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Like desktops, hardware plays an important role in finding out what a laptop for music production can do. If the laptop houses better components, it will cost you more.
So, you should consider the primary role of the laptop and choose hardware accordingly. For example, a laptop purchased to write documents and browse the internet doesn’t need a video processor or powerful processor.
However, the best laptop for music production depends on the type of music that you are going to record. And, you need to evaluate certain things like the ones mentioned below before making the purchase.
How complex is the project? How many tracks are you planning to record at once? Do you intend to record a whole orchestra? Will you produce the tracks using MIDI or simple audio? Will you run plenty of plugins or effects?
These are some of the many questions that you might have in your mind. Music production needs vary from one person to another. This is why it is important to understand what to consider before buying a laptop for music production.
This guide helps you understand the confusing terms when it comes to computer hardware. Moreover, you get a laptop that can record a fair amount of complex stuff, giving you the feeling of recording in a home studio.
What CPU do I need for music production?
Whenever you are looking for a microprocessor, you come across the terms “quad-core” and “dual-core”. Also, you see terms such as “GHz” and so on. The CPU is the most important thing to consider when you are looking for the best laptop for music production.
And, you have to consider certain factors. However, these days, laptops come with either a dual-core or quad-core CPU. There are two CPUs on a dual-core and four CPUs on a quad-core processor. More CPU cores mean more power for your computing tasks.
Next, comes the frequency of the processor. It is measured in gigahertz or GHz. CPU frequency makes a lot of difference when performing tasks. So, if you want faster results, the frequency of the CPU should be higher.
When it comes to buying a laptop for music production based on CPU, try to choose the newer versions. A CPU with the latest generation can provide you with great computing speed.
So, whether it is Intel or AMD that you are planning to buy, pay attention to the number of cores and frequency. A microprocessor with frequencies between 3.0GHz and 3.5GHz with dual-core CPUs should be a perfect choice.
However, if budget is not a constraint you can buy a laptop with a quad-core CPU that has at least 2.6GHz frequency.
How much RAM is good for a music production laptop?
With most music production software now supporting a 64-bit structure, they can access an unlimited amount of RAM. It means music producers can create more complex and larger project files. Also, do not forget about the plugins.
So, how much RAM do you need? To get started, your laptop should have at least 4GB RAM. However, the more RAM you can have aboard, the better will be your experience in producing music.
8GB of RAM is the sweet spot for many music producers. But if you are running intensive programs or creating complex content, 16GB of RAM will be the ultimate choice. Keep in mind that having too much RAM won’t make things faster.
Having more RAM can improve your graphic designing work or gaming, though. We have separate posts on laptop for graphic design buying guide and laptop for gaming buying guide. These posts give you insights on what factors to consider when buying a laptop for graphic designing or gaming.
How much storage do I need for music production?
When you are producing music, you may notice something. The project files are using plenty of disk space. If you think music files and documents or image files are almost similar, you may need to rethink.
Storing music project files is about gigabytes and not megabytes. So, as with the CPU and RAM, the higher the better. But, what is the minimum requirement? You may need a significant amount of memory to run your DAW programs and plugins.
But, when you are using a laptop for audio production, you don’t have to go hard on storage. Unless you are having an external hard drive, 128GB of internal storage will do the trick. However, the more storage the better will be for you to manage the project files in a single place.
Therefore, a laptop with 256GB or 500GB internal storage should be perfect for your needs. Moreover, spending too much money on having an internal storage of 1TB or more is not worth it. Rather, you should invest in the CPU and RAM.
What about using SSD for music production?
Buying a laptop for music production with an SSD as internal storage is not necessary. While it’s a luxury if you can afford it, many people are happy with HDDs.
As you know, there are two types of hard drives: HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and SSD (Solid State Drive). An HDD has movable parts whereas an SSD doesn’t have one. When the disk spins, the system reads the information on it.
SSD, on the other hand, works like a USB drive. However, it is much bigger and built into the laptop. The system assesses the information stored on the microchips inside the SSD. In short, an SSD performs better than an HDD.
But it comes with a hefty price tag, as well. A laptop with an HDD drive will give you good performance. If there is a need in the future, you can always upgrade it to an SSD. The reality is that the majority of the data will be stored in RAM when you are producing music. So, having lots of RAM is better than having an SSD.
On the flip side, if the audio production software needs to load a huge number of samples into RAM, it will access from the hard drive. Given the situation, the need for an SSD might be higher. Although SSDs are not essential, you can find them on every laptop these days.
What should be the screen size for a laptop for music production?
The screen size of a laptop depends on how you can use it with the software. Also, it depends on how portable you would want it to be. Most people who are creating music tend to opt for a laptop with a 15-inch screen rather than a 17-inch one.
Moreover, you can always connect the laptop with an external monitor to have a better experience. While some people have trouble working with DAWs on a 15-inch screen, it’s more about a personal preference.
Anything less than 15 inches will make it hard for you to work in DAWs. On top of that, you have to connect the laptop to an external monitor most of the time. If you like to work on an external monitor, make sure that it has a 1080p resolution. You may find monitors with 1080i resolution. But it is rare. Check out our post on the differences between 1080p and 1080i resolution monitors to know more.
How important are USB port types when buying a laptop for music production?
USB connectivity is an important feature that you should look out for. If the music production project is not that big, it is good to have a few USB ports. We would recommend you buy a laptop that has at least 3 USB ports.
But having 4 ports comes in handy, especially for connecting devices such as MIDI controllers, drives, dongles, and so on. With modern laptops, you can find a variety of USB ports. Depending on the laptop manufacturer, you can have USB 2.0, USB 3.0, or USB 3.1.
On MacBooks and UltraBooks, you can find USB-C ports. These are used with technologies that include Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.2 Gen 1 & Gen2, and DisplayPort. Again, these ports vary from one manufacturer to another.
However, if you intend to connect the laptop to an external monitor for big-screen work, ensure it has the right connectors. These might include a DisplayPort, USB-C, or HDMI port. On older models, you can even find a VGA port.
Your laptop will be the center of your music production. Therefore, it is wise to invest a considerable amount of money to buy a laptop that gives you outstanding performance.
Conclusion:
Hopefully, this post on the best laptop for music production will help you make an informed decision when buying one. The market is filled with laptops loaded with features. However, it makes sense not to go after an expensive product thinking that it will provide the best performance
Keep in mind that your laptop won’t perform like a rocket despite having the most advanced specs. Your aim should be to buy a laptop that has a good balance of power and affordability. For example, a laptop with a 3.0 GHz processor, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB internal storage can give you more than decent performance.
The laptop you want to buy for music production is your ultimate home studio. Hence, make sure that you spend money by evaluating your needs. As such, you will get the right music production laptop and make impressive compositions with little effort.
Laptop for Music Production: FAQ
1. Which one is good for music production: Desktop or laptop?
Whether you need a laptop or a desktop for music production depends on your specific needs. There are many things to consider when it comes to choosing between a desktop and a laptop for music creation. A good reason to consider a laptop for music production is because of the portability it offers. Not only it helps you to carry the device easily but it takes less space compared to a desktop. Besides, the best laptop for music production comes with powerful specs that run a DAW efficiently.
2. Are there differences? i3 vs i5 vs i7
Yes, there are differences between them. Typically, i3, i5, and i7 refer to the types of CPU produced by Intel. The numbers suggest that you get improvement in performance as you go up. So, i3 processors will have reduced performance than the i7 processors. For example, i7 processors will have a large cache that allows you to do repetitive tasks effortlessly. However, with increased performance, the price increases, too. Pay attention to the number of cores and frequency.
3. How important is a 32 or 64-bit operating system for a laptop for music production?
The basic difference between a 32-bit and a 64-bit operating system is that the latter is better. It is like comparing a car and a bike in terms of speed. As said earlier, the more RAM you have, the better. A 32-bit operating system can run up to 4 GB of RAM. If you want more useable RAM, you need a 64-bit operating system.
Modern-day laptops come with 64-bit operating systems with either Windows 10 or Windows 11 pre-loaded. For Macbooks after 2008, it will have a 64-bit operating system. Hence, there should not be a problem with it if you are buying a new laptop.
4. Can you use an external drive to store your audio files?
If you buy a laptop with high specs, chances are that it will have enough space. As such, you can easily store audio data on the internal drive. But if you want your laptop to perform better, considering an external drive is worth your investment. It will allow the internal drive to run the operating system and your editing software. It is good to buy an SSD external drive with at least 500 GB of storage space.
5. Do I need a sound card for audio production?
If you are planning to use an audio instrument with the laptop, you may need a sound card. In that case, you may need to use something called an audio interface that behaves like an external soundcard. However, this is rare and most small music studios do not need a soundcard.
6. PC or Mac: Which one is best for a home studio?
For some people, moving to a Mac from a Windows PC brought good results. They didn’t experience latency, unlike a Windows PC. However, Windows has improved significantly in terms of performance. If you are more into small music production projects, both PC and Mac should be fine.
But you should make sure about the type of software you want to use. For example, Logic Pro is only for Mac. Still, most DAWs will perform great on both operating systems. People who use Ableton Live say that it works great on both Windows and Mac. Before buying a laptop for music production make sure which DAW you are going to use.