12 Best Laptops for Musicians With Buyer's Guide

In 2020 and beyond, musicians need to rely on technology in this digital world. Whether you are a DJ, producer, or musician, you need either a good desktop or a proper laptop to meet your needs. And since laptops also offer portability, we decided to devote today’s article to the best laptops for musicians.

If you are looking for the best laptop for music production or the best laptop for recording music, you came to the right place. Throughout this article, you will learn all you need to know about the best laptops for musicians, especially in the ‘Buyer’s Guide’ section.

You will also find 12 currently best laptops for musicians presented in details to potentially help you narrow down your selection. We divided those into three categories according to your budget, which will help you out if you are looking for cheap laptops for music production as well.

So are you ready to dig in and learn all you need about the best laptops for musicians? Let’s do this.

Do You Need A Laptop For Music Production?

As a musician in 2020, having a computer is a must. However, having a laptop or a desktop is still a decision that you must make according to your needs. For instance, if you are a DJ or music producer that is often on the go, then you probably want to have your machine with you, which means that a laptop would be a better choice.

Generally speaking, most musicians find laptops better because they offer them the flexibility and make their music editing, composing, and producing portable.

So, to answer the question above: you do not necessarily need a laptop for music production, you can still use a desktop. However, using one of the best laptops for musicians does seem like a more convenient option for most individuals in the music industry.

What Kind Of Laptop Is Good For Music Production?

This question can’t be answered that easily because there are many factors to be considered. The most important aspect that determines the specifications that the best laptop for music production should contain, is Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) that you plan on using. The second most important aspect is to determine, which operating system (OS) you want to use. Are you an Apple fan or do you prefer to work with Windows?

Once you have decided on the above, you are ready to move on and start looking at the specific best laptops for musicians, the ones that meet your DAW, and OS choice.

You will need proper CPU, RAM, cooling, and more if you were to purchase the best laptop for music production.

If your budget is unlimited, you could focus on getting a laptop that has the following or better specs:

Processor (CPU): 2.2Ghz i7 Quad-Core processor with a 64-bit operating system
Storage: 512GB SSD
Memory (RAM): 16 GB
Display Size: 15”

However, the above specs are too general and also might be more than you need or that your budget can handle. By choosing the right kind of DAW, you can use less capable laptops and still get proper results and thus save some money.

As the minimum specs for the best laptops for musicians on a budget, we can set the following:

Processor (CPU): 2.2Ghz i7 Quad-Core processor with a 64-bit operating system
Storage: 256GB SSD
Memory (RAM): 4 GB
Display Size: 15” (recommendation)

To help you make the best and informed decision, we prepared a lot of useful information. First, have a look at the things to consider when choosing the best laptops for musicians. Then, take a look at the 12 best laptops for musicians (stick to your budget).

And if you decide to look beyond the list of 12 best laptops for musicians presented herein, make sure to go through the buyer’s guide below.

12 Best Laptops for Musicians

We finally got to the section that many of you have been looking to the most. Herein you will be able to take a closer look at 4 best laptops for musicians in each of the three budget categories, including the ‘under $1000’, the ‘$1000 to $1500’, and the ‘$1500 and above’.

4 Best Budget Laptops for Musicians (Under $1000)

If you are on a tight budget, you may want to pay attention to this category. We did our research to find 4 best laptops for musicians that will cost you less than $1000. Of course, you must expect lower performance compared to the more expensive models.

1. Acer Aspire 7 Laptop

This powerful all-metal design laptop comes with a 9th Gen chipset. It packs the i7-9750 CPU that peaks at an impressive 4.5GHz. It also packs 16GB of RAM, which is more than enough. It also comes with an SSD disk of 512GB to cover your storage needs.

The laptop is powered by a lithium-ion battery that is rated to last approximately 8.5 hours of steady use and about 6 hours of average use. This is quite impressive if you plan to spend time producing music on the locations that make charging challenging.

The Aspire 7 comes with 3 different types of USB ports, an HDMI, an RJ-45, and a headphone/microphone combination jack, which should be all that most musicians should need.

All of the above makes the Acer Aspire 7 one of the best laptops for musicians under $1000.

Specifications:

Brand: Acer
Product Dimensions: 36.14 x 25.43 x 2.29 cm;
Item Weight: 2.3 Kilograms
Batteries: 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required (included)
Standing screen display size: 15.6 Inches
Resolution: 1080p Full HD
Processor: 9th Generation Intel Core i7-9750h 6-Core Processor (Up to 4. 5GHz)
Processor Count: 6
RAM Size: 16 GB
Memory Technology: DDR4
Computer Memory Type: DDR4 SDRAM
Memory Clock Speed: 2666 MHz
Hard Disk Description: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Graphics Chipset: NVidia GeForce GTX 1050 with 3 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
Graphics Card Description: Dedicated
Graphics Card Interface: Integrated
Connectivity Type: Wi-Fi
Wireless Type: 802.11ac
Average Battery Life: 6 Hours
Lithium Battery Energy Content: 56 Watt Hours
Number Of Lithium Ion Cells: 3

2. MacBook Air

If you are an Apple fan and determined to get a new laptop, the new MacBook Air is your only choice when looking at the price tag below $1000. There is an upgraded version of MacBook Air available as well but runs at $1300.

This laptop is still pretty amazing and well capable of being your best laptop for music production, however, specs-wise it is not able to match the above model.

It packs 8GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD storage, and a 1.1GHz dual-core 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, which may struggle with high-demanding music producing tasks. Luckily it also offers a Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz that will help manage advanced work.

The laptop packs three built-in microphones and great speakers, touch ID, 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, Magic keyboard, Intel Iris Plus graphics, and a very impressive battery that can go up to 12 hours.

Specifications:

Colors: Gold, Space Gray, Silver
Display: Retina display, 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors; 16:10 aspect ratio, True Tone technology
Processor: 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3, Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz, with 4MB L3 cache
Extra features: Touch ID sensor; Camera (720p FaceTime HD camera); Bluetooth 5.0
Storage: 256GB PCIe-based SSD (Configurable to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD)
Memory: 8GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X onboard memory (Configurable to 16GB of memory)
Battery and Power: Up to 11 hours wireless web; Up to 12 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 30 days of standby time; Built-in 49.9‑watt‑hour lithium‑polymer battery; 30W USB-C Power Adapter; USB-C power port
Size: Height: 0.16–0.63 inch; Width: 11.97 inches; Depth: 8.36 inches
Weight: 2.8 pounds
Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
Charging and Expansion: Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for: Charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt (up to 40Gb/s), USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s)
Audio: Stereo speakers, Wide stereo sound, Support for Dolby Atmos playback, Three-mic array with directional beamforming, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Wireless: 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
Backlit Magic Keyboard
OS: macOS

3. Dell XPS 13 (9370)

Dell XPS 13 (9370) is another solid choice for the best laptop for music production for under $1000. Dell has always been the symbol of quality and this model represents that. It will provide you with 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD, 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U Processor, and 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Infinity Edge display.

Comparing this to the specification requirement/recommendations listed in the previous sections, you can see that its storage could be larger and processor more powerful, for it to be the best laptop for musicians. It also comes with a smaller, 13” display. Luckily, the display has touchscreen capabilities, which can be highly practical.

Despite all these potential limitations, the Dell XPS 13 remains a great relatively affordable choice.

Note: There are other Dell XPS 13 with even more impressive specs available, however, those will cost you more than $1000.

Specifications:

Processor: 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.4 GHz)
Battery: 52WHr long-lasting battery and for constant charging, it also features a 45W AC adapter
Storage: 128 GB (SSD)
RAM: 8GB
Memory Clock Speed: 1866 MHz
Display: 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Infinity Edge display
OS: Window (Windows 10 preloaded)
Graphics Coprocessor: Intel UHD Graphics 620 (integrated)
Item Weight: 2.67 Pounds
Touchscreen
Wireless Type: 802.11a
Dimensions: 19.91 x 30.18 x 0.76 cm

4. HP 2020 15 Premium Laptop

The HP 2020 15 Premium Laptop is another great choice under $1000. It offers a large 15.6” display, which is a huge plus side. Moreover, it packs a touchscreen, which can make many adjustments super-fast with the use of the finger.

The laptop also comes with sufficient storage in form of a 512GB SSD disc. It also has all the ports one may need, including 4USB ports (Type A and C), HDMI port, Display Port, and headphones/microphone combo jack.

The HP 2020 15 Premium Laptop packs 16GB of RAM, which is more than enough to cover all your music editing needs.

Its processor may not be as impressive as other specs, however, 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 should be able to cover your music editing needs.

This laptop is slightly on the heavy side, weighing 4.49 pounds.

However, for under $1000, the specs on this laptop are quite impressive.

Specifications:

Series: HP i5 touch
Processor: 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1; quad-core 1 0 GHz Base frequency
Battery: 41 WHr
Storage: 512 GB (SSD)
RAM: 16GB
Memory Clock Speed: 2666 MHz
Display: 15.6 Inches; max. res. 1366 x 768 Pixels
OS: Window (Windows 10 preloaded)
Graphics Coprocessor: Intel Graphics_coprocessor
Item Weight: 4.49 Pounds
Touchscreen
Wireless Type: Bluetooth, 802.11ac
Number of USB 3.0 Ports: 3
Dimensions: 19 x 12 x 3 inches

4 Best Mid-Range Laptops for Musicians ($1000 to $1500)

1. Dell XPS 15

Dell XPS 15 comes in several options, we recommend going with the one packing 16GB RAM and 512GB storage.

If you want quality, Dell is the right brand. This model includes all the specification requirements for the most demanding tasks and also the 15” display that was missing in the XPS 13 presented above.

Specifications:

Processor: Up to 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-9750H
Operating System: Runs on Windows 10 Home
Graphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5
Display: 15.6-in. display (non-touch) (touch screen option available)
Hard Drive: Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Memory: Up to 32GB DDR4-2666MHz, 2x16G
Ports: 1 HDMI v2.0 port, 1 Thunderbolt™ 3 with Power Delivery and DisplayPort, 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, 1 Universal audio jack, 1 SD-card reader, 1 Wedge-shaped lock slot
Dimensions: 0.45-0.66 x 14.06 x 9.7 inches
Weight: 4lbs
Wireless: Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 6-Cell, 97 WHr, Integrated battery

2. HP Spectre x360

The HP Spectre x360 is a “2-in-1″ laptop, meaning that the 4K touchscreen folds backward, effectively making it a tablet, which can be extremely practical.

The laptop includes both a USB Type-A port (the stand rectangle) and 2x USB Type-C ports (the new oval) that includes Thunderbolt. An SD Card reader and an HDMI port are also included.

There are various alterations to this model available, so go with the one that meets your needs. We recommend the one with 512GB storage (other upgrades are not necessary) for you to have the best laptop for recording music on your hands.

Note: In case you want a smaller version, you can go with a 13” option.

Specifications:

OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 10 Home 64/Windows 10 Pro 64
PROCESSOR, GRAPHICS & MEMORY: Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 (up to 4.7 GHz, 12 MB L3 cache, 4 cores) + 16 GB (onboard) +Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
RAM: 16GB
DISPLAY: 15.6″ diagonal 4K UHD, IPS, micro-edge, WLED-backlit, multitouch-enabled, edge-to-edge, 340 nits (3840 x 2160)
STORAGE: 512 GB PCIe® NVMe™ M.2 SSD
PRIMARY BATTERY: 6-cell, 72.9 Wh Li-ion polymer
WEBCAM: HP Wide Vision 720p HD camera with integrated dual array digital microphones
WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY: Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2×2) and Bluetooth® 5 combo (Supporting Gigabit file transfer speeds)
BATTERY RECHARGE TIME: Supports battery fast charge: approximately 50% in 30 minutes
AUDIO: Audio by Bang & Olufsen; HP Audio Boost
POINTING DEVICE: Precision Touchpad Support
EXPANSION SLOTS: 1 microSD media card reader
EXTERNAL I/O PORTS: 2 Thunderbolt™ 4 with USB4™ Type-C® 40Gbps signaling rate (USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort™ 1.4, HP Sleep and Charge); 1 SuperSpeed USB Type-A 10Gbps signaling rate (HP Sleep and Charge); 1 Mini DisplayPort™ via Type-C®; 1 HDMI 2.0b via Type-C®; 1 headphone/microphone combo
POWER SUPPLY: 90 W Smart AC power adapter (models with integrated graphics) 135 W Smart AC power adapter (models with discrete graphics)
DIMENSIONS (W X D X H): 14.17 x 8.91 x 0.79 in
WEIGHT: Starting at 4.23 lb

3. Asus ROG Strix Scar II

The Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL504GW-DS74 is an impressive gaming laptop, with performance capable to accommodate your music producing needs with ease. This makes it a perfect laptop for your music recording and mixing needs, especially if you like playing games as well.

It comes with a powerful dedicated graphics card NVIDIA RTX 2070. The extra GPU power can come in handy when you start plugging in 2 or 3 external monitors.

It also incorporates improved cooling, which also keeps your computer quieter. That way you won’t be picking up fan noise when recording.

The laptop packs a powerful 6 core processor – Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and very impressive 512GB NVMe SSD. Included are 3x USB 3.0 ports, 1x USB Type-C port, 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI, 1x Mini DisplayPort.

Specifications:

Brand: ASUS
RAM: 16 GB, DDR4 SDRAM
Standing screen display size: 15.6 Inches
Max Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Pixels
Memory Speed: 2666 MHz
Graphics Coprocessor: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
Card Description: Dedicated
Graphics Card Ram Size: 8 GB
Wireless Type: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth
Number of USB 3.0 Ports: 3
Operating System: Windows 10 Home
Item Weight: 5.29 pounds
Product Dimensions: 14.2 x 10.3 x 1 inches
Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H
Processor Count: 6
Flash Memory Size: 512GB
Hard Drive Interface: Solid State
Hard Drive Rotational Speed: 10000 RPM
Batteries: 1 Lithium-ion batteries required. (included)

4. MacBook Pro 13”

For an Apple fan, the MacBook Pro 13” would be the best choice in this price range. There are two options available below $1500, and we recommend you get the one with 512GB storage.

If you don’t mind the smaller display, this may just be your best laptop for recording music. With 512GB storage, 8GB RAM, and 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, should be able to cover all your music recording/editing needs.

Specifications:

Processor: 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5; Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
RAM: 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 13-inch Retina display with True Tone
Magic Keyboard
Touch Bar and Touch ID
Two Thunderbolt 3 ports

4 Best High-End Laptops for Musicians ($1500 and above)

1. MacBook Pro 16”

15-inch MacBook Pro is no longer available, MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) is the new leading Apple’s laptop and as such the first choice for the best laptop for music production by many.

Its design is fabulous and is a proud Apple’s representative. It offers an amazing display, as well as the latest and greatest components behind it.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best laptops for DJs and other content creators. It comes with amazing (and loud) speakers and an improved keyboard, which all makes music production great and effortless.

MacBook Pro 16” comes in two versions, and we believe the “lighter” version to be all that is needed from the best laptop for music production. It packs a 2.6GHz 6-core 9th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of 2666MHz DDR4 memory, and 512GB of SSD storage.

Note: MacBook Pro is also available in 13” variation, which is slightly more affordable, starting at $1299 (see the previous subsection).

Specifications:

Processor: 2.6GHz 6-core 9th-generation Intel Core i7; Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz
Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory
RAM: 16GB of 2666MHz DDR4 memory
Storage: 512GB of SSD ¹
Display: 16-inch Retina display with True Tone
Magic Keyboard
Touch Bar and Touch ID
Four Thunderbolt 3 ports

2. Microsoft Surface Book 3 (15”)

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is extremely powerful and practical as it transforms into a tablet, which offers you extreme performance under your touchscreen device. It packs a quad-core powered, 10th Gen Intel Core processors, which enables it to be 50% faster than Surface Book 2.

This powerful laptop packs an impressive graphics card, NVIDIA GTX GeForce GPU. It also offers an amazing battery that is capable of offering up to 15.5 hours of run time. Available with 16 or 32GB of RAM, and 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB SSD storage.

It offers all the connections you need, including USB-A, USB-C, and a full-size SD card slot.

Specifications:

Weight: 4.20 lb (1,905 g) including keyboard
Dimensions: 13.5″ x 9.87″ x 0.568-0.90″
Display: Screen: 15” PixelSense™ Display; Resolution: 3240 x 2160, (260 PPI); 10 point multi-touch G5; Aspect ratio: 3:2; Contrast ratio: 1600:1
Memory: 16GB or 32GB 3733Mhz LPDDR4x
Processor: Quad-core 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1065G7 Processor
Battery life: connected to keyboard base: Up to 17.5 hours of typical device usage
Graphics: Intel® Core™ i7-1065G7 models: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design w/6GB GDDR6 graphics memory
Storage: Solid-state drive (SSD) options: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB PCIe SSD
Connections: 2 x USB-A (version 3.1 Gen 2), 1 x USB-C® (version 3.1 Gen 2 with USB Power Delivery revision 3.0), 3.5mm headphone jack, 2 x Surface Connect ports (one on keyboard base, one on tablet), Full-size SDXC card reader, Compatible with Surface Dial* on- and off-screen interaction
Wireless: Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible; Bluetooth Wireless 5.0 technology; Xbox Wireless built-in

3. Razer Blade 15

The Razer Blade 15 comes in various alterations, with different processors, graphics cards, and other tweaks, which can all vary from $1599 up to $4299. As far as the best laptops for musicians are concerned, the most affordable Razer Blade 15 is all one needs. But a 512GB storage option and slightly better graphics card at $1799, is also worth considering.

The Razor Blade 15 packs Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD.

Specifications:

Processor: 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-10750H 6 Core (2.6GHz/5.0GHz)
OS: Windows 10 Home
Display: 15.6″ Full HD 144Hz, 100% sRGB, 4.9 mm bezel, factory calibrated
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6 VRAM)
Storage: 256GB SSD (M.2 NVMe)
Memory: 16GB Dual-Channel (8GB x 2) DDR4-2933MHz
Keyboard: Single-zone RGB powered by Razer Chroma™
Connectivity: Intel® Wireless-AX201 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax), Bluetooth® 5.1, Gigabit Ethernet
Input & Output: USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB-A) x 2, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt™ 3 (USB-C)
Audio: Built-in Stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo port, Built-in array microphone, Dolby® Atmos support, 7.1 Codec support (via HDMI)
Additional Features: Razer Synapse 3 enabled with programmable keyboard, Intel® Platform Trust Technology (Intel® PTT) security embedded, Kensington™ Security Slot, Built-in HD webcam (1MP / 720P)

4. Lenovo Yoga C940 (15”) Laptop

The Lenovo Yoga C940 (15”) Laptop is another impressive 2-in-1 laptop and as such one of the best laptops for musicians.

It packs all of the requirements needed for even the most demanding music recording or editing tasks. There are a couple of alternative options, but the most powerful one comes with a massive 2TB SSD storage, 16GB of RAM, and the 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-9880H Processor with vPro™.

The great thing about this laptop is that it folds all the way to take the form of a tablet, which can be extremely useful for tasks that can be done using your fingers.

Specifications:

Processor: 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-9880H Processor with vPro™ (2.30 GHz, up to 4.80 GHz with Turbo Boost, 8 Cores, 16 Treads, 16 MB Cache)
Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64
Display: 15.6″ UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS, glossy, touchscreen, 500 nits
Memory: 16 GB DDR4 2666MHz (Soldered)
Hard Drive: 2 TB PCIe SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 4GB
Camera: 720p HD
Pen: Lenovo Active Pen (Garaged)
Fingerprint Reader
Keyboard: Backlit – US English
Wireless: 802.11AX (2 x 2) & Bluetooth® 5.0
Dolby Atmos® Speaker System that immerses you in 3D sound in every mode
Battery: Up to 9 hours* (UHD); Up to 12 hours (FHD); Rapid Charge
Weight: Starting at 4.41 lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D): 13.98” x 9.38” x 0.68-0.77”

Best Laptops for Musicians – Buyer’s Guide

Operating System

Which operating system is suitable for music production? Both Mac OS and Windows are suitable for music production. However, don’t forget that not all DAWs are compatible with all OSs. If you have a particular DAW in mind, make sure to go with the OS that will support it. See the ‘Types of Your Music Production Projects’ subsection above for more details.

Processor Strength

Which computer processors are suitable for music production? Music production is a quite demanding task and thus requires proper CPU. At the moment, we recommend you to go with the 2.2Ghz i7 Quad-Core processor with a 64-bit operating system or better. Both Intel and AMD offer many options that are equivalent to more powerful than this.

RAM

How much memory (RAM) is sufficient for a good music editing laptop? We are starting to sound like an old record, however, to make sure you get the minimum RAM required, you need to consider DAW that you will be using. For some 4GB of RAM is enough, while others require at least 8GB.

Since RAM is very important, we recommend going with 8GB or more if you can afford it.

Storage

How much storage should you choose for a music-making laptop? When it comes to storage, you should aim to have at least 256GB SSD disks under the hood. Though 512GB would be a safer and choice, enabling you to minimize the need for an external disk for quite some time. However, we highly recommend you to use either cloud storage or external disks to back up your work and important audio files.

Graphics Cards

Which graphics cards are suitable for music production? As you can assume, graphics cards are not all that important when it comes to audio and music production. So unless you plan on using your laptop also for graphic designing, video editing, or gaming, you will be well off with the integrated graphics cards.

Screen Size & Resolution

What screen size and resolution are suitable for music production laptops? Unless you are also into graphics design, you do not need 4K resolution for music editing. Moreover, such high resolution can make the control buttons within the DAWs too small. As such, HD resolution is all you need.

When it comes to screen size, we recommend you to aim for 15”, which seems to be the optimal size. If you are on the road a lot and can handle smaller control buttons, 13” may work for you as well. Going for laptops smaller than 13” is not recommended as it will make your music editing rather challenging. However, if you want to enjoy a larger screen, then go for 17” but keep in mind that this will bring in additional weight and reduce the battery life.

Input/Output Ports

What input ports and what output ports should the best laptops for musicians have? Peripheral compatibility is an important aspect to consider. Make sure to consider if you’ll need to connect with any additional music production hardware as part of your work. If you, make sure to check what kind of connectivity (plugs) it requires and whether it is suitable for Windows or Mac or both. Also, consider the OS of people you are working with. It is much easier if you all use the same OS and even DAW.

USB 3.0 connections are a must for proper data transitioning.

Dual-Fan Mechanism

Heat removal is very important when performing any advanced tasks on a laptop. This is where the dual-fan mechanism comes in handy. Moreover, dual-fan also produces way less noise compared to a single fan mechanism. Thus it makes a lot of sense for the best laptops for musicians to have this feature.

Battery Life

Since the main advantage of a laptop over a desktop is its portability, the battery is one of the most important specs. However, it highly depends on the environment you work in. If you only work in areas where plugs are available and easily accessible, you may easily get by with less battery life. Also, remember to consider the laptop’s capability when operating on battery. You want one that is capable of offering its full power even when not charging.

As a guideline, you want a laptop that packs a relatively lightweight and not bulky battery, however, is capable of enabling you to get your typical work done without the need to charge in between.

Things To Consider When Choosing The Best Laptops For Musicians

Below, the most important things to consider when choosing the best laptops for musicians are presented. Make sure to decide on each of those aspects as it will help you narrow down the selection noticeably and make the purchase so much easier.

Types of Your Music Production Projects

It is important to consider the type of music production projects that you work on most regularly. This will tell you what kind of DAW you need and then you will be able to select a proper laptop. Choosing the DAW is very important as some DAWs are limited to Windows and others to Mac OS. Below are the three leading DAWs and the requirement to make them work properly.

Steinberg Cubase:

+ 64-bit operating system (which most are these days)

+ Intel or AMD Multicore (i5 or faster recommended)

+ 8GB RAM (the faster the better)

+ 18GB hard drive space (you will need more for additional content)

Logic Pro 10

+ MacOS 10.12 or later (only)

+ 2.3GHz i5 or higher

+ 4GB of RAM

+ 6GB install disk space, up to an additional 57GB for the full sound library

Ableton Live

+ Windows 7/MacOS X or better

+ 64bit Intel or AMD multi-core (i5 or faster recommended)

+ 4GB minimum RAM, although 8GB recommended

+ 3GB basic installation, 5-76 GB for additional sound content

Your Studio/Working Location

Where do you work on your music most often? Do you want to be able to take your computer with you? If so, are you on the move a lot? If yes, you may want to consider lightweight laptops. Do you have an additional screen to use? If so, you may be able to get by with a 13” laptop.

Budget For Your Laptop

What is your budget? How much money can you spend on your laptop? If you really want the best laptop for recording music, you need to be prepared to pay more than $1500. However, if you can work with a DAW that is not so demanding, you can get your best laptop for music production for under $1000.

We recommend sticking to your upper limit because that way you will be able to get a better laptop, the one that will serve you properly longer and thus perhaps even save you money in the long run.

Amount and Type of Storage You Need

The DAW alone doesn’t take up so much space, no more than 8GB, however, you need additional storage capacity for the music you create and for the sound library. As such, you should aim to get at least 256GB, though 512GB would be an even better choice.

Moreover, make sure to stick with the SSD storage type, which has no moving parts and is thus faster and more resilient to shocks, which makes it suitable for travel.

Keep in mind that you can compensate for the lack of laptops’ storage with the use of external disks.

FAQs

Which is better for music production – laptop or desktop?

When it comes to performance, laptops are these days just as powerful as desktops (though at a slightly higher price) but they also provide you with mobility. As such, laptops tend to be a better choice for musicians that want to be able to take their equipment with them.

Are gaming laptops good for music production?

Yes, most gaming laptops are good for music production, at least performance specs vise. They may be too bulky for some, especially if you focus on 17” gaming laptops.

Is RAM or CPU more important for music production?

It is hard to say. They are both equally important. Moreover, RAM and CPU are the two most important aspects to consider when choosing the best laptops for musicians.

Is Apple a good choice for music production?

Yes. Apple’s Mac Pro is still the most popular choice among musicians. As a matter of fact, it is Mac Pro that sits in first place on most of the ‘best laptops for musicians’ ranking websites.

Why do musicians prefer Mac?

In the past, Mac was outperforming other laptops and was as such the most obvious choice. This resulted in Macs still being the most popular choice, though, these days there are many laptops that are even outperforming Apple’s laptops.