Best laptops for music production 2024: Passion meets productivity

Apple Macbooks have been the go-to for music producers for years now, and for good reason. The latest addition to the Macbook line-up is an absolute workhorse, utilising the power of Apple's M3 chip. This makes an already great processor even better, allowing for more responsive editing, great visuals and brilliant integration with existing Apple products, such as Logic Pro. One of the most popular DAWs on the market Apple keep this software to themselves, only available on Apple machines. They have introduced support for Logic Pro on iPads, but it feels most at home on an Apple computer.

However, with most Apple products, you can find a cheaper Windows alternative with similar specs. But the M3 chip and access to Logic Pro are worth the extra you'd be paying. Not to mention the fantastic build quality. This computer will be with you from the start of your career to your first big hit song and beyond.

If you're looking for a laptop for music production on a budget, this Asus model is a good bet. While the display isn't anything to shout about, it's what's under the hood that's worthy of a mention. You'll have access to 16GB of DDR4 memory, 512GB of super-fast SSD storage and an Intel Iris Xe Graphics processor to boot. This machine can handle anything you throw at it, rendering, bouncing, exporting, mixing, producing, whatever you end up using it for, it is more than equipped.

Wherever you travel it'll be at home thanks to its US Military Standard certification. Able to withstand plenty, it should be safe even if you check your laptop bag before a flight.

Getting these great features for such a low price does mean a few downsides. While integrated GPUs aren't known to be amazing for graphics, you'll likely be too busy making your music to play games on it anyway. The battery leaves a bit to be desired, and you'll find yourself needing to bring the charger with you wherever you decide to set DJ next. With these features and caveats in mind, we're sure the laptop will serve you well.

An interesting option from Microsoft, the 11th generation Surface Pro offers a touchscreen and a keyboard, making it a versatile option for someone wanting to bridge the gap between tablet and laptop.

Mixing on the Surface Pro has been well-documented by producers and artists alike. The Microsoft Surface pen works well for finer detail editing (such as writing automation data) giving your fingers a rest should you find the touchscreen not to your taste.

It's a shame the keyboard is an added extra, as well as storage being limited at this price point, but the value you're already getting from this piece of kit makes the investment worthwhile.

Though this laptop has gamers in mind, it's stuffed to the gills with great technical specs that will also serve creators. High-powered, high-performance components are also the things that will help you in producing your music.

This workstation will be able to meet whatever rendering or live-mixing needs you may have. The best CPU of the bunch, with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, just in case you need even more bang for your buck.

It comes equipped with a 4080 NVIDIA GPU, so once you clock out from your music career you can log on to whatever modern game you may want to play. Aside from only five hours battery life, this laptop is an absolute overachiever whether you're on or off the clock.

This machine is at a mid-tier price but gives you a lot of the more upmarket features. It comes equipped with the standard tech specs you'd expect to be able to work as a music producer, with added extras such as a fingerprint reader on the keyboard, blue light control and even Dolby Atmos sound from the incorporated speakers. This last feature really makes it stand out against other laptops in its class, the ability to clearly listen to your work is paramount.

It comes with an ideal 512TB storage capacity, with the option for you to expand on it should you want to take your projects on the go with a portable drive. There isn't much to fault with this computer, though the screen is only HD which at this price point is a little disappointing. However, it's a decision which ensures the rest of the computer is filled with important features.

The XPS line from Dell has a well-earned reputation as a heavy hitter. With several configuration options offered, we have gone with the model that offers you the best bang for your buck for music production.

One of the few laptops on the market with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, this is one speedy machine, more than capable of having your buffer size as small as possible on ProTools. Whatever you're creating, you'll be able to turn your thoughts into sounds as fast as you can think of them. In addition to that great spec, the whopping 16-core CPU can handle any rendering or exporting you may need to do, since "final" doesn't always mean finished in the realm of music making. The 1TB SSD is more than adequate for music production needs, and since the specs in general are so good on this laptop there's even room for a few games.

The 3-cell battery is good, but for what's meant to be a portable music-making machine we would have hoped for a longer lasting battery at this price. However, Dell does offer replacements that you're able to install at home should the battery ever struggle to hold a charge.

This is one of the punchier options on this list, giving a lot without making the compromises you'd normally see to reach this price point. You'd struggle to build a PC with similar specs for less money, and with the added bonus of being able to take it with you on a long train ride, what's not to love?

Though words like "yoga" and "music production" may not sound like they fit together, they are a match made in heaven in this nifty offering from Lenovo. It features a massive touchscreen display, a good amount of RAM, a bumper SSD and a whopping 10-core CPU. Plus, it functions as a laptop or a tablet.

Some users have reported hinge issues, perhaps inevitable with a foldable design which allows you to use it in so many ways. Overall though, this bridges the gap between laptop and tablet better than the Windows Surface and is a great choice for an avant-garde creator.

While it's not technically a laptop, the iPad is still a great option for those wanting an ultra-portable music-making machine.

Thin and lightweight, it supports versions of ProTools (Sketch) and Ableton (Note), both free applications but with some limitations compared to the full software on a desktop. The tablet comes preloaded with GarageBand, the "trial version" of Logic Pro. This free app offers most of the basic features to get you hooked on music production. Plus, a major update to Logic Pro for the iPad has been announced, so the iPad is even more worthy of consideration if music-making is on your mind.

To get these great options into such a small package there are some concessions, such as the 8GB RAM and less-than-stellar battery life. However, 8GB will be more than enough to handle the sessions you'll be creating on the iPad applications. Not to mention the M2 chip will help you along your way. One of the most powerful chipsets available and in such a small package is good news for those who prioritise performance over speed.