Music production on a MacBook?

[macnewbie86]

Hi, I have a late 2013 rMBP with a core i7 4mb ram. I use it for Logic Pro and GarageBand BUT it only has a 128gb hard drive and 4mb ram which I want to upgrade.

Even the refurbished rMBP 2015 at 512 HD and 8gb ram is $1800 Canadian, but I was able to find a MacBook on the refurbished store for $1400 with 512 HD and 8 gb ram. Figure I could sell my 2013 rMBP for $1000 and then that would make it a $400 upgrade...http://www.apple.com/ca/shop/produc...nch-macbook-12ghz-dual-core-intel-core-m-gold

I know the 2015 core m is slower than a 2013 i7 but how much really? I usually only have maybe at most 8 tracks, but I'm thinking about experimenting with electronic music down the road (native instruments synths etc).

The only reason I'm getting another laptop for music production is because I also need a laptop for school. Otherwise I probably would just get an iMac.

So do you think the MacBook is capably of doing GarageBand/logic stuff?

Thanks for your help, I always appreciate it.

 

[fisherking]

i live on my 12" macbook, but have kept my (i7) 2015 macbook pro... for logic x (and FCPX). i haven't tried LX on the macbook, but considering how the pro sometimes struggles a bit with projects... am skeptical that the MB would do well with logic. try googling, i've seen some videos of people running LX (or garageband) on their MB's. i think logic needs as much power as it can get (and, of course, this depends on what you do with it, ie lots of audio, or tracks, or 3rd-party plugins)...

 

[macnewbie86]

and, of course, this depends on what you do with it, ie lots of audio, or tracks, or 3rd-party plugins)...

Ya that's the thing, you said "depends what you do with it". I'm in this situation where I use Logic Pro to record but like I said I only use it for a few tracks. Just basic songs I write and maybe throw in some native instrument synths down the road. I'll try and google it and see if I can find people out their using their MacBook for this. I've already seen some reviewers on youtube stating things like "I edited this review on this laptop in Final cut". If they can edit movies on the MacBook I should be able to find some people using logic. Thanks for your reply.

 

[fisherking]

if it's simple stuff (not a lot of automation, etc), it should be fine. if you can get to an apple store, logic IS installed on the macbooks; open it, load up some apple loops, etc... see how it feels.

 

[macnewbie86]

if it's simple stuff (not a lot of automation, etc), it should be fine. if you can get to an apple store, logic IS installed on the macbooks; open it, load up some apple loops, etc... see how it feels.

There isn't an apple store where I live unfortunately. I changed my mind though because the refurb site just updated the and I bought a 2015 MBA instead for 1200 Canadian which is a couple hundred less than the MacBook refurb. The screen isn't as good but a good chunk of time will be spend hooked up to an external display so that doesn't matter. With 256 gb HD and 8gb ram and I'll get a couple extra hours of battery life. My processor will be a downgrade, but like I said I only record a few tracks and I've read other people on macrumors talking about using logic with even their 2013 airs and not having a problem. Maybe in 4-5 years I will get that year's MacBook but for now, I think I'll save the $$$ and get the air.

Anyways, thanks for the help. Appreciate it.

 

[Boneheadxan]

I tested the rMB 2015 m5 model for music production a few months back. I have good news and bad news, haha.

The rMB loads and runs LogicX/Ableton just fine. I've tested it with Serum, NI Synths, Reaktor, Kontakt Libraries etc. If you are very certain you only need a few tracks for the writing phase and you are used to using freezing/bounce in place, you should be good to go. It is a huge downgrade from the i7 if you ask me.

The rMB CPU crumbles/throttles far too easily. I can bring it to a halt just by loading a few CPU intensive patches. I had really hoped it could sustain a bit more, because the size and form factor for portability is one of the best. Logic is better optimized than Live and runs a bit more efficiently. The Logic Benchmark test I ran reported around 18-20 tracks if I remember correctly. The i7's hit about 80-90 tracks in comparison.