Most important for audio processing is a CPU with fast single-core performance. This will allow you to get your mixes into a single file much faster and process effects and chains without the CPU having to wait, among many other benefits. Eighth-generation Intel i7 processors are the best, followed by the Intel i5. Seventh-generation processors are also excellent.
Macbook Pro
There is a 13″ and a 16″ model of the MacBook Pro laptop.
If you work on an airplane a lot, the 13-inch option is perfect, but that’s not the case for most people. I would recommend getting the latest 16″ MacBook Pro with Touchbar.
With up to 64GB of RAM, a 2.6GHz 6-core Intel i7 processor (9th gen) and a 512GB solid state hard drive (or 1TB with the 8-core i9) you’ll be set for years. As of early 2020, this is the best MacBook Pro for music production. I’d stick with the 512GB SSD and upgrade with an external SSD later as needed, unless you know you’ll need the extra space. It also comes with a Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB of video RAM.
It comes with 4 USB-C ports so you’ll need to get adapters or a dock. USB Type-C is a different port than the traditional USB 2.0 and USB 3.0.
Stay away from regular Macbooks (the non-“Pro” models). They basically use a phone-like processor, which means they’re designed for battery life over speed.
Razer Blade
Yes, the RazerBlade is a “gaming” laptop, but that also means it’s equally well equipped to effortlessly handle music production. The recommended model is the advanced 15″ RazerBlade. It has a 6-core Intel i7-8750H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR5 VRAM), 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
They also have a 13″ ultra-thin laptop and a 17″ desktop replacement, but as of March 2019, the 15″ model is the most upgraded.
The build quality of these laptops is second to none and is often compared to Apple for good reason. They don’t add a bunch of extra software that only ends up slowing down your computer and they care about speed and performance.
DELL XPS 15
The Dell XPS line of laptops has been an excellent choice for some time now. It’s the thinnest 15″ PC laptop out there, but it doesn’t sacrifice performance. The latest version – Dell XPS 9570 – includes Intel’s new Coffee Lake processor and a beautiful 4K touch screen with Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance.
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I recommend the XPS9570 4K Touch model with the 8th generation Intel i7-8750H, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. You’ll also get the Nvidia GTX 1050Ti graphics card. You’ll be able to record and edit music, do video editing, and just about anything else with this.
It comes with an SD card reader and 2 USB 3.0 ports.
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