First time buyer for EDM production

[Echo92]

Hi guys, currently looking to buy a laptop for primarily music production, so would be looking at running stuff like Ableton, Logic and Garageband etc. I have no real clue on specs and the match up of different models and their pros and cons. I've been looking at the higher end 13" Macbook pro and the lower end 15" ones, but unsure which would be better.

MacBook Pro - Buy MacBook Pro notebook computers - Apple Store (UK)

No idea on what specs I am looking for when it comes to this kind of stuff. I've always played guitar and the likes so this is my first time at using computers for this kind of stuff haha

Just thinking whether it would be worth paying the extra £250 for the 15", or just going for a 13" and upgrading it a bit? Also any word on what sort of things would need improving if that was the case?

Cheers guys.

 

[chscag]

Just thinking whether it would be worth paying the extra £250 for the 15", or just going for a 13" and upgrading it a bit? Also any word on what sort of things would need improving if that was the case?

The extra money for the 15" model is well spent in my opinion. You not only get a larger screen with a higher resolution, but also a discrete graphics processor unit. The only two things you can improve on either model is adding memory and a faster or larger hard drive. Nothing else is upgradeable. Both of those upgrades are easy do it yourself tasks.

 

[Echo92]

Ah right, wasn't sure on what was upgradable and what wasn't, so that makes more sense, cheers man

The main difference I see between them is that the 13" has 2.7 GHz dual-core, whereas the 15" has 2.0 GHz quad-core. Is there a big difference between the two in terms of being able to power musical workstations and load a lot of sound files and VSTs etc?

 

[Echo92]

Hmm I've been looking today and don't actually think I'll be able to afford a 15" anytime soon anyway. Would a 13" higher end be sufficient for making music at a decent level? Or even can anyone recommend an older iMac or Macbook that would be cheaper that would still do the job?

 

[robduckyworth]

the CPU is the most important component in a Macbook for Producers. The entry level MBP is perfect, anything above that is a bonus.

Better CPU = more DSP it is capable of

More RAM = more instruments and plugs (+4GB needs 64bit DAW)

SSD = higher audio track count, speedier booting and app loading, more reliable in live situations

GPU is irrelevant