Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 07:14 pm
Best Cheap Laptops for Music Production
In Music production, you need some tools and gadgets apart from instruments. You have to record, mix, and reproduce any music, so you must require a good desktop or laptop along with good software.
Top Budget Music Production Laptops: Under $1000 | Under $700 | Under $500 | Cheap Music Production Laptops | Buying Guide | FAQ
Sometimes it would be tricky to find the best budget laptop for music production, especially when you have a limited budget.
So we have listed the best cheap laptops that would meet every need. This list will assist you in your production process.
Things to do before buying a cheap laptop?
Before starting, let me say some crucial factors that should be considered by you to find excellent quality laptops for music production.
Processor
As you know, the processor of the laptop is the brain that processes all instructions. The processor provides processing power to the laptop for performing tasks. The powerful and latest processor can complete its task faster and save your valuable time.
Graphics Card
The Graphics Card is another crucial part of your budget laptop, The Graphics Card renders an image to your monitor. The better graphics card produces quality and smoother pictures.
RAM
Without a sufficient amount of RAM, the processor has to work more, and the performance of the laptop would decrease. A sufficient amount of RAM also helps your installed software performance.
Screen Display (Resolution)
Resolution refers to the number of pixels that are required to make an image on the monitor. A higher pixel count produces sharper pictures and videos. A higher resolution also gives more space to work.
SSD/HDD
Secondary storage is also crucial for laptop performance. SSDs run faster and consume lower power than HDD, but SSDs are expensive than HDDs.
Operating System
The operating system provides an interface for your music software. Windows is an easy-to-use operating platform for music production, as we know that windows might be a more comfortable OS when it comes to running DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations).
Best Budget Laptops ($500) For Music Production 2023
| Best Budget Laptops For Music Production | RAM | HDD/SSD | Screen Size |
| ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Music Laptop | 16GB | 1TB | 13.3 inches |
| 2020 Dell Inspiron Studio Laptop | 32GB | 1TB | 15.6 inches |
| HP Pavilion 15 Music Laptop | 16GB | 1TB | 15.6 inches |
| ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop | 8GB | 512GB | 15.6 inches |
| HP Pavilion Laptop For Music Recording | 12GB | 512GB | 15.6 inches |
| Acer Aspire 5 Laptop For Making Music | 8GB | 256GB | 15.6 inches |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14″ Music Laptop | 8GB | 256GB | 15.0 inches |
| New HP 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Laptop | 8GB | 128GB | 15.6 inches |
ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop
Reasons To Buy
- ASUS ZenBook-13 is one of the popular laptops for music production because it is compatible with maximum digital audio software packages (DAWs).
- It is ultra-slim and portable, which favors folk singers and songwriters because most of them want to carry the laptop on the subway or outdoors to record gigs. It is also excellent for your home studio.
- The full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution of the screen is vital along with the size, representing your visual workspace. If your production is sophisticated, you need a high visual workspace. Generally, any laptop screen can monitor up to 10 tracks of music comfortably. The screen size of the ASUS ZenBook 13 is ideal for basic-recording and mixing.
- It comes with an 11th generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 Quad-Core Processor that is ideal for a heavy load. Mixing a tune with 10-12 tracks with multiple instruments would be no issue with a Quad-core processor.
- For music production, you need large-capacity RAM. At least 8GB RAM is required, whereas a 16GB RAM laptop for music production is better when you are applying multiple effects to your tracks. The ASUS ZenBook-13 laptop comes with 16GB LPDDR4X RAM that is perfect for working on your lot of recorded tracks.
- Audio files require a lot of storage and 1TB storage is the ideal storage while SSD enables fast data transfer.
Reasons To Avoids
- The screen size is a little bit small.
Product Specification
| Processor | Core i7 Quad-Core |
| Display Size | 13.3 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR4X |
| SSD | 1TB |
| CPU Speed | 4.7 GHz |
| Wireless Communication Standard | Bluetooth, 802.11ax |
| Item Weight | 2.45 lbs |
| Item Dimensions | 12.00 x 8.00 x 0.55 inches |
Dell Inspiron Studio Laptop
Reasons To Buy
- This Dell laptop is perfect for live recording and performing. It is easy to carry and would take less space on stage. Battery life is always a concern during the live performance, but an excellent battery backup of the laptop will provide juice for your live recording.
- It comes with a 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Display that is the perfect size for visual workspace. The large workspace provides the freedom to manage more than 12 tracks of music at once, which is nearly not possible on a small screen. It is a midsized laptop that represents an excellent balance between portability and performance.
- As you know, that processor is the heart of any laptop. We can measure the processor performance for music production on two parameters. One is the number of cores, and another parameter is clock speed. The laptop comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 (Quad-core) processor and the clock speed is 1.30 GHz. This processor is good for complicated production and mixing a tune with multiple tracks.
- RAM size plays a crucial role in music production. When you are working with multiple virtual instruments and recorded tracks, then you need at least 16 GB RAM. This laptop comes with 32GB DDR4 RAM that is great.
- In music production, you always required vast storage. An SSD can read and write data faster than HDD, but HDD is cheaper than SSD. This laptop comes with an SSD and HDD combination that is excellent for large storage, and 1TB SSD provides faster fetching capabilities.
Reasons To Avoids
- The CPU speed should be 2.4GHz.
Product Specification
| Processor | Core i7 Quad-Core |
| Display Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Screen Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| RAM | 32GB DDR4 |
| SSD | 1TB |
| CPU Speed | 1.30 GHz |
| Wireless Communication Standard | Bluetooth |
| Item Weight | 3.73 lbs |
| Item Dimensions | 13.35 x 9.52 x 0.83 inches |
HP Pavilion 15 Music Laptop
Reasons To Buy
- HP Pavilion laptop is a MIdsized laptop that is an excellent example of portability and performance. It is easy to carry and has a decent battery life. The long battery provides you the flexibility for laptop use where a power outlet is not nearby.
- The 15.6″ Touch Full HD (1920×1080) provides you a moderate size of the visual workspace. We know that the more complex production requires, the more workspace. The workspace of this HP laptop is comfortable to monitor up to 12 tracks of music.
- You can produce music according to your ambitions, HP Laptop will greatly assist you in production. You would be able to produce any kind of music on your laptop, whether it is guitar or hip-hop.
- It comes with Intel Core i7 and CPU speed can be up to 3.90GHz. It is better to choose a capable processor because it would be rarely possible to upgrade the processor later. You first analyze the complexity of your production and after that select the laptop and processor. Generally, a quad-core processor would be an excellent choice for music production.
- The RAM stores data and programmers temporarily when your laptop is on. If your production runs more applications at a time for mixing or recording to tracks then you have required at least 16GB RAM. The best part of the laptop is that it comes with 16GB DDR4 that is capable of handling the complexity of music production.
- The laptop is equipped with 256GB SSD and 1TB HDD storage. 1TB storage is sufficient space for audio file saving. More space is needed due to saving lots of recorded audio during production.
- Overall it is one of the best laptops that is ultra-portable and has a super speedy data syn rate. For medium music production, it would be a great choice.
Reasons To Avoids
- CPU clock speed is a little bit low.
Product Specification
| Processor | Core i7 |
| Display Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Screen Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| HDD | 1TB |
| CPU Speed | 1.30 GHz |
| Wireless Communication Standard | Bluetooth |
| Item Weight | 4.23 lbs |
| Item Dimensions | 14.00 x 10.00 x 0.70 inches |
Best Laptop For Recording Music Under $700
ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop
Reasons To Buy
- The ASUS VivoBook-15 is a thin and stylish laptop that is ideal for small music production. It can sustain a load of a moderate level. You can mix and customize the music track easily but you need to care about complexity. It is best for a medium level of complex production.
- The 15- inches Full HD (1920×1080) is perfect for medium size workspace. Maximum pixel count provides space for more tasks. 1920×1080 is ideal for mixing and altering music tracks. But it works best for 8 to 10 music tracks complexity.
- The amount of RAM plays an important role in music software and application, so avoid any type of slow processing in production using good capacity RAM. This laptop comes with 8GB of RAM that is a decent capacity for the audio production process but not the best. 16GB RAM would be the best one. You can start with 8GB RAM due to your limited budget but later upgrade it with a minimum of 16GB.
- The latest 10th Gen Intel Core-i5 processor can sustain a medium level of pressure and will work smoothly at the time of mixing the multiple music tracks. The clock speed of the CPU can reach up to 3.6GHz. This speed works best with core-i5 and will help in small music production.
- It comes with a 512GB SSD that is a small space for music production, but extra space would be costly. A better solution is to go with 512GB space and later upgrade your secondary-storage when you have a sufficient budget because, for music production, you always require a high amount of secondary storage.
Reasons To Avoids
- Secondary storage is less.
Product Specification
| Processor | Core i5 |
| Display Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Screen Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| SSD | 512GB |
| CPU Speed | Up to 3.6 GHz |
| Wireless Communication Standard | Bluetooth |
| Item Weight | 3.75 lbs |
| Item Dimensions | 14.10 x 9.10 x 0.80 inches |
HP Pavilion Laptop For Music Production
Reasons To Buy
- The HP Pavilion laptop comes with a WLED touchscreen display with a High resolution of 1920X1080. This high resolution and 15.6-inches monitor provides you a great workspace for multiple tasks and production.
- It comes with a Quad-Core processor that is always good for sustaining and processing a medium level of music production complexity. The CPU speed can reach up to 3.60GHz. It is equipped with UHD graphics that provide facilities for rendering images.
- 12GB RAM can run multiple applications at once. The bandwidth of RAM is fair for DAWs software packages. It would be good for the normal complex programs, for more complex programs, more RAM would require.
- It comes with a 512GB SSD that helps in fast accessing and saving audio files. For a limited budget laptop, 512GB of space is sufficient at the beginning of your work but later you have to upgrade the storage because the audio or recorded files take more space.
- It comes with Windows 10 Home operating system that is compatible with almost all music production applications and software.
- This laptop is perfect for small music production under $700.
Reasons To Avoid
- Secondary storage is less.
Product Specification
| Processor | Core i5 |
| Display Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Screen Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| RAM | 12GB DDR4 |
| SSD | 512GB |
| CPU Speed | Up to 3.6 GHz |
| Wireless Communication Standard | Bluetooth |
| Item Weight | 4.08 lbs |
| Item Dimensions | 14.24 x 9.67 x 0.70 inches |
Cheap Laptops Music Production Under $500
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop For Making Music
Reasons To Buy
- Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is cheap and best for music production. AMD quad-core processor is ideal for small music production and tasks. The CPU speed can reach up to 3.7GHz which prevents the system from hanging in case of music mixing of multiple tracks.
- 8GB RAM is not enough but you can start a small music production, later you can upgrade the RAM according to requirement. Actually, music production applications and software need more temporary memory for smooth functioning but you can mix up to 4 tracks comfortably in available RAM bandwidth.
- The 15 6″ Full HD 1920 x 1080 display is ideal for performing multiple tasks on one screen due to the large workspace. After a low budget, this laptop comes with 1920 x 1080 pixels that are perfect for small music production.
- a 256GB SSD is not enough for storing recorded audio files or music tracks but you can start with a 256GB SSD and later upgrade it to at least 1TB storage because audio files take a large space compared to normal files.
Reasons To Avoid
- RAM and SSD storage is less
Product Specification
| Processor | Quad-core |
| Display Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Screen Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| SSD | 256GB |
| CPU Speed | Up to 3.6 GHz |
| Wireless Communication Standard | Bluetooth |
| Item Weight | 4 lbs |
| Item Dimensions | 14.31 x 9.74 x 0.71 inches |
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14″ Music Laptop
Reasons To Buy
- The Lenovo IdeaPad-3 comes with an AMD 3500U series processor and multi-core power that gives you fast processing and the facility of performing multitask at once. The CPU speed of 2.1 GHz is decent for 500 budget laptops. I agree that this is not best for large production but would perform better for small music production.
- It is slim and lightweight, so you can carry it and go for your live recording or performance. Battery backup is also fair, and you could run it without worry about often power charges. It comes with the latest operating system Windows 10, for better compatibility with software.
- The laptop comes with 8GB RAM that is perfect for small music production but not sufficient for large scale music production. It will be better to start music production with small music complexity and increase later with upgraded bandwidth.
- For a budget laptop, 256GB SSD is considerable, but you have to upgrade the space later. For starting, the space of secondary storage is okay. More space is required because, in music production, you have to save lots of recorded and altered music tracks in secondary storage.
Reasons To Avoid
- SSD storage is low.
Product Specification
| Processor | AMD Ryzen |
| Display Size | 15.0 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Screen Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| SSD | 256GB |
| CPU Speed | 2.1 GHz |
| Item Weight | 3.30 lbs |
| Item Dimensions | 12.88 x 9.49 x 0.78 inches |
New HP 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Laptop
Reasons To Buy
- This is another best laptop under $500 for music production. It comes with a 15.6-inches HD touchscreen. It is a 10-figure multi-touch and high-performance laptop.
- It comes with Intel Core-i3 is perfect for small music production. This laptop is good for mixing up to 5 music tracks. The speed of the CPU 1.2GHz is average and favorable for new starting production.
- 8GB RAM DDR4 is ideal for small complexity audio mixing but for large complexity, you need to upgrade your RAM. Without high bandwidth RAM, software and application will not work smoothly for music production.
- It is equipped with a 128GB SSD that has fair storage for the audio files but not the best. For storing large audio files you need at least 1TB storage. You can start with 128GB later you can upgrade it.
Reasons To Avoid
- RAM and secondary storage is less.
Product Specification
| Processor | Core i3 |
| Display Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| Screen Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| SSD | 128GB |
| CPU Speed | 1.2 GHz |
| Item Weight | 4.40 lbs |
| Item Dimensions | 14.11 x 9.53 x 0.71 inches |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the main steps in small music production?
- Songwriting
- Arranging
- Altering or Editing
- Mixing multiple tracks
- Mastering
Is 8GB RAM good for music production?
It is good that you can start with 8GB RAM but it is ideal for small production. Later you can upgrade RAM because 16GB would be good for handling more complexity in music production.
Which processor (CPU)is good for music production?
A quad-core processor is ideal for music production but it delivers optimum results on more than 2.4GHz CPU speed.
Which are the best Cheap Laptops ($500) for music production?
- Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display
- Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14″ Laptop
- New HP 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Laptop
Top 5 Best Selling Laptop Brands for FL Studio
- ASUS
- Dell Inspiron
- HP Pavilion
- Acer Aspire
- Lenovo Ideapad
How to download music on Laptop?
There are numerous ways of downloading music on a PC, including utilizing a music web-based feature like Spotify or Apple Music, downloading music from a site like Amazon Music or iTunes, or utilizing a distributed document-sharing project like BitTorrent.
To download music from a web-based feature, you should pursue a record and pay a month-to-month membership charge. When you have a record, you can look for and download the music you need to pay attention to.
To download music from a site, you should buy the melodies or collections you need to download. Whenever you have bought the music, you can download it to your PC and pay attention to it disconnected.
To utilize a distributed document-sharing system, you should download and introduce the program on your PC. When the program is introduced, you can look for and download the music you need to pay attention to. Nonetheless, it is unlawful in numerous nations to download protected material without authorization.
How to record music on Laptop (PC)?
To record music on a PC, you will require a couple of things: a mouthpiece, sound recording programming, and a method for interfacing the receiver to your PC.
- To begin with, associate your amplifier to your PC. This should commonly be possible through the sound info jack or a USB port.
- Then, download and introduce sound recording programming. There are many free and paid choices accessible, like Boldness, GarageBand, or Adobe Tryout.
- Open the recording programming and arrange the settings as you would prefer. This might incorporate changing the information source (amplifier), setting the recording design, and changing the volume levels.
- When the settings are arranged, click the “Record” button to begin recording. You can then sing, play an instrument, or record any sound source into the product.
- At the point when you are done recording, click the “Stop” button. The product will then permit you to alter and save the recording.
It’s additionally important that a few PCs accompany worked in the receiver, sound recording programming, and furthermore some outsider programming can record sound through worked in the mouthpiece.
Bottom Line
In music, a production laptop plays a crucial role because the musician uses laptops in various ways. You can mix, alter, or record the music. The final selection of laptops completely depends upon your preferences and needs, if you would select a laptop from the list, we ensure that you will not be disappointed.
kindly do comment, which one is your favorite brand for music production?
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A passionate blogger and technology hunger by Mind. I have more than 15 years of experience in tech product research and consumer relation. Started BestDigiProduct as Journey to connect Consumers to the right product. The mantra of life is “Life is like ice cream, eat it before melting”.