If you already own a MacBook or MacBook Air, theres no harm in getting started with what you have, but you will probably find yourself limited in how complex your arrangements and mixes can get.

Whether you are a beginner who has never recorded before, or if you are more advanced with years of experience, I hope you find value in the series.

If you have any questions or would like me to cover a specific topic, please drop a comment at the end of the article.

Most people will want to weigh the importance of a few factors including budget, processing power, connectivity, and portability.

If your computer is more than 5 years old, and depending on how advanced your productions become, you may find that youll outgrow its capabilities over time.

So if you are planning to purchase a new computer, youll be in great company should you decide to go with a Mac.

It really is the gold standard in the music production industry.

If you decide to use a PC, youll still have many options to help you unleash your creativity.

Using a PC instead of a Mac will not be a roadblock in your creative endeavors.

Just remember, there are plenty of great machines out there no matter which direction you choose.

Next, lets explore the differences between laptops and desktops.

While desktops are still undeniably more powerful than their mobile counterparts, laptops are very viable options for music production thanks to technological advancements over the last decade.

In particular, Thunderbolt-equipped laptops offer exceptional expansion and performance capabilities previously only available on desktop-class machines.

Everything from desktop processors to RAM is generally in a class above what youll fine in a typical laptop.

This will come in handy as you expand your music production rig, whether youre adding USB midi keyboards, MPCs, mixing control surfaces, or other peripherals.

With modern laptops, youll likely have to purchase a Thunderbolt expansion dock to achieve this level of connectivity.

My 2010 Mac Pro has the latest generation USB connectivity because I installed a USB 3.1 USB-C PCIe card.

Thats pretty incredible when you consider the machine is almost ten years old.

By contrast, upgrading the components in a laptop can sometimes be challenging or downright impossible, as in the latest generation MacBook Pro (literally nothing inside is user upgradeable yikes).

There are many project studios and DJs who rely on laptops at the center of their setups.

A relatively recent laptop will give you adequate horsepower to run your recording sessions; a desktop machine will simply give you performance thats a cut above at the expense of mobility.

You can bargain hunt and find great deals all over the place, including at OWCs Used Mac section.

For me, that additional peace of mind is easily worth the investment.

And at the end of the day, youll have a powerful machine capable of running the latest music production software.

They are significantly faster machines compared to the MacBook and MacBook Air.

Best Daw For Mac Mini