Programmer by day with work-given MacBook Air seeks more power for music production

[lewisflude]

I've previously used the 2011 MacBook Pro and loved it. Now, I feel great with my air but for a few reasons it doesn't cut it as a music production machine. I wanted to ask here because I'm sure some of you have had to deal with this problem in the past and may have advice to pass on to me.

Day to day I'm doing web development, so a little programming and a little front-end work that the Air is amazing for, but I'd like another computer to act as the center of a home studio.

I'd be interested in the 15" Retina with the processor upgrade to 2.6Ghz and 16GB of RAM

Problems I have with my Air that cause me to consider this

* I can't break or lose it as it belongs to my work
* It doesn't handle Ableton Live (my primary DAW) as well as I'd like it to
* Not much screen real estate for different audio / midi tracks

Downsides

* £2300 (Would probably pay via finance
* Would mean I'd use "my" Air less at home

Thanks,

Lewis

 

[stevelam]

well ableton isn't retina optimized so have with blurry waves.

 

[b.tuszkiewicz]

Lots of people use a 13" cMBP for music production. Powerful enough, portable enough. Couple that with a Thunderbolt Display and you're golden

 

[Interstella5555]

I've previously used the 2011 MacBook Pro and loved it. Now, I feel great with my air but for a few reasons it doesn't cut it as a music production machine. I wanted to ask here because I'm sure some of you have had to deal with this problem in the past and may have advice to pass on to me.

Day to day I'm doing web development, so a little programming and a little front-end work that the Air is amazing for, but I'd like another computer to act as the center of a home studio.

I'd be interested in the 15" Retina with the processor upgrade to 2.6Ghz and 16GB of RAM

Problems I have with my Air that cause me to consider this

* I can't break or lose it as it belongs to my work
* It doesn't handle Ableton Live (my primary DAW) as well as I'd like it to
* Not much screen real estate for different audio / midi tracks

Downsides

* £2300 (Would probably pay via finance
* Would mean I'd use "my" Air less at home

Thanks,

Lewis

Would never use my work computer for anything more than light personal browsing, as well as the fact that most companies own whatever you produce on work assets.

 

[lewisflude]

well ableton isn't retina optimized so have with blurry waves.

That's a very good point you have there, however Ableton Live 9 is around the corner which I trust will be retina ready!