Best Budget Laptop for Music Production

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Are you looking for a good laptop for music production? If you are getting into music production, you need a laptop that can handle a DAW, work on tracks seamlessly, and work well with music production plugins. Most laptops offering the best user experience are not cheap.

In case you are on a budget, it is still possible to get a good budget laptop for music production. However, you must clearly understand the most important factors to consider for a good user experience. If you are looking for the best music tablet, check our other posts.

Top Picks for Music Production Laptops

1. Acer Aspire 5: Best Overall
2. Apple M1 MacBook Air: Best MacBook
3. Razer Blade 16 – Best High-End Laptop
4. ASUS VivoBook 15: Best 2-in-1 laptop
5. Lenovo IdeaPad 3: Best budget
6. Dell Inspiron 15 3000: Best Windows
7. HP Pavilion 15: Best Portable
8. Acer Nitro 5: Best laptop for FL studio

Acer Aspire 5: Best Overall

• Screen Size: 15.6 inches
• Resolution: Full HD 1920 × 1080 Pixels
• Processor: Intel Corei5
• RAM: 16 GB
• Storage: 128 GB to 512 GB SSD
• Operating System: Windows
• Connectivity: USB 3.0 and USB-C
• Price: Slightly Under $400

The Acer Aspire 5 is our best pick. It offers a balance between power and price, making it ideal for both professionals and beginners. There are many size and processor options, but for budget users, we recommend the Intel Core i5 processor and 16 GB of RAM version.

This is powerful enough for most DAWs like FL Studio and will also multitask with ease. You will have a large 512 GB SSD storage space that ensures fast file retrieval and enough size to store many project files.

The Acer Aspire 5 features a 15.6-inch screen with Full HD 1920 × 1080 pixel resolution, which is perfect for detailed track editing.

ASUS VivoBook 15: Best 2-in-1 laptop

• Screen Size: 15.6-inch
• Resolution: Full HD screen
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Storage: 512 GB SSD
• Operating System: Windows 11 Home
• Connectivity: USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
• Audio Jack: 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo

If you are looking for a sleek design that is both affordable and easily portable, the ASUS VivoBook 15 is your best pick. It features a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 processor and a 256 GB SSD. 

Its ergonomic backlit keyboard, sleek lightweight build, and long battery life make it easy to carry around and use on the go even in low-light conditions.

Apple M1 MacBook Air: Best MacBook

1. Screen Size: 13.3 inches
2. Resolution: 2560 x 1600 Pixels, with Liquid Retina Display
3. Processor: Apple M1
4. RAM: 8 GB
5. Storage: 256 GB SSD
6. OS: MacOS
7. Price: $450
8. Connectivity: Thunderbolt and USB-C

If you prefer a macOS system, the Apple M1 MacBook Air is your best choice. It features a 13.3-inch screen with the highest resolution of all options in this review. That is 2560 x 1600 pixels, with a unique Liquid Retina Display.

Like many Apple products, the Apple M1 MacBook Air runs on a macOS operating system. The powerful processor combined with 8 GB of RAM makes it possible to multitask even when running complex DAW software like Fruity Loops.

For easy connectivity, you will have 2 unique Thunderbolt and 2 USB-C ports. USB-C ports are common, but Thunderbolt cables are unique to Apple devices. They ensure speedy connection and file transfers.

256 GB SSD storage space is low for other professionals like video editors but will be perfect for most music production beginners. Unfortunately, you can not upgrade the space using a microSD card.

Razer Blade 16 – Best High-End Laptop for FL Studio

The Razer Blade 16 is the best high-end laptop for FL Studio, offering top-tier performance and stunning visuals. It features a 16-inch OLED QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh rate, delivering vibrant, rich colors for an immersive experience.

Equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor, 16GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-series GPU, it handles complex projects with ease.

With a 1TB SSD, the Razer Blade 16 offers lightning-fast load times and ample storage for large, intensive music production files. This combination ensures smooth handling of multiple tracks, samples, and effects.

Its powerful components and gorgeous display make it perfect for professionals working on high-demand FL Studio projects. While it’s undeniably a beast of a laptop, the high price tag may not be ideal for beginners or casual producers.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3: Best budget

1. Screen Size: 15.6″
2. Resolution: HD Touchscreen
3. Processor: Intel Core i3
4. RAM: 12 GB
5. Storage: 512 GB SSD
6. Connectivity: Bluebooth, Webcam, Wi-Fi, HDMI
7. Operating System: Windows 11 Home

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is our best pick for beginner music producers and artists. It is very affordable and features a simplistic design on the body that is perfect for any beginner.

For processing power, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 features a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 8 GB RAM, just like the ASUS VivoBook 15.

Despite its very low price, it features twice as much storage as the ASUS VivoBook 15 with a fast 512 GB SSD storage space. Its simple design, powerful processors that work with many DAWs, and low price range make it ideal for entry-level producers.

Dell Inspiron 15 3000: Best Windows

1. Processor: 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5
2. RAM: 16GB DDR4
3. Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
4. Screen Size: 15.6″
5. Resolution: Full HD Touchscreen (1920 x 1080)
6. Price: $ 505.00
7. Connectivity: Wi-Fi, HDMI, Webcam, Numeric Keypad

The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is the best budget laptop, offering great value for your money. It has for the longest time been a preferred choice for both professional and intermediate producers on a budget.

To work with many premium DAWs, it has an Intel Core i5 processor and 8 GB of RAM for multitasking. It delivers powerful performance and a decent storage space at 256 GB SSD.

HP Pavilion 15: Best Portable

1. Processor: Intel Core i3
2. RAM: 32GB DDR4
3. Storage: 1TB SSD
4. Screen Size: 15.6″
5. Resolution: 1366 x 768 Pixels HD Touchscreen resolution
6. Price: $599.00
7. Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, Headphone/microphone combo

If you want an affordable laptop but with twice the storage space as the Dell Inspiron 15 3000, we recommend the HP Pavilion 15. It balances affordability and functionality thanks to its Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 512 GB SSD. It is perfect for producers needing a powerful but still economical laptop.

Acer Nitro 5 – Best Budget Laptop for FL Studio

The Acer Nitro 5 is the best budget-friendly option, offering powerful performance for a fair price. It has a large 15.6-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080 Px display, for a nice colorful view. It features an Intel Core i5 processor with 16GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. 

You can choose between 256 GB or 512 GB SSD storage, but we found both to work perfectly. Both are SSD versions and provide faster load times and file access. This is ideal for larger system intense project files.

Both the large 16 GB RAM and powerful Intel Core i5 processor, make the Nitro 5 easily handle FL Studio

It offers good, seamless track mixing and efficient plugin management. It also includes USB-C ports and HDMI 2.1 for good connectivity with external devices and audio interfaces. While it’s a great budget option, the Nitro 5 does have limited storage for extensive projects and a somewhat bulky design.

What to Consider in a Budget Laptop For Music Production

When choosing the best one for your needs, make sure to check the below specifications. Additionally, check upgradability since you will not always be a beginner producer. 

Processing Power

You will need a laptop with a good processor. For budget options, we recommend one that can smoothly work with a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) even with multiple tracks or plugins loaded. We found Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processors to be the best.

Still on the power, you will need to multitask or run different processes at the same time during your work. To avoid system lags or crashes, choose a laptop with a large RAM. For simple production, you can use 8 GB. However, you will need to upgrade to 16 GB as you grow into complex productions.

Storage Type and Capacity

You will have to choose between HDD and SSD drives. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are most recommended thanks to their fast retrieval speeds and silent operation. Most audio files are not too big. We recommend anywhere from 256 GB SSD storage and above.

Display and Portability

When editing audio tracks, a clear resolution and large screen size will help differentiate tracks and easily edit them. We recommend 1920 x 1080 pixel pixel resolution and a 14-inch screen size and above.

Some producers need a laptop they can move around with. Consider a lightweight laptop with long battery life for the best experience.

Connectivity and Ports

Choose a laptop with many USB ports, USB 3.0 or higher, plus HDMI and audio jacks. These will help you connect your laptop to external devices like speakers, external monitors, MIDI controllers, and hard drives.

What can I add to improve budget laptops for music production?

The easiest thing you can do is install popular and industry-standard DAWs such as FL Studio. This will ensure you work within industry standards. Additionally, you will have readily available training resources if you fall into challenges during your work.

If you have a poorly performing laptop, you can invest in upgrading the hardware. You can improve the RAM and storage space as well without having to buy a new laptop. This ensures a better performance. However, not all laptops are upgradable. You need to check for upgradability as you buy.

Make sure to effectively manage your resources when working on any laptop or software. For example, close all applications that you do not need.

Acer Aspire 5: Best Overall

Frequently Asked Questions