2010 macbook.. to old to use for music production?!?!?

[mjhann]

hi everyone, i have a macbook 2010 (processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, memory 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3)
and even tho apple says the max memory you can have on this is 4 GB, i can see it can be upgraded to 8GB or 16, i'd like to upgrade it to 8 or 16 to run music software more efficiently but will it make that much of a difference because it's a dated machine? i read somewhere that the memory upgrade won't make too much a difference because the rest of the machine isn't a workhouse... just needed a few opinions on this so i dont waste my money...

i would go out an buy a new macbook just to make music on but if i can save money upgrading the one i have and it runs alot better, i'd rather do that and save money... thanks!

 

[lclev]

You do not say how intense your plans are. I mean using Garage Band versus Logic Pro makes a difference. One big limit is the CPU. While I happen to like the Core 2 Duo processors as they are nice little workhorses, it is older. You could upgrade the memory to 16GB and put in a nice solid state drive and you would see a nice speed increase but you will still be limited by the CPU.

Lisa

 

[pigoo3]

hi everyone, i have a macbook 2010 (processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, memory 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3)

"2010 MacBook too old for music production?"...It all depends on two things:

1. How much patience you have (if things are slow).
2. If the computer meets the min. specs. for the music apps you want to use.

If you already own the computer (it sounds like you do). Why not install the music app(s) you want to use…and see if it has the performance you need (patience)?

- Nick

 

[chas_m]

I wouldn't call it obsolete yet, but it's getting near the end of the typical useful cycle. Nearly all Macs sold now would outperform it handily, as I'm sure you could have guessed.

I notice you say "MacBook" rather than "MacBook Pro" -- if we're actually talking about a white plastic unit rather than a solid aluminium unit, then that machine was never intended for pro-level work like music production and would still be inadequate no matter what you did to it. If you're just using shorthand for MBP, then the advice you've given is half-right: more RAM will make a difference in overall performance, but won't magically change a five-year-old Mac into a newer Mac for what you want to do with it.

I'd suggest a newer MacBook Pro, preferably a quad-core i7, for "creative pro" type work these days. This does not mean you have to buy a brand new one, but something more recent will of course last longer than upgrading a 2010. That said, you max out the RAM and put a large SSD in the one you have and it will DEFINITELY feel like a new machine for general purposes -- and depending on what software you're using and your level of music production, might be good to get you through while you save up for something newer.*

*That last paragraph is entirely dependent on the assumption that this is actually a MacBook PRO we're talking about. If it's just a MacBook, then no.

 

[mjhann]

You do not say how intense your plans are. I mean using Garage Band versus Logic Pro makes a difference. One big limit is the CPU. While I happen to like the Core 2 Duo processors as they are nice little workhorses, it is older. You could upgrade the memory to 16GB and put in a nice solid state drive and you would see a nice speed increase but you will still be limited by the CPU.

Lisa

thanks for the reply, yeah true.. im going to be using maschine and making songs with roughly 12 tracks on average then taking it to pro tools after its done, wont be running pro tools and maschine at the same time though

 

[mjhann]

thanks for the reply also chas_m, yeah its the white regular uni-body macbook i have