Best budget laptop for music production

Are you looking fora 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 considerfor a good user experience.

Top 5 Budget Laptops for Music Production in 2025

1. Acer Aspire 5
2. ASUS VivoBook 15
3. Lenovoo IdeaPad 3
4. Dell Inspiron 15 3000
5. HP Pavilion 15

Acer Aspire 5: Best Overall

The AcerAcer 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 8 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 AcerAcer Aspire 5 features a 15.6-inch screen with Full HD 1920 × 10800 pixel resolution, which is perfect for detailed track editing.

ASUS VivoBook 15: Most Portable

If you are looking for a sleek design that is both affordable and easily portable, 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 lifemakeit easy to carry aroundand use on the go even in low-light conditions.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3: Best for beginners

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 makeit ideal for entry-level producers.

Dell Inspiron 15 3000: Best Budget

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 Value

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.

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. 

1. Processing Power
2. RAM
3. Storage
4. Display
5. Portability
6. Connectivity

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.est.

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 pixelresolution and 14-inchcreen 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