Best PC for Music Production Review & Buyer’s Guide [2022]

Do you desire to start up a career in music production? Or an ole timer looking to step up your production game? Both parties, most likely, have a common quest – to own the Best PC for Music Production.

The music production industry is flooded with top-quality modern technology. From high-spec music production computers to decent soundboards.

Navigating through the pile of options on the market can be a lot challenging. While it may be a walk in the park for pro music producers and experienced studio sound engineers, it’s quite the opposite for newbies.

The truckload of brands – both reputable and fly-by-night – and models – from features-packed picks to overpriced boxes – makes it even more tricky to settle for one.

Do you seek a career – or already established – in the music production niche?

Of course, you know an excellent laptop to house your Digital Audio Workstation, and other recording-related operations is essential.

To help you make a well-informed buy, this article offers a comprehensive buyer’s guide as well as a detailed review of 5 best PCs for music production.

Best PCs for Music Production Comparison Chart

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Best PCs for Music Production Review

Dell XPS 8930 Tower Desktop

This awesome Dell XPS is a wonderful looking tower. But all you have to do is to fire it up to boost its performance. The build quality stands boldly among many high-end products on the market, though with a reasonably cheaper rate.

Indeed, this intel core i7 processor desktop with six cores with a clock speed of 4.6Ghz, backed with 16GB of Ram, 2TB hard drive and 4GB Nvidia Ge-Force 1050Ti is all you need for exceptional music production.

Talking music production proper, this desktop PC with its processing power helps you produce your latest tracks effortlessly.

Interestingly, the device is relatively affordable. For a machine with such high-end features, its price range looks good, but not cheapest among its spec-mates.

Its attracting finish, fast processor, and affordability make this device a favorite for many music producers.

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Acer Aspire Desktop TC-780-UR12

If you need something that shows off some stroke of class and professionalism – not compromising performance and quality output – here’s a confident pick.

This desktop machine is a great fit for producers who are on a serious budget but still want a PC with excellent performance. The industry indeed ranks this top-quality PC among the best for music production.

Its decent Intel HD 630 Chip makes it an ideal workstation for most music production efforts. With its modern and beautiful design, your pc stands you out among your production pals.

The machine comes with a Core i5-9400 processor, which helps you run tasks quickly and more efficiently.

Overall, this desktop PC is worth your investment. It has all it takes to offer you optimum performance and pleasing aesthetics.

You want to be sure your desktop PC captures all the best features you’d ever need in music production – it’s all in this model.

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HP ENVY 34-inch Curved All-in-One Computer

HP ENVY 34 is the centerpiece of the Envy series with a stunning massive 34” curved screen. In addition to looking awesome on your desk, the curved design gives an impressive viewing experience.

The generous screen size makes it possible to run your favorite DAW, where screen space is always in demand.

HP Envy 34 is an all in one design that houses its hardware in a small black box at the base of the monitor. It features a quad-core Intel i7 that clocks up to 2.9Ghz, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD backed with 1TB of hard drive and a 4GB AMD Radeon RX 460 Graphics Card.

If you wish to make your music productions on a reliable and trustworthy PC, then HP Envy 34 is the right computer for you.

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Lenovo ThinkCentre

This is one of the most innovative designs you will find on the market. It is considered a “tiny” desktop due to its size and when it comes to price, it’s cost-effective as compared to other models.

If you are looking for a mid-price desktop PC with features that fit into your existing studio setup, then Lenovo ThinkCentre should be the right PC for you.

The ThinkCentre has a unique metal chassis, with a front panel made of plastic. Even more, it comes with a sleek design with a considerable amount of USB 3.0 ports along with 3.5mm jacks for headset and microphone input.

ThinkCentre features an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 25GB SSD, with Windows 10 Pro preinstalled.

While Lenovo ThinkCentre may not pack some great features and functionality as with other Windows machines, it is still considered a great machine for top-quality music production.

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DELL XPS 7760

The Dell XPS 7760 is an all in one PC that has a 27” touchscreen 4K monitor, Intel i7-7700k CPU, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512 SSD and an AMD Radeon RX 570 which is great for music production

It has 4x USB 3.0 ports, 2x USB 3.1 Type C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an HDMI port, and a card reader for transferring files.

If you want something faster, perhaps, in the future, you can easily upgrade the processor any time, particularly if you seek to run other programs outside DAWs and music productions.

One unique thing about this model is its design. It spots a well-designed logo, which gives it a unique touch. The device is solid and designed with user’s experience in mind.

Indeed, this computer is well equipped, looks decent, but at a cost. If you can afford it, there wouldn’t be any regrets.

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Best PCs for Music Production Buyer’s Guide

Budget

As with any purchase, cost is the most significant factor when selecting a laptop for music production.

Thankfully, Most PCs currently on the market come with decent specs that can handle your recording workload conveniently.

You’d be surprised how the so-called basic PCs perform primary audio processing functions, efficiently.

However, better, bigger, and pricier computers are defined by their speed and storage capacity.

Superfast loading of programs, easy and fast file retrieval, and seamless production combined with the capacity to deliver standard audio quality without issues are basics.

Of course, a low budget PC will most likely suffer hitches when loading high-storage demanding plugins and software. Loading a VST plugin may take some extra seconds.

But if you are a newbie or a music dabbler, a budget PC with minimum standard spec will serve you just fine. At the rookie stage, you want something to start with. You may step up as you progress in your career.

Mac Vs. Pc

Here’s one of the most frequently asked questions, particularly among starters: should I go for a windows PC or Mac?

Way back, the most popular option would be a Mac. Mac grew to become an industry-standard for its stable and reliable media productions.

Pro Tools and Logic Pro X were, at a point, the leading Digital Audio workstations. And they were only compatible with Macs.

It is a bit different lately. Currently, Pro Tool has been improved to be compatible with windows. Presently, almost all DAW are cross-compatible with practically all Operating Systems.

FL Studio, on the other hand, had been a windows-only device. And if you were most familiar with FL, you’d most likely preferred a Windows PC. However, FL now has a Mac version.

Still, tools like Mixcraft remain Windows-only.

So here’s the logic, if you wish to use a Windows-only DAW – like, Mixcraft – then get a window. If you’re particular about a Logic, then choose a Mac.

Still, budget…

If you seek to step up your music production game and get immersed in industry-best-practices, a Mac might be a better option. Still, Macs are almost always a more expensive alternative.

You can find as much impressive features on your Windows too – and for significantly less. Besides that Windows PCs are cheaper there’s practically no disadvantage.

Also, file sharing across devices is a lot easier and flexible with Windows.

Whether Mac or Windows, it still boils down to having enough RAM capacity and processor speed, as much as your budget permits. Except you wish to venture into strong video production or employ a list of plugins at the same time, your audio recordings are not as resource hungry.

Basic Requirements

Before you think of a PC for setting up your home studio, decide on a DAW to use first.

Whether Ableton, Pro Tools, Cubase, or Fl studio, check out the requirement for the particular software you prefer. Then go for a PC with specs higher than the minimum. You can never go wrong with a high-end Digital Audio Workstation.

Still not sure which DAW program to use? Here are base-level spec requirements across DAWs and many recent recording software.

Processor

Choose a PC with at least 2.5GHz processor speed – 3GHz+, better.

Prefer an Octa or Quad-core. These processors can handle multitasking – particularly where sound files are saved on the same storage with your plugins and OS.

We recommend, at least, i5 core or an AMD equivalent processor.

Storage

If you plan on using your PC for mixing and mastering, 500 Gb is a base option. You will need a good space to store your samples and loops.

Of course, the more space, the better. This is particularly true for those into beat-making, film composing, songwriting, and related production work.

Remember, your sample library will grow as you continue in your career. You may need a hard drive for future space expansion.

An SSD storage is always your best option – if your budget can, though.

They are superfast, quieter, and mechanically more reliable.

For an even experience, go for two hard drives – one for samples and sound library, the other for system applications and files.

This set up provides you a faster and more streamlined work environment.

RAM

PCs need a place to easily save and cache files, away from the main hard drive.

It uses a dedicated memory called the RAM (Random-access memory) for this purpose. So, the larger the ram size, the better, particularly when handling massive sound and library files.

While some DAWs recommend 8GB – or even lower – 16 GB RAM is industry-recommended for high-ended tools.

Ports

Here, Windows devices tend to have more USB ports. For a new Mac, you may need some form of a duck, except with a thunderbolt audio interface.

So when buying a PC, the more is always better. If you prefer a Mac, then plan to buy a dock also.

Sound Proof

Ensure you read through a pile-up of reviews of any machine before you invest. GO for the ultra-quiet products. Avoid noisy drives and fans. Remember, SSDs are the quietest option – prefer it if your budget permits.

Desktop Vs. Laptop

Factoring mobility and ability to work anytime and anywhere away from home, laptops seem to have a lot more advantages. However, for video production, music recording, and severe gaming, most pros recommend desktops.

Should everyone now opt for a desktop? Not exactly. In most cases, it makes better sense to buy a laptop.

Except you are buoyant enough to have a dedicated machine for music production. Otherwise, your PC should be ready to multitask – internet browsing, gaming, admin, and office work.

However, here are some advantages of a desktop machine.

• Generally faster.
• Most likely have more out and inputs. Great for connecting external recording gears
• Easily customizable setup. You can easily add RAM, Hard Drives, and update video cards and other specs where the need arises in the future.
• The solution to noise problems. You can easily separate your monitors and mic from the tower, unlike laptops.

Portability

Of course, desktops are not portable. If you are mobile and want to continue your productions on the go, yes, you need a laptop. This also a better alternative for DJs.

The laptop offers you multipurpose flexibility. So you can easily swap your system between work, school, and your music productions.

No fears, laptops can handle as many rigorous tasks as a desktop would. So, again, it boils down to your budget and lifestyle.

Optimizing your PC for Music Production

We assume you have chosen a brand and model and your studio is about to kick off, here are some expert tips for optimum performance:

• Use the high-performance power option
• To avoid system sounds interference during recording, switch off all system sounds on your PC
• Use background service for processor scheduling
• Disable all automatic updates
• Disable animated windows
• Turn off firewall and anti-virus apps
• Ensure your network adapter driver is updated
• Avoid internet connects – particularly social media platform apps. Besides being a major distraction, they can easily interrupt your workflow.
• Read, carefully, set up guides for devices like audio interfaces you are using.
• Uninstall unused programs and regular check-up your computer with the Disk Optimization Tools.

Other Essential Tools for A Basic Home Studio Set Up

Here are recording studio essentials for a typical home recording station:

Speakers and Headphones

A pair of good quality headphones is a must-have for your studio setup. A pair of powered speakers – studio monitors – might come handy too if your budget permits. This helps provide a neutral sound, which is easy to mix and perfect sound delivery.

Audio Interface

Here’s a major hardware part of every recording studio. Audio interfaces enable producers to get top quality recordings whether with a laptop or tablet, Mac or PC. There is a wide range of best audio interfaces on the market. Look around the options and select one that matches, reasonably.

Cable and Stands

Your studio would need a nice audio cable for microphones, keyboards, and guitar connection to the audio interface – and from the audio interface to your speaker. Sometimes, a microphone stand is a necessity – as much as a speaker stand.

Microphone

Microphone connection can be made in two ways: either use an audio interface for recordings or buy a USB microphone.

Recording Software/DAW

The software you choose is largely dependent on your planned recording type. If it involves just recording and editing, and other basics, Audacity Recording Software, a non-paid program will handle the task.

Reaper, a premium software with a 60-day no-obligation trial, will be just fine. There are several other nice ideas for trusted music production software.

MIDI Keyboard controller

Here’s another highly essential tool if you employ virtual instruments or if you wish to develop your personal music sheet. Whether or not you are familiar with a keyboard, MIDI control offers an effective way to punch in baselines, get drum tracks, and the like.

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FAQ

Can any laptop be used to produce music?

Yes, any. It all boils down to whether it is compatible with any DAW. That said, the key differences between the options are the brand name and model’s specifications.

Notably, some brands and models are widely thought more reliable than others.

What is the recommended size for music productions?

No one-size-fits-all recommendation for laptop size. That decision is largely dependent on individual preferences. I’d, however, recommend a 15” screen display. This size offers space, big enough to organize your workstation and portable enough for mobile productions.

Can I use a gaming laptop for music productions?

Of course, they are good music producers too. Since gaming programs are usually space and speed-hungry, it will handle your music productions even better.

Of course, gaming requires even more processing power than music-making, so if you have – or wish to acquire a gaming laptop, it will all serve your music production needs, perfectly.

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Final Thoughts

The increase in technology has made being a musician a lot easier today than in the past couple of decades. Most modern computers have the minimum requirement to run a DAW efficiently.

There’s hardly ever a laptop that won’t handle your basic music production functions. However, for improved functionality, you want the best PCs for your music productions.

Of course, some options give users more versatility than others. Hopefully, this article has sufficiently laid to rest the confusion that sets in when considering the best PCs for music production.

For music productions, avoid guying Chromebooks and other cheap options on the market – they pose some serious limitations. There are budget options that are up to par with the minimum industry-standard requirement.

That said, most times, high performance usually comes with a high price tag.

Finally, where music production is a keyword, these laptops are your best bet currently.

Tips for Keeps: Be careful when selecting a PC for your music productions. This decision can either make or mar your music production career. Regardless of your choice, ensure it can handle huge workloads and can stand up, even when overused.