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Are you looking for the best Mac for music production? There are many different models that will do the trick, each with its own pros and cons.
MacBooks offer portability, for example, but desktops may be more powerful. And when you’re handling long, multi-track songs, the more RAM and processing speed you can get, the better. In addition, you’re probably looking for something affordable and good value for money.
The important thing is to weigh everything carefully before making a choice. So, let’s look at your options to see which Mac is best for your music-making needs—and your wallet!
Before we start
Music production apps can eat up RAM like it’s candy. That can cause your Mac to slow down unless you free up some memory. Thankfully, you can do that easily with MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner feature.
- Run MacKeeper and select Memory Cleaner from the sidebar.
- Click Open.
- Click Clean Memory.
You can try MacKeeper now for free, with one free fix, so it’s well worth giving it a shot.
Recommended system requirements for music making on a Mac
Recording and editing music can be highly demanding on your Mac. Every instrument and every track you load will eat into your RAM and test your processor. And, as you save more and more projects, your free disk space will shrink, too.
It’s easy to record audio on Mac. All Macs come with various pre-installed apps that can record audio, such as Voice Memos and QuickTime Player. However, we know that most musicians will want to use other software as well.
Therefore, your system requirements for music production will depend on what music software you’re using and the complexity of your projects. Ultimately, the faster your Mac is, the easier and quicker it will be to produce music, so the best Mac for music production will need to be pretty powerful.
Before purchasing a Mac for music production, consider any applications or external gear you’ll use. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do my music production applications or devices have minimum system requirements?
- Do my apps or devices support the Apple silicon chip?
- What version of macOS do I need?
Processor
Apple computers tend to have one of two types of processors:
- Intel Processor
- Apple silicon chip
The Apple silicon chip is the newer technology.
You could create music on an old MacBook with a dual-core i3 processor, but it’ll probably take a long time to do anything useful. If your budget is tight, that might be acceptable.
Otherwise, you should be looking at a Mac with one of Apple’s silicon chips. The older Intel chips are largely being phased out, and there’s little point investing in one right now.
Of course, there are also different types of Apple silicon chips:
- M1 series chips, introduced in 2020
- M2 series chips, introduced in 2022. If you’re buying a Mac now in 2024, you’re probably going to consider a model that runs an M2 chip.
- M3 series chips, announced towards the end of 2023. As of now, not that many Macs run these chips yet.
Each M-series has several different levels. We’ll look at the M2 chip here, as that’s what’s mostly available currently:
- Entry-level, called M2, is still incredibly powerful, especially compared to older processing systems. However, if you’re looking for the best Mac for music production, you may need a bit more power, depending on your needs. The M2 chip can have up to 24GB of RAM. It has 8 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores.
- Pro: more powerful than the entry-level chip, the Pro has 10-12 CPU cores and 16-19 GPU cores. It can have up to 32GB RAM.
- Max: with 12 CPU cores and 30-38 GPU cores, the Max is incredibly powerful. It can have up to 96GB RAM. Despite its power, it’s available in laptop form, in the MacBook Pro 14” and 16”.
- Ultra: the ultimate in Mac computing power consists of two Max chips connected. It has 24 CPU cores and 60-76 GPU cores. It can be configured to have up to an astonishing 192GB RAM. If your budget stretches, this is undoubtedly the best Mac processor for music production.
RAM
Next, you need to think about memory. This is important because music software has to hold a lot of temporary data in RAM so you can do things like previewing your tracks.
In the past, it was easily possible to upgrade RAM on a MacBook if you needed more memory. However, this is more difficult to do now, so you need to make sure that you have enough memory for your needs.
How much RAM you need depends on how long and complicated your projects are. The less RAM you have, the fewer tracks, voices, and effects your Mac can handle.
For simple projects, 8GB may be enough RAM for music production. This is fine for casual use and for things like podcast recordings. Once you build up longer, more complicated songs, you may find your Mac struggling.
So, for serious music production, you should be looking for at least 16GB of RAM. And if you’re a professional music production user, you could need more, like 64GB of RAM. Fortunately, Apple desktop computers and MacBooks have all this—and more!
Storage
Let’s talk about storage next. Of course, the amount of disk space you need depends on the size of the audio files you’ll be working on. Professional software can use hundreds of gigabytes of data. A good starting point is 256GB, but more is obviously better.
Most Macs these days use solid-state drives (SSDs) for storage. They’re faster and smaller than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs).
However, storage is one thing that we can still upgrade on a Mac. While it might not be possible to add more storage internally, external hard drives are a great solution for storing your songwriting and mixing projects.
Ports
If you’re creating music with your Mac, you’ll probably need to connect external devices.
Before deciding on the best Mac for music production, consider what devices and gear you’ll use. How many are there, and what ports do they need?
Some devices that you may need to connect include:
- Headphones
- Speakers
- An external hard drive
- Digital audio workstations
- Keyboard, mouse, and monitor
- A second monitor, if you’re looking for multiple-display support
MacBooks usually have fewer ports than Apple’s desktop computers. Many newer MacBooks only have two USB-C ports.
Some Mac computers have Thunderbolt ports. These look just like USB-C ports, and they generally do the same job—but faster. You can connect a USB-C device to a Thunderbolt port, and it’ll work well.
If you need more ports or different types of ports, you have several options:
- Purchase an adapter to adapt a USB-C port to another type
- Purchase a USB dock or hub to add space for additional ports
However, purchasing additional hardware is an additional cost, and if you’re using a MacBook, it may be less portable.
Multiple display support
Some people may want multiple display support. It might also be called multi-monitor or multi-display support.
Lots of musicians—and other Apple users—like using multiple displays to easily use several applications at the same time, compare data between windows, or just because it’s how they’ve always worked.
Many Macs make multiple display support easy—however, it’s not always this easy. MacBooks running the M1 or M2 chip may not support running multiple displays straight out of the box. If the best MacBook for making music, in your opinion, involves multiple displays, you may need to install additional apps. In addition, if your MacBook only has a couple of ports, you might need to use a hub or dock to connect more external devices.
Best Apple desktop computers for music production
Some musicians use Windows computers for their music production—and it’s largely a matter of personal preference. To be honest, both platforms can be great for music. However, if you’re just starting out, you’ll find Macs make music production much easier to get into.
For a start, Windows users need to install various drivers for their sound card and any other music hardware they’d like to use, such as MIDI controllers. Macs require fewer steps because most of the drivers you need will already be installed.
And while Windows doesn’t come with any native music software, macOS includes GarageBand, Apple’s free digital audio workstation (DAW). That means you can pretty much just plug in your instruments and start recording and editing immediately.
So, if you’ve decided that you want a Mac for making music, here are our recommendations:
1. Best budget-friendly Apple computer
We can’t deny that money is a factor in most people's choice of computer. While you want something powerful to help you make great music, you also want something affordable. Unless you’re already a successful recording artist, we know it’s important to save money where possible.
So, if you’re an aspiring songwriter, student, or hobby musician, here’s our top choice of budget-friendly Mac for music production:
Mac mini M2
The Mac mini M2 is a great choice for budget-conscious users looking for the best Mac for music production.
When you purchase the Mac mini M2, you’ll receive the computer and its power lead. You can purchase a keyboard, mouse, and monitor separately—or use ones you already have to keep the costs down further.
It’s definitely the most affordable desktop Mac computer, especially if you choose a version with lower RAM and storage.
There are lots of different memory and storage options available. The entry-level models start at 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. However, if you think that won’t be enough, you can choose from up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage—although you’ll pay a much higher cost.
You can also choose between the Mac mini M2 or the Mac mini M2 Pro, which runs the M2 Pro processor instead of the standard M2. The Mac mini M2 Pro version is more expensive—double the price in some cases. However, if the extra processing power is important to you, this is an option. The Pro also includes two more USB-C ports.
Both versions have a decent number of ports—in addition to the USB-C ports, they also have two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and an Ethernet port. This should be enough to satisfy most musicians.
If you’re looking for multiple display support, the Mac mini M2 can handle two screens at a time, and the Pro can handle three.
The cooling fan runs quietly and won’t disturb your music-listening experience.
The Mac mini M2 supports macOS 13 Ventura and above.
Pros | Cons |
| Very affordable | Keyboard, mouse, and monitor not included |
| Runs quietly | Not upgradeable |
| Small size |
Mac mini M2 specs:
- Processor: Apple M2
- RAM: 8GB-24GB
- Storage: 256GB-2TB SSD
- Ports: 2 USB-A ports, 2 or 4 Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports, HDMI, headphone jack, Ethernet
What’s included? The Mac mini M2 and power lead only
2. Most compact and powerful Apple desktops
Just because you’re opting for a desktop computer doesn’t mean you want to take up too much space. Good news—even with a small studio area, you can still have a very powerful Mac!
Here are our recommendations for the most compact and powerful Apple desktops:
Mac Studio M2 Ultra
The Mac Studio M2 comes in two versions—the Ultra and the Max. The big difference between them is the processor that they run.
The Mac Studio M2 Ultra is the more powerful of the two, running the M2 Ultra silicon chip. It’s significantly more expensive than its Max counterpart, but you will get the benefit of the extra power.
Whatever your RAM and storage needs, the Mac Studio M2 Ultra should be able to accommodate you. You can have up to 192GB RAM and up to 8TB storage. Of course, the higher the specs, the more you’ll pay.
It has a good number of ports: two USB-A and 6 USB-C, as well as an HDMI port and SDXC card slot. It also has a headphone jack and Ethernet port. Whatever you need to connect, you should be able to
If you need multiple display support, the Mac Studio M2 Ultra has your back. It can support up to eight external 4K displays or three 8K displays.
It has a built-in speaker system, although if you’re serious about sound quality, you’ll probably want to upgrade to use your own speakers or headphones.
The monitor, mouse, and keyboard aren’t included, so you’ll need to purchase them separately.
The Mac Studio M2 Ultra supports macOS 14 Sonoma and above.
Pros | Cons |
| Compact | Significantly more expensive than the Max version |
| Incredibly powerful and fast | Not upgradeable |
| Lots of ports | Keyboard, mouse, and monitor not included |
Mac Studio M2 Ultra specs:
- Processor: Apple M2 Ultra
- RAM: 64GB-192GB
- Storage: 1TB-8TB
- Ports: 2 USB-A ports, 6 Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports, an SDXC card slot, HDMI, headphone jack, Ethernet
What’s included? Mac Studio M2 Ultra and power lead.
Mac Studio M2 Max
The Mac Studio M2 Max is the less powerful version of the Mac Studio M2. However, it runs the Apple M2 Max processor, which can still handle most tasks you’ll throw at it. If you’re looking for a powerful compact Apple desktop computer on a bit more of a budget, this could be the choice for you.
Despite being the less powerful sibling of the Mac Studio M2 Ultra, it’s still incredibly powerful. The entry-level models start at 32GB RAM. However, it can be configured to go up to 96GB RAM and up to 8TB of storage.
It has the same amount of ports as the Mac Studio M2 Ultra. That is, two USB-A and 6 USB-C ports, an SDXC card slot, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and an Ethernet port.
If you need multiple display support, the Mac Studio M2 Max can handle up to five displays.
The keyboard, mouse, and monitor aren’t included—you’ll need to purchase them separately. It does have built-in speakers, though.
The Mac Studio M2 Max runs macOS 14 Sonoma. Before purchasing, check that any applications or devices you use are compatible with this macOS.
Pros | Cons |
| Compact | Not upgradeable |
| Much cheaper than the Ultra version | Keyboard, mouse, and monitor not included |
| Still very powerful and fast |
Mac Studio M2 Max specs:
- Processor: Apple M2 Max
- RAM: 32GB-96GB
- Storage: 512GB-8TB
- Ports: 2 USB-A ports, 4 Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports, 2 USB-C ports, an SDXC card slot, HDMI, headphone jack, Ethernet
What’s included? Mac Studio M2 Max and power lead
3. Most good-looking Apple desktop
We can’t deny that Apple computers are good-looking. And we’d be lying if we didn’t say that appearance can affect our decision about which computer to buy at times!
So, if you’re looking for the most attractive Mac desktop computer for your office or music studio, here’s our recommendation:
iMac M1
The iMac M1 first came out in 2021, and it’s stood the test of time.
You can choose between several different color options—blue, green, pink, orange, purple, yellow, and silver. It’s a thin, sleek machine with a striking design.
However, the iMac M1 runs Apple’s M1 silicon chip, so it uses slightly older technology. It’s the most dated computer in this article. This could be great if you’re looking for something affordable. You can get a computer that still runs well for less money. But if you’re looking for something cutting-edge with the newest processors, this might not be the machine for you.
It has 8GB of RAM as standard, and it is configurable up to 16GB. In addition, it has eight CPU cores and seven or eight GPU cores—slightly less than the entry-level M2 offerings. As standard, it has lower storage offerings, as well: 256GB or 512GB SSD. However, this is configurable up to 2TB, and you can always supplement storage with external hard drives.
The iMac M1 can run one external display in addition to its built-in monitor.
Speaking of the built-in monitor, it’s an excellent screen with a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display.
It doesn’t have as many ports as some Macs in this article: just two USB-A and two Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports, as well as a headphone jack and Ethernet port. If you need more than that, you’ll need to purchase a hub or dock separately.
When you purchase the iMac M1, everything you need to get started is in the box. The monitor is built-in. It also comes with Apple’s Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse, as well as a power adapter and USB-C to Lightning Cable. It has excellent built-in speakers, as well.
Pros | Cons |
| Probably the best-looking Apple desktop | Slightly older technology |
| Less expensive | Not many ports |
| Everything is included |
iMac M1 specs:
- Processor: Apple M1
- RAM: 8GB-16GB
- Storage: 256GB-2TB
- Ports: 2 USB-A ports, 2 Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports, headphone jack, Ethernet
What’s included? iMac, Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, power adapter and cord, and USB-C to Lightning Cable
4. Best Apple computer overall
If you’re looking for the absolute best Mac for music production, you’re probably looking for the best Apple computer overall. If money’s no object, Apple can provide memory, processing power, and storage to easily handle any music project.
Mac M2 Pro
The Mac M2 Pro is undoubtedly the most powerful Mac out there. However, it does come at an eye-watering cost.
You can choose whether you want the Mac M2 Pro as a tower or rack. The tower is slightly less expensive, but your choice will depend on your office or studio’s setup.
It uses the M2 Ultra silicon chip as standard, giving it incredibly fast performance.
The most basic model of the Mac M2 Pro comes with 64GB of RAM, but it can be configured up to 192GB. This should be enough to handle even the most memory-intensive projects.
It also comes with a large amount of storage—starting at 1TB and going up to 8TB.
The Mac M2 Pro offers support for up to eight external displays. It doesn’t come with a monitor, though, so you’ll need to purchase one separately.
If you want to use external devices, the Mac M2 Pro comes with plenty of ports. You should be able to connect speakers, headphones, external storage, a digital audio workstation and still have ports left.
This is almost certainly the best Mac for music production—however, it depends whether you need the best of the best. Many users won’t need the amount of power offered by the Mac M2 Pro, and can afford to opt for a cheaper alternative instead.
Pros | Cons |
| Incredibly powerful | Expensive |
| Performs quietly | Many users may not need a computer this powerful |
| Customizable and upgradeable | Screen not included |
Mac M2 Pro specs:
- Processor: Apple M2 Ultra
- RAM: 64GB-192GB
- Storage: 1TB-8TB
- Ports: 2 USB-A ports, 8 Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports, 2 HDMI ports, headphone jack, 2 Ethernet ports
What’s included? Mac M2 Pro tower or rack, Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, power lead, USB-C to Lightning Cable
Best MacBooks for recording music
MacBooks are Apple’s range of laptop computers.
They have some major advantages over desktop computers, including portability—if you want to carry your computer with you, you can’t beat using a laptop! MacBooks are particularly portable, being lightweight and easy to carry.
They’re also a great all-in-one solution. You don’t need to purchase a separate screen, mouse, or keyboard.
The latest MacBooks run the same Apple silicon chips as their desktop counterparts, meaning that you don’t have to sacrifice performance for portability.
They have a long battery life, too, so you don’t need to be tethered to a charger or constantly hunting for a plug socket.
Here are our recommendations if you’re looking for the best MacBook for recording music.
1. Best for performance
We can’t deny that performance is the most important factor in choosing a MacBook—especially if you’ll be using it for making music.
Unlike people who just plan to use their MacBook for web browsing and word processing, as a musician, you may need higher specs—more RAM, more storage space, and a faster processor.
If you want the best MacBook for performance when recording music, here’s our top suggestion:
MacBook Pro M2
The MacBook Pro M2 is undoubtedly the best MacBook for musicians—or anyone, if their budget can stretch to it.
You can choose between several sizes of MacBook Pro M2, depending on your needs: 13-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Obviously, the bigger the screen, the heavier the MacBook will be, so take that into consideration when deciding, especially if you anticipate carrying your MacBook Pro around a lot.
It has a very decent battery life—Apple claims that it can last for up to 20 hours on a single charge! If you’re using it for intensive projects, this may come down quite a lot, but you still won’t be tethered to a charger or power socket all day.
There’s a huge variety of choices when it comes to specifications on the MacBook Pro M2. The most basic model starts at just 8GB of RAM, but you can go up to an astounding 96GB. That’s got to be enough to handle pretty much anything!
You even have a choice of color: the MacBook Pro M2 comes in silver or space gray. It’s a striking-looking laptop, with a backlit Magic Keyboard helping you work even in low light.
You can even choose which Apple silicon chip your MacBook Pro runs. The 13-inch version comes with the M2 chip only, but if you’re looking at the 14-inch or 16-inch versions, you can choose between the M2, M2 Pro, or M2 Max.
The 13-inch version has its own plus point, though—it’s the only version to incorporate Apple’s Touch Bar.
As it’s a laptop, you don’t need to purchase a separate screen, keyboard, mouse, or speakers—and the built-in speaker system is excellent, especially for a laptop.
However, if you’d rather use external devices such as a mouse instead of a trackpad or external speakers, you can plug them into the MacBook’s ports. It comes with either two or three Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports, depending on the model, and an HDMI port. If you need more ports, you can always purchase a separate dock or hub.
While the MacBook Pro M2 is quite expensive at the moment, Apple has just released the M3 version, so prices should be coming down on the M2 fairly soon.
Pros | Cons |
| Runs very fast | Expensive |
| Good speakers | No Touch Bar on some versions |
| Good battery life | Not the newest version |
MacBook Pro M2 specs:
- Processor: Apple M2, M2 Pro, or M2 Max
- RAM: 8GB-96GB
- Storage: 256GB-8TB SSD
- Ports: Headphone jack, HDMI, SDXC card, 2 or 3 Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports
What’s included? MacBook Pro, power cable, and adapter.
2. Most lightweight MacBooks
If you need to carry your computer around, the best MacBook for making music might be one that’s very lightweight. Fortunately, Apple’s MacBook Air range is lightweight but doesn’t sacrifice performance.
MacBook Air M2
The MacBook Air M2 is a great choice, combining speed and value for money. Cheaper than the MacBook Pro, it still runs the M2 silicon chip, meaning that it can handle most music production software easily.
It’s super light and easy to carry around, making it the most portable Mac out there—it weighs just 1.24kg. Is it the best MacBook for recording music? If you need to carry it around, then it might just be!
Its battery life is excellent—while it doesn’t quite match the 20 hours of the MacBook Pro M2, Apple says that the MacBook Air M2 can run for up to 18 hours on one charge. While it won’t last that long if you’re using Wi-Fi and running demanding applications, you should still be able to enjoy a good amount of freedom from chargers and power sockets!
The Air M2 has less RAM than some of the other machines on this list. The best MacBook for making music varies for each individual. If you don’t use too many memory-hogging apps, this MacBook might just be perfect for you.
The MacBook Air M2 provides a good amount of storage. The entry-level model starts at 256GB, but it can be configured up to 2TB. And, of course, you can always supplement this with external or cloud storage.
It only runs on the Apple M2 silicon chip—there’s no option to upgrade to the Pro, Max, or Ultra with the MacBook Air. The M2 runs well, and this helps to keep costs down. However, if you need the utmost processing power, you may prefer to look at the MacBook Pro or an Apple desktop computer.
The MacBook Air M2 doesn’t have many ports—only two Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports and one headphone jack. While you can add more with a hub or dock, this does make the MacBook marginally less portable.
For now, the MacBook Air M2 is still quite expensive for an entry-level model. However, as Apple releases their new range of MacBook Air M3 computers, the price may come down soon.
And, of course, as it’s a laptop, you don’t need to invest in additional hardware such as monitors, keyboards, or speakers. It comes with these buil- in, as well as a trackpad. Once you’ve opened the box and made sure it’s charged, your MacBook Air M2 is ready to go!
Pros | Cons |
| Lightweight | Still expensive |
| Runs quietly | Not as much RAM |
| Good battery life |
MacBook Air M2 specs:
- Processor: Apple M2
- RAM: 8GB-24GB
- Storage: 256GB-2TB
- Ports: 2 Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports, headphone jack
What’s included? MacBook Air M2, cable, and power adapter
Do you need a MacBook or desktop computer
It can be hard to decide whether you’d prefer a MacBook or a desktop computer for music production.
For some people, it’s an easy decision. If you know that you need to take your computer with you to class or a studio, then a MacBook is the obvious choice.
However, if you’re torn between laptops and desktop computers, ask yourself these questions:
- Do you prefer using an external keyboard, mouse, or monitor?
- Will you need to connect multiple external devices to your computer?
- Will you use your Mac for producing music in one location?
If you’ve answered yes to these questions, you may prefer a desktop computer.
However, if you’d rather buy an all-in-one portable Mac for music production, then a laptop may be the right choice for you.
Conclusion
The best Mac for music production is a personal decision.
Whatever Mac you use for your music, you need to make sure that it’s compatible with your software and external devices. After you’ve checked that and ensured that it has enough power, storage, and memory, your choice is largely down to budget and personal preference.
Once you’ve purchased the best Mac for music production, you’ll need some software to work with. If you don’t already have some in mind, here are some of our recommendations:
- If you’ve just started producing music, GarageBand is great. As well as support for MIDI and audio recordings, it offers tons of loops you can arrange or add to your projects. It also includes built-in lessons for various instruments, smart drummer loops and much, much more.
- Logic Pro is Apple's professional audio software. If you're an electronic musician and want to experiment with sound, Logic Pro is a great option. It’s not cheap, though, so we recommend taking up the 90-day free trial. You need to run MacOS 11.5 or later to run Logic Pro.
- Ableton Live 11 is an advanced DAW, which is great for both music creation and performance. It comes with a variety of effects, sounds, and instruments, so you can start composing tunes immediately. Like Logic Pro, it’s pricey but offers a free 90-day trial.
- PreSonus Studio One 6 Professional is an excellent choice if you’re ready to get started with serious DAW software but don’t want to spend a lot. Why? Because it’s a full-scale digital studio, it is worth your investment as it offers a package of advanced features, including artist/producer plans.
In addition, you’ll probably want to download Spotify on Mac so that you can easily listen to music.
If your Mac slows down while you’re producing music, make sure to clear out as much junk as possible to keep it running smoothly. The Safe Cleanup feature in MacKeeper can help with this.
How to clear junk from your Mac with MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup:
- In MacKeeper, select Safe Cleanup from the menu on the left.
- Click Start Scan.
- When it’s finished, select everything you want to remove and click Clean Junk Files.
We hope our guide helped you choose the proper Mac for music-making. Now go and grab your instrument or mic, plug it into your new Mac, and get rockin’!
