Best laptops for music production in 2023

MacBook Pro 16″ (M1, 2021)

Cool powerful laptop for home recording studio

While we consider the 14-inch MacBook Pro to be the best laptop for music production professionals, fans of large monitors will be pleased with Apple's 16-inch model, which has almost identical specifications. This means you'll get a great music production laptop that performs well even when working on the most complex projects, high-quality speakers and microphone, and plenty of ports.

As well as a much larger monitor size - 16-inch. Many find the 16" model more comfortable to work with, especially when processing multiple tracks at the same time. However, it ranks lower than its 14-inch counterpart in the rankings, as the larger screen size increases the weight of the laptop, which means it will be harder to carry around. The price of such a laptop is also higher, so we consider the 14-inch model the best choice for most music producers.

MacBook Pro 13″ (M1, 2020)

The best laptop for music production

Apple has launched a series of MacBook Pro laptops with the M1 chip, a proprietary processor that was first released in November 2020. The M1 replaces the Intel processors used in MacBooks since 2006 with Apple's own chip (and an operating system optimized for it). This 2560x1600 model has long been favored by most working DJs and live producers as the M1 series processors are truly the company's future.

The fact that these chips help extend the battery life up to 20 hours will be a real lifesaver for those who are used to working on the go. When buying, give preference to a model with a maximum configuration of 16 GB of RAM and 2 TB of internal memory, as DJ software is quite demanding, plus the laptop will store your entire library of tracks, clips, mixing sessions, etc.

If you need to upload new tracks online on the go, you'll need Wi-Fi 6 and Thunderbolt/USB 4 support. The ability to instantly wake up from sleep mode and use the 16-core neural engine to work with beats makes the MacBook Pro an industry leader.

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15

Affordable, high-performance laptop for music

If you're after a high-end music production laptop, then the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 UX582L might be the one for you. It boasts not only incredibly powerful components, including a choice of Intel Core i7 or i9 processors, but also a unique design with a second monitor above the keyboard. This touch screen can be used for music applications that provide additional control, such as sliders to merge tracks.

This makes the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 UX582L much more versatile than other laptops. Both OLED monitors guarantee absolutely stunning images. However, this design is not for everyone, which, moreover, makes the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 UX582L the most expensive laptop in this ranking. It also affects battery life, which means you'll need to carry a power supply with you if you plan to use it outside the home.