If you’re aiming to pursue music production or DJing, certain factors are crucial when selecting a laptop for your creative endeavors. A balanced blend of processing power and memory is essential to optimize your DAW (digital audio workstation) performance. Adequate storage is indispensable, especially considering the space demands of high-bitrate files. Additionally, diverse storage options are necessary to accommodate your accessories and peripherals. With these considerations in mind, let’s explore the top laptops tailored for music production and DJing:
Top Picks by Price Range:
- Best Budget-Friendly Laptops
- Top Mid-Range Laptops for Music Production and DJs
- Top High-End Laptops for Music Production and DJs
Top Affordable Laptops for Music Production and DJs
Acer Swift 3 Ryzen 5
The Acer Swift 3 stands out as a top choice among budget laptops for music production. Its latest iteration features the new Ryzen 5 2500U Quad-Core processor, clocking speeds up to 3.6GHz. Boasting a 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Widescreen LED-backlit Display with Corning Gorilla Glass, the laptop not only impresses visually but also offers robust durability. With 8GB of DDR4 RAM, ample memory is assured for all tasks. Though storage is limited to 256GB, it’s in SSD format, ensuring blazing-fast storage speeds.
This machine features a USB 3.1 Type C Gen 1 port, 2 USB 3.0 Ports, and 1 USB 2.0 port. Acer promises up to 8 hours of battery life, facilitating rendering and production on-the-go.
Buy from Amazon: ($699)
Dell 5000 Series
Dell’s new Inspiron series offers exceptional hardware at a competitive price. Priced at $749, it features an Intel Core i5-8250U with 6MB cache, clocked up to 3.40 GHz, paired with 8GB of DDR4-2400MHz RAM. Storage options include a 256GB SSD supplemented by an additional 1TB HDD, providing ample space for both speed-dependent tasks and larger file storage.
Regarding connectivity, the Dell laptop offers 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports and 1 USB 2.0 port. Additionally, it features Bluetooth 4.2 and Waves MaxxAudio Pro for enhanced sound performance. Despite Dell’s typical display issues, the 15.6-inch Full HD IPS TrueLife LED-backlit screen on the Dell 5000 model should suffice for music production.
Lenovo Ideapad 710S Plus
Lenovo has carved a niche in the budget segment, and the Lenovo Ideapad 710S Plus stands out as an affordable yet high-performing laptop. Its 13.3-inch FHD IPS screen boasts 5mm narrow bezels, rendering it 50% thinner than many counterparts. Equipped with a 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U and Intel HD Graphics 620, it delivers swift processing power. With a 256GB PCIe SSD, file rendering occurs in the blink of an eye thanks to its rapid read and write speeds.
The battery backup of the Lenovo Ideapad 710S Plus is promising, with a claimed 7-hour battery life and always-on charging ports for peripheral charging on the go. Additionally, it features a built-in fingerprint sensor for added security.
ASUS VivoBook F510UF-ES71
The Asus VivoBook series stands out as one of my favorite laptop lines lately. The latest models, powered by 8th-gen processors, offer exceptional performance and sleek aesthetics. Take the VivoBook F510UF-ES71, for instance. It boasts an Intel Core i7-8550U processor, reaching speeds of up to 4.0GHz, paired with 8GB of DDR4 RAM. With 1TB of HDD storage, it easily accommodates all your music files. Moreover, for those requiring GPU power, the VivoBook F510UF-ES71 features the MX130 dedicated graphics card with 2GB VRAM.
The 15.6″ FHD WideView display with 0.3″ ASUS NanoEdge bezel offers an impressive 80% screen-to-body ratio, ideal for video editing. For connectivity, the Asus laptop features a USB 3.1 Type-C (Gen1), USB 3.0, and USB 2.0 – one of each type. Priced at just $749, the Asus VivoBook F510UF-ES71 is an excellent choice for music producers or DJs.
Buy from Amazon: ($739.99)
Best Mid-Range Laptops for Music Production and DJs
MSI GL63 8RD-067
If you seek something fresh, the MSI GL63 warrants attention. The MSI GL63 stands out as an excellent mid-range laptop for aspiring music producers. You receive high performance, sleek design, abundant connectivity, all without breaking the bank. The GL63 boasts a Hexa-Core i7-8750H processor with a clock speed up to 4.1GHz. Complementing this is 16GB of DDR4-2400MHz RAM in dual-channel configuration. Modern digital audio workstations heavily rely on GPU performance, and the GL63 delivers with an Nvidia GTX 1050ti with 4GB of GDDR5 memory. For storage, it features a 128GB SSD on the M.2 SATA port for swift media access, coupled with a 1TB HDD for storing samples and project files.
If you’re a DJ, the laptop should aid you in the dark with the Steelseries Red Backlit Keyboard. You also get separate ports for Mic and Speakers, providing complete freedom over customization of input and output media peripherals.
Asus ROG Strix
If you seek a thin, lightweight yet heavy-duty machine without a hefty price tag, the Asus ROG Strix stands out as an excellent choice for music production or DJ tasks. Featuring a 7th-generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ quad-core processor with speeds up to 3.8GHz, it delivers top-notch performance. With 16GB DDR4 memory, compiling multiple tracks is a breeze. The laptop offers 256GB of SSD storage and an additional 1TB of HDD storage, ample for most users.
Regarding graphics fidelity, the ROG Strix features the Nvidia GeForce 1050 with 4GB VRAM. It also includes an extensive range of I/O ports: 3 USB 3.0, 1 USB 3.1 (Type C), 1 USB 2.0, 1 HDMI, 1 Mini DisplayPort, and a headphone/Mic jack. Additionally, it boasts Asus’ Aura RGB lighting keyboard. All housed within a slim 0.9” profile and weighing just 5.6 lbs, the Asus ROG Strix stands as a clear recommendation.
Available on Amazon: ($1229)
Apple MacBook Air
The Apple MacBook Air might not offer top specs compared to Windows counterparts, but many prefer macOS for music production. If you want a lightweight laptop, the MacBook Air is likely your best pick. It combines a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB RAM for decent performance.
It offers 128GB PCIe-based flash storage, one of the fastest options available. Designed for portability, this 2.96 lbs laptop lasts about 12 hours. The 13.3in display with retina resolution is stunning.
Buy from Amazon: ($1,196)
Top High-End Laptops for Music Production and DJs
Razer Blade 2018
If budget isn’t a concern, the Razer Blade 2018 offers premium features in a compact design perfect for on-the-go gigs. At $2,000, it boasts an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q GPU, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD in a small frame.
With such high-end specs, the Razer Blade handles any task effortlessly. Additionally, Razer’s Synapse software lets you customize the keyboard backlight and create responsive lighting patterns to match your music, adding a stylish touch.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501
The Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 stands as one of the premier gaming laptops available, also excelling as a media creation tool. Its ultra-thin, ultra-light design, boasting a mere 0.7″ thickness and weighing just 4.9 lbs, ensures unparalleled portability. Yet, this laptop doesn’t compromise on performance, featuring top-of-the-line components like the Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor and 16GB of DDR4-2400HMz RAM, making it a true powerhouse.
Thanks to Nvidia’s Max-Q technology, the ROG Zephyrus GX501 features a desktop-grade Nvidia GTX 1080 with 8GB of GDDR5 VRAM. You get a 120Hz wide view Full-HD display with NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, making it suitable for video editing. Storage is limited to 512GB in M.2 SSD form, ensuring speed on this powerful machine.
Apple MacBook Pro 15″
For macOS enthusiasts in music production, the Apple MacBook Pro is ideal. It boasts a 7th-gen Intel i7 Processor with Turbo up to 4.1GHz for superb performance. With 16GB of LPDDR3-2133MHz RAM, it handles media tasks effortlessly. Storage-wise, it offers 1TB of PCIe Flash Storage, one of the fastest options available. In the GPU department, the MacBook Pro features the Radeon Pro 560 with 4GB of VRAM. However, connectivity options are limited to 4 Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack, necessitating the purchase of a USB expansion port for additional peripherals. Nonetheless, the MacBook Pro 15″ is the top choice for macOS users in music production and DJing.
Buy from Amazon: ($2,549)
Top 10 Laptops for Music Production and DJs
That concludes our list of the best laptops for media production available in the market. Whether it’s audio or video editing, these laptops should meet all your needs. Which one will you choose? Did we overlook a powerful laptop that should be on this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Pritam Chopra is a seasoned IT professional and a passionate blogger hailing from the dynamic realm of technology. With an insatiable curiosity for all things tech-related, Pritam has dedicated himself to exploring and unraveling the intricacies of the digital world.
