As you are here, it is obvious that you are looking to buy the best laptop for DAW, our team has researched and approached several DJs and music producers who have been using DAW for many years. After meeting and talking to them, we have listed a list of the 10 best laptops for DAW in 2022.
The passion for music is growing rapidly in the world. There are hundreds of thousands of software that are used by different musicians. To turn your dream into reality, you must know what is the best software which you can use for your career. Along with this, you will also need a system for running that software. So, to avoid any problem at the beginning of your career or in near future, these are the necessary and most important things for you.
Talking about the best DAW, we have talked to many experts and DAW users, and on their recommendations, we have listed some of the best apps having a strong reputation in the music industry.
Below is a complete list of the best DAW apps.
- FL Studio
- Ableton Live
- Cockos Reaper
- Logic Pro X
- Cubase
- GarageBand
- Studio One
- Adobe Audition
This is a complete list of the best DAW apps. As we have mentioned earlier you need the best apps and systems ( pc and mac) to do your best. We have gone through the best DAW apps, now we will talk about the best laptops for DAW so that you can focus on your career instead of your laptop.
We know that it might be the most significant decision of your career, so directly jumping to the list of laptops kindly have a glance at the system requirement for different DAW software. As we know all the above Softwares are top quality and best known for music production or music recording. For this reason, they need a powerful laptop to run on
Table of Contents
System Requirement for DAW
all laptops are not the same nor all software is, DAW software requires some decent level specs to run in your system. Don’t gamble your mind anymore, just choose the laptop that meets the below-defined requirements.
Minimum Requirements
| Operating System (OS) | Windows 7, or MacOS |
| CPU | Intel core i5 ( up to 6th generation) or equivalent |
| Memory (RAM) | At least 8 GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD or 128GBSSD + 1TB HDD |
| Battery | Battery at least 6 hours |
| GPU | Integrated Graphics |
If you are a student and are worried that they will be expensive and economic, then no need to get upset as you can find the best laptops with these basic requirements under your budget.
Recommended System Requirements
| Operating System | Windows 10, or MacOS |
| CPU | Intel core i7,i9 ( up to 6th generation) or equivalent |
| Memory (RAM) | At least 8 GB |
| Storage | 512GB/1TB SSD or 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD |
| Battery | Battery at least 7 hours |
| GPU | dedicated Graphics with 2GB VRAM |
11 Best Laptops For DAW In 2022
1. OEM Lenovo ThinkPad E15
SPECS
| CPU | Intel Quad Core i7-10510U |
| RAM | 32 GB SDRAM |
| Storage | 1 TB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Pro |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Battery | up to 12.2 hours battery |
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
| Weight | 4.3 pounds |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Dimension | 14.49 x 9.65 x 0.74 inches |
PROS
- Superb Battery Life
- Multitasking system
- Massive storage
- Starts up in just 30 seconds.
CONS
- Probable Heating issue
- Graphic lacks
2. HP 15
SPECS
| CPU | i5-1035G1 |
| RAM | 32GB |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
| GPU RAM | Integrated |
| Battery | up to 8 hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Weight | 4.23 lbs |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Dimension | 14.11 x 9.53 x 0.71 inches |
PROS
- Expandable Memory/Storage
- Portable
- Decent Audio Quality
- Good Battery life
- Vast Connectivity Options
CONS
- No Thunderbolt 3 Support
3. Apple MacBook Pro
SPECS
| CPU | Ninth-generation 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Operating system | Mac OS |
| GPU | AMD Radeon Pro 5300M Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| GPU RAM | 4GB of GDDR6 memory |
| Battery | up to 11 hours |
| Screen Size | 16.0-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display |
| Weight | 8.23 pounds |
| Resolution | 3072×1920 native resolution |
| Dimension | 9.68 x 14.09 x 0.64 inches |
PROS
- Decent Battery Life
- Speedy Starts up in just 30 seconds.
- Amazing Retina Display Screen
- Eye-Catching amazing Design
- Impressive Audio Quality
- Portable
CONS
- Fewer ports
4. LG Gram
SPECS
| CPU | i7-8565u |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 1TB (512GB x 2) Nvme SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| GPU RAM | Integrated |
| Battery | up to 19.5hours |
| Screen Size | 17 Inches |
| Weight | 2.95 pounds |
| Resolution | 2560 X 1600 |
| Dimension | 15 x 10.5 x 0.7 inches |
PROS
- Portable & Lightweight
- Thunderbolt 3 Support
- Speedy SSD and Fast RAM
- Decent Battery life
- 17” Huge Display
CONS
- Ultra Slim & Lightweight
5. Samsung Galaxy Book Flex
SPECS
| CPU | i7-1065G7 |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Professional |
| GPU | Intel® Iris Plus Graphics |
| GPU RAM | Integrated |
| Battery | Up to 20 hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 inch |
| Weight | 3.35 pounds |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Dimension | 15.7 x 11 x 3.31 inches |
PROS
- All Day Brilliant Battery Life
- Slim 360 Design
- QLED Touch Screen Display
- Bluetooth Pen
- Fast Fingerprint Reader
- Vast & Speedy SSD Storage
- 10th Gen lightning speed Processor
CONS
- Inconsistent Samsung Notes experience. Missing options
6. HP – Spectre x360 2-in-1
SPECS
| CPU | i7-8565U |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce MX150 |
| GPU RAM | 2GB |
| Battery | 17.5 Hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 inch |
| Weight | 0.77 lbs |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 |
| Dimension | 14.2 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches |
PROS
- Amazing 4K IPS Display
- Upgradable RAM
- 15”6 Touch Screen with a Pen
- Comes with a 3 years warranty.
- Thunderbolt 3 Support
- Ultra Lightweight
CONS
- Not suitable for long term use.
7. Huawei MateBook X Pro
SPECS
| CPU | i7-8550U |
| RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce MX150 |
| GPU RAM | 2 GB |
| Battery | up to 9 hours |
| Screen Size | 13.9 inches |
| Weight | 3 Lbs |
| Resolution | 3000 x 2000 |
| Dimension | 11.97 x 0.57 x 8.54 inches |
PROS
- Amazing GPU & CPU
- 3K TouchScreen Display
- Ultra Thin & Light
- Excellent Battery Life
- Innovative Pop-up Webcam
- One Touch Power On
CONS
- Fragile Gadget Need Extra Care
8. Apple MacBook Air with M1 chip
SPECS
| CPU | Apple M1 chip; 8-core CPU |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Operating system | Mac OS |
| GPU | Apple 8-core GPU |
| Battery | 18 hours |
| Screen Size | 13.3 -inch |
| Weight | 1.25 kg |
| Resolution | 2560×1600 |
| Dimension | 11.97 x 0.63 x 8.36 inches |
PROS
- Innovative M1 Chip (CPU/GPU)
- Lightweight & Portable
- Full Day Long Lasting Battery Life
- Silent Gadget
- LED-backlit display
CONS
- Camera Issue
9. MSI GL62M
SPECS
| CPU | i7-7700HQ |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB SSD + 1TB HD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | GeForce GTX 1050Ti |
| GPU RAM | 4GB |
| Battery | up to 6 hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Weight | 5.29 lbs |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Dimension | 15.07 x 10.23 x 1.06 inches |
PROS
- Upgradable Memory
- SDD + Massive HDD
- RED Backlit Keyboard
- Vast Connectivity Options
- High End Nvidia GPU
CONS
- Fans are noisy and creates disturbance
10. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
SPECS
| CPU | 10th generation Intel Core i5 |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | Intel Iris Plus Graphics |
| Battery | up to 11.5 hours |
| Screen Size | 13.5-inches |
| Weight | 1.5 kg |
| Resolution | 2256 x 1504 |
| Dimension | 12.1 x 0.57 x 8.8 |
PROS
- Ultra Lightweight
- Superb Battery Backup
- Elegant Design
- 13.5 Inches Touch Screen
- Wifi 6 Support
CONS
- Less RAM
11. Dell Latitude E7470
SPECS
| CPU | i5-6300U |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Pro |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 4400 graphics |
| GPU RAM | 2 MB |
| Battery | up to 5 hours |
| Screen Size | 14 Inches |
| Weight | 3.3 pounds |
| Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| Dimension | 15 x 19 x 5 inches |
PROS
- long lasting battery life
- Bit less but speedy SSD
- Upgraded Gadget
- Lightweight & Portable
CONS
- Just 8 Gb RAM
Buyer Guide
Operating system
As far DAW is concerned some software works on macOS while others are on windows, But it depends upon your area of interest and which OS you will go with, we have listed laptops with both OS. If you are a macOS lover and user then must check out “10 best mac for music production”
Processor (CPU)
For DAW software, you need a decent processor for better performance, otherwise, your system could get hung up during using any DAW software.
As per minimum requirement, your laptop should have an intel i5 or equivalent processor of 6th generation or higher. But to get the most out of these softwares, experts suggest intel i7 or i9 with the latest generation which will give a flawless performance during intricate tasks like making beats.
RAM
During audio production, maybe you are making beats, recording music, or mixing music tracks. You need an adequate memory to run your DAW besides running multiple online tabs, streaming online, and performing intricate tasks.
if we talk about system memory requirement for DAW, most of the softwares require at least 4GB RAM which is not adequate sometimes that’s why experts and musician recommend at least 8GB for memory which is the minimum memory requirement among them but to get most out from any DAW software while music production they suggest to with 16GB RAM or higher.
Storage
Producing music means you require a huge space in your system for enormous music files, your DAW, and many other apps. Many musicians prefer 512GB SSD but according to computer experts they suggest you a 128GB / 256GB SSD along with a 1TB HDD, it means installing your respective DAW in SSD for quick access while other music libraries in huge HDD.
Graphics card
Gaming, Modelling, Video editing, and Graphic designing are graphic intensive fields where your laptop needs a dedicated graphic card along with adequate VRAM. As far as music production is concerned, it is not a graphic-intensive field, so you don’t need a dedicated graphic card, your work can be done with an integrated graphic card but some DAW softwares demands to have a VRAM of 2G.
Battery Life
Battery depends on your use, we always prefer a laptop with good battery backup, for DAW users we suggest a laptop with at least 6-7 hours so that his job is done without recharging it. We’ve listed all the above laptops with amazing battery backup.
Weight
If you travel along with your laptop then weight matters so that without feeling any burden you can carry your laptop with you anywhere anytime. All the above laptops are portable and slim in design.
Frequently Ask Questions
Is Audacity a DAW?
Being an audio software, Audacity is used for storing, composing, recording, and mixing. With all these features, Audacity is a DAW. It is an open-source DAW that is available for all OS like Windows, Mac, and Linux. Moreover, Audacity is user-friendly and the best DAW for beginners.
What is the cheapest Daw?
There are several cheap and inexpensive DAW which includes:
- Acid Pro Xpress
- Audacity
- Giada
- Garageband
- Rosegarden
All of these are cheap or nearly free DAW. Moreover, all these are user-friendly and easy to use.
What is the most expensive Daw?
If we talk about the most expensive DAW, then Pro Tools HD is at the top. It is the most expensive DAW app and because of this, it is out of reach of many artists, musicians, and producers. In addition to that, it is also more complex and difficult for users than other apps. This is the reason it is used by professionals and engineers only. Pro Tools HD is an industry-standard DAW and is available in professional studios.
Best Daw for beginners?
There are different DAW for beginners which includes:
- Cakewalk by BandLab
- Reaper
- Logic Pro X
- Ableton Live
- FL Studio 20
- PreSonus Studio One 4
All these mentioned DAW are best for beginners. Some of them are free and some are paid but that does not mean that they are expensive rather they are very cheap and users can easily subscribe.
Which DAW is better?
It is quite difficult to say which one is better when you have too many choices. There are different apps of DAW with thousands of users and all of them have their different views. All these are used for multitasking like making beats, audio recording, composing, and mixing of audio and music depending on your laptop and choice. But still, we are mentioning different best and useful DAWs.
- PreSonus Studio One
- Ableton Live
- Steinberg Cubase
- Logic Pro
- Cakewalk by BandLab
What is DAW?
DAW is Digital Audio Workstation that is used for producing, composing, recording, mixing, editing, and storing audio and audio files. There are multiple DAWs used around the world.
There are different free and paid DAWs with upgraded versions. Now here you can ask whether you should go with the free version or with a paid one? The answer is that you should choose the paid version because there are some drawbacks of the free version or you have limited access. On the other hand, if we talk about paid versions then it doesn’t mean that they are too expensive, or you can’t afford them. Many of them are limited versions which means that they can be easily purchased or subscribed to.
Some DAWs are premium and are only used by professionals which means there is no need to go for them since you are a beginner and intermediate user. After that one can ask
In A Nutshell
Producing and composing music has become easier with the DAW. But it will be impossible if you do not buy a high-quality laptop. We have listed the 11 Best laptops for DAW (for both operating systems), above all are high-end laptops to run other software like pro tools and making beats, these will make your work easier. so go ahead and decide according to your budget, need, and area of interest.
Request
In case if you are still having any queries, please don’t hesitate to leave your questions or thoughts in the comment section below.
Your feedback can help other people make an informed buying decision, so make sure you leave a comment after buying a machine so that other people stuck in your shoes can make a decision easier!
Or
If you have better model suggestions for DAW, please let us know in the comment section!