Best Budget Laptops for Music Production : 2020 Buyers’ Guide!

Digital music production has come a long way in the last 20 years. Just a few years ago, it was nearly impossible to produce a song entirely on a computer, without it sounding like some 8-Bit Nintendo Music (Remember that sound?). However, with computers becoming more and more powerful, computer-based programs started to slowly replace the old integrated digital audio workstations. Nowadays, the vast majority of songs are produced exclusively on computers, and you can create pretty much any type of sound you can think of using your laptop only. This revolutionized the world of music for good, and made it possible for people with little to no musical experience to create their own music. New genres of electronic music have since been introduced, such as EDM, Trap, modern rap music, etc.

So if you are a music producer or an aspiring artist looking for a laptop for music production, you’re in the right place.  To help you narrow your search, we have gathered a list of some of the best budget laptops for music production you can find today. But first let’s look at some factor you should take in consideration when choosing a laptop for music production.

What to look for in a laptop for music production?

Before we give you our recommendations for what makes a good music production laptop, let’s take a look at the most used digital audio workstations (DAWs) and the hardware requirements for each program:

This list is far from being exhaustive and there are other widely used noteworthy DAWs such as Avid Pro Tools, PreSonus Studio One, Propellerhead Reason, and Cockos Reaper.  The minimum requirements can vary from an application to another, that’s why it is important to decide on which DAW program you will be using, especially if you’re on a budget. For Pro Tools, you can check our new article where have listed some of the best laptops for Pro Tools available right now.

What are the main specs to check for in a laptop for music production? Our recommendations:

Processor: As you might have expected, the CPU is the primary factor in your ability to run your favorite music production software with large complex projects. As a rule, for audio production, get the fastest multicore processor that you can afford, because on most laptops, you will be able to upgrade the RAM and the hard drive, but not the CPU.

RAM:  It is highly recommended that you get a laptop with 8GB of RAM as a comfortable minimum. Most DAWs will eat up your RAM, and if you are going to be using lots plugins or VSTs, you should even consider adding more RAM.  It is preferable to get a laptop which comes with a free RAM slot and gives you the opportunity to upgrade.

Storage:  Solid state drives are recommended, since they are extremely faster than traditional mechanical drives, and make your laptop more responsive. However, they are expensive per GB and thus will really add up to the price of your device. Most manufacturers will only include a 512GB drive if it’s an SSD (and even less for budget laptops), while you can get a cheaper laptop with a bigger capacity mechanical drive. To decide whether you will need an SSD or a traditional drive take a look at the programs you will be using: do you need your laptop to be more responsive and to load files almost instantly? In this case, go with an SSD if it is within your budget. Even in 2020, large SSDs are still prohibitively expensive. If you will need lots of space, to install sound libraries or samples, it is recommended to get a regular hard drive.  This is of course a matter of personal preference: you can always upgrade from a mechanical drive to an SSD, or choose a laptop with small capacity SSD, and store all your big files on an external drive for example.

Mac or PC, which is best for Music Production?  The answer is both. While all Apple laptops come with respectable specs, PCs offer a much wider choice, and are significantly less expensive and more flexible: the rule here is to simply choose a good system, and go with the operating system you’re familiar with. However, you should consider the programs you will need to run, some DAW applications are only available for Mac users, others are only available under Windows platform.

Now that you have an idea which specs will make a difference when looking for a laptop for music production, let’s look at some of the best laptops we have picked for you. Please note that we have only included budget laptops under $700 on this list. You can also check this article if you need a laptop for FL studio.

Best Budget Laptops for music production:

• Acer Aspire 5 A515-54G-53H6

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The Acer Aspire 5 A515-54G-53H6 is one of the best laptops you can get at this price range, it features a 10th Generation Intel Core i5-10210U Processor, 8GB of RAM, a fast 512GB solid state drive, and an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card.  This is a perfect combination if you are looking for good laptop for music production, but also want to do more on your laptop, such as graphic design or gaming. The Acer Aspire 5 A515-54G-53H6 is the perfect multimedia companion. You can also add more RAM, up to 32GB.

The chassis is a mix of brushed aluminum and plastic, and the overall design looks quite slim, even though the laptop’s dimensions are 15.02 x 10.2 x 1.19 inches.

The Acer Aspire 5 A515-54G-53H6 is also future proof when it comes to ports, with 2 USB 3.0, 1 USB2.0, and 1 USB type C. Battery life is excellent, and you can get up to 9.5 hours of runtime from a single charge.

• Asus Vivobook S15 S530UA-DB51-IG

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With its elegant glossy finish with a brushed-metal texture, the Asus Vivobook S15 S530UA-DB51-IG not only gives you that premium feel, but has also enough computing power to handle all your daily needs.  This laptop comes with an Intel Core  i5-8250U processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. This processor has a score of 6196 on CPU Benchmark, and can handle multitasking or music production software with no lags. The Vivobook S15 is definitely one of the best budget laptops for music production, at this price range.

As for ports, the Vivobook S15 S530UA-DB51-IG comes with 3 USB ports including 1 USB type C and 1 USB 3.0), HDMI.  Asus also equipped this model with a 3 cell 42 Whrs battery, so expect around 6 hours of use before you will need to plug in the charger again.

• Dell Inspiron i3583: Best laptop for Music Production under $500
  

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If you’re on a tight budget, and need a laptop for music music production, then consider the Inspiron 3583. This laptop comes packed with an 8th Generation Intel Core i3-8145U processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, and a 128GB SSD. Built for multimedia users, the Inspiron i3583 can seamlessly handle your workflow and also music production programs..

With a HD 15,6 inch screen, the Inspiron i3583 is not cumbersome, nor too small, which is a big plus if you need to carry your projects with you and work in them on the go. Battery life is also quite good, and the included 3220mAh battery can give you up to 8 hours of runtime.

In terms of ports, there are USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, and Ethernet. This laptop doesn’t have a USB C on the other hand, and while the build quality is solid, the design is quite dull. The keyboard is also not backlit; but at this price range, this is one of the cheapest laptops for music production you can find.

• Lenovo IdeaPad S340:

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The Lenovo IdeaPad S340 is a business looking 15 inch budget laptop. Under the black matte chassis you will find an Intel Core i5-8265U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. This laptop is perfect for a wide range of users, and is also a great laptop for music production.

The wide 15,6” screen has a resolution of 1366×768 pixels, and provides decent image quality. However, if you can’t stand HD displays, then consider another laptop or buy a different version. Also, this is not a gaming laptop, as it only comes with Intel 620 integrated graphics.

In terms of ports, we have a USB type C, 2 USB 3.0, and an HDMI port.

• Lenovo Flex 14:

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If you’re looking for a relatively affordable multi-use laptop, then look no further than the Lenovo Flex 14. This laptop packs an 8^th generation Core i5-8265U Processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The Flex 14 should be on your short list when looking for a laptop for music production, it has everything to handle most DAWs and music production software, and there is plenty of storage space to store your projects too.

The Flex 14 also has a Full HD LED Touchscreen, with 10-finger Multi-Touch Support. And you can also purchase a stylus if you like drawing, or taking notes.