When it comes to music production, performance is everything. However, there’s much more than that. It’s important to consider your needs and types of tasks you’ll be performing.
This way, you won’t only find the most powerful laptop that will definitely be able to handle your tasks, yet you will find the most suitable laptop for your personal needs.
Here are some things to consider before making a decision.
• Laptop screen size
• How powerful does your laptop need to be?
• Type of tasks/software you do and use
• Is battery life important for you?
• Are there any special requirements you need to consider?
Instead of going for the most powerful laptop, you should go for the laptop that will make you feel comfortable and very happy about the decision. There is much more than performance.
Everyone uses their laptop differently, and that’s why you need a laptop that will make you love and enjoy music tasks even more.
CPU:
The CPU (Central) or processor of your computer is probably the most important thing when it comes not only to music production but everything else in general. A lot of people refer to the CPU as the brain of the computer.
If the CPU isn’t powerful enough to handle an application it either won’t run the application or your system will crash since its too much for your CPU. Sadly, most music editing software uses up the majority of your CPU’s processing power.
In fact, one of the more high-end audio editing software out there, Presonus Studio One, can take up a lot from your CPU. There are even cases of high-end PCs like the Macbook Pro having trouble with Presonus Studio One with the program taking up 7 out of their 8 cores!
A good CPU will have good clock speed and a good number of cores. The more cores a CPU has, the more parallel processing it can do. This simply means the more parallel processing it can do, the faster the processing time is.
Clock speed is measured in gigahertz (GHz). A laptop with 2 GHz can perform up to 2,000,000,000 clock cycles per second. A general rule of thumb is that the higher the GHz, the faster your CPU can perform the task.
This isn’t always the case since you have the model of the processor also matters. The latest model of processors at the moment is the core i7. And the newer the model, the better it functions so a core i5 performs way better than a core i3.
So to put it simply any CPU with a frequency of 2.2 GHz or more, a core model of i5 or i7 (preferably i7), and with 4 or more cores are usually more than enough to handle most audio editing software.
I5 Or I7 Processor For Music Production?
When it comes to producing music, it’s basically all about the software you’ll be using.
Now, the software might not have high requirements, but it’ll definitely require more power once you set up your tracks, extensions, plugins, and effects.
i7 has some of the best and the latest processors, and if you can afford it, we’d recommend you to go for it.
On the other hand, i5 processor is still a great option for making music, but you’ll just have to pay attention to go with some of the best i5 processors, and you won’t have anything to worry about.
RAM:
The more RAM you have the better! RAM stands for random-access memory which is a form of memory that allows your computers to store short-term data such as applications.
In short, RAM temporarily stores the memory of software applications like your audio editing software. Not all applications are created equally and some consume more RAM than others.
This means a 2GB laptop is out of the question since you’ll probably want to browse the internet while working on your music.
A 4GB laptop should be the minimum if you want to run multiple applications but we really recommend that you go higher than that. Laptops of 8 GB or above are what we recommend that you use since you’ll have a much easier time running multiple programs along with your editing software.
As we’ve said before, the more RAM the better! It will also make it easier to render audio files, saving you a lot of time.
It’s also good to take note that the DDR generation of RAM matters. It’s very similar to processors that the newer generation RAMS have are much better. So if you were to choose between a DDR3 and a DDR4 RAM, go for the DDR4.
In short, go for the laptop with more RAM and choose the newer generation RAMs if you can. So a DDR4 RAM with more than 4GB is ideal for music production.
Graphics Card
You don’t really need a high-end graphics card to do music production. However, Integrated graphics won’t do since they can’t handle heavy graphical options.
They’re basically your laptops basic graphics card and they are used to run simple applications that don’t require heavy graphics.
This is why we highly recommend dedicated graphics card since they are specifically built to handle the graphics performance of your computer.
We do recommend you get a good graphics card for your laptop. Since you’ll probably be running multiple audio editing software at the same time. This can be quite taxing to your system so a good graphics card can help lighten the load.
So to summarize, any graphics card as long as it’s not an integrated graphics card.
Storage:
If you’re going to dive into music production, then you’re going to need a lot of space. Although audio files don’t take up much space, it’s better safe than sorry.
So try to go for HDDs with at least 250 GB of space. 250 GB might seem excessive but you’ll also need that storage space for other applications as well. And if you’re the type who likes to keep movies and large playlists, the extra space might be needed.
You can also try SSDs since they can boost your computer’s loading speed and performance. However, it’s not really needed unless you want things to be more convenient for you.
So to summarize, at least 250 GB if you are using that laptop for other reasons aside from music production.
Display:
Last but not least is the screen size. This is more subjective than the others but ideally, you want a screen big enough that is comfortable for your eyes. If you’re squinting your eyes using 12-inch screens then a 15-inch screen is ideal for you.
Best Laptop Computer For Recording Music At Home?
When you’re trying to make a home studio, you’ll have to carefully choose every component.
Recording music and audio production at home are very possible nowadays, and it’s becoming way more popular than ever before. If you happen to choose any of these laptops from the list above, you’ll have a powerful laptop computer for music producers no matter where you are.
Nothing changes the fact you’ll be working from the comfort of your home.
Therefore, you don’t need to break your head thinking about home music recording, and only focus on the music recording and production needs.
Now, if you’re planning to use Ableton for recording music at home, we’d always recommend going with the best laptops for music and audio production, if possible.
Windows Vs Mac For Music Production Debate
We take a look at the essential factors that guide the buying decisions of most music producers in the windows vs mac debate. They include:
User Interface
In terms of which interface offers ease of use to the consumer, the Mac comes out tops. For one, it offers a navigation system that optimizes a workflow process.
Therefore, it is easier for producers to move seamlessly from one app to another.
In Mac these items are separated according to type and placed in separate folders.
Also, unlike Windows which stores samples, loops and plugins across various locations, in Mac these items are separated according to type and placed in separate folders.
Software And Plugin Compatibility
Audio plugins and virtual studio technology (VST) are a music producer’s best friend. But, when it comes to developing these softwares and plugins, coders opt to create them for the Windows system.
As a result, the software and plugin options available for Mac are limited. Also, most of these VSTs are available for free on the internet. The same cannot be said for Mac where the limited offerings require purchase.
The availability of VST makes the cost of music production on Windows cheaper than on the Mac.
However, when it comes to digital audio workstation (DAW), the Mac is more flexible. Mac users do not have to worry about errors due to incompatibility which most Windows users have to face.
Cost Effective Performance
A major downfall for the Mac is that for every one of it, it is possible to find several Windows alternative. Although Mac systems are generally built to handle large chunks of data, their price is a bit on the high end.
For the same specs offered by a Mac PC, a music producer can find a much cheaper Windows option with the same capabilities. Therefore, for the budget conscious producer, a Mac product may not be at the top of the to buy list.
Also, when it comes to upgrades, Windows systems are not rigid. If you need a higher storage space, you can swap out the old one, your sound system not performing the way you want? You can get a new one but the same cannot be said of Mac.
Quality Of Drivers
In terms of drivers, music producers have to choose between the option of Asio for Windows or CoreAudio for Mac.
Asio drivers are good for device configurations, however, tweaking them is a major challenge. On the other hand, CoreAudio offers the option of plug and play as all devices are aggregated under one driver control panel. It is also specifically programmed for sound control of Mac systems.
You might be able to improve the performance and latency of the Asio driver after a few tweaks but the functionality and user interface will not be as smooth as CoreAudio which needs no configuration.
System Support
In a Windows system, music producers have the liberty to customize, optimize and enhance both the internal and external parts of the PC. The same cannot be easily said for Mac which offers limited control option to the user.
Also, Apple are known for their abandonment problems. Once there is a new release of software or hardware, support for old ones is hard to come by.
For a more reliable long term solution, Windows is a better option.
Conclusion
After reviewing and comparing some of the best laptops for audio production and music production, it’s fair to say that there’s a laptop on this list suitable for almost everyone.
We think that it’s important to know your needs and have a clear goal of what you’re looking to get from the laptop. Instead of just getting the most powerful laptop to handle all your music production tasks, hopefully, you’ve learned how important your needs are and your way of work.
Whatever your choice is for the best laptops for music production, you won’t be disappointed with any of these laptops from the list we have carefully selected.
