Apple MacBook Pro. Here’s the top Mac laptop for music making. Talk to many producers who have. Let’s discuss the best home recording studio computers or laptops and the accessories that will complement them best. Remember, these are all my opinion and works best in my recording studio may have to test your setup and make changes as needed depending on what you want to do in your music career.
In order to even begin to start working with music production, aside from instruments and other gear, you need a computer. Without a desktop computer or a laptop, you’ll have no way to record, mix, and master any music.
Sometimes it’s hard to find the best cheap laptop for music production when you’re on a tight budget, so we’re providing you with a list to help expedite your process.
Setting Expectations
Before I begin getting into things, let me say a few things. First of all, since this is a budget laptop review list, you’re not going to find any new MacBooks or gaming computers on here. With a $500 budget, you’ll likely be able to find some better quality laptops that run Windows.
Now, Windows may be a bit more finicky when it comes to running DAWs and different plugins as opposed to Apple’s computers, but a $500 Asus laptop can be just as powerful as a MacBook if you find the right hardware.
If you want something that’s worth more but don’t have the budget for it, try to find a used laptop. I strongly suggest looking on eBay or other secondhand seller websites where you’ll find a lower price for more expensive computers. Even if you can find an older MacBook, they can still hold their own against a newer Dell or Asus laptop.
Top 8 Best Budget Music Production Laptops Under $500
Here are the best cheap laptops under (or around) $500 for music production:
Acer Aspire E 15
Acer is a really great brand with some reliable, fast computers. The Aspire E 15 is equipped with an 8th generation Intel Core i5 3.4GHz processor, an Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics card with 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM, a 1920 x 1080 widescreen display, 8GB of memory (dual slots), a 256GB solid state drive, a rewritable DVD double layer drive, a webcam, and it runs on Windows 10 Home Edition.
The battery will stay charged for up to 10 hours. The Aspire E 15 also has Bluetooth so you can connect your Bluetooth-compatible MIDI instruments and other devices to the computer.
Having a solid state drive (SSD) greatly increases the speed of the laptop. Solid state drives don’t have any moving parts, so accessing files is much faster than if you have a normal hard drive (HDD). A lot of laptops have issues with slowing down once they become full of files and programs, so a solid state drive helps to prevent that.
The Intel Core i5 processor is one of the faster ones out there so navigating and using your DAW and plugins will be a breeze. With dual slot memory, both the solid state drive and the memory of the laptop are upgradeable.
Solid state drive.
Intel Core i5 processor.
Up to 15 hour battery life.
Great value for money.
The Acer Aspire E 15 goes for around $500 and is a great, affordable laptop. I highly recommend it for both seasoned producers and beginners, as it’s upgradeable, fast, and has amazing battery life. In my opinion, the Acer Aspire E 15 is the best budget laptop for around $500.
HP Business 15.6 Touchscreen
The HP Business 15.6 Touchscreen laptop is definitely one of the best budget laptops out there. HP is a brand that has been trusted by many music producers and computer users in general and I personally have found HP’s computers to be the most reliable and well built.
The HP Business laptop features a 3.6GHz Quad-Core AMD CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1 TB hard drive, a webcam, HDMI, and Radeon R7 graphics. It’s a lightning fast laptop that will be able to handle a heavy workload filled with tons of plugins in your favorite DAW.
With a 1 TB hard drive, you’ll have plenty of storage for project files and music software. 8GB of RAM is plenty to run plugins without slowing your computer down. If you have graphics-heavy plugins, that shouldn’t be an issue either due to the Radeon R7 graphics card. The laptop runs on Windows 10.
Of course the most defining feature is the touchscreen, which is one of the reasons why I’m ranking this laptop so high. Having a laptop with a touch screen makes your workflow much more efficient as you get a chance to break away from using a mouse.
The touch screen makes using faders and knobs in your DAWs and plugins so much easier and therefore expedites mixing and mastering.
One of the main gripes people have with this laptop is that it slows down once it has so many programs and files on it. This can be remedied by switching out the hard drive with a solid state drive.
HDD rather than SSD.
Lower battery life.
While it’s at the very top of the $500 budget (and slightly over, depending on where and when you buy it), it’s very worth it. The HP Business Touchscreen laptop goes for a little over $500 on Amazon but depending on where you get it, it might be cheaper.
HP Jaguar 15.6 Touchscreen
As you can see, I’m a fan of the touchscreen laptops. The HP Jaguar is another fantastic choice for a decent laptop for music production that also happens to be inexpensive.
The HP Jaguar has an Intel Core i5 processor that has a base of 2.50GHz and goes up to 3.10GHz. It has 8GB of RAM, which is enough to run many plugins in your DAW. It also has a 1 TB hard drive.
The touchscreen on this laptop supports 10 finger multi touch and has a 15.6-inch screen. It’s Bluetooth compatible and if you don’t like Bluetooth, there are several USB ports and a full size island style keyboard as well as a touchpad.
10 finger multi touch screen.
Long lasting battery.
Having a hard drive versus a solid state drive isn’t really a big issue, but for some people it really does matter. If you care a ton about speed, get a solid state drive for this one. Overall though, this laptop is a great budget choice laptop, and it’s also under $500 on Amazon.
Asus VivoBook X541UA
The Asus VivoBook X541UA is a laptop that’s especially designed for those who want portability, and it definitely serves this purpose while being powerful enough to produce music and handle a ton of plugins and whichever DAW of your choice.
The VivoBook X541UA is a touch screen laptop made with multimedia in mind. It has a 15.6-inch screen and an Intel Core i5 processor with a base of 2.5GHz and a turbo up to 3.1GHz.
It is equipped with a 1 TB hard drive and 8GB of RAM, which will leave you with plenty of space and memory and the chance to upgrade it (max memory up to 32GB).
The keyboard is more ergonomic than others made by Asus so anything that you have to do with the keyboard will be much easier on your hands if you have to spend hours working on a project. It’s also Bluetooth compatible and has many USB ports including USB-C, so it’s compatible with newer hardware that uses USB-C.
The graphics card is an Intel HD Graphics 620 so you’ll have no problem rendering videos or using plugins that have a lot of graphics. Since this is an Asus computer, it runs on Windows 10 Home.
Portable.
Uses USB-C.
Upgradeable.
This laptop goes for a little bit more than $500 on Amazon, but because of the processor and touch screen I think you should definitely consider it if looking into buying a laptop for music production. If you’re not willing to shell out $550, try to find it on sale.
Lenovo IdeaPad 320
The Lenovo IdeaPad 320 is an inexpensive middle of the road laptop that won’t break your wallet but also will allow you to make music without any lag during the process.
The IdeaPad 320 features a 15.6-inch HD screen and AMD Radeon R7 graphics, a 2.7GHz AMD A12 Quad-Core processor, 8GB of RAM that can be upgraded to a maximum of 12GB, and a 256GB solid state drive.
The laptop also has many USB ports, an HDMI port, and is Bluetooth compatible for use with all your MIDI devices that connect using Bluetooth. Additionally there is a built in HD webcam with a microphone.
The keyboard of this computer is full size and even has a full size numeric keypad, which is something you don’t usually see on smaller laptops.
Solid state drive.
Upgradeable RAM.
Full size keyboard.
While the processor is a bit slower than others on this list, it should give you enough power to run your DAW with all its plugins without causing any issues. Wd drive utilities mac mojave. Lenovo has some really great computers and this is one of them.
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Dell Inspiron i5378 2 in 1
The Dell Inspiron 2 in 1 laptop is a really nice choice for seasoned producers who often have recording sessions with clients while also being a good option for beginner producers.
The Dell Inspiron 2 in 1 has Waves MaxxAudio Pro technology and Intel HD Graphics 620 so you’ll have no problem navigating through your DAW and if you’re not using an audio interface to listen to the laptop, it’ll sound great whether you’re using headphones or speakers.
The processor is a 7th Generation i3 Intel Core processor which means it’s powerful enough to run a DAW without getting bogged down by plugins. The laptop comes with 4GB of RAM but is upgradeable up to 16GB of RAM, which is a lot for a 2 in 1 laptop. As for storage, it’s got a 1 TB hard drive.
Here’s arguably the best feature of this computer: it’s a 2 in 1, which means that you can use it like a normal laptop, or you can use it in a stand, tablet, or tent mode since it has a touch screen. This comes in handy especially if you are recording live sessions in a studio and need to be up on your feet.
If you use the Inspiron 2 in 1 as a tablet, that saves you a ton of money because you won’t need to buy an iPad to control your DAW during sessions.
2 in 1 (very portable).
Upgradeable RAM.
I absolutely 100% recommend this laptop, as it’ll save you a ton of money in the long run because it’s a 2 in 1, and it’s also upgradeable if you find that its base specifications aren’t enough for what you’re using it for.
Dell Inspiron i3567
The Dell Inspiron 15.6-inch laptop is a modest choice that still gets the job done easily when making music.
It boasts a 7th Generation 2.4GHz Intel Core i3 dual core processor for smart and high definition computing, 8GB of RAM so you should have no problem with plugins, a 1 TB hard drive, and an Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics card if you end up wanting to use the laptop for making beat videos or music visualizers.
The Dell Inspiron Business laptop has MaxxAudio from Waves to provide you with a crisp, clean sound if you’re using headphones or speakers. It’s also Bluetooth compatible and has a webcam, plenty of USB ports, and an HDMI output for connecting to a bigger screen.
Dell has omitted an optical drive in this laptop model to allow for a ton of portability. If you want an optical drive, you should be able to find an external USB one for not a lot of money.
Portable.
Very affordable.
Being one of the cheaper laptops on this list doesn’t mean it skimps on quality or performance. It’s definitely a decent laptop and would be great for producers that are just starting out and don’t need a ton of processing power just yet.
Apple MacBook Pro (renewed)
This is a wildcard. Like I mentioned before, an older MacBook Pro can easily hold its own against a newer Dell, Asus, HP, or Lenovo laptop.
As long as it’s not super old, an older MacBook should be able to be upgraded with Apple’s latest OS, and oftentimes MacBooks have a ton of RAM and a good amount of storage. Mac processors have a ton of power too.
I found a late 2011 MacBook Pro on Amazon with an Intel Core i5 2.4GHz processor, a 500GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM, and it is currently running El Capitan.
It’s more than capable of handling a giant DAW like Pro Tools and a host of plugins. On top of that, it’s only around $400. At that rate, it’s an absolute steal.
Much more affordable than something new.
Can hold its own with new laptops.
May not have most recent specifications.
Might not be upgradeable.
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Putting the cons aside since they’re not too big of a deal, a used Apple laptop is an amazing option if you want to save a lot of money, and if you’re not afraid of getting a refurbished or used computer, I definitely suggest looking into it.
Conclusion
There are a lot of great laptops out there that will do well with running music production software. While looking for a budget laptop, make sure to never skimp on RAM, CPU, and a hard drive or solid state drive.
Having a fast, capable processor will enable you to work efficiently and save you from waiting several minutes just to start your computer up and get things running. RAM allows for more plugins to be used in your DAW and works hand in hand with your CPU.
If your processor isn’t fast enough, you’ll get issues like latency while recording, and if your RAM isn’t big enough, you’ll get issues like your plugins running slowly or crashing. This is why having a good computer is so important.
That being said, don’t forget to look at older computers, especially ones from Apple. They can be just as good as newer computers and you’ll be able to save much more money if you buy something that’s been refurbished or used.
For more information on the best computers touse for music production to help you choose the best laptops and desktopswithin your budget, be sure to check out the articles and guides that we havecoming up in the near future!
PLEASE NOTE:While this article (and its example builds) are some years old, we now have a thorough, regularly updated big guide article on building a PC for Music Production over on our main site. Check it out!
Now that you have read our warning, you may return to the content of the outdated article:
One of the most popular requests we receive is a build guide for a music production PC that will power digital audio workstation (DAW) software and sometimes external hardware similar to external preamps, My friend would use Graham Slee HiFi here. These are computers specially built for editing and working with audio and music.
Professional music production PCs often come with plenty of RAM, powerful CPUs, and the quietest components you can afford. If you’re looking to build your own professional music production PC, we’re here to help you get started.
Note: before we start, don’t forget to get the right equipment to accurately monitor your mix. It is always a great idea to get the best studio monitors so you have the most authentic representation of your mix without it being coloured by lower quality equipment. Accurate frequency reproduction is paramount to allow the mixer to be very precise with their stereo image.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the builds themselves…
Budget Build ($600, micro ATX)
The budget build here is for those who want to dip their toes in music production or those who are on a tight budget. In fact, for basic music editing, most laptops will suffice. However, once you start including more plug-ins and you begin to go beyond the basics of audio engineering, that basic laptop may no longer cut it.
This build is a step up from most laptops — for considerably less money — and it’s a very good starting point for serious producers.
CPU: i3-6300
The Core i3-6300 is a dual-core Skylake CPU that offers an impressive 3.8 GHz clock speed out of the box, with the ability to overclock that even further. Given that many DAW tasks favor strong single-threaded performance, we recommend a very fast dual core, such as the i3-6300, over a slower (and more expensive) CPU with more cores, such as the i5-6500. High single threaded performance is also what makes this build faster than most laptops.
With hyperthreading, the i3-6300 is still powerful enough for the times where DAW software can take advantage of multiple cores. The i3-6100 is a good alternative if you’re on a tight budget.
Cooler: BeQuiet! Pure Rock
Beyond single-threaded processing power, another important consideration when building for audio work, is silence. The BeQuiet! Pure Rock provides near silence on a budget. It is fairly easy to install and efficient at dissipating heat without creating too much noise.
RAM: Ballistix Sport 8GB
While nearly all popular DAW software states 4GB of RAM as their minimum requirement, (the exception being the industry standard: Pro Tools with 8GB), it is advisable to have more. With this in mind, we recommend starting with 8GB. If you feel you need more later, it’s easy to add another stick.
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H170M-D3H micro ATX
Choosing a motherboard is challenging. Look for enough USB ports for all your USB accessories, and quality onboard audio with all of the connectors you need. With these three in mind, Gigabyte’s GA-H170M-D3H is the best choice for a quality micro ATX board on a budget.
SSD: SanDisk SSD PLUS 240GB
Silent and fast. Nothing is better than an SSD for your OS and core programs — such as your preferred DAW. With 240GB, you have a good baseline for also loading plenty of VST instrument packs.
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB
To store all your plugins and your projects, 1TB will be sufficient. As you begin to need more storage — or if you know you already will — do not hesitate to get a larger version or additional hard drives.
Power Supply: Seasonic SSR 450RM
Semi-modular and with a semi-passive fan to help keep your system quiet at lower loads.
Case: Cooler Master Silencio 352
The Silencio 352 features sound dampening materials, and is as soundproof as much more expensive cases, while being sleek and compact. The only downside is it can be a bit cramped to work in.
Intermediate Build ($950)
This option provides a ton of performance while maintaining good value. The name of the game: More cores, more memory, more storage and less noise. This is the sweet spot.
Note: This is a dedicated audio build, but can also be a powerhouse gaming build if you add a good GPU such as a GTX 1070.
CPU: i7-6700K
With four hyper threaded cores at 4.0 GHz, the i7-6700K dominates at single-threaded tasks while providing plenty of headroom for multi-threaded applications. It’s also overclockable, for those who want to push their performance outside the boundaries of what is readily available to the public.
Cooler: be quiet! DARK ROCK PRO 3
As quiet as it is efficient, the DARK ROCK PRO 3 provides cool temperatures and low noise with overclocked chips. What more can you ask for?
RAM: G.SKILL Aegis 16GB
We’re doubling the memory over the budget build. For 99% of music producers, 16GB of RAM is more than enough.
Motherboard: ASUS Z170-A
High-quality and competitively featured, the ASUS Z170-A is the best motherboard choice in this price bracket. It supports up to 3 displays from onboard graphics. The UEFI is awarded for its ease of use and the audio chip has its own layers on the PCB, increasing the electromagnetic isolation for better audio quality and less interference.
SSD: SanDisk Ultra II 480GB
A higher-capacity SSD is never a bad thing. Silent and speedy.
HDD: HGST 2TB
Once more, the amount of storage you ultimately need is up to you. These HGST drives are particularly reliable.
Fractal Design’s Define series is built for high-end silent computing. With a built-in fan controller, sound-dampening material and quiet fans, it excels at silence. Enough room for easy cable management and any component you could want, and it accommodates high-end configurations as well.
Extreme Build ($2,000)
Here we hit the epitome of the music production PC. Compared to the previous builds, this is quieter, packed with more features, and better in almost every way. You could spend more money than this on a PC for music production, but you would be unlikely to notice any additional benefit.
CPU: i7-6850K
The i7-6850K is a hyperthreaded hexa-core powerhouse. Its 3.6 GHz core clock out of the box does not quite match the 4.0 GHz of the 6700K, but it comes with two extra cores, meaning four additional threads. It can also be overclocked to significantly improve its single-threaded performance, just in case you want the best of everything.
Cooler: Noctua DH15
Noctua’s DH15 provides unparalleled cooling at astonishingly low noise levels.
Motherboard: ASUS X99 Deluxe
This motherboard provides more rear USB ports and SATA and memory expansions for any producer. Just like the previous boards, the audio chips are on separate layers and have Japanese capacitors for the highest quality audio.
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws V 32GB DDR4-3200
32GB is more than enough RAM for literally any DAW build.
SSD: SanDisk Extreme Pro 960GB
We recommend a high-capacity SSD over a faster one. However, if you’d rather go for speed, we can also recommend the Samsung 950 Pro 512GB.
HDD: Hitachi Deskstar NAS 4TB
Once more, choose the drive you need. We advise 4TB, as it’s a good middle ground for mass storage and will be enough space for most producers. These HGST drives are particularly reliable.
GPU: MSI GTX 960 Gaming 2GB
Because this PC’s chipset does not included integrated graphics, you’ll need a discrete graphics card. MSI’s GTX 960 Gaming provides support for up to four monitors and features semi-passive cooling for silent performance when audio editing (or anything that doesn’t require a high graphical load). If you also want to game, you’ll want to upgrade to something faster, like a GTX 1080 or 1070.
Power Supply: EVGA Supernova 750G2
This power supply packs enough wattage for any load you may throw at it and able to stay silent all the while. It is one of the highest-rated gold power supplies on the market.
Case: Nanoxia Deep Silence 5
The Deep Silence 5 is the ultimate in silent computing. Everything about this case is silence without compromise. Fan controllers, noise dampening foam, sound dampening grommets on the drives and power supply, everything is considered. Without any compromise to expansion capacity.
Other Considerations
Beyond the build itself, you may need some of these other things:
Operating system: You can use anything you like. We use Windows 10.
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Optical disc drive: If you want to burn or read discs, you’ll need one of these.
Sound studio peripherals: If you’re looking to get into recording music, at the very least you’ll likely want a Digital Audio Interface and a microphone.
DAW software: You’ll need software to produce music. Here is a list of today’s most popular choices. LMMS is a popular free option.
Recording Live Music On Computer
PC Peripherals: Unless you already have them, you’ll need monitor(s), a mouse, and a keyboard. You may want a wifi card too.
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ONCE AGAIN: In case you scrolled past our earlier warning: While this article (and its example builds) are some years old, we now have a thorough, regularly updated big guide article on building a PC for Music Production over on our main site. Check it out!