- 2017 Macbook Air Specs
- 2017 Macbook Pro 13
- Macbook Pro 2017 Model
- Macbook Pro 2017
- 2017 Macbook Specs
- Macbook Air For Music Production
- Macbook For Music Production 2017 Statistics
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Your computer is one of the most important pieces of hardware you’ll need if you want to get into music production. Desktop computers are great investments for your home recording studio, but laptops provide more portability if you ever need to hit the road while working on a project or if you constantly perform live.
It goes without saying that if you’re going to get a laptop, you’ll need to go all out and get a reliable one that comes with all the necessary specs that meet your workflow requirements. After all, its quality will affect your performance and efficiency as a music producer.
To help all you budding music producers or sound engineers with your buying decisions, we’ve compiled a list of the best laptops for music production—read on to see which ones made the cut.
8 Best Laptops for Music Production
Apple Macbook Pro 15.4” (Mid 2015)
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When it comes to music production, Macbooks have been known to dominate the market—and this laptop is no exception. From memory to storage, the Macbook Pro 15 provides everything you need to produce music. It’s virtually a plug-and-play laptop that works with almost any audio interface, MIDI controller, and digital audio workstation (DAW). And speaking of DAW, it already has the beginner-friendly Garageband preinstalled to help you get started on producing music or podcasts right away.
This most basic version already comes with a 2.2GHz quad core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB storage, which is good enough for most music production applications. If you have the money to upgrade, you can go with models that have a faster processor (either the 2.5GHz or 2.8GHz) or bigger storage space (512GB or 1TB). Of course, if you want the biggest and fastest, you can get the Macbook Pro 15 () with the 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 and 1TB SSD storage.
You can of course opt for the more recent models like the MacBook Pro 15.4” with Touch Bar () that came out in late 2016, which has roughly the same specs. However, it may not be the most convenient choice due to the fact that it has fewer ports—and when working with music production equipment, you’re definitely going to need a few of those.
Key Specs:
- Processor: 2.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 (up to 3.4GHz Turbo Boost)
- Memory: 16GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Graphics: Intel Iris Pro
- Display: 15.4in LED-Backlit with IPS (Retina Display)
- Native Resolution: 2880 x 1800
- Wi-Fi: 802.11AC
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 2 / 2x USB 3.0 (up to 5Gbps) / 1x HDMI
- Operating System: MacOS High Sierra
- Battery Life: Up to 8 Hours
Apple Macbook Pro 13” with Touch Bar (2017)
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As we’ve already established, Macbooks are widely considered to be standard laptops for music production. This Macbook Pro 13-inch with Touch Bar is somewhat more expensive, mainly because of the added touch bar feature. However, if your top requirements for a laptop are portability and convenience, this may be a better option than the first MacBook we mentioned.
Music producers who are constantly on the go will usually need something a bit lighter (not everyone needs 15 inches of screen) and thinner, and this model is less than 1 centimeter thick and weighs just a little over three pounds—1.5 pounds lighter than its 15-inch, touch bar-less counterpart. It has a dual-core Intel Core i7 3.5GHz processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, which should give you more than enough space and just the right processing power for producing and storing music.
This Macbook Pro also comes with Garageband, so you’re also killing two birds with one stone. If your budget is a bit more flexible, you can get the Macbook Pro 13” with Touch Bar () to enjoy 1TB storage capacity for all your music.
Key Specs:
- Processor: 3.5GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7 (Up to 4GHz Turbo Boost)
- Memory: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB
- Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
- Display: 13.3in LED-Backlit with IPS (Retina Display)
- Native Resolution: 1680 x 1050
- Wi-Fi: 802.11AC
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.2
- Ports: 4x Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type C)
- Operating System: MacOS Sierra
- Battery Life: Up to 10 Hours
![Macbook For Music Production 2017 Macbook For Music Production 2017](https://us-758c.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/macbook-pro-retina-for-music-production.jpg)
Dell Alienware 15 R3
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Hp drivers for macbook. Laptops from Dell’s Alienware series are designed for hardcore gaming, but for music production, its specs list definitely fits the bill. The Alienware 15 R3 in particular offers 16GB of RAM (with a maximum capacity of up to 32GB) and at least 1TB HDD of storage, giving you more than enough extra space for your sample libraries and tracks. As a Dell laptop, it also features a superior cooling system to greatly reduce the operating temperature when using intense applications.
Moreover, the Alienware 15 provides all the ports you need for connecting your external hardware. You can also choose to go with the Dell Alienware 15 with 1.5TB () to enjoy a slightly faster processing speed of 2.9GHz and additional 512GB SSD storage.
Key Specs:
- Processor: 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7-7700HQ (up to 3.8GHz Max Turbo)
- Memory: 16GB RAM (32GB Max. Upgrade)
- Storage: 1TB Drive
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5)
- Display: 15.6in LCD with IPS
- Native Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Wi-Fi: Dual-Band 802.11AC
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.1
- Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 3 / 1x USB 3.0 Type-C / 2x USB 3.0 Type-A / 1x Docking Port
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17.3”
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The Lenovo Ideapad Y700 is much more affordably priced, but it doesn’t fall short in terms functionality and performance. It’s equipped with a pretty decent 8GB RAM for standard music production and a large 1TB HDD storage that can accommodate your heavier samples and tracks.
If you’re looking for a laptop with a bigger display (compared to the 15-inch model), the Lenovo Ideapad Y700 has a 17-inch full HD screen for better viewing. Despite being less than $1000, this budget-friendly laptop definitely delivers optimal performance for your basic music production needs.
Key Specs:
- Processor: i5 Intel Core Skylake 14nm 6th Gen (up to 3.2GHz Max Turbo)
- Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 1TB
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
- Display: 17.3in IPS LCD with LED Backlight (Anti-Glare)
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Wi-Fi: 802.11AC (Wireless LAN)
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0
- Ports: 2x USB 3.0 / 1x USB 2.0 / 1x HDMI
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery Life: Up to 4.5 Hours
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
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2017 Macbook Air Specs
Touchscreen computers are becoming a popular option for on-the-go music production. The Surface Pro is possibly the best, most versatile laptop-tablet hybrid that you can use on stage, as its 12.3-inch PixelTouch display provides more dynamic use of the computer, compared to a laptop with a trackpad and keyboard.
The all-touch capability enables you to access your apps during live sets quickly and easily, making it a great alternative to analog DJ stations. One more thing we love about the Surface Pro 4 is that its bright and sharp display is great for low light situations, such as clubs and enclosed concert spaces. It also has an impressive battery life (it can last up to 9 hours while watching videos) despite its thin and lightweight body.
Key Specs:
- Processor: 6th Gen Intel Core m3
- Memory: 4GB
- Storage: 128GB SSD
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515
- Display: 12.3in PixelTouch (with 10-point Multi-Touch)
- Resolution: 2736 x 1824
- Wi-Fi: 802.11AC
- Bluetooth: 4.0
- Ports: 1x USB 3.0 / 1x Mini DisplayPort
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
- Battery Life: Up to 9 Hours
Apple Macbook Air 13.3” (2017)
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The 2017 13.3-inch Macbook Air is ideal for music producers who want a reliable computer but prefer an even thinner and lighter device to work with. Fortunately, the lack of bulk means the Air comes at a slightly lower price than the Pro.
It’s the perfect mix of sophistication, performance, and portability. It has the latest dual-core i5 processor with Turbo Boost of up to 2.9GHz, as well as 8GB RAM, which are just enough for you to start making tunes. Surprisingly, it also includes enough ports for at least your audio interface, MIDI controller, and monitor—a definite plus for those who are worried about the Mac not having enough ports.
If you have a bit more cash to spare, you can get the same Macbook Air 13.3” () model with the more powerful 2.2GHz i7 Dual-Core processor.
Key Specs:
- Processor: 1.8GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 (up to 2.9GHz Turbo Boost)
- Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 512GB
- Graphics: Intel HD 6000
- Display: 13.3in LED-Backlit
- Native Resolution: 1440 x 900
- Wi-Fi: 802.11AC
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0
- Ports: 2x USB 3.0 / 1x Thunderbolt 2.0 USB
- Operating System: MacOS Sierra
- Battery Life: Up to 12 Hours
Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5”
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The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is perfect for big, high-resource recording productions. Its powerful quad-core Intel Core i7 processor has a maximum turbo boost of 4.2GHz and 16GB memory enable music producers to run intensive audio recording operations smoothly.
Its SD card slot and three USB ports are perfectly compatible with most audio interfaces, plus it has a detachable touchscreen monitor that can provide convenience for audio recording applications and other activities that don’t require the use of the bulky keyboard bottom.
Should you need the extra space for all your tracks, you can upgrade to the Microsoft Surface Book 2 15” ($3,195) with 1TB storage.
Key Specs:
- Processor: 8th Gen Quad-Core Intel Core i7-8650U (up to 4.2GHz Max Turbo)
- Memory: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5)
- Display: 13.5in PixelSense (with 10-point Multi-Touch)
- Resolution: 3000 x 2000
- Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 A/B/G/N/AC Compatible
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.1
- Ports: 2x USB 3.1 Type-A / 1x USB 3.1 Type-C / 2x Surface Connect Ports
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro Creators Update
- Battery Life: Up to 17 Hours
5 Important Laptop Specs for Music Production
There’s no point in spending money on the most expensive laptops if they don’t even have the specifications and features you need to be able to efficiently use them for your desired applications. Computer specifications may seem confusing, especially if you’ve never purchased a laptop for intensive applications, but you’ll only really have to check the following:
Processor
The computer’s processor is one of the most important specs to consider for any user who needs a workhorse that can run smoothly and fast even while using several heavy applications at once. When choosing a laptop for music production, check the number of cores its processor has. Four cores are pretty standard with laptops, but if you want something lighter and more compact, you may have to settle for a dual-core processor.
Another thing to consider is clock speed. For music production, it’s best to go with something within the 2.4 to 4.2GHz range. Again, you may have to go a little slower than that if you want a light and portable machine.
RAM
Nobody wants to deal with slow and glitchy programs—it can disrupt your workflow and may even affect the quality of your final product. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, make sure to get a laptop that has enough Random-Access Memory or RAM. Music production requires at least 8GB of RAM to enable you to work smoothly without any issues, but 16GB would be ideal.
Storage Capacity
Working with audio files will require you to have a lot of storage space. Before purchasing your laptop, decide whether you want one that has plenty of built-in storage space, or if you want to simply use an external hard drive to store all your files.
If you do want to store most of your files on the laptop itself, go for at least 1TB of storage.
You may also want to consider SSD vs. HDD when it comes to your laptop’s built-in storage. SSD reads and writes data much faster, but it’s definitely more expensive (per GB) than HDD. You can also go with a combination of both, similar to the storage setup on the Dell Alienware 15 R3.
Ports
Music production involves the use of several equipment, including microphones, instruments, control surfaces, audio interfaces, and more. With that in mind, one of the most important things to consider is whether a laptop has enough ports to create a seamless and efficient music production setup.
Of course, you can always purchase a USB hub—if you have one, the number of ports on your laptop may not matter as much. However, if you require a more portable setup, keep in mind that this is another added item to your gear list.
2017 Macbook Pro 13
Screen Size
Finally, consider the screen size of the laptop you want to get. If you’re monitoring more than 10 tracks, then you’re obviously going to want a bigger screen. This specification is mostly a matter of preference or convenience, as anyone can easily work with whatever screen size they feel comfortable with.
Keep in mind that the more complex your productions are, the better, faster, and bigger these specifications have to be. There are many choices out there that may not have been mentioned here, but hopefully our list can help narrow down your choices.
Be sure to check out a full list of Sound Engineering & Music Production courses we offer both online and in a classic classroom environment at Sound Training Online & Sound Training College!
At the heart and soul of every recording studio is of course the computer. Some people may argue that we rely too much on computers these days but the way technology has developed and is constantly developing it is hard to shy away from the need to keep on top of computer changes and upgrades, it is in the best interest for you as a music producer. The brainchild of everything in the studio, your computer is one if not, the most important pieces of equipment you will purchase for recording. With that in mind we have decided to try and guide you in the right direction to help you get the best bang for your buck depending on what it is you are looking to achieve. This guide is is for everyone, whether it's for the hobbyist bedroom producer or for the seasoned musician who is aspiring to become a professional record producer. If you don't know what a 3.0 GHz i7 processor, 16 GB RAM, and a 1 TB Solid state drive means, then this guide is the guide for you!
First off you should have an idea of what you are going to be producing, are you going to be focusing on electronic music that is all software based? Do you want to record rock or pop bands and solo artists? Do you want to produce music that you can perform live yourself or as a solo artist or live act? This should give you a rough indication of what Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) you are going to choose. Of course there is no right or wrong way to go about this and everyone has their own personal preference, but we will guide you the best we can. The following list gives an overview of the main aspects you will be looking at when deciding on what is right for you and the options you have available to you.
Computer
- Laptop or Desktop
- Mac or PC
Processor
- Intel i3
- Intel i5
- Intel i7
RAM
- 4 GB Dvd label maker software.
- 8 GB
- 16 GB
- 32 GB
Hard Drive
Macbook Pro 2017 Model
- HDD or SSD
- Size – 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB etc. Internal storage macbook pro.
Software
- Pro Tools
- Logic Pro (OS X only)
- Cubase
- Ableton Live
- FL Studio
- Cakewalk Sonar (Windows Only, Free Version available for OSX)
So first off, you must decide which computer fits your needs, if you are planning on performing your music live and producing music with the same computer, a laptop would probably be the best idea for convenience and portability. On the other hand if you are looking at recording bands and clients from a studio based set-up, then a desktop computer would potentially suit you better, again it's all relative.
Next, you're looking at the age old question of Mac Vs. PC, Windows or Os X, Apple Vs. Microsoft. Now, this is down to personal preference but sometimes it can help if you know what DAW you are going to use. For instance Logic Pro will not run on Windows so if that happens to be your DAW of choice then you'll have to use a Mac. But the majority of the other programs available today are cross – compatible. You can get an insight into which software could be for you with this guide. Most DAWs will require your computer to have minimum requirements so this is another thing to check up on before you take the plunge.
Macbook Pro 2017
Once you have your DAW selected sorting out the processor and RAM are next. For those of you who don't know, the Processor component of the computer is essentially the computers control centre. It carries out the computations that the computer needs to function, pretty much like a brain, for use of a better word! Processors can come in Dual-Core and Quad-Core versions. Quad-Core offers us four separate cores of processing power where Dual-Core is that exactly that, two cores. Quad-Core will cost you more but can be very beneficial when recording music because we have more processing power. RAM stands for Random Access Memory, this means that whenever you run a program on your computer e.g. iTunes, Google Chrome, Microsoft Word, the RAM is used so it can run each of these programs. Obviously the more programs you have running at once the more Random Access Memory (RAM) is used.
When it comes down to it, if you are serious about making music you will need to have a system that you can rely on and if there's anything I could tell myself before I bought my last computer was to max out all the components instead of taking it for what it was off the shelf. But again, in saying that it did last me the guts of 7 years and it was only an Intel Core Duo 2 and 2 GB of RAM which I upgraded to 4 GB and then 8 GB, before the motherboard fried! Everything is relatable with processing power and RAM, for instance, if you're computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, having 2 or 4 GB of RAM will be sufficient. For an Intel i5 processor you would want at least 4 or 8 GB RAM and for an i7 processor you will want to be running at least 8 or 16 GB RAM for the best performance. My laptop was running an Intel Core 2 Duo with 8 GB RAM and to be honest, there was no difference at all in relation to speed. The processor simply wasn't on the same level as the RAM so it was pointless.
Fitting your computer out with an i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM will give you the ability to run a huge number of audio tracks say in Pro Tools or Logic Pro without any issues. Again this will cost you, upgrading a brand new Macbook Pro from an i5 processor to an i7 will set you back €360 just for the processor and then the RAM upgrade from 8 GB to 16 GB will set you back another €240. If you have the money and can afford to do this then go for it, but there is some cost effective ways or getting around this. Upgrading older machines can be very beneficial to you and your wallet! For instance if you can locate a second hand Mac Mini from 2012, these are the final model that are upgradeable, and with plenty of online tutorials of how to do it yourself it could be exactly what you're looking for. You could pick up one of them for around €300/€400 then you can upgrade the RAM and the hard drive from a third party company such as Crucial or OWC. Same if you are working with Windows there are plenty of options out there for desktops and laptops that are upgradable, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 for instance is customizable so you can upgrade it from i5 2.8 GHz to an i7 3.40 GHz processor, which is it maxed out, again doing this to a brand new machine will set you back a few pretty pennies.
Next thing to consider is your hard drive. Most high-end laptops these days come standard with SATA HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or Solid State Drives (SSD). Having an SSD in your computer speeds everything up, they have no moving parts and are lightning quick but again, more expensive than the standard SATA HDD which are made up of magnetic tape and have mechanical parts moving inside, they also are bigger in size and slower to read and write to than a SSD is. What many people do these days is use external hard drives for their productions and run everything that is music based off these externals. This is highly recommended as it helps free up space on the computers hard drive so you aren't pushing the computer to it's max. Both SSD and HDD can come in different sizes usually ranging from 500 GB up to 1 or 2 TB and obviously it is better to have more but again the cost of say a 1 TB SSD will be upwards of €200. Again if you are running an external hard drive for you music then you can pick up a 1 or 2 TB external for a lot less than the internal ones!
Moving on, you probably already know which software you are going to want to use, because there is so many DAWs out there these days that everyone has their preference but I will give you a quick overview of a few main ones (Check out our other blog post on digital audio workstations for a more in-depth review.
- Many consider this the industry standard
- Great for multi-track recording
- Can be daunting to learn
- Is fairly expensive
- Only supports AAX & RTAS
- Great audio and MIDI capabilities
- Relatively cheap
- Lots of included instruments
- Mac OS X Only & No VST Support (Only Au)
2017 Macbook Specs
- Straightforward to use
- Fantastic for live performance
- Expensive
- “Lite” versions leaves a lot to be desired
- Good audio capabilities
- Many users complain the Mixer window is too messy
- Window management in general is inferior to other programs
Of course there are many other DAWs out there but we don't really have the time to go through all of them and for more information you can check out our other post about DAWs here.
Macbook Air For Music Production
So that's it! Hopefully you found this guide helpful and you can use it as a basis of purchasing a computer for music production, check back soon for more tips, tricks and articles!
Macbook For Music Production 2017 Statistics
Once you decide on what computer to buy, why not put it to good use at Sound Training College, with plenty of courses in Sound Engineering & Music Production, Live Sound, Lighting & Stage Production, Intro to DJ and loads more!