Apple’s MAC computer dominated the music studios in the 1990s but things changed after the 2000s. More computers using Windows arrived, maybe because it is cheaper and simpler to upgrade. So, which one is the best?
Apple’s roots have always been in the creative sectors, including music creation. Apple computers are well-known for their dependability, usability, and high performance. The Mac Pro is the most often utilized computer in a professional studio setting. An iMac or MacBook Pro works well for home studios.
Finding the Best MacBook
If you’re a traveling musician, the MacBook Pro is the only Apple computer worth considering for music production. There are several MacBook Pro models to pick from and your demands will determine which option is ideal for you.
The two 13-inch MacBook Pro versions feature Apple’s M1 CPUs, however, they are limited by the usual 8GB RAM and just two Thunderbolt connections. However, if you don’t intend to bring in a slew of external controllers or storage, they’ll serve as a reliable workers.
If you want a bigger screen, greater horsepower, and more connections, the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro are also good choices. Both come included with the M1 Pro processor and 16GB of RAM. There’s also greater storage, with versions available in 512GB or 1TB capacities.
The major difference here is the M1 Pro, which has more GPU cores that may be utilized to crunch the numbers required when employing a slew of plug-ins, VSTs, or displaying multi-channel compositions onscreen.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Max is the most powerful model available. It has 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage as standard.
There is also a vast choice of specific audio interfaces, MAC plugins, and music-creation software like Logic Pro available, making Apple computers a viable option for your music studio.
PC Versus Mac
Most PCs nowadays are quite powerful and, theoretically, capable of producing and recording music. Both platforms have software that is solely available for that platform. Sonar, Sound Forge, and Adobe Audition are installed on the PC. Logic, GarageBand, Peak, and Soundtrack Pro are all available on the MAC.
A competent, professional studio just requires a Mac and a PC. It is very common to work on various projects that were created in distinct music curricula. Many music and video file formats, including WAV, AIF, MP3, MOV, AVI, and MP4, function properly on both, making it simple to move them from one to the other.
When compared to the PC, Apple is believed to be more costly. This is correct; they do not provide a low-cost product. Apple laptops are more expensive, but they provide a unique viewpoint; similar to a luxury automobile, you receive greater safety, comfort, excellent materials, and uniqueness.
Apple does have a significant disadvantage in the sphere of music creation. There are significantly fewer free music apps and audio plugins available for Mac than for PC. For $199, you may have LogicPro software pre-installed on your iMac. Furthermore, if you want more memory or storage capacity, you must pay an additional fee.
The Bottom Line
Buying a Mac may be determined by your budget, productivity, client base, digital audio workstation (DAW) selection, or personal preferences. Choose the Mac for a dependable system that will be used solely for music creation and audio recording. In other industries, such as gaming PCs, Macs just do not compete.
