Best Bang For Buck Macbook for Music Production?

[Chevron]

Our studio assistant is in need of a new laptop to handle various tasks, including prepping and tweaking mixes of audio-only Pro Tools sessions with up to 100 tracks. Additionally, the laptop should be capable of handling medium-heavy virtual instrument work, and own mixing projects.

Currently, the assistant is using a MacBook from the mid-2010s with 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB SSD, which struggles with the aforementioned Pro Tools task but manages the VI projects and own mixing projects.

One suggestion I offered is to consider a refurbished 14" 12 Core M2 Max laptop with 64 GB RAM and either a 1 TB or 2 TB SSD. This option is available from Hoxton Macs in the UK for approximately £2.5k. I'm open to hearing other ideas as well!

 

[Fishrrman]

MacBook Pro 16"
32gb RAM
1 or 2tb SSD.

 

[RyanFlynn]

I'm a professional music producer and you don't need much to get what you're looking for. Honestly, I think you'd be very happy with an 16" M1 Max with 32gb memory. I would go with the max over the pro just incase you start stacking plugins.

best of luck!

 

[Chevron]

I'm a professional music producer and you don't need much to get what you're looking for. Honestly, I think you'd be very happy with an 16" M1 Max with 32gb memory. I would go with the max over the pro just incase you start stacking plugins.

best of luck!

Thanks, and yeh I think an M1 Max would suffice for his needs, but I reckon for a little extra the M2 Max is worth it.

I see you have a 16" M3 Max - I have just ordered one myself to arrive in a few weeks. How is it, and how does it compare to the Studio m1 Ultra?

Cheers!

 

[RyanFlynn]

Thanks, and yeh I think an M1 Max would suffice for his needs, but I reckon for a little extra the M2 Max is worth it.

I see you have a 16" M3 Max - I have just ordered one myself to arrive in a few weeks. How is it, and how does it compare to the Studio m1 Ultra?

Cheers!

You know it's about the same. I can get a few more tracks in logic, but nothing to write home about. That said, this is a laptop, so the portability is game changing. Enjoy your new computer!