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Music production is a lengthy and demanding process. Of course, the musician’s skills matter, but if the technology is not up to par, that will not be enough. And one of the technologies that are more than necessary is a good laptop. A laptop or computer with good specifications can make or break the deal. Hence, today, our topic of discussion is: is the MacBook air good for music production?
What Is MacBook Air?
MacBook Air is a line of notebook computers by Apple Inc. originally. This line was considered a premium product due to being ultraportable. Still, many factors like the original MacBook’s discontinuation in 2011 and lower prices in subsequent iterations have downgraded it to an entry-level product. Even though it was considered the top tier line, currently, performance-wise, MacBook Air ranks below the premium top tier MacBook Pro.
The MacBook Air comes with a thin, light structure containing a full-sized keyboard and a machined aluminum case. It was introduced in January 2008 with a 13.3-inch screen as the world’s thinnest notebook and started the category of the ultra-book family of laptops. The 2nd generation MacBook air came in 2010 with a smaller 11.6-inch version, redesigned tapered chassis, and standard solid-state storage. Intel Core i5 or i7 processors and Thunderbolt were added in later revisions. The 3rd generation came in 2018 with a Retina display, combination USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports for data and power, and reduced dimensions. Later in 2020, an updated model with a magic keyboard and Intel Core i7 processor was released. The first MacBook Air with Apple silicon based on the Apple M1 processor was released in the same year.
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Is The MacBook Air Good For Music Production?
MacBook Air was once the best laptop line for Apple. But at present, in terms of performance and everything else, MacBook Pro is the best. So compared to MacBook Pro, MacBook Air falls short. Also, at present, it is more affordable. But is it good enough for music production?
Well, the answer is yes. MacBook Air is still good enough for music production, especially the recent versions, and here are its reasons.
- With MacBook Air, we can use Logic Pro, an Apple-based DAW that is considered one of the best DAW, which some famous artists also use.
- The MacBook Air’s recent versions are equipped with Apple’s M1 Chip. The laptop has 8GB RAM in the base model, which is the bare minimum requirement for running software like GarageBand and rendering high-quality songs with 20+ tracks at most.
- This line produces ultraportable laptops that are thin and lightweight. It is extremely easy to carry them around everywhere.
- MacBook Air comes with beginner music production software.
- The best thing is that you can integrate it with other Apple products. You can also instantly render and share your songs without any fuss.
- MacBook Air is a relatively affordable line of laptops compared to the Pro Series of Apple MacBook.
- MacBook Air runs fast and smooth.
- It is also equipped with faster SSD storage.
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Is MacBook Air The Best Laptop For Music Production?
Even though the line produces good enough laptops with affordable models, it is still not the best option, as its performance lags behind the Pro series and other laptops. Here is some reason why it is not the best laptop for music production.
- In MacBook Air, there is a limit to the number of plugins and tracks.
- The laptop’s fans can get really loud and noisy when you have several plugins working simultaneously, overworking to cool down the laptop.
- MacBook Air comes with minimal USB ports.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Which MacBook is suitable for music production?
A: By far, the Apple Silicon M1 MacBook Pro is the best Mac for music production. The reason behind this is the clever combination of power, performance, and reliability of these laptops. The MacBook Pro series provides a powerful and portable music production studio, which is good enough for even professional music production on a Mac.
Q: What Are The Best MacBook Air Laptops For Music Production?
A: The list includes the following laptops from the MacBook Air series.
- MacBook Air M1 2020
- Apple Macbook Air Retina
- Apple 13″ MacBook Air