Music production and editing places intense demands on a laptop. You need serious processing power, ample RAM, and fast storage to handle multi-track sessions with lots of effects and plugins without audio dropouts or latency. The right laptop can make all the difference in helping producers, sound engineers, and musicians get the best results.
In this buying guide, we highlight the top 6 laptops in 2024 specifically optimized for music editing, production, and mobile recording.
Best Overall: Apple MacBook Pro 14" with M1 Pro Chip
The recently released MacBook Pro 14" model with the new M1 Pro chip offers incredible performance perfect for intensive music projects. The 8-core CPU and up to 32-core GPU deliver up to 3x faster processing than previous models. Combined with up to 64GB unified memory, you can run multiple tracks with effects no problem.
The 14" mini-LED screen provides gorgeous visuals, while the array of ports (HDMI, SD card, MagSafe 3, Thunderbolt 4) offer ample connectivity. Even with the power inside, battery life reaches up to 17 hours. If you want the best portable MacOS music production laptop available, the 14" MacBook Pro with M1 Pro is hard to beat.
Key Features:
- Apple M1 Pro chip with 10-core CPU and up to 32-core GPU
- Up to 64GB unified memory
- 14" mini-LED screen with ProMotion (up to 120Hz refresh rates)
- Multiple ports for connectivity (HDMI, SD card reader)
- Up to 17 hours battery life
Pros: Incredible processing power, great display, excellent battery life, MacOS ecosystem
Cons: Expensive, limited to 16GB RAM on base model
Price: Starts at $1,999
Most Versatile: Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15
The unique Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 stands out for its dual 4K OLED touchscreen design. The main 15.6" 4K OLED display provides gorgeous visuals, while the 14" ScreenPad Plus touchscreen above the keyboard is perfect for toolbars, timelines, mixer controls, and more.
With an Intel Core i9 CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU, 1TB SSD, and 16GB RAM, you have serious hardware for music editing and effects. Connectivity is also ample with multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, and SD card reader. If you want a versatile dual screen laptop capable of handling intensive music projects on the go, the ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is an excellent choice.
Key Features:
- 15.6” 4K OLED touchscreen + 14” ScreenPad Plus secondary touch display
- 11th Gen Intel Core i9 processor
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU
- 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage
- Multiple ports including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SD reader
Pros: Dual touchscreen design, powerful specs, 4K OLED display
Cons: Expensive, weaker battery life
Price: Around $2,500
Largest Screen: Dell XPS 17
For musicians and producers who want maximum screen real estate for their sessions, the Dell XPS 17 delivers with its spacious 17" display. The gorgeous screen has tiny bezels and 100% Adobe RGB plus 500 nits brightness for accurate color reproduction.
Combined with 12th Gen Intel Core i9 CPUs, NVIDIA GeForce RTX dedicated graphics, and 1TB SSD options, the XPS 17 handles demanding music software and plugins with ease. You also get plenty of ports, a backlit keyboard, and Thunderbolt 4 for speedy connections.
Key Features:
- 17" display with tiny bezels, 100% Adobe RGB, 500 nits brightness
- 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processor
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX discrete graphics
- Up to 1TB SSD and 32GB DDR5 RAM
- Multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports, SD card slot, headphone jack
Pros: Massive 17" gorgeous display, latest 12th Gen Intel and NVIDIA chips for optimal performance
Cons: Expensive, battery life just okay
Price: From $2,099
Best Gaming Laptop: ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
Gaming laptops make excellent options for music production thanks to their top notch processing power. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 stands out with its 12th Gen Core i9 CPU, potent NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, and high speed components like DDR5 RAM and PCIe Gen 4 SSD.
It also offers extras tailored for gamers that music creators can benefit from like an optical mechanical keyboard, excellent Dolby Atmos speakers, and Aura RGB lighting. Performance and connectivity are beastly with WiFi 6E, 2.5G LAN, and plenty of ports. If you want a fully loaded gaming rig for your next album or remix, the Scar 15 delivers.
Key Specs:
- 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H CPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU
- 16GB DDR5 RAM and 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
- Per-key RGB mechanical keyboard with optical switches
- Dolby Atmos speakers
- WiFi 6E, 2.5G LAN, HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4 ports
Pros: Serious processing power with latest Intel and NVIDIA chips, great sound system and keyboard, tons of connectivity
Cons: Bulky and heavy, shorter battery life, high price tag
Price: Around $2,000
Best Windows Laptop: Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
For a premium Windows laptop experience tailored for creators, Microsoft‘s Surface Laptop Studio hits the mark. It transform into different modes via the unique hinged design, while the touchscreen with Surface Pen support is great for manipulating projects.
Under the hood, you get 12th Gen Intel Core H-Series processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics for demanding programs. The immersive Quad Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos provide quality sound for music playback and mixing. With plenty configuration options and a refined build, the Surface Laptop Studio lets Windows users tap their creative potential on the go.
Key Features:
- Converts between laptop, stage, and studio modes thanks to unique hinge design
- 14.4" 120Hz touchscreen display compatible with Surface Pen
- 12th Gen Intel Core H-Series processors, up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics
- Quad Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos support
- Up to 32GB LPDDR5 RAM and 2TB SSD storage options
Pros: Innovative versatile design, 120Hz high res touchscreen, potent latest gen Intel/NVIDIA hardware
Cons: Expensive, limited ports
Price: From $1,599
Best Budget: HP Pavilion 15
If you want decent music editing capabilities without breaking the bank, the HP Pavilion 15 is a good budget choice. It comes equipped with modern components like a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and 15.6" 1080p touch display.
Battery life is solid at over 8 hours for work on the move. You also get Bang & Olufsen speakers, fingerprint reader for easy logins, and a good range of ports (USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, headphone jack). It may not handle huge projects well, but for smaller productions the HP Pavilion 15 gets the job done.
Key Specs:
- 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 quad core CPU
- Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics
- 15.6" 1080p touch display
- 16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD storage
- Bang & Olufsen speakers, fingerprint reader
- Battery life over 8 hours
Pros: Affordable price, ample components for lighter work, good battery life and speakers
Cons: Limited performance for intensive projects, slower hard drive
Price: Around $650
What to Look for in a Music Editing Laptop
When choosing the right laptop for your music editing and production needs, here are some of the most important factors to weigh:
- CPU: Aim for the latest Intel Core i7 or i9 processors which offer more cores and better efficiency compared to lower end chips
- GPU: Dedicated graphics like NVIDIA RTX cards accelerate creative apps, VST instruments, and effects
- RAM: 16GB is ideal, 32GB recommended for large sessions. Faster DDR4 or DDR5 RAM improves performance
- Storage: PCIe Gen 4 SSDs provide lightning quick load times for sample libraries and projects
- Display: Look for 15" or bigger screens with high resolution (1440p or 4K), accurate color (100% sRGB or Adobe RGB), and high refresh rates for smoother panning
- Audio: Quality speakers, headphone jack, and Dolby Atmos or other spatial audio support for accurate music playback
- Ports: USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI, SD card reader ensure ample connectivity
- Battery life: Around 8+ hours enables extended work away from an outlet
Ultimately it comes down to picking hardware best aligned with your specific music software needs and budget.
The Music Editing Laptop Experience
While desktop PCs were once required for professional studio grade productions, modern high end laptops now pack enough processing grunt for even the most complex sessions on the move.
Your music editing experience relies firstly on CPU/GPU hardware capable of handling everything from dozens of software synthesizer tracks with effects to live recorded instruments with multiple mics. Smooth, glitch-free playback is essential.
High resolution, color accurate displays like those in our recommended laptops also enable you to closely inspect audio waveforms to cleanly edit pieces together or process tracks with visual EQs and filters.
Dedicated graphics cards also speed up tasks like rendering while SSDs load huge sample libraries in seconds rather than minutes. Little frustrations add up over long projects. The right laptop removes friction so you can focus on creativity.
Connect top laptop hardware like this with pro audio accessories via the multitude of ports and advanced components like Thunderbolt 4. For example, hook up an external audio interface to record mics and instruments at higher bitrates. Then easily incorporate these into your productions with the processing headroom available.
In the end with one of the best music editing laptops, you have a fully capable production studio you can take wherever inspiration strikes. No longer constrained by location or tired desktops, your only limit is imagination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use any laptop for editing music?
While you can technically attempt music production and editing on any recent laptop, you‘ll be seriously limited by underpowered hardware not suited for large, complex sessions. Investing in one our recommended high spec options ensures optimal performance.
Which laptop specification is most important for music editing?
The CPU is arguably the most critical component determining how many tracks, plugins, virtual instruments, and effects you can handle at once. Faster processors with more cores let you pile on the software complexity.
What‘s the minimum RAM and storage for good music editing performance?
We recommend at least 16GB DDR4 RAM along with a 512GB PCIe SSD. 32GB RAM or higher plus 1TB or larger SSDs are even better for massive production needs.
Can you edit music on gaming laptops?
Definitely! Many gaming laptops offer excellent specs like the latest Intel Core i9 processors, boatloads of RAM, fast SSDs and dedicated NVIDIA RTX graphics perfect for music workstation demands. Their advanced cooling also helps avoid throttling under load.
How much should you spend on a dedicated music editing laptop?
Expect to spend anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000+ for optimal performance hardware best leveraged by pro music software. Casual hobbyists can get by cheaper with more mainstream consumer configs though.
