What is the Best Laptop for a DJ Right Now?
Learn the features to look for and how to choose the best laptop for a DJ for your budget and situation, along with our Top 5 recommendations!
Ready to take your show on the road? Whether you're on tour, playing shows locally, bouncing around from one studio session to another, or jamming with collaborators, there will be times when you need to take your setup with you.
Since you'll be relying so heavily on your laptop in these situations, you really want to have the best laptop you can get that fills your needs and fits your budget.
The best DJ laptop for you will depend on your specific situation, but generally, you should look for laptops that offer powerful processing performance, storage capacity, and portability.
Laptop Power
First and foremost is power; modern music production tasks require fast processors and generous amounts of RAM, so pay attention to the specifications of each model to make sure it meets or exceeds your performance requirements.
For instance, if you’re looking for something that can handle complex audio mixing and editing DJ software with ease, then an Intel Core i7 or AMD processor and at least 8GB of RAM is recommended.
Laptop Storage
Next up is storage capacity; internal storage capacities range from 128GB to 2TB on most models, with higher capacities allowing you to store large libraries of music without running out of space anytime soon.
Additionally, laptops with SSD drives are much faster than traditional hard drive-based models and offer more reliable performance in terms of data retrieval.
Laptop Visuals
Ideally, look for laptops that include dedicated graphics cards which will provide improved visuals when using visualizers or graphics-intensive programs such as Ableton Live or Logic Pro X.
Speaking of visuals, a backlit keyboard may be another thing to consider if you plan on performing in darker environments.
Laptop Connectivity and Other Features
Also check out the available connectivity options such as USB 3 ports, HDMI slots and Thunderbolt connections, which offer flexibility when hooking up external gear like turntables or speakers, or peripherals like controllers and mixers.
Presumably you'll be plugged in for most of the time during a DJ set, but all else being equal, the perfect laptop for DJing would also have excellent battery life.
Lastly, the size of the laptop should be taken into consideration since larger models may have better specs but they might not be suitable if you constantly need to carry your equipment around while performing shows.
We've covered the best DJ laptop options available today in this article, to get you started in your search.
Acer Swift 3
Why it Rocks
The Acer Swift 3 is a lightweight and highly portable PC laptop that offers surprisingly powerful performance for its price tag. It is often mentioned as a Windows alternative to the MacBook Air.
The laptop comes with a variety of ports, including USB Type-C Port USB 3.2 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps) DisplayPort over USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 & USB Charging, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 port (featuring power-off charging), 1 USB 2.0 port, and 1 HDMI port for connecting more devices or peripherals.
It is powered by an Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor - up to 4.7GHz, 4 cores, 8 threads, 12MB Intel Smart Cache which enables outstanding performance, responsiveness and up to 16 hours of battery life - making it perfect for DJs who need their laptops on-the-go without having to worry about running out of power during performances or travel.
It also features 14" Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Widescreen LED-backlit 100% sRGB Display with Intel Iris Xe Graphics along with 8GB Onboard LPDDR4X Memory and 256GB NVMe SSD storage capacity so you can store all your music and videos in one place without having to worry about running out of space quickly.
What Else
Overall, the Acer Swift 3 is an excellent Windows laptop for DJing that provides great value for the money thanks to its combination of features and price point. Its lightweight design makes it perfect for travelling while its powerful processor ensures that it can handle all kinds of tasks with ease, and it sports an excellent battery life as well - all of which make it ideal for DJs who frequently have to move from one place to another. For those on a budget, this is the best laptop for DJing you'll find.
Dell XPS 13 9370
Why it Rocks
The Dell XPS 13 9370 is a powerful and well-priced Windows laptop alternative to the pre-M1 MacBook Pro. It boasts specs that are on par with the higher-end MacBook Pro models, while delivering a more reasonable price point.
The laptop is powered by an 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB RAM, which provide more than enough power for DJing purposes. Other features include a 13.3" 4K Ultra HD InfinityEdge Touch Display, 16GB LPDDR3 2133MHz Memory, 512GB PCIe Solid State Drive, Widescreen HD (720p) webcam, Windows Hello compliant power button integrated fingerprint reader and Windows 10 Pro operating system.
In addition to its impressive power specs, several other features make it one of the top Windows laptops for DJing, such as the slim and lightweight design that makes it easy to carry around when traveling or gigging, or the energy efficient components that help prolong battery life. Additionally, the laptop's vivid display ensures a clear view of visuals during performances. Finally, its security features such as facial recognition capabilities via Windows Hello make it easier to protect important data from vulnerable points of attack.
What Else
All in all, the Dell XPS 13 9370 is an exceptional laptop that offers excellent performance at a competitive price point — making it one of the best DJ laptops on the market today, especially for those who prefer the Windows operating system. Its powerful specs give users plenty of computing power for their audio production needs while providing reliable performance even under intensive usage scenarios such as live shows or recording sessions.
Additionally, its sleek design coupled with its wealth of security features ensure peace of mind no matter where you go — making this PC laptop an ideal choice for DJs who want top notch performance without breaking the bank.
Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
Why it Rocks
The Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition is a professional laptop that has been specifically designed to meet the needs of DJs, studio professionals, and gamers alike. This laptop offers an impressive level of power packed into its ultra-slim frame, making it perfect for those who require a dependable machine for their day-to-day activities.
At the heart of this device is an 8-core 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H processor which provides a maximum turbo speed of 5.1GHz. This ensures that you can easily carry out complex tasks such as music production and 3D rendering with little to no lag.
To further enhance its performance, the laptop is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super with Max-Q Design graphics card with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM of dedicated memory. This helps deliver smooth visuals when playing graphically intensive games or editing HD videos.
Not only does the Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition have powerful hardware internals, it also comes in a sleek and stylish aluminum unibody chassis that measures just 0.7 inches thin and weighs only 4 pounds. At this size, you can take your laptop anywhere without worrying about it taking up too much space or weighing you down during travel.
Additionally, it boasts a unique vacuum sealed liquid filled copper vapor chamber which spans the heat generating components to ensure maximum performance without causing any discomfort while using the device over extended periods of time.
What Else
This laptop also includes some useful features such as a full HD 15" touchscreen display with 100% Adobe RGB color accuracy certified by Calman Color Matching Technology to help ensure accurate color representation in your content creation projects; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) coverage; Thunderbolt 3 connectivity; dual fans keep things cool when under load; and up to 12 hours of battery life for all day usage on single charge making it ideal for on-the-go professionals who need reliable performance from anywhere in the world.
Overall the Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition is an exceptionally powerful and versatile machine that offers excellent performance whether you’re looking to spin tunes at a club or create stunning visuals in your studio environment - this laptop will not disappoint.
With its slim design, high quality build and impressive specs - this is one of the best laptops for DJing for those who want as much computing power as possible, and are willing to pay for it.
Apple MacBook Pro
Why it Rocks
The Apple MacBook Pro is a powerful and versatile laptop that offers unrivaled performance for both DJing and production purposes.
It's equipped with the Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max chip for ultra-fast processing speeds, allowing you to run multiple tasks simultaneously without any difficulty. With up to 10-core CPUs, it can deliver up to 3.7x faster performance than previous models, making it an ideal choice for complex workflows and graphics-intensive applications.
The MacBook Pro is also equipped with up to 32-core GPUs and 16-core Neural Engine, providing remarkable speed and efficiency when working on image or video editing tasks. This makes it possible to work faster and more efficiently on visuals which are of great importance for DJs during their sets.
Additionally, it comes with increased number of ports – three Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports plus separate HDMI port and SDXC card reader – allowing you to connect external devices or drives quickly and easily.
What Else
It even offers expandable storage options; the base model comes with 512GB of SSD storage that can be expanded all the way up to a whopping 8TB if needed. And thanks to its impressive battery life, you can keep your workflow going non-stop while on the go as well.
Overall, if you're looking for a powerful laptop that offers reliable performance and excellent features in a lightweight yet sturdy build quality, then the Apple MacBook Pro is certainly worth considering. With its fast processors, exceptional graphics capabilities, expandable storage, portability and robust build quality – this machine is undoubtedly one of the best laptop options available today for professional DJing purposes.
Apple MacBook Air
Why it Rocks
The Apple MacBook Air is a great laptop for DJs and musicians looking to strike the perfect balance between power, reliability, and portability. The latest model packs a punch with 8GB of RAM, a powerful M1 chip featuring an 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. This allows it to run high-end DJ software like Serato DJ Pro and Rekordbox DJ without any hiccups or slowdowns.
For touring DJs and musicians who need a lightweight machine that can go the distance, the MacBook Air is ideal. It weighs just 1.29kg (2.8 pounds), making it highly portable, while its impressive 18-hour battery life means you won't have to worry about running out of juice during those long road trips.
In addition to its hardware features, the MacBook Air also comes fully equipped with all the top-notch software features you'd expect from an Apple product; such as macOS Big Sur's intuitive user interface, fast boot times, and access to hundreds of thousands of iOS apps in the App Store. Its Touch ID fingerprint sensor makes logging in quick and easy too - no more fiddling with passwords.
What Else
The MacBook Air also has plenty of ports for connecting external devices such as mixers and controllers; including two Thunderbolt 3 ports which provide up to 40Gbps of data transfer speed; and if you need to hook your laptop up to an external monitor, there's an HDM1 port on board.
Overall; it's hard to beat the MacBook Air when it comes to performance, portability and reliability. Whether you're a producer on the move or a touring DJ who needs a reliable machine that can handle all their tasks, investing in one of these sleek laptops will be sure to pay off for years down the line, and is our pick for the overall best DJ laptop.
FAQs about the Best DJ Laptops
Should DJs use a laptop?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the use of a laptop by DJs will depend on the specific needs and preferences of the individual DJ.
However, in general, laptops can be a useful tool for DJs, as they offer a variety of features that can be helpful in a performance setting. For example, laptops can provide access to music libraries and DJ software that can help with beatmatching and other mixing tasks.
Additionally, laptops can also allow DJs to control audio playback and effects using MIDI controllers or other external devices.
On the plus side, using a laptop can give DJs more flexibility and control over their performance. For example, laptops can be used to mix songs together, add effects, and remix tracks on the fly. Additionally, laptops can be easily transported between venues, making them ideal for mobility.
On the downside, using a laptop can be less intuitive than using traditional DJ equipment such as turntables or CDJs. Also, laptops can be prone to technical issues, such as overheating or software glitches, and battery life is something that should always be kept in mind. Furthermore, they can be more expensive than traditional gear in some cases.
Are gaming laptops good choices for DJs?
Gaming laptops feature powerful CPUs (Intel Core i7) along with high capacity RAM & GPUs which make them well suited to run demanding video games, so for those who want to create music, there will be plenty of power.
They usually come at heftier prices that may not fit in everyone’s budget, but if money isn’t an issue, then a gaming laptop can certainly do the job, as it will be able to handle just about anything that DJs, producers, and other creative users can throw at it.
Are there any special considerations I need to keep in mind when selecting a laptop specifically made for DJs?
You want to make sure that whatever laptop you purchase has ample storage capacity since this will determine how much music data you are able to store on it without having to worry about running out anytime soon – generally speaking 1TB or higher should suffice depending on your library size needs.
Additionally, ensure enough RAM is included because this will allow more data manipulation within your DAW – 8GB minimum should handle most current mainstream applications with ease although 16GB would be even better if possible given your budget constraints.
Also check out available connectivity options (USB 3 / HDMI / Thunderbolt ports) so you can easily hook up external devices such as controllers or mixers without losing any signal quality during transfers over long distances.
Finally take into account portability; larger 15+ inch screens are great if desktop replacements are what you seek however if ease of transportation is more important go with 13 inch models instead – this way carrying around all your equipment won't feel like too much of a burden.
Do famous DJs use a laptop?
There are many famous DJs who use a laptop to mix and create their music. Some of the most well-known DJs who rely on laptops include Tiesto, Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Avicii, and Deadmau5.
Laptops offer a wealth of capabilities and flexibility for the professional DJ, allowing them to easily create and mix music on the go. This convenience has made laptops an increasingly popular choice among top DJs.
Summary of the Best Laptops for DJs
Hopefully this article has given you some guidance in finding the best laptop for your DJ needs. Just to recap, here are our favorites among the current DJ laptop options:
Best Budget Option: Acer Swift 3
Best PC Option: Dell XPS 13 9370
Best for Multitasking: Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
Best for Studio Sessions: Apple MacBook Pro
Best Overall: Apple MacBook Air
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