If you're looking for the best Mac for music production – get a Mac with minimum Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. Macs are among the best music-making laptops.
As a beginner or pro music producer, you'll love the above iMac Pro 27-inch for composite video or mus productions. Its Retina 5K display is thin (5mm), in-built CPU, and built-in speakers.
For years now, Apple has produced some of the best laptops for music production. As the only portable platform for Logic Pro X, the Apple MacBook Pro is synonymous with the craft of music-making. By comparison, those of us using a PC have traditionally been chained to the desktop format, but that has changed considerably in recent years. Spin off project of the October 2016 upload on the MacBook Air!I've broken out of Apple's Ecosystem: Air: http://amzn.to/. The best MIDI keyboards for Mac and Logic Pro 2017 Edition. Including our weekly Logic Pros series exploring music production on Mac and iOS devices. Justin is an audio engineer. According to MacWorld again, which cites supply chain rumors and reports, a 32GB MacBook Pro won't enter production until the last quarter of 2017 at the earliest, for a 2018 launch. That's because there are no processors and memory controllers yet to make it possible for Apple to utilize more than 16GB of the low-power LPDDR RAM modules it.
If you're a traveling producer, get a sleek, light, and compact Mac. MacBook Pro 13-inch is excellent for on-the-go music production (when you're traveling). Read Also: Good camera for music videos.
The MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air for Music Production debate came up lately on an apple discussion. It has Thunderbolt 3 ports, a Retina display, a new trackpad and keyboard, and a modern Intel processor. Apple has maintained the 12 hours battery life, which is great for music production while traveling. Check Price on Amazon.
Reviews: Top 9 Best Mac for Music Production in 2021
1. MacBook Pro 16-inch – Best Mac Laptop for Music – #1 Pick
This portable MacBook Pro 16-inch comes is a beast for audio engineers and musicians. Has improved speakers plus high-quality display – you can upgrade to 8TB of storage plus 64GB Ram.
MacBook Pro 16-inch comes with a 16GB RAMp plus a 6‑core i7 processor. This gives a pro performance since minimal monitoring and recording projects could choke it.
Sneak Peek:
- Processor: 8-core i9 processor
- Storage: 1TB storage (SSD)
- Memory: 16GB RAM allows smooth multitasking
- Screen size: 16-inch display Retina
- Design: 0.61 inches thick
- Ports: USB 3.1 Gen 2; 4 Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) for DisplayPort and Charging; and 40 Gbps Thunderbolt
- Headphone Jack: 3.5 mm
Best titling software. In addition to high portability, this MacBook Pro has a large screen and will also effectively run the DAW software plus plugins with little latency – great video editing laptop.
I tested this MacBook Pro's low-latency performance using Ableton Live in Pro Tools and stand-alone with excellent results. It has pro ports – (4) 40Gb Thunderbolt 3 that also act as USB‑C connections.
Despite that, the 16-inch screen can't compare to the 27-inch in iMac Pro, MacBook Pro is significantly better than most Macs when it comes to less software clustering for music production.
MacBook Pro 16-inch has a Touch Bar that'll work great with Logic Pro X. You can use its six operation modes, and you can use it as a MIDI controller (with a plugin) or quickly move through the tracks.
However, this MacBook Pro has limited USB ports besides the 4 USB-C ports. Therefore, you'll require a different cable or dongle to connect any USB-A peripherals.
MacBook Pro also has a 6-speaker system that will overshadow your headphones plus studio monitors- plus it as the 'Force Cancelling' woofers – check these affordable noise-canceling headphones.
With an 8-core i9 processor, 1TB SSD, and 16 GB RAM, this MacBook Pro is great for music production. Its studio-quality mics plus 6-speaker surround – sharp treble, crisp and pronounced bass.
On graphics, the MacBook Pro 16-inch comes with its onboard Intel chipset (plus man AMD chip) that'll become functional when during low demand for visual performance.
On microphones, this Mac has three mics, and thus your calls will be much clear – including on iPhone with better sound fidelity and improved noise reduction.
2. Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch Space Gray – #2 Pick
Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch is similar (with Touch Bar to improve music making productivity) to Apple 15″ MacBook Pro but with a smaller sized display and some trade-offs in features.
The machine has an Intel Core i5 (2.4GHz) style quad-core processor. Further, the SSD (Solid-state drive) type of storage you can easily (and quickly) navigate various music or audio files.
New features include the True Tone display, Hey Siri, and an improved Magic keyboard – just like in MacBook Air with the physical Escape key and essential travel being 1mm.
Sneak Peek:
- Processor: 8th-Gen (quad-core) Core i5
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Screen size: 13-Inch (Brilliant Retina)
- Design: 14.9mm thick
- Ports: 4 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C)
- Headphone Jack: 3.5 mm
But with the highly portable 13-inch MacBook Pro (thin and light), I can now work at coffee shops, trains, or planes. This Mac has analog modeled plugins and fabulous mixing headphones to allow fast editing tune vocals and drums while traveling.
The MacBook Pro has a silicone layer below every key, and thus you won't experience stuck keys. With its 2560 * 1600 pixels' True Tone display is colorful, bright, and sharp in resolution. It has Intel Iris 655 Plus graphics, which are awesomely helpful for video and photo editing.
Increased portability – While editing my band's drums and tracks, I would suffer from the cold fluorescent lights. This made me seek increased portability of my music-making machines and devices. Its Thunderbolt 3 will support 2 – 5K displays and a 40GB/s data transfer for music-making.
With the True Tone technology, your display will change the panel of Mac's white balance to match the color temperature. Therefore, you'll have better viewing when making music for an extended period.
With the new T2 chip to allow full disk encryption for secure booting and for storing data in the SSD. Further, the Hey Siri will allow you to use your voice to change settings while producing music. It has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports and the 720p HD camera (Face-time) to allow better video calling.
Ample SSD Storage – It has 128GB SSD storage to allow power-efficient and high-speed memory. Therefore, you can start multiple apps or import huge files very fast. The 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with two speakers that'll offer you balanced and abundant audio. Further, it has a 58 watt-hour battery that will guarantee a more extended power supply for the laptop.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with fast processors for recording or handling various audio work. For the 2018 MacBook Pro, you'll get an additional Ram and a 2TB SSD.
MacBook Pro is the top music production laptop, performing & recording. Your DAWs, API, or sub-systems (CoreAudio) must be super responsive.
3. iMac Pro 27-inch – Best Studio Mac for Audio Production – #3 Pick
iMac Pro 27-inch is great for large video or audio editing projects, including 4K & 8K plus for VR simulations and 3D rendering. You'll get a powerful iMac to record and produce with most DAWs.
For your home studio, I recommend this iMac Pro 27-inch as it has many USB and USB-C ports plus adequate power to run your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software easily.
Sneak Peek:
- Processor: 8-Core Xeon w
- Storage: 1TB storage (SSD)
- Memory: 32GB RAM upgradable to 64GB / 128GB
- Screen size: 27-inch display (diagonal) + its Retina 5K
- Design: 5-mm-thin
- Ports: 4 USB 3, 4 Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C),
- Headphone Jack: 3.5 mm, four mics, Stereo speakers
The Radeon Pro Vega 56 graphics (with 8GB HBM2 memory) are great for music and video editing. The 5-mm thin screen and built-in CPU won't take much space and will display vast information compared to the 21.5-inch model.
You'll get an SDXC slot and the headphone mini-jack that'll allow the production of fantastic sound from your internal stereo speakers. In addition to the Mac Pro features, this iMac Pro has a 5K retina that's simple to set up.
After giving an update to the Logic Pro X, this iMac Pro is even better for production. Logic Pro X now supports eighteen processor cores (named 36 threads). It can now run many plugins plus tracks and sample libraries.
The iMac Pro will easily handle 12 times more plugins in real-time DAW working compared to the previous iMac model. The machine will export multi-track sessions about five times faster.
Further, Sculpture & Amp Designer are better in this iMac Pro and will thus give about 12 times more performance. Also, you may connect two additional 5K monitors to your iMac Pro.
The iMac Pro is a multi-purpose Mac like for music production, video editing, VR, 3D, or 2D design work. In addition to having SB 3 ports, this Mac has 4 USB-C – maybe connect an external SSD drive.
This iMac Pro has higher-bandwidth connectivity and advanced graphics technologies that will enhance your music production on this desktop computer.
For sound designers, film engineers, voiceovers, podcasters, and music producers, here're the consideration to make while selecting your Apple's iMac Pro.
However, the many peripheral ports are positioned at the rear end of the iMac Pro, which will be difficult to access regularly. So, get a USB hub for iMac the easy to access at the bottom of the display.
iMac Pro's 8-Core Xeon w chip is excellent for handling music production. This includes multitasking, editing, and selecting multiple music tracks, as shown in the video below.
4. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch Retina display – Latest Model)
The MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air for Music Production debate came up lately on an apple discussion. It has Thunderbolt 3 ports, a Retina display, a new trackpad and keyboard, and a modern Intel processor. Apple has maintained the 12 hours battery life, which is great for music production while traveling.
Compared to the old MacBook Air, this laptop has achieved a 30% upgrade on its Graphics performance. It has a 128GB SSD storage to take 1 GB/sec and 2 GB/sec in write and read speeds, respectively. This is blazing fast for a laptop its size.
MacBook Air Retina display comes with a 2560×1600 resolution (with DCI-P3 color gamut). This is four times better compared to the older MacBook Air. It has black bezels, lighter (2.75 pounds), and thinner – just about the size of the MacBook Pro. It has Touch ID, which provides the real ESC key and Function keys. The T2 processor allows audio processing, disk encryption, secure booting.
MacBook Air has a new butterfly-switch keyboard with a silicone membrane for a quieter typing experience. This is because MacBook Air has low travel and prevents dust. Further, it has louder speakers with bass response. It also comes with the modern Force Touch trackpad that is easy to click and is more substantial.
Apple has done away with the MagSafe connector, SD card reader, USB-A ports. Instead, MacBook Air adopted USB-C charging and has two Thunderbolt 3 connectors (40 Gbps). Due to a lack of USB-A connectors, you'll need to purchase a dongle.
5. Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2015 Core i7 2.2GHz
Macs are still a favorite with music-makers & DJs. Apple 15″ MacBook Pro Retina is robust, has many USB ports, MagSafe present, and no noisy butterfly keys. Further, It's compatible with many DAWs that are optimized to work with the Mac OS. Therefore, there are fewer performance issues or crashes.
But, why didn't I include the MacBook Pro 2016? Well, MacBook Pro 2016 has a decorative touchpad – whose application is not fully utilized for music production. But get some hard-drives for great studio work.
Also, the 2016 model lacks the MagSafe connector, Firewire sockets, and USB ports. MacBook Pro 2016's Touch-Pad may allow faster access to the tempo, record, stop and play controls on the Ableton Live.
Apple 15″ MacBook Pro will comfortably run sessions with many plugins and tracks running actively. This is because it has superior 16GB RAM and processing power (quad-core Intel Core i7). But this Mac has some noise fans that could disrupt your recordings – if you're doing this in the same space.
SSD storage (256GB) for large-sized files: Also, Apple 15″ MacBook Pro uses SSD storage (256GB), and thus you can easily store the large-sized files without slowing the machine. The base model has 8GB RAM and a 3.6 GHz processor (dual-core) that's making.
Here's how different music producers use their Macs. (1) Traditional production – Record music tracks via mics & instruments and finally mix. (2) DJs and performing musicians will use their Mac in recording and producing tracks and yet in playing. (3) Lastly, hip-hop artists and EDMs use DAW with Best Laptops For FL Studio, MIDI-keyboard controllers, & sequencers. Check a review video.
6. Apple MacBook MLHC2EA 12-Inch Laptop with Retina Display
This MacBook MLHC2EA is also lightweight (just 2 pounds) and is thin in build. You'll find it very portable for your on-the-go music production, in addition to offering high performance.
With a native resolution of 2304 x 1440, LED backlights, and uni-body design that makes it highly compact. It has one USB-C port for both connectivity and power needs – thus, you might need a dongle.
Free art software for windows 10. So, for your recording studio work, you'll need to know the considerations to make for the MacBook MLHC2EA that'll capture your original sounds and audio.
Further, there is a wide selection of plugins and software available for Macs for recording music. Also, with MacBook MLHC2EA, you'll get adequate storage space and peripherals for studio work.
Innovative and smart people (including music producers) love working with Macs. Well, Macs are workhorses, beautiful, trendy, and dependable – also try these best keyboard workstation. Cyberlink video editing software free. download full version.
Considerations in Best Mac for Music Production?
1. Hardware Support Ports
Finally, get a Mac that has appropriate ports to work excellently with your hardware in the additional gear you'll connect to the computer.
For example, the Mac must have a USB-A port for connecting your MIDI controller keyboard plus a USB-C for connecting musical instruments and audio interface.
Further, you'll require some MIDI interface, good production headphones, and studio monitors. Also, get large-screen MAC like the 27-inch iMacs for better working space.
Sound professionals will use 'out of the box' audio through virtual instruments and sampled sounds while creating sounds. Other professionals will record the sound with acoustic instruments and voices while using microphones with their audio interfaces.
2. Mac with Audio Software
The Mac you choose must work seamlessly with your digital audio workstation (DAW). So, get a machine has above average compute specifications.
For example, the minimum MAC requirements for Ableton Live 10 are 4 GB RAM and Intel Core i5. Also, for Logic Pro X, get a mac with a minimum of 63 GB storage space and 4 GB RAM.
For your MAC, check these Ableton's guidelines on MAC specifications for producing music. But most DAWs won't need unique graphics cards.
Macbook Air 2017
Get multiple SSD internal storage, an Intel i7 or i5 multi-core processor, and 16+ GB of RAM. Check requirements for Audio plugins like the OmniSphere synthesizer – require 2.4 GHz+ RAM.
3. Macs are Reliabile and Stabile?
Considerably, Mac will be more reliable and stable than windows computers. For music production, you want a laptop with adequate RAM and CPU that won't max out.
So, I confirm that Macs will offer a reliable and stable recording environment. However, secure a dedicated production Mac to avoid inefficient processes running in the program's background.
For example, you might need to disconnect your internet and uninstall programs like Whatsapp or Facebook from the MAC. Also, have the audio software loading from a separate partition.
Further, to reduce possible compatibility problems, avoid upgrading to a new macOS version too soon. This must also be the case with updates with other plugins and production software.
On reliability, ensure that the battery life will be excellent to work great when unplugged in coffee shops and portable gigs.
4. Creative Space Support
The computer must give you adequate space to display and utilize your creativity. So, the Mac computer must have little frustration and friction while you're producing the music.
For example, some windows computers tend to delay starting up before they've fully installed many software updates – this can't happen with Macs.
Further, you might require to work simultaneously with many plugins, a mixer window, and tracks. Get a Retina display that's large enough to show the necessary extensive details.
Finally, the production room must be soundproof to avoid noise pollution while also isolation space from external noise – and hence such sound won't be picked by the studio mics for vocals.
Conclusion
On storage, you'll require a Mac with enough internal disk space for your current projects. But you'll need to transfer other files to an external SSD storage – about 500 GB.
Also, ensure that the room's surfaces and shape are appropriate so that they won't negatively affect the sound's EQ during the recording sessions. I recommend the iMac Pro 27-inch as the Best Mac for Music Production.
The debate over which type of computer reigns supreme has raged on for decades now. As with sports teams and political parties, people began to huddle into distinct camps, devout in their allegiances. In the computing world, these camps became Mac vs PC. And this battle has also bled into the world of music. For producers and musicians, the question of Mac vs PC goes beyond computing alone, but Mac vs PC for music production, specifically.
Today, people still tend to cling to one or the other. However, years of competition and exponential technological breakthroughs have shrunk the gap between Macs and PCs even further. This bodes especially well for music producers. More processing power means shorter export times, more plugins, faster workflow, higher quality sound, and so much more. But even with this overall improvement in computing power, most producers want to work within a single system. And Macs and PCs remain the two most viable options. So when it comes to Mac vs PC for music production, which is better?
What do we mean by Mac vs PC?
Before we go further with the specifics of Mac vs PC for music production, let's briefly describe what we mean by Mac and PC. These labels get thrown around as general markers for Apple and Microsoft products, but this isn't exactly right. Apple alone produces Macintosh computers and its operating system, macOS. Microsoft also manufactures computers and its operating system, Windows. However, several other companies such as Dell and Lenovo make computers that run Windows as well. To make matters more complicated, Windows can run on a Mac, and some people hack macOS onto their PC.
So in short, we're really referring to the unaltered package here. If you buy a Mac, you're likely running macOS, and if you buy a PC you're probably using Windows.
What are we looking for?
We should first outline the parameters which will inform our decision when duking it out between Mac vs PC for music production. Which hardware or operating system does a particular thing better than the other? What are these particular things? They might be numerous, depending on how technical we want to get. We're mostly concerned with music production, of course. So to keep things simple, let's break it down into four categories: ease of use, compatibility, functionality/power, and cost.
Compatibility
Aside from ease of use, compatibility plays the biggest role in the Mac vs PC for music production debate. This includes both hardware and software. Both Apple and Microsoft have to walk a tightrope to keep up with advancing technology while not leaving average users in the dust.
Hardware
When we say hardware, we're talking about the physical components of the computer. Depending on the model and year of Mac or PC, the hardware can vary. The most recent MacBook Pro, for instance, abandoned the standard USB 2.0/3.0 port entirely and strictly adopted USB C. Yes, the latter is much faster, but most products still rely on USB 2.0 or 3.0. So if your interface is a standard USB model, you'll have to dish out for an adaptor, which Apple is happy to sell you.
New MacBooks also lack a CD/DVD drive. Because most files are shared and stored digitally now, there isn't much of a use for this drive, but it can still frustrate some users who enjoy using their physical collections or uploading/downloading data to and from discs. Likewise, you'll need a special lightning cable adapter to hook up an HDMI cable to your Mac.
Macbook For Music Production 2017 Map
On the hardware side, PCs might win the day here. Because PCs are made from parts that can come from more than one manufacturer, they're highly customizable. More customization means more compatibility. But even without purchasing add-ons, PCs generally come equipped with more universal hardware out of the box. You won't need special adaptors for USB, HDMI, or disc drives. Even beneath the hood, swapping out parts like graphics chips and processors tends to be a lot easier and cheaper for PC owners.
Software
This isn't to say Apple completely fails the compatibility test, however. Several music production companies design products with Apple in mind, since they understand their audience often uses Apple products. Apple's iPhone has even found a niche in the mobile DAW market (check out these great iOS DAWs). In this way, Macs and other Apple products push the industry forward, but some fallout is inevitable.
As for add-ons, plugins, and software, you'll generally find way more plugins available for Windows than for Mac (but check out these 25 free Mac plugins). When it comes to free plugins and VST instruments, PCs fare better as well. It takes a lot of research and time to find the best plugins for Mac, and even more time to find freebies. As for DAWs, if Logic is your program of choice, it will only run on Mac. Conversely, Sonar can only run on Windows. PCs can run more DAWs natively than Macs as well. You really have your pick on a PC: Cubase, Reaper, Ableton, FL Studio, Pro Tools, etc. While many of these top-tier DAWs also run on Mac now, they tend to work a bit better on PC.
Functionality and power
This factor stems right from the previous one. Out of the box, Macs are typically more functional and stable than PCs. They even come pre-loaded with GarageBand, a good stepping stone for the amateur producer without a professional DAW. Macs are designed with optimization in mind already. PCs, which have a more general audience, vary a bit more in their functionality and processing power. If you only use your PC for light web browsing and emails, you don't need the bells and whistles. But for music producers, artists, designers, and gamers, the more power and functionality the better.
For some, even a high-end Mac doesn't offer enough speed to handle everything, even if it's generally more stable. And, as we mentioned, since PCs offer more customization, some creative types simply modify or enhance their PC to handle their work and play. Of course, not everyone has the money, skill, or knowledge to transform their PC into a powerhouse. So it's really a draw here. Do you want more right away, or the potential to add more down the road?
Ease of use
Your ability to navigate your computer matters more than just about anything. You won't get very far if you can't get a grip on the design philosophy of your computer. Macs have dominated this space with intuitive design both inside and out. They've become known as the 'creative person's computer' in part for this reason. The applications of the MacBook touchpad alone make navigation and precision control incredibly simple. In Logic Pro, for instance, the touchpad acts as a multi-purpose mixing board, and it feels great.
Cost
Macs cost more, sometimes by a lot. This is partially due to fantastic branding by Apple, which drives up demand regardless of the product itself. But the product usually backs up the price. Macs run well, crash infrequently, offer a lot of power out of the gate, feature an intuitive interface and design, and live a long time. With fewer maintenance costs, the price of admission is usually worth it. These machines really are perfect for music production and creative endeavours in general. If that's the experience you want, just be prepared to dish out a grand or two.
2017 Macbook Pro For Sale
PCs typically cost less to start with. But, again, if you plan on modifying your hardware or software, the dollars begin to add up. Still, you'd have to modify your PC quite a bit to reach the cost of the highest-end Mac. In that case, your PC would likely perform better anyway. PCs might require more maintenance than Macs, but that gap is narrowing as well. So in the end, you could end up shelling out as much for a PC as you would have for a Mac, but it's unlikely. And if you did, your PC would take the cake by a long shot.
Mac vs PC for music production: and the winner is…
Truth be told, you can't really go wrong either way. Both Macs and PCs get better every year, and they'll continue to improve so long as people continue using them. If you want a computer strictly for music production, maybe consider a Mac for its ease of use and built-in features. But if you plan on using your computer for several purposes in addition to music production, get a PC and upgrade it to your liking. The Mac vs PC for music production war rages on, and we all benefit from the competition. In the end, the winner is us.
2017 Macbook Pro
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