Hope you are doing Great. Finding the best laptop for music production under 300 to 700 is very hard these days due to the increasing requirements of DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software.
However, the requirements of software probably need a High-End Desktop PC but this could eliminate the portability, and if you are a person who travels a lot may be in case of meeting with a client who wants to listen to your quality music in front of them then you probably need the best laptop for music production for portability.
But how did you find those laptops? Don’t worry, after hours of research we become able to make the list of best laptops for music production under 300 – 700 so just have to choose a laptop according to your best needs.
To make this list understandable we take the system requirements of some best DAW software as an example:
List Of DAW Softwares:
- Audacity
- Studio One 4.5
- Ableton Live 10
- Garage Band
- Steinberg Cubase Pro 10
- REAPER
System Requirements of these Music Production Softwares:
CPU: Processor with ** Or Above
GPU: Need an Integrated GPU
Memory: 4GB RAM
Storage: 40GB Free Space
Best Laptops For Music Production Under 300 – 700:
- Dell Inspiron 14
- Lenovo Ideapad
- Dell Inspiron
- Lenovo IdeaPad S340
- ASUS VivoBook 15
- ASUS Chromebook Flip
- HP Pavilion
- Acer Aspire 5 Slim
- Acer Nitro 5
“The price of these laptops can fluctuate from time to time”
Best Laptops For Music Production Under 300 – 700 | Comparison Table:
| Laptops | Processor | On Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Dell Inspiron 14 | Intel Core i3-8145U | View On Amazon |
| Lenovo Ideapad | AMD A9-9420 | View On Amazon |
| Dell Inspiron | Intel Core i5-1035G4 | View On Amazon |
| Lenovo IdeaPad S340 | Intel Core i5-8265U | View On Amazon |
| ASUS VivoBook 15 | AMD R5-3500U | View On Amazon |
| ASUS Chromebook Flip | Intel Core M3-8100Y | View On Amazon |
| HP Pavilion | Intel Core i3-1005G1 | View On Amazon |
| Acer Aspire 5 Slim | AMD Ryzen 7 3700U | View On Amazon |
| Asus TUF | AMD Ryzen 5 3550H | View On Amazon |
Dell Inspiron 14 – Best Affordable Laptop For DAW Software
Dell Inspiron 14 comes with a good package of 8th Generation Intel Core i3-8145U CPU, 4 GB DDR4 RAM, and 128GB M.2 PCIe SSD powering the Inspiron 14 and making the best affordable machine for DAW software.
While using the Dell Inspiron 14 for music production, it will not show any lag even on the opening of more than 4 programs in the background. It can bear heavy-duty tasks and easily gives productive results. However, its battery life span is medium but still, it includes itself in high-end laptops.
Dell Inspiron 14 comes with an integrated graphic unit, Intel UHD Graphics 620 is really enough to run any DAW software, because the GPU requirement to run that software is just an integrated coprocessor.
The Dell Inspiron 14 is a convertible laptop with 14 Inch touchscreen display that looked just vibrant and sharp. Most often it gives 3D view-like depths when sitting directly in front of the Inspiron’s 1366 x 768 pixels resolution screen. This laptop is really reasonable comparatively.
If we looked at the design Structuring of the Dell Inspiron 14, it is the most minimalist, compact, and understated because the Inspiron 14s’ have smooth, rounded corners and no-extra lines.
Its beautiful greyish cover and black bezels make this device very professional, enough to take to a client meeting, and enough to show your creativity in music production. Despite its highly glossy cover, the coating is surprisingly fingerprint-resistant, so no sweaty fingerprints.
The good news is that you can easily plug in any MIDI instruments by using a MIDI adaptor to this Inspiron’s audio jack. But on the other hand, the bad news is that the Dell Inspiron 14’s built-in speakers produce distorted audio with its dual speakers because they are located beneath the laptop.
If we talk about its connectivity it has 2 ports for USB 3.0 Gen 1 Type-C, and 2 ports for USB 2.0 Type-A. An HDMI port and an audio Jack that is more than enough for a laptop for music production. This is the most affordable laptop in the list of best laptops for music production.
| Processor | Intel Core i3-8145U |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Display | 14 inch Touchscreen |
| Storage | 128GB M.2 PCIe SSD |
| Memory | 4 GB DDR4 RAM |
| Operating System | Windows 10 S |
| Battery life | 6 Hour |
| Boot-Up Speed | 6 Seconds |
| Material | Aluminum+Plastic/2.9 pounds |
Lenovo Ideapad – Best Thin Laptop For Music Production
Lenovo always engineered laptop with a very slim design and after the Thinkpad series, Lenovo’s Ideapad is very low budget laptops with very thin design. This Lenovo Ideapad is a flagship device, let us tell you about this laptop.
First, we talk about the performance of this laptop, it is good enough to rely on this laptop as a music producer. With a 3.5 GHz AMD A9-9420 Dual-Core CPU, 8GB DDR4 of RAM, and 512GB SSD for storage capacity.
This laptop is not just for music production. But it can get you the best results in both web surfing and multitasking. Even when 11 Chrome tabs were open along with a Netflix season episode playing, Ideapad will not show any lag in completing the tasks.
The display of the Ideapad is bright and colorful. And Lenovo finally improved the brightness of this Ideapad Model.
The 15.6 inches 1366 x 768 pixels display screen of this Ideapad has recorded to have 262 nits of brightness. It beats the average mainstream brightness of 244 nits at this range. It is better than Inspiron 14 that produced only 222 nits.
If we look at the thin design, Lenovo Ideapad is really a visual one. On the top, the left corner of the lid is the Lenovo logo in silver color which shines brightly on the dark navy blue lid. On the backside of the chassis, the exhaust vents and cooling system is present.
The Keyboard is comfertable one without any boundary enclosing blackish buttons with graish touchpad, we can say the design of the keyboard feels like a MacBook keyboard.
There are a lot of connectivity ports to satisfy users. On the right side, there is an optical drive and a secure lock slot. And on the left side of the chassis, there is 2 USB 3.0 ports, 1 USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port, LAN port, an integrated Card reader slot, a headphone/ microphone combo jack, and lastly a DC adapter port, so many ports on single side.
The battery of Lenovo Ideapad is not something to brag about. It comes with 4 hours of battery life. Still, it is good enough to give you a lot of time to produce quality music.
| Processor | AMD A9-9420 |
| GPU | AMD Radeon R5 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Display |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery life | 4 Hours |
| Boot Up Speed | 6 Seconds |
| Material | Aluminum/4.84 Pounds |
Dell Inspiron – Best Laptop For Audacity
Another laptop from Dell, This Dell Inspiron is an upgraded version of the previous one, these lightweight Dell Inspiron come in two main objects, one for general work and as well as for professional words like music production.
This laptop comes with really quick performance and powerful graphics which is enough to run any DAW software and packed all within a chassis which is light and stylish enough.
Dell Inspiron is equipped with a 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G4 processor, 8GB DDR4 of RAM, and a 128GB SSD, all this combination make this laptop so capable to run any high or low DAW or music production software.
Dell offered a 14-inch screen display on this Inspiron with a resolution of only 1366 x 768 pixels. The panel is fine for monitoring music tone and browsing the web.
The only thing we don’t like about this laptop is the thick bezels, we are in 2020 where every device comes with thin or no bezels, so Dell should design this laptop with a thin bezel, but apart from the bezel overall laptop looks thin, and from the performance side, this is a good budget laptop.
Dell Inspiron’s design has an eye-catchy texture and a good color scheme no doubt. Dell constructed its lid, base, and keyboard deck using a textured black ABS plastic, which is very smooth and durable. The round edges of the lid and the base have a glossy black casing.
Dell Inspiron has weight of 4.4 pounds. On the top of the frame, there’s an HD webcam centered on the top bezel, and on the deck, the power button on the upper-right portion is located that is beautifully designed.
Moving further toward its connectivity ports, On the left side, there’s a charging port that indicates when charging, an HDMI port, 2 USB 3.1 Type-A port, and a Combo audio jack. On the right side, you’ll find a Kensington lock, 1 USB 2.0 Type-A ports, and an integrated SD card slot.
The Inspiron offers the best volume bottom-firing speakers, and this laptop also provides good battery life and last up to 8 hours.
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1035G4 |
| GPU | Intel Iris Plus |
| Display | 14 Inch Display |
| Storage | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Memory | 128GB SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery life | 8 hours |
| Boot-Up Speed | 7 Seconds |
| Material | ABS Plastic/4.4 pounds |
Lenovo IdeaPad S340 – Best Laptop For Music Production
When it comes to thin and lightweight laptops, Lenovo always boasts competitors (Not talking about Bulky Thinkpad), to prove and open many eyes that not everyone needs premium thousands of dollar laptops for good performance, Lenovo introduces the Ideapad and yoga series.
We are talking about the Newest IdeaPad S340, which comes with a really nice combination of hardware.
Lenovo Ideapad S340 is loaded with 10th Generation Intel Core i5-8265U that works on quad-core to give you the speed of 3.9GHz and to complete this combo 8GB DDR4 RAM which is enough memory to run any DAW software.
To eliminate any lag issue during producing music 128GB SSD is enough as well as to store any quality music. SDD is designed to eliminate any lag issues and to provide good battery time.
What more we can say about this affordable laptop a simple reference is enough to imagine you about it. Lenovo Ideapad S340’s design reminds you of the art museum that is full of beautiful architecture, it is designed as perfect as an art.
Every design of this Lenovo Ideapad series feels like it has a purpose to provide premium quality. It’s a single-tone silver aluminum deck and the light-gray lid gives it a unique look. And this is the reason adding up to a Best Laptops For Music Production.
The 15.6-inch display gets plenty bright but less vibrant. Its display is not touch-sensitive designed but this is anti-glare and has widescreen support with a Full HD display and resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.
The IdeaPad S340 speakers get loud enough to fill a large room without any distortion. It has two Dolby audio speakers.
Moreover, you’ll find an HDMI, a 1 USB 3.1 Type C port, a headphone/mic combo jack, and a power connector on the left side. And on the right hand, you will get 2 USB 3.1 Type-A port and an SD Card slot.
This Ideapad is only weighted around 3.96 pounds which makes this very easy to carry and last up to 7 Hour.
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8265U |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Display |
| Storage | 128GB SSD |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery life | 7 hours |
| Boot-Up Speed | 5 Seconds |
| Material | Aluminum/3.96 Pounds |
ASUS VivoBook 15 – Best Portable Laptop For Music Production
This VivoBook is another thin and lightweight and highly portable laptop. This VivoBook proves that Asus’s innovation isn’t limited to premium and gaming laptops. It is the best laptop for heavy-duty tasks and easily run Ableton and other Daws.
Fully loaded with Powerful AMD Quad-Core R5-3500U and goes up to a 3.6GHz processor and 8GB DDR4 RAM for memory so you can expect a really good performance from this laptop. And 256GB PCIe SSD is also included.
Asus VivoBook 15 is engineered with a sleek and modern look. Its blackish gunmetal-grey color is attractive and unique. The aluminum chassis at this budget package is great and this VivoBook thin and fairly rigid and the overall design is ergonomic.
Its display gives a wider and clear view. It’s thin and portable with a Nano Edge bezel that makes this laptop greater, this thin bezel stunning 80% screen-to-body ratio. Moreover, it is 15.6-inch anti-glare FHD with 1920×1080 pixels for resolution with ASUS Splendid software enhancement.
On the left side of the laptop, you’ll find two USB 3.0 Type-A ports. On the right side, a USB 3.0 Type-A port and a USB 3.1 Type-C port, an HDMI port, a combo headphone/mic jack, and the SD card slot. These ports are really enough or any music production device.
The VivoBook 15 produces passable audio for listeners. This laptop just weighs around 3.97 pounds and the battery is also good and lasts up to 9 Hours on an only single charge.
| Processor | AMD R5-3500U |
| GPU | AMD Radeon Vega 8 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Display |
| Storage | 256GB PCIe Nvme SSD |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Operating System | Windows 10 S 64 Bit |
| Battery life | 9 Hours |
| Boot-Up Speed | 5 Seconds |
| Material | Aluminum/3.97 pounds |
ASUS Chromebook Flip – Best Convertable Laptop For Music Production
After Vivobook 15, this Asus Chromebook flip is also the best laptop for music production, Asus presents new standards in this laptop both internally and physically.
The ASUS Chromebook has a fast processor, which starts up in seconds, this laptop comes with Intel Core m3-8100Y that can go up to 3.4 GHz, to make this combination better 4GB DDR3 of RAM is used. Honestly, I am not a big fan of DDR3 it consumes battery as compared to DDR4.
ASUS Chromebook Flip is made of Aluminium Chassis and has a unique anodized finishing rather than a brushed texture. As it is convertible so it folds up at 360 degrees easily like an asymmetrical slab of metal.
The surface texture of the case of the Chromebook is a satiny steel paper-like touch, which is both clean and easy to wipe down, but you have to hold it tightly because the material is so smooth aand silky.
Furthermore, Asus Chromebook comes up with a beautiful magnetic clasp that pulls the screen lid rigidly against the underside of the Chromebook.
If we look at the display of this laptop, sometimes this Chromebook looks like the android table and sometimes looks like a laptop, Chromebook Flip comes with 12.5 Inch display with 1920×1080 pixels resolutions with a Nanoedge Display that’s mean more thin bezels.
The backlit keyboard is very responsive. The touchpad on the Chromebook is the best. It has a glassy-smooth surface that is really responsive and resists fingerprints. If you click on the touchpad it doesn’t give you too clunky feeling.
Finally, we talk about the connectivity ports. On the left hand, you will see a volume up and down button, and the power button just to give you a tablet look, USB Type-C (Gen 1) port, a USB Type-A port, an audio combo jack, and On the right side you got only one USB Type-A port.
The battery life on the Chromebook Flip is no joke, either. You can use this laptop for music production for 10 Hours and can fully charge within 2 or 3 hours.
| Processor | Intel Core m3-8100Y |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 615 |
| Display | 14 inch Touchscreen |
| Storage | 64GB SSD |
| Memory | 4GB DDR3 RAM |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery life | 10 Hour |
| Boot-Up Speed | 4 Seconds |
| Material | Aluminum/3.3 pounds |
HP Pavilion
No one in this world who aren’t aware of this HP laptop, With an impressive and diverse lineup filled with attractive design, this laptop knows as Pavilion, Pavilion has been used every where, why let me tell you.
HP Pavilion is accompanied by a 10th Generation Intel Core i3-1005G1 Processor, and to provide max output this processor can go up to 3.4 GHz burst frequency and this frequency boosts up the processing rate.
You will find 8GB DDR4 RAM for fast memory to remove any glitches during producing music and it can upgrade up to 16GB. An SSD present with 128GB storage capacity in this Pavilion will boost the overall performance of the laptop and this can upgrade up to 1TB.
The pavilion is famous why? because of its design, its sleek aluminum designed chassis makes this laptop durable and creates a luxurious look and the shining HP logo on the backside of the lid make the premium look of this laptop.
It’s 15.6 Inch HD BrightView Touchscreen display with a Maximum screen resolution of (1366 x 768) pixels and Intel UHD Graphics create more colorful and vibrant with fast performance. Pavilion presented with the HP Bright view technology to increase brightness,
Pavilion supports two ports of USB 3.1 Gen 1 for fast data transfer and on the right hand, you will see USB 3.1 Type-C with HDMI connection, audio combo jack, and SD card reader. It has also Bluetooth connectivity for Multi-format digital card readers. Best audio systems included by this HP Pavilion.
The maximum battery offered by Pavilion is 11 hours and 30 minutes. The pavilion is a perfect choice for people seeking a laptop that can deliver good battery timing with reliable music productivity under an affordable budget.
| Processor | Intel Core i3-1005G1 |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Touchscreen |
| Storage | 128GB SSD |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery life | 11 Hours |
| Boot Up Speed | 5 Seconds |
| Material | Aluminum/3.75 Pounds |
Acer Aspire 5 Slim – All Rounder Laptop For Music Production
Another Famous laptop which is almost all-rounder in every field and this laptop is known as Acer Aspire 5 Slim, It is super thin and slim and also easy to open single-handed.
If we talk about its performance then this laptop is equipped with AMD Ryzen 7 3700U processor with the memory of 8GB DDR4, Acer Aspire 5 Slim presents a balanced combination for any working environment. These features allow it to perform well, sufficient and fast and also to be good in music production
To store enough data in this laptop, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD is equipped for more storage capacity and moreover, fast performance without any lag issues is true.
It is really pleasant to get a 15.6-inch display at 1920 x 1080 pixels with a wide view. The screen of Acer Aspire 5 Slim is very sharp and vibrant at 1080 pixels.
The brightness of the Aspire 5 Slim is calculated to be at 215 nits which is pretty below the average nits range which is 244 nits. But this brightness is also good as the screen provides you with vibrant and sharp colors.
The Graphics Coprocessorin in this device is AMD Radeon RX Vega 10 which is pretty cool for any DAW software.
With the sturdy blackish aluminum along with a dark greyish and matte lid, Acer Aspire 5 Slim attracts a lot of users. On the front view of the Laptop, you can see a webcam present on the top of the screen lid. Beneath the display screen, the Acer logo lies in silverish grey color.
The upper lid is connected to the chassis with two small hinges. The smooth keypad is bounded by the silver boundary with no keypad buttons.
The chassis of Aspire 5 Slim is also common as it hosts a black pitch backlit keyboard and keys leveled with the chassis. The chassis itself is not smooth but with some roughness while containing the longitudinal textured pattern.
Acer Aspire 5 Slim offers almost every useful port. On the right side of the chassis, there is a USB 2. 0 Port. On the left side of the chassis, a USB 3. 1 Gen 1 port, a USB 2. 0 Port, HDMI Port, and a combo jack is included.
The battery of the Acer Aspire 5 Slim lasts more than 7 hours. Due to its weight, it can be easy to carry it around.
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 3700U |
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX Vega 10 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Display |
| Storage | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery life | 7. 5 hours |
| Boot-Up Speed | 4 Seconds |
| Material | Aluminum/3.97 Pounds |
Asus TUF – Gaming Laptop For Music Production
Sorry but the list without any gaming laptop is incomplete, This gaming laptop is not under 700. Another laptop from Asus,
Asus TUF is a gaming laptop that can handle every task that you put in this gaming machine.
Asus made sure that the TUF is ready for both music production and gaming by equipping the laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 3550H and AMD Radeon RX 560x with 4GB DDR5 of VRAM, which means you can produce high-quality music and at the same time high-end gaming on this gaming laptop at respectable frame rates.
This gaming system has 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB PCIe Nvme SSD which improves the performance of the system. PCIe NVmM is helpful in instantaneous loading. That means you won’t have too long for loading the music production software.
Thin bezels with 82% screen-to-body ratio engineered to this Asus TUF for optimizing your vision and delivering your maximum screen and display size of 15.6 inches with a Nanoedge Wide viewing angle ensure vivid and consistent colors, even when viewing from any position.
Most of the time many expensive gaming laptops start heating when you use continuously them. This happens because of having no proper cooling system. And for which quitting the work seems the last option. As compared to others this Asus TUF reduced the temperature more efficiently and make your gaming laptop more reliable to use longer continuously. Moreover, this Asus TUF has a feature of anti-dust technology.
Aluminum is used in its production, which is why this model is very reliable and durable. The overall look and feel of this gaming laptop are impressive, You can take TUF anywhere with you without concern about the condition of that place because this laptop is specifically designed for fighting any type of risk.
You will get all connecting ports on the single left side, two USB 3.1 ports, a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, and a combo audio jack.
Talking about the portability of this beast, the weight is as light as 4.85 pounds. The battery life isn’t great, though it can run up to 3 hours when fully charged. If you are looking for a gaming laptop at a reasonable rate for music production then you should go or it.
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 3550H |
| GPU | AMD Radeon Rx 560X |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Display |
| Storage | 256GB PCIe Nvme SSD |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery life | 3 Hour |
| Boot-Up Speed | 3 Seconds |
| Material | Aluminum/4.85 pounds |
What Laptop Should I Buy For Music Production?
As I said in the middle, you just have to go through this list of best laptops for music production under 300 – 700 and just picked the laptop that fits your need, but for the reference let me tell you to choose one.
How to Choose CPU?
You don’t need a heavy CPU to run any DAW software, but if want to run software in the background then a processor with 3000 BenchMarks will be more than enough.
How to Choose Memory?
During research about DAW software, we found that almost every DAW needs 4GB of RAM to run smoothly and lag-free. But yeah you should consider DDR4 to eliminate any glitches.
How to Choose Storage?
Storage capacity is something that depends on you and your files, but for music production,40GB of free space is enough.
Should I need GPU?
No, you don’t need to, Simple integrated GPU will do a job, you don’t need particularly dedicated graphics.
Portability
Yes, that’s why you are here for the portability of your music production device, a laptop with 4 pounds in weight would be perfect and can be very easy to carry.
Are Gaming Laptops Good For Music Production?
Yes but not necessarily, because they are so expensive and really HARD to find under 700 but the last laptop is a gaming laptop with 4GB VRAM, so you can consider that one for music production.
Thank You
Stay Laptopified!