How lucky are we today?
Until a few decades ago, in order to produce and record music, one had to turn to professional studios which, due to the cost of the equipment and the enormous amount of work, were asking for figures that were not really affordable.
Today, technology allows you to create and record your own music at home with very affordable investment in equipment.
The computer thus becomes one of the fundamental elements for music production: it must be powerful enough to be able to carry the required workload.
Usually, a fixed is preferred, but for various reasons and for its practicality, some prefer to buy the Best Laptop for Music Production and Recording.
Best Laptops for Music Production and Recording
Undoubtedly with certain models and brands, we can “play it safe”, but the truth is that often much less is enough to be able to work on your own music.
There are laptops with different features and it is important to know which ones interest us for our purpose.
This ensures a suitable product, which can be different according to personal needs.
If you just need to compose in MIDI format and use sounds and plug-ins, you will have different needs than those who want to record multiple live instruments.
In this article, we will learn how to read a laptop datasheet and understand how the various components will affect our productions.
Below we introduce you to the best laptops for music production and Recording :
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Best Laptops for Music Production and Recording | Comparison Table 2022
Image | Title | Brand | Buy |
---|---|---|---|
MSI GL65 Leopard 10SFK-062 15.6" FHD 144Hz 3ms Thin Bezel Gaming Laptop Intel Core i7-10750H RTX2070 16GB 512GB NVMe SSD Win 10 | MSI | Check Price | |
2021 New Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop, Intel 6-Core i7-9750H Up to 4.5 GHz, 15.6" FHD IPS 144Hz Display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, 16GB DDR4, 1TB NVMe SSD, Backlit Keyboard, Win 10 + Oydisen Cloth | Acer | Check Price | |
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 Laptop, 15.6” 4K UHD NanoEdge Touch Display, Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, GeForce RTX 2060, ScreenPad Plus, Windows 10 Pro, Celestial Blue, UX581LV-XS74T | ASUS | Check Price | |
Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) IPS Screen, AMD Ryzen 7 4800H Processor, 16GB DDR4, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GTX 1660Ti, Windows 10, 82B1000AUS, Phantom Black | Lenovo | Check Price | |
2021 Newest HP Pavilion 15.6" HD Laptop, Intel Quad-core Pentium Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Intel UHD Graphics, HD Webcam, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB Type-C, Scarlet Red, Windows 10 + Oydisen Cloth | HP | Check Price | |
Alienware m15 R3 Gaming Laptop, 15.6 inches 300hz 3ms FHD Display, Intel Core i7-10th Gen, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB GDDR6, 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM, Lunar Light | Alienware | Check Price | |
ASUS TUF Dash Gaming Laptop, 15.6" 144Hz FHD IPS,11th Gen Core i7-11370H Up to 4.80 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, WiFi 6,Thunderbolt 4,Backlit Keyboard, 16GB RAM | 512GB PCIe SSD,W/Tikbot Mouse Pad | ASUS | Check Price | |
Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7-8750H 6 Core, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 15.6" FHD 144Hz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Chroma RGB Keyboard, Thunderbolt 3, 0.70" thin, CNC Aluminum (Renewed) | Razer | Check Price | |
Dell Gaming G3 15 3500, 15.6 inch FHD Non-Touch Laptop - Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home - Black (Latest Model) | Dell | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best Laptops for Music Production and Recording | 2022 Products Overview
1. MSI GL65 Leopard: Best Laptops for Music Production
- 15.6 FHD IPS-Level 144Hz 72%NTSC Thin Bezel close to 100%Srgb NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8G GDDR6
- Intel Core i7-10750H 2.6-5.0GHz Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201(2 x 2 ax)
- 512GB NVMe SSD 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
- USB 3.1 Gen2 Type C 1 USB 3.2 Gen1 3 Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining 720p HD Webcam
- Win10 Multi-language Giant Speakers 3W x 2 6 cell (51Wh) Li-Ion 230W
- Weight 9.13 pounds, Good performance, Premium Design
- Display Size 15.6 inches, Display Resolution 1920 x 1080 Pixels
- Dimensions (L x W x H) 14.08 x 9.76 x 1.08 inches
2. Acer Nitro 5: Best Laptops for Recording
- - 【Upgraded】Original Seal is opened for upgrade ONLY. If the computer has modifications (listed above), then the manufacturer box is opened for it to be tested and inspected and to install the upgrades to achieve the specifications as advertised.
- - 【Intel i7-9750H 6-Core Processor】9th Generation Intel Core i7-9750H 6-Core Processor 2.6GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 4.5GHz,
- - 【15.6 144 Hz FHD Display + RTX 2060 Graphics】15.6 Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit display | 144 hertz refresh rate | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Graphics with 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM
- - 【16GB RAM and 1TB SSD】16GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory | 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 slots - 1 slot open for easy upgrades) & 1 - Available hard drive bay
- - 【Operating System and Connectivity】Windows 10 Home 64 bit | LAN: 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port) | Wireless: Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX200 802.11ax | Backlit keyboard | Acer CoolBoost technology with twin fans and dual exhaust ports
3. Asus ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 Laptops for Music Production & Recording
- ScreenPad Plus: 14 inch 4K matte touchscreen, giving your endless way to optimize your multitasking experience by extending the screen or split windows and apps on both displays
- 15.6 inch 4K UHD NanoEdge touchscreen glossy main display
- Latest 9th generation Intel Core i7-9750H Quad Core Processor (12M Cache, up to 4.5 GHz) with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- Detachable palm rest and ASUS active stylus pen included
- Fast storage and memory featuring 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD with 16GB DDR4 RAM
- Built-in IR camera for facial recognition sign in with Windows Hello.Bluetooth 5.0
- Exclusive ErgoLift design for improved typing position, optimized cooling system and enhanced audio performance
- Extensive connectivity with HDMI, USB Type C with Thunderbolt, Gigabit-class Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) (*USB Transfer speed may vary. Learn more at ASUS website)
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4. Lenovo Legion 5: best budget laptops for music production
- 15.6 FHD (1920x1080) IPS 300nits Anti-glare, 165Hz, 100% sRGB, Dolby Vision, Free-Sync, G-Sync, DC dimmer. Windows 10 Home
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800H (8C / 16T, 3.2 / 4.4GHz, 4MB L2 / 16MB L3).NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6, Boost Clock 1425 / 1702MHz, TGP 130W
- This laptop has been professionally upgraded to 16GB Memory, 512GB PCIe SSD. Original Seal is opened for upgrade ONLY. We do provide a 1-year standard warranty on upgraded RAM/SSD. Bundled with WOOV Accessories include HDMI Cable, USB extension cord and Mouse Pad.
- 4-Zone RGB LED backlit. Gigabit Ethernet.High Definition (HD) Audio, Realtek ALC3306 codec. Stereo speakers, 2W x2, Nahimic Audio. 720p with E-camera Shutter. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Bluetooth 5.0.
- 1x power connector.1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (support data transfer, Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4).1x Ethernet (RJ-45).1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (support data transfer and DisplayPort 1.4).1x headphone / microphone combo jack (3.5mm).1x HDMI 2.1.4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (one Always On)
5. HP Pavilion 15.6″ HD Best HP laptop for music production
- Upgraded RAM is upgraded to 16 GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once; Hard Drive is upgraded to 512 GB Solid State Drive to allow faster bootup and data transfer. Original Seal is opened for upgrade ONLY. If the computer has modifications (listed above), then the manufacturer box is opened for it to be tested and inspected and to install the upgrades to achieve the specifications as advertised.
- Processor Intel Pentium Processor, Ultra-low-voltage platform. Dual-core, four-way processing provides maximum high-efficiency power to go.
- Display 15.6-inch diagonal HD, SVA, BrightView, micro-edge, WLED-backlit Dimensions (L x W x H) 14.18 x 10.12 x 0.93 inches
- Operating System Windows 10 Home, 64-bit, English
- Included in the Package Microfiber From Oydisen
- Ports 1 SuperSpeed USB Type-C 5Gbps signaling rate; 1 SuperSpeed USB Type-A 5Gbps signaling rate; 1 USB 2.0 Type-A (HP Sleep and Charge); 1 HDMI 2.0; 1 RJ-45; 1 AC smart pin; 1 headphone/microphone combo
6. Alienware m15 R3: Best budget laptop for music production
- High-end materials like magnesium alloy, copper and steel provide a premium, lightweight and performance-driven gaming experience with iconic AlienFX lighting
- 144Hz 300nits 7ms Full HD for smooth, high-speed motion graphics
- Alienware Cryo-Tech optimizes component cooling, which maximizes overall performance and keeps your laptop cool to the touch
- FHD display with 7ms response time, 800:1 contrast ratio, 144Hz refresh rate and 300-nit brightness for pulse-racing gameplay
- At just 4.65lb and under 20.5mm, the new Alienware m15 is the thinnest laptop in Alienware history—even lighter and leaner than our previous m15
- Display Size 17.3 inches, Display Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels,Dimensions (L x W x H) 10.87 x 14.19 x 0.81 inches
- Ports 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 1x HDMI 2.1 with HDCP 2.2 Output, 1x Mini-Display Port 1.4, 1x Micro SD Card Reader, 1x Audio Out
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7. ASUS TUF Dash
- Display 15.6 FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9, anti-glare display, sRGB:100%,Refresh Rate:144Hz, IPS-level, Adaptive-Sync, Energy-efficient LED backlight
- Processor 11th Gen Intel Tiger Lake Core i7-11370H Quad-Core (3.3GHz-4.8GHz, 12MB Intel Smart Cache, 28W) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 dedicated video memory
- Memory & Storage 16 GB RAM | 512GB PCIe SSD.Bundled with Tikbot Mouse Pad
- Ports Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, |3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, | HDMI 2.0b | 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack| RJ-45 Jack
- Features Microsoft Windows 10 (64bit), Gigabit Ethernet LAN, Wi-Fi 6 802.11 ax (2x2), Backlit Keyboard
- Dimensions (L x W x H) 14.17 x 9.92 x 0.78 inches, Weight 4.41 pounds
8. Razer Blade 15 Cheap laptops for music production
- More Power. The 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor provides the ultimate level of performance with up to 5.0GHz Max Turbo and 6 cores
- Supercharger: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics is a blazing-fast supercharger for today’s most popular games
- More Frames: Incredible performance paired with the fast 120Hz 15.6 Full HD thin bezel display helps edge out the win Display Resolution 1920 x 1080 Pixels
- Thin and Compact: The CNC aluminum unibody frame houses incredible performance in the most compact footprint possible, while remaining remarkably durable and just 0.78 thin
- Ready To Connect: Fully loaded with ample connectivity including a webcam, wireless-AC, Bluetooth 5, 2X USB Type-A, 2X Type-C ports, and more
- Dimensions (L x W x H) 13.98 x 0.78 x 9.25 inches, Weight 8.7 pounds
9. Dell G3 15
- 【Memory & Storage】16GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once. 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive and 1TB SATA HDD provide fast bootup, ample storage space and speedy data transfer
- 【Fast Processor and GPU】10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H Processor (6 Cores, 12 Threads, 12M Cache, Base 2.60GHz up to 5.0GHz Max Turbo Frequency) and GeForce GTX 1650Ti with 4GB GDDR6 dedicated graphics memory
- 【Screen】 15.6 inch Full HD 1080p WVA Anti-Glare LED Backlit Non-touch Display, 250 nits brightness, 1920 x 1080 native resolution
- 【Tech Specs】1 x SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen1, 2 x SuperSpeed USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x USB-C DisplayPort Alt-Mode, 1 x RJ-45 LAN, 1 x SD Card slot,1 x Headphone/microphone combo jack, Built-in Widescreen 720p HD Webcam, Stereo Speakers with nahimic 3D Audio for Gamers, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (2x2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1 combo, Windows 10 Home 64-bit
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How to Pick The Best Laptops for Music Production and Recording | Unrivaled Guide 2022
Portative Computers VS Desktop (Stationary) Computers For Home Audio Production
Each model has its pros and cons: a fixed can be assembled with the components that best suit our needs and can be implemented as needs change.
In addition to being able to build a computer for ad hoc music production, we can choose larger screens, have very comfortable and specially designed mice for greater practicality, as well as larger and more complete keyboards.
In the case of a laptop, we undoubtedly have the advantage of portability and being able to use it anywhere without restrictions.
Therefore? What is the best?
It depends: if you have an equipped area in the house and you always record and produce there, you can take advantage of all the advantages of a landline, if instead, you have to record or dial often away from home, a laptop is definitely more convenient.
For example, it can be very convenient for DJs to use their laptops on which they have their own remixes during their evenings!
Even those who have to record instruments in other places, such as the drums that need spaces and places of a certain type, can move in a more practical way: all the equipment for musical recordings, such as microphones, the audio card, …
Having your whole laptop in one handy, light, and slim bag saves a lot of tedious work and pounds to carry.
Even those who use the computer for their podcasting will be able to move and carry out services and interviews even outside the home.
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Should I Worry About The Sound Card?
Absolutely not.
We assume that anyone who wants to produce and record music will use an external sound card, so the computer’s internal one doesn’t matter.
This is already a detail to take into consideration: it is better to spend a few more bucks for an excellent sound card and choose a laptop with a mediocre integrated sound card but which offers other features much more useful for our purposes.
Should You Buy A MacBook Or Windows Laptop For Music Production?
When it comes to buying a computer for music production, the first question many people ask is: is Mac or PC Better for music production?
MacBooks are from a brand known for their stability, but also for their not-so-easy cost.
If in the case of desktop computers, PCs have the enormous advantage of being able to be modified, in the case of laptops this option is not there.
With the latest generation MacBook Pro we can say that “play it safe”, but there are also some Windows notebooks with excellent features at a lower price.
For this reason, knowing how to read a technical data sheet is essential.
Surely for your needs, you will not be able to rely on the cheapest model, but you can learn to evaluate and choose a device at a low price, or rather, low compared to other similar ones.
Don’t forget to evaluate all the external programs and devices you use!
Does your favorite DAW only work on Windows? Or just on Mac products?
What about your sound card? And the midi keyboard?
Do you already have these products? If yes you have to make your own assessments, otherwise you will have to pay attention to the music equipment/software you will buy and always check compatibility with your computer and operating system.
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Important Features For A Portable DJ Or Audio Production
Knowing how to choose the right hardware is the first step in creating the ideal setup for good music production.
If you already know which DAW you will be using, try to get a laptop with suitable features, preferably higher than the basic required ones, so that you can use the device for longer.
Let’s see the main features that allow you to identify a laptop suitable for any DAW, so that you may be able to form your own opinion by reading the datasheets of the various products on sale online or on the traditional shopping market.
Multi-core processor
More cores correspond to a higher speed.
If you buy a new laptop, choose one with a processor quad-core or Hexa-core and remember the best music is an i5 quad-core i7 that a dual-core!
The current top of the range? Intel’s new i7-core, but since we’re all on a budget, if it’s too expensive you can opt for Intel’s quad-core i5 processor, which isn’t top-notch, but still decent.
And what about AMD? The new AMD Ryzen Mobile processor looks very promising, but you may have trouble finding the drivers for your external devices.
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More than 8GB of RAM (16GB Recommended)
A RAM of 8GB may be sufficient for some simple productions and recordings which include a few tracks, but if you use a lot of plug-ins and your sessions are composed of many simultaneous tracks, better to choose 16 or 32 GB.
Some laptops have the option of adding slots in the future!
Solid-State Memory Drive
This type of hard disk, known by the acronym SSD, is highly recommended: it is silent and faster in both reading and writing.
Which capacity is recommended? 512 GB, but if your budget doesn’t allow it you can go down to 256 or 128 GB, but using an external hard drive for data storage.
The Cost / Performance Ratio
When you compare the cost of different hard drives/disk capacities, you will notice that a larger capacity SATA drive costs less than a smaller SSD.
Remember that SSDs have higher quality and much higher performance, so the relationship is between cost and performance, not cost and capacity.
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Mediocre GPU
Of course, it is about music, listening, but remember that you also work with sight.
You don’t need an excellent graphics card, but it is enough to have a decent one that allows you to work easily with your DAW, to edit, insert plug-ins, modify the eq.
If you will use the computer only for music production, an entry-level dedicated graphics card will suffice, but if you foresee other uses (eg Video editing, …) then it is better to choose a higher quality one.
Record, Produce / Compose, Or Live Performance?
A live performance setup is certainly different from one for recording in the studio or for producing and composing.
If you are a singer or songwriter and you only need to record a couple of tracks, such as vocals and guitar, you definitely don’t need a high-performance device like someone who has to produce a band and record numerous instruments, or as someone who uses a lot of plug-ins.
Everything is relative: even in live performances, you may have to record an acoustic duo and therefore two different sources, or a complete orchestra!
Screen Size
Sure, when you are at home you can conveniently connect your computer to an external display of the size you want, but the laptop screen must still be large enough to allow you to work effortlessly.
Also in this case you have to find the right compromise between portability and convenience in viewing.
Mobility
In addition to size, other mobility factors need to be considered. Like the battery life.
If you have to work on a train ride, or in an open place with no power outlets, you need to have a device with excellent battery life and replace it when performance starts to drop.
If you find yourself working in very dark discos and clubs, better choose devices with a backlit keyboard!
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Connectivity:
Now all (or almost) external peripherals are connected via a USB.
Make sure you have enough for use “away from home”, while when you are at your desk you can use a hub and multiply the number of ports at your disposal, to connect the sound card, midi keyboard, and other devices at the same time.
Inputs For Audio Speakers And Headphones
By using an external sound card, your headphones or speakers will be connected through it.
The sound quality of the integrated cards is definitely not suitable for music production, but you can use it to listen to the audio of a video that interests you while you are out and about without a sound card or anything else.
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Brief History of Audio Production
There are debates on everything, even on the musical recording: better analog or digital?
The right answer may not exist, but what interests us is thanks to digital today you can produce your music at home with a small investment in suitable equipment.
Even going to a professional music recording studio may now be feasible, whereas years ago only those with a large budget could have this privilege.
Technology and progress are double-edged weapons: recording is cheaper, but sales in the music industry have dropped significantly.
But let’s take the beauty of this technological age and dedicate ourselves to our passion: music, which we can create and record independently!
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