Core i7-8550U that will deal with all your DAW plugins processing. It comes with 16GB of RAM which sadly isnt upgradable but should definitely do the trick for a travelling producer. In addition, it also has an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 106, which will be an extra help for your RAM usage when producing music, as itll help with some plugin processing.
A nice feature is the touchscreen display, so you could in fact, use the touchscreen to tweak your audio plugins draw automation. The standard SSD storage that comes with it, is a 256GB SSD, but you can upgrade it to 512GB. The 1TB version will cost you quite a bit more, and I foresee most music producers using an external hard disk with the Razer Blade.
However, a quick workaround is to use the USB-C port, where you can use an external SSD or HDD to load any of your projects, plugins or virtual instruments with ease. While the USB-C is pretty fast, make sure you get an external drive, preferably an SSD that is fast enough to load save samples.
Though the Razer Blade Stealth is marketed for gaming, where youll be putting down money for design the graphics card, the laptop will perform great for any music production usage.
Pros
Solid performance and quality.
Has USB-C. One of the most powerful USB connections to date.
Cons
Expensive.
Little option for upgrades.
There are cheaper alternatives if youre in a pinch. 3 Dell XPS 15
The Dell XPS series is a laptop series that has been around for some time. The Dell XPS 15 is also one of the sexiest 15-inch laptop you can buy for music production.
Unlike many other Chinese-made laptops which can be quite flimsy with its build, youll appreciate the strong premium build of the XPS 15, its nice borderless display, the touch deck how slim-profiled the laptop is. Its seriously a beauty of a laptop.
Performance wise, there are few models you can choose from, depending on your budget. But be informed that the Dell XPS is pricier than other laptops with the same performance, due to the build and component quality.
The entry model starts at $999 with the 7th gen i3 processor. Id advise you to bump your budget up and get the $1249 model that comes with the 7th gen i5 processor at a bare minimum. Or better yet, get the model with the i7 processor to future-proof your laptop purchase.
The entry model sports a 7200RPM hard disk drive which would be fine for music production, but if youre afraid of hitting into bottlenecks with the storage drive speed, get the higher end models that come with SSD.
The RAM on every model is upgradable to 32GB, making it ideal for music production. Theres also plenty of ports from USB3.0 to Thunderbolt, so connectivity in the studio shouldnt be an issue.
Pros
Beautifully designed solid
Very nice display
Powerful. Expensive models come with Nvidia graphics card.
Cons
No option to have 2 storage drives.
Pricier option. You pay for the build quality brand 4. PCAudioLabs (MC Mobile M7S)
PC Audio Labs makes laptops and computers for music producers. What you get is not off the shelf basic PCs, but specialized Windows systems, tweaked specifically for professional audio. Compared to many off-the-shelf laptops, where drivers are built by Windows, PC AudioLabs take it further by tweaking the drivers specifically for music production.
The MC Mobile M7s comes packed with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, it has the power to handle all of your processing in your DAW. In fact, the systems built by PCAudioLabs (including the MC Mobile M7s), has been used to score films, power DJ performances and becoming the heart of many commercial recording studios. Why you could upgrade the RAM to 64GB if you want!
Storage wise, you have an M.2/PCIe or an option for an SSD or an HDD. All of the storage can be upgradable to your needs.
In addition to the purchase of this laptop (other PC AudioLabs products/custom PC included), PC AudioLabs also comes with pro audio training from OBEDIA, a well-known company which profession is in helping music producers with training and solving technicalities. This largely separates them apart even from big companies like Apple. They also come with free lifetime phone and email tech support even when your warranty has already come to an end. Can i download google chrome on macbook air .
In summary, this laptop just shouts customisability and if youd like the idea of having a laptop built specifically for music production, this one is a go.
Pros
Made for music production.
Lifetime phone email support by pro audio hardware software techs.
Extremely customizable towards your needs budget.
Comes with pro audio training from OBEDIA.
Cons
Itll come with a cost.
Favors intermediate pro producers who know what they want. As a beginner, you might do OK on normal laptops. 5 HP Pavilion Power 15
The HP Pavilion Power 15 is a nice laptop with enough screen size for busy DAW edits. Packed with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, youll have enough processing power for large music arrangements and recordings. On the contrary, it only packs 4GB of RAM in which can be upgraded to 16GB only (max). The battery is a plus on the Pavilion if you like to do a bit of writing out of the studio.
The big thing to shout about with this machine is the fact that it has a dual storage option. With the capability of having an SSD and an HDD, you can put your programs on your SSD and dump all of your plugins and VSTs on your HDD which can be upgraded up to 2TB.
Video editing or some light film score on this laptop will work too, with an NVIDIA GeForce 1050. The Pavilion Power 15 makes a great laptop for the beginner or intermediate music producer who enjoys making music and doing other tasks. Just make sure you get the specs you want right from the factory, to save troublesome upgrades later on.
Pros
Huge storage w/ dual storage option.
Good amount of ports including USB-C.
Long battery life up to 14 hours.
Cons
RAM upgradable to 16GB only.
Plastic-built 6 Dell Inspiron 15 7000
An affordable gaming laptop that looks just twice as expensive the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is a workhorse, that should be considered. With models that start from only $799, the Inspiron 15 7000 comes with the latest 8th generation Core i5-8250U processor.
It packs a lot of power for the intermediate music producer.
There are also dual drives built into the laptop, with an SSD as its main drive, so DAW will feel snappy on this laptop. While the laptop comes with a big 15 display, giving you plenty of real estate for working in your DAW, the display is somewhat not as vibrant as compared to many other laptops.
This will be slightly discouraging if you plan on making videos with it as well as the colors are not exactly accurate. However, if producing music is your main focus and nothing else, then Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is worth a consideration without spending too much!
Pros
Long battery life up to 11 hours.
Decent performance at its price.
Great build, looks professional and solid.
Cons
Dull inaccurate display
Heavy.
Bottom of the laptop can get pretty hot with more need for processing. 7 HP Spectre x360 (2018)
Another well made laptop, the Spectre X360 allows you to use it like a normal laptop or as a tablet. Although a little small, its very well built. Also, expect great battery life on the Spectre X360. It is capable of running up to 8 hours with continuous online browsing.
Now sporting the latest 8th gen Intel Core i7, youll have all the power to record produce music. You could upgrade the Spectres storage to a whopping 1TB SSD, so streaming your tracks with it should be fairly fast while having all the space you need.
Where it used to fall short, now the RAM can be upgraded to a max of 32GB. This means the Spectre x360 while being a touch-screen laptop is capable of processing intensive music work such as film scoring.
The bummer would be the available ports on the laptop. Theres only single USB3.0 port that you could use for your audio interface or MIDI controller. On the right side of the laptop, theres another two USB type-C port which is meant for charging and a Thunderbolt 3 port. Using the HP Spectre X360 for music production means investing in some USB-hubs, unfortunately.
If you find yourself travelling a lot like a thin laptop that you can produce music on, then consider it. However, at the tech specs, youre getting, the Spectre costs considerably more than other laptops in its range mostly due to the build quality and slim profile.
The graphics card that comes with the Spectre X360 is not as powerful as the other gaming laptops I mentioned earlier, but for some light photoshopping or video editing, it should do fine. Just dont expect to play games with high graphics intensity on it which Ill doubt since youll be more busy making music.
Pros
Great battery life for travelling producing.
Very nice 4K display.
Can be upgraded with the latest processor, large SSD and RAM.
A silent laptop.
Cons
Very few ports. Need to get USB hub.
Heats up pretty quick due to its thin build
Decent graphics card.
Gets expensive with all the upgrades. 8 Asus GL503 15.6
The Asus GL503, (refresh from the FX503) is a gaming laptop that works well for music production. Why? Its pretty damn powerful for its size and weight. You get the latest Intel Core i7-8750H processor that would take on any recording and plugin processing without a hiccup.
As with most gaming laptops, the GL503 comes with a very powerful graphics card, an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti with 4GB GDDR5 VRAM which essentially is an overkill for any music production work, but very much welcomed if youre doing some video editing and film scoring as well. You could upgrade the RAM to 32GB, should you be a heavy plugin and effects user.
As for storage space, Id recommend you go for the 256GB SSD to install all your softwares and upgrade to the 7200rpm HDD (not the 5400rpm), to store and load your samples quickly. The build of the laptop isnt the best one out there, but if you can live with gaming-looking laptops, with lots of led lights and mostly a plastic build, youll do fine.
While the GL503 does boast about its cooling proficiency, it does get a little warm when youre doing lots of processing on it. As with most gaming laptops, the battery isnt that great when the laptop starts putting lots of load on the processor. But if youre going to be plugged in when making music, the Asus GL503 will perform like a charm.
Pros
Very powerful for its size weight.
Enough ports for most music production needs
Customizable upgradable to the power you need.
Cons
Battery life isnt as good.
Gets hot with lots of processing. 9 Samsung Notebook 9
Want a laptop that is thin light, but doesnt sacrifice on performance? The Samsung Notebook 9 is a great 15 laptop that is powerful, given that it comes with an i7 processor, 256GB SSD drive 16GB RAM.
The Samsung Notebook 9 is thinner than a MacBook Air and despite that slim built, it also comes with a dedicated Nvidia 940MX GPU built in. While the M.2 SSD 256GB SSD might seem small, it can be upgraded up to 1TB.
Design for the traveler in mind, theres also a USB-C port on the Samsung Notebook 9 that you can use to charge the laptop with a standard phone charger. Samsung claims that a 20-min charge would give enough battery juice for the laptop to last for 2.1 hours.
For us as music producers, there are also plenty of connectivity with USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and strangely a microSD port instead of a standard sized SD port on the laptop.
Pros
Extremely portable and ideal for the travelling music producer
Nice display and screen real estate
Upgradable SSD to 1TB a win!
Cons
RAM only upgradable up to 16GB. Wont be able to handle samples which are too huge.
Weird to have a microSD slot instead of a full standard sized SD card. 10 Asus Zenbook Pro
Prefer a thinner ultrabook, not as chunky as most gaming laptops, but is slick, slim and gets the job done? The Asus Zenbook Pro is an amazing laptop for music production with its powerful Intel i7 processor. Once again like most HP laptops, the RAM is only upgradable up to 16GB only.
This laptop has many ports and if youre a MIDI controller person, youll be happy to know theres enough. Storage on this guy is not that great but youll be relieved to know that they are PCIe SSD storage. This means youll have fast transfers speeds despite the low storage count.
In all seriousness, I think this laptop may be a little underrated but it seriously does its job as a slim, slick, powerful ultrabook.
Pros
Great performance build quality.
Excellent display.
Decent amount of ports including Thunderbolt.
Cons
RAM upgradable to 16GB only.
Low storage capacity. Bonus 11 Eluktronics P650RP6 Gaming Laptop
Never thought Id recommend this beast of a machine here but upon studying it, this is a must-have on this list.
The Eluktronics P650RP6 is a beast for a laptop, created by the Eluktronics, a US company who feels that 5400RPM hard drives shouldnt be placed inside modern laptops anymore. They pride themselves to use the best components and parts in the laptops they build.
Of the many models offered, the Eluktronics P650RP6 is one that shows promise in performance and also serving as a laptop for music production. With the top models, you can beef up the laptop, powered by a powerful i7 processor, 1TB SSD, 7200RPM HDD secondary drive RAM upgradable to a whopping 64GB.
With all this packed into a laptop, it makes the Eluktronics P650RP6 possibly one of the most powerful and best laptop for music production. Packed with a truckload of connectivity options for all your audio devices, its also a no-brainer if you use a lot of MIDI controllers or if youre planning to hook up multiple displays in the studio. Battery life on the laptop is also decent with approximately 4-5 hours of non-intensive usage.
In my opinion, the Eluktronics laptop falls short with its noisy fan noise under heavy computing load. This might not be so much of a big deal if you work in a two-room recording studio setting. But if you record mix in the same room, the noisy fans might be a nuisance when recording. Other than that, the Eleuktronics P650RP6 is a true beast of a laptop for music production at the right cost.
Pros
Pricer but price is right for the performance power.
RAM up to 64GB. Run all the samples you need!
Laptop with most connectivity in its class.
Cons
Noisy fans under heavy load.
Bulky and not very sexy. Conclusion
There are so many laptops you can choose to produce music on. However what matters at the end of the day is that you put your craft into practice and actually make music.
Many amateur music producers lust too much over new gear but dont spend the time to record, compose produce.
I hope youre not one despite the laptop, you decide to get, make sure you produce music. And if you do, feel free to post them over on Audio Mentors Facebook page so that the community can take a listen.
Lastly, what do you think of this list? What laptop are you using currently to record and produce music? Comment below. Best Laptops For Music Production From 2017
Weve kept some of the best laptops from yesteryears here below. Remember, choosing a computer for professional audio is different from choosing one to play games. The key is to know what you need in a system before getting one.
Feel free to reference them from the list below! 1. Acer Aspire VX 15
The Acer Aspire VX 15 is an affordable gaming laptop with a starting price from only $800. Although catered more towards gamers, it serves well as a music production and video editing laptop too. The entry model has an Intel i5 processor while the higher end models have an i7 but no matter the model, solid performance is not lost.
RAM can only be upgraded up to 16GB. The starting model only has a 256GB SSD built in hence, youll need to rely on external storage devices. A 2.5inch HDD drive can also be added with some assembly required. 2. ASUS FX502VM-AS73
The is a powerhouse of a laptop with plenty of ports from USB 3 ports, USB-C, HDMI even a mini display port. It is fitted with the latest 7th gen i7 core processor upgradable RAM up to 32GB. This laptop performs well as a video editing laptop too as it is equipped with an NVIDIA GTX 960M graphics card.
The laptop comes with an exceptional, impressive cooling system that keeps everything at bay even with the heaviest CPU/GPU workload. It is recommended to get the top end model because it comes with an SSD that is upgradable to 512GB and an HDD of 1TB so, you can install your programs on one and larger files on the other. The downside of this laptop is the battery life. 3. Asus ROG Strix GL553VD
The main attraction for the Asus ROG Gl553VD is the two storage drives. An SSD of 512GB and an HDD of 1TB at 7200RPM. Running with the latest Kaby Lake Intel i7 processor with the RAM upgradable to 32GB, there is no sacrifice in performance.
Equipped with an NVIDIA GTX 1050, your DAW will be able to take advantage of the GPU processing. There is a CD drive on the laptop too if you still need it.
This laptop falls short in which the battery life is limited and the touchpad is pretty lousy hence, it doesnt really make it ideal for producing music when travelling. 4. Lenovo Legion Y520 Laptop
The [easyazon_link identifier='B06XWFCKYX' locale='US' tag='audiowebazon-20'] is a laptop that shouts performance at a price that wont disappoint. Packed with the latest i7 processor, it is a pity that the RAM is only upgradeable up to 16GB. Fitted with an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics card, it should be pretty snappy to do some video editing or photoshopping on the side.
If you use a lot of MIDI gear, youll be happy to know that there are enough USB ports for them. You get to choose from a 256GB SSD, a 2TB HDD or a hybrid storage. Do take note that the HDD is not a 7200RPM type, so Id suggest getting the model with an SSD and use an external drive to store your data. 5 HP Envy 13
Unlike the Spectre X360, the [easyazon_link identifier='B06XKW9M56' locale='US' tag='audiowebazon-20']HP Envy 13 is yet another slim laptop that packs a punch. You could go for the 15 model if you like a bigger real-estate for making music, however, for the added screen space we personally felt the 15-inch variant wasnt priced for value. Again, it could make sense to go with the 13 variant. Its small, lightweight, slim and powerful. Drop Your Comments Here
Nowadays that virtually all music recording has gone digital
The first question on every musicians mind when first starting out with music production is:
Which computer should I get?
Though as Im sure you already know, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Because depending on factors such as:
budget
processing speed
portability
YOUR ideal option might be completely different from someone elses.
Which is why for todays post, I intend to show you everything you need to know to find the perfect computer/laptop for YOUR setup.
So lets begin. First up Laptops vs. Desktops
More and more these days, as technology becomes increasingly mobile
Desktop computers are slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Yet for music recording, theyre still what all the pros continue to use.
Heres why:
Theyre generally faster their larger housing offers room for maximum processing power to meet the high demands of todays DAWs and plugins.
They have more INs/OUTs which allow you to incorporate larger, more sophisticated routings to keep up with your ever-growing setup.
They offer greater customization which lets you add more RAM, extra hard drives, additional video cards, and moreas necessary.
They solve the noise problem by allowing you to keep the tower (noisy) in a separate room for your studio monitors and microphones.
Despite all these advantages, the ONE thing that desktop computers lack isPORTABILITY.
And in todays world of DJs and mobile studios, the portability of a laptop is a MUST.
Plussince most of us use a laptop for school/work anyway, it eliminates the need for 2 separate purchases.
Now at this point , Ill assume youve already decided whether a desktop or laptop computer is right for you.
So lets move on. Up next Mac vs. PC Best Desktop For Music Production 2020
Want to know the easiest way to piss-off a recording geek? Heres what you do :
If he uses a PC in his studio, tell him Macs are better.
If he uses a Mac , tell him PCs are better.
Because for some strange reason, this topic incites violent debatesthat last forever , and result in no real conclusions .
In fact, I absolutely HATE giving my opinion on this topic.
But here it is anyway:
Personally, I like Macs. Not just for recording, but for everything. And these days, most of the music world (and the rest of the world) agrees.
If YOU agree as wellget a Mac.
So why a PC then? Its usually 1 of 3 reasons :
Price Macs are usually more expensive than PCs, and not everyone can afford them.
Customization computer nerds typically prefer PCs, since they are much easier to modify/supercharge.
Windows some people just like the Windows OS.
If none of these 3 things apply to youget a Mac.
But whichever side you choose, just know that tons of great music has been created on either one, and this topic isnt nearly as important as some might have you believe.
Assuming youve made your decisionlets move on.
Up next Mac Desktops
With Mac desktops, you have 4 options:
Mac Pro
iMac
iMac Pro
Mac Mini
Now heres how they compare:
First, theres the Mac Pro .
For studio recording, theres probably nothing better. Peek your head into any pro studioand odds are, thats what youll find.
And the reason why is because its the only model thats made to be easily upgradable, whichever part youre looking to switch.
Now, up until not so long ago, the Mac Pro was just overkill for most of us, whether it was in terms of specs, or price.
However
There is a serious, brand new contender on the desktop mac scene: the iMac pro .
The iMac pro is basically the MOST POWERFUL (yes, way more powerful than the Mac Pro) mac to date, with the added benefit of being an iMac , meaning its an all-in-one computer with a monitor built-in.
Now, one look at the base model price and youll understand why this model is not for everyone And dont even look at the price of the fully upgraded model if youre faint of heart.
But if youre looking for the most powerful mac out there and dont mind making a (very) long-term investment, the iMac Pro will have you covered for at the very least the next decade.
Now for the overwhelming majority of us who cant afford the iMac Pro , the next option is probably the best: the regular iMac .
While not nearly as powerful, the regular iMac is equally as practical for a typical beginners setup.
If you can afford it, its quite likely the ideal choice for most home studios.
If you CANT however, your final option is the Mac Mini . Go microsoft com download .
How many times have your heard someone say:
I want to get a Mac, but theyre too expensive
Well the Mac Mini is proof that this is not entirely true.
And quite surprisingly, while the older models were definitely not on par with the iMac or Mac Pro in terms of speed
The newer models, and especially the boosted ones show surprisingly good performances on the benchmark, and in some cases even outperforms the regular iMac .
It may not have the speed or flexibility of the more expensive modelsbut it offers ALL the benefits of the Mac OSX, for a very modest price tag.
Mac Pro (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
iMac Pro (Amazon/BH)
iMac (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
Mac Mini (Amazon/GuitarC/BH)
Up next PC Desktops
For those of you guys who build custom PCs
I have no doubt you know far more about this subject than I do
So
If you can assemble something faster and better than a Mac Pro go for it .
I wouldnt dare try to convince you otherwise.
If however, you DONT fall into this category, and you really dont know much about computers at all
Then I suggest staying away from PC desktops altogether.
And heres why:
If youre NOT a huge PC fan, the only reason to choose a PC for your studio would be if youre a beginner trying to save money.
And since the main benefit of desktop computer is MORE PROCESSING POWER, it makes little sense to get any desktop that isnt blazing fast.
So if you only have $500 to spend, you might as well get a laptop, so you can at least have some portability as well.
Having said that, lets move on The 4 KEY Laptop Specs
Since weve already established that laptops arein a way less-than-ideal for music production
Here are 5 potential issues to look out for:
Mechanical Noise if youre a DJ in a loud club, this obviously doesnt matter. But in a bedroom studio, it matters a lot. One way to check for this: read a ton of user reviews. Another way: opt for a SSD (solid state drive) with no moving parts, over a traditional HDD (hard disk drive).
Backlit Keys in low-light environments such as lounges and clubs, these are a MUST-HAVE.
Screen Size you may not think its important now, but once youve spent some time with any DAW, youll quickly see how valuable a bigger screen can be.
Ports as laptops get increasingly smaller, the number of ins/outs gets smaller as well. So make sure you have enough to get by.
Now lets check out some laptops already Mac Laptops
With Mac laptops you have 3 options:
Macbook Pro
Macbook Air
Macbook
First, theres the Macbook Pro .
My best guess is Macbook Pros are the single most popular laptops for home recording.
Theyre ultra fast
Theyve got lots of inputs
They have large screen with detailed display, especially the new 16 version
If you can afford it, get it. If not
Then the Macbook and Macbook Air come in TIED at a distant 2nd place .
Theyre not as fast, and they dont have nearly as many inputs, but theyre extremely thin and lightweightthe Macbook Air ESPECIALLY!
So there you go. Check them out:
Macbook Pro (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
Macbook Air (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
Macbook (Amazon/BH/GuitarC/MusicianF)
Up next PC Laptops
On one hand, PC laptops are GREAT
Because you have a virtually unlimited number of options to choose from.
On the other hand, PC laptops SUCK for the exact same reason.
And what I mean by that is
While its nice to have options, the more options you have, the harder it is:
to actually choose one
to be certain youve made the right choice
to be happy with your choice after youve made it
And unfortunately, for music production, there is no clear-cut winner that stands out from all the others.
But as most people agreethe best PC laptops for music tend to be the best PC laptops in general .
So here are 5 of the most popular and well-reviewed options:
HP Envy (Amazon/BH)
Asus Zenbook (Amazon/BH)
LG Gram (Amazon/BH)
Dell Inspiron (Amazon/BH)
Lenovo Yoga 3 (Amazon)
Up next DAW System Requirements Best Computer For Music Recording
One important point worthy of mention that rarely gets discussed
Is the system requirements for your DAW of choice.
Even though these days, most computers are compatible with most DAWs
In some rare casestheyre NOT , so you should always double check just to make sure.
If you dont have a preferred DAW yet, or dont even know what a DAW is, then dont worry about this part.
However for those of you that DO, here are the links to the system requirements for each of todays top DAWs:
Up next 3 Essential Computer Accessories
Once youve finally chosen a computer, next come the ACCESSORIES.
For recording studios , the 3 accessories I recommend are:
a keyboard
a mouse
a monitor
Now heres what you want from each one 1. The Keyboard
While any old keyboard will do
Your ideal keyboard should include 3 features:
DAW shortcut markers which help you memorize all those shortcuts WAY faster.
A number pad which includes a TON of useful shortcuts for most DAWs.
A wireless connection which allows you access to your transport controls from anywhere in the room.
NOTE : Even if you have a laptop, you may still find it worthwhile to buy an external keyboard. Thats how useful they are .
Now here are my 2 favorites:
Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard besides having a number pad and a wireless connection, this keyboard has one unique feature that you almost never see: solar power. That means no batteries or cables ever.
PC (Amazon/BH)
Mac (Amazon/BH)
LogicKeyboard Custom DAW Keyboards (website) easily the most well-known maker of software shortcut markers, LogicKeyboard has both custom keyboards and skin layovers for virtually every DAW/keyboard combo imaginable.
Up next 2. The Mouse
Againwhile any old mouse (or trackpad) will do
With a really good mouse
A few programmable buttons can give you access to your most frequently used DAW shortcuts without ever touching your keyboard.
And this one tool can speed up your workflow significantly .
While there are an almost infinite number of these mice to choose fromI suggest Logitech.com as a good place to start your search.
My personal favorite mouse in their line is the Logitech MX Ergo (Amazon/BH). If youre not sure what to get, I highly recommend it.
For some other great options, check these out as well:
Logitech MX Master 2S (Amazon/BH)
Logitech MX Anywhere 2S (Amazon/BH) 3. The Computer Monitor
When you first start out with home recording
You probably wont recognize the value of REALLY GOOD monitor right away.
But eventually, after working without one for a while
Youll notice 3 things:
Low resolution screens can only display a small number of tracks at once.
Flat screen TVs often look pixelated, and are awkward to view from close up.
Screens with slower refresh rates cant display level meters in sync with the track.
Any one of these problems alone is annoying. All 3 together will drive you crazy.
And once that happens, I highly suggest getting a good external monitor.
For a good high-end option, here is an example of something that would work well:
LG 27 4k (Amazon/BH)
As an alternative, any standard monitor (such as this one) will work almost as well, such as he HP 27er . Best Computer For Music And Pictures
Click here to compare prices (Amazon/BH)
