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MacBook Pro vs Windows laptop

MacBook Pro (M3 Max/14 C/ 36 GB/ 1TB) or Lenovo Yoga (Slim) Pro 9 (i9 - 13905H/ 64GB / 1TB)?

  • MacBook Pro (M3 Max/14 C/ 36 GB/ 1TB)

    Votes: 17 85.0%

  • Lenovo Yoga (Slim) Pro 9 (i9 - 13905H/ 64GB/ 1TB)

    Votes: 3 15.0%
  • Total voters
    20
  • This poll will close: .
A

Alexandros

New Member
Hi all! This is my first time posting in this forum

I am fairly new to orchestral music production but i do have a little experience with EDM and rock/metal production.

I have already bought Audio Imperia's Jaeger orchestral library but haven't installed it and used it yet since i didn't have the right machine. But now i am about to change that since i am ready to invest in a serious piece of hardware. My plan is to produce EDM and hybrid orchestral music with lots of tracks and plenty of plug-ins. DAW: Cubase.

Since portability is a must, a laptop will be the way to go.

And here is where i would really appreciate your opinion and feedback, if possible.

My final two choices are
  • Macbook pro 14'' (M3 Max/ 14 Core) with 36 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD (~2.800 euros)
  • Lenovo Yoga (Slim) Pro 9 (i9 - 13905H) with 64 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD (~2.200 euros)

Should i go with the industry standard (Macbook Pro) and less RAM or with the Yoga Pro with 64 GB? I d love to be able to use even hundreds of tracks, if necessary, without many restrictions and freezing.

I know that as far as orchestral libraries are concerned, the number one priority should be a decent amount of RAM, with 32 GB being the absolute minimum for serious and big projects. On the other hand, Macbook laptops probably handle better the whole music production concept and the new M3 processors are extremely powerful. But from what i ve read RAM is RAM and 32-36 GB might be a little restrictive, especially in the long term, as libraries are getting bigger and bigger.

The price difference between Yoga Pro with 64 GB of RAM and Macbook Pro (M3 Max) with 64 GB of RAM is almost 2000 euros, so buying the very much desired Macbook Pro with 64 GB is out of the question. And, unfortunately, in my country there are no older versions of Macbook with 64 GB of Ram, like M1/M2 Max, available at a decent price and i d rather avoid buying a refurbished Macbook Pro online.

So, what should i go for? A Macbook Pro with a powerful CPU but 36 GB of RAM or a windows beast with 64 GB of RAM and an inferior CPU (i am not sure about that)??

Thank you so much in advance for taking the time to read my inquiry and hopefully give me your honest opinion on the matter.

All the best,

Alexandros Papadopoulos
Click to read more...
 
Personally, I would go with a used MacBook m1 or m2 with 64 gb. Out of those two, I would go with more RAM. Even 64 gb gets used up quicker than you'd think.

Are you dead set on that Lenovo? I would maximize the RAM, CPU, and internal HD before even considering looking at a 2-in-1 laptop with a touch screen. If it's just for music composing, I always invest in raw power and forget everything else to get the most bang for the buck.
 
Given your budget, if portability is a complete must I'd really consider refurbished or even 2nd hand to be able to get the M1/M2 MacBook with 64GB RAM. The Apple M series are just so insanely powerful, quiet and the build quality is truly fantastic on these machines - my previous MacBook is from 2012 and still runs like a champ (after a battery replacement).

I had an expensive DAW PC custom built a couple of years ago, then picked up a M2 MBP for a job where I needed to be out and about and sadly my PC is now literally a glorified dust collector, even in the studio...
 
Alexandros said:
But from what i ve read RAM is RAM and 32-36 GB might be a little restrictive, especially in the long term, as libraries are getting bigger and bigger.
Click to expand...
Actually I think the requiement for large amounts of RAM has greatly diminished in the last decade. There's several technologies that make this so - being able to purge samples and have them load in the background on the fly is a big one. There are still a few developers / libraries which are resource hogs - Audiobro's nkis tend to be absolute behemoths even with no samples loaded - but most stuff is manageable.

My template is a disabled VE Pro one. I don't think I've ever hit 36gb in the past 5 years.
 
Oh, and I forgot to say - partly because of the above, Mac every time. Battery life and build quality mean it's not even a question imo (though the config and specific model of Mac are all up for grabs)

(Basic rule more true than ever today - if it moves, Apple. If it doesn't, PC).
 
bfreepro said:
Personally, I would go with a used MacBook m1 or m2 with 64 gb. Out of those two, I would go with more RAM. Even 64 gb gets used up quicker than you'd think.

Are you dead set on that Lenovo? I would maximize the RAM, CPU, and internal HD before even considering looking at a 2-in-1 laptop with a touch screen. If it's just for music composing, I always invest in raw power and forget everything else to get the most bang for the buck.
Click to expand...
Hi bfreepro! I chose the Yoga Pro as my final windows option solely because of several youtube videos that suggest Yoga as the best windows alternative to MacBook Pros. Honestly, i do not care at all about the touch screen but i couldn't find a better bang for the buck windows machine. I think the only other windows laptop that might be even better than the Yoga Pro for music production is the Dell XPS series but they are extremely pricey and in my opinion makes no sense investing on one of those over a MacBook Pro. Anyway, thanks a lot for sharing your point of view :)
 
Loïc D said:
+1 for a used or a refurb M2, if you want to buy a Mac.
M3 are beginning to show on Apple refurb.
Click to expand...
Hi Loϊc D! Thank you for your answer! I would love to buy a refurbished MacBook Pro but in all honesty..... i do not know how!! I mean, are there any online stores that sell refurbished MacBook Pros in Europe? Or do i have to get one from the US? But in that case i think the custom fees might be prohibitive, am i right? What would be the best way to get a refurbished MacBook Pro in Europe? That, i would love to know!
 
rAC said:
Another factor you may need to consider regarding a laptop is battery life.
Click to expand...
Hi rAC! You are absolutely right. From what i ve read the battery life of the Yoga Pro is terrible! It's just that, if i went for a windows machine with 64 GB at that price, the Lenovo would be the best option in general. If i could find a refurbished MacBook Pro with 64 GB on the other hand, then the quest would be over!
 
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