If you’re an artist on a budget in need of a rock-solid laptop, strictly for the purpose of recording vocals then I’ve got you covered because in this article I’m going to show you the best laptop for recording vocals on a budget!
Intimidation
Let’s face it, unless you’re a computer geek, finding the perfect computer for your needs can be very intimidating! Most people don’t understand all of the parts that make up a computer so when they’re reading computer specs, it’s as if they’re reading a foreign language.
For most people, buying a computer is a shot in the dark. With there being so many models to choose from, they just find something in their budget and hope for the best!
I don’t want that to be you! And I certainly don’t want you to waste your time and your money on a laptop that’s not going to suit your needs!
My Criteria
My criteria for recommending the best laptop for recording vocals on a budget is simple. It’s all about the price, compatibility, and specs.
Price
– Laptops can run you anywhere from $200.00 – $7,000.00. The perfect laptop for recording vocals needs to be less than $1,000.00.
– When it comes to pricing it’s best to stick in the middle. You don’t want the cheapest nor the most expensive laptop available. You get what you pay for, and for this laptop, you need to get the best value for your money.
Compatibility
You need a laptop that will have no problem running popular DAW’s “recording software”, such as Pro Tools, FL Studio, Ableton, Studio One, etc..
And your computer’s compatibility with such programs is largely going to come down to its specs.
Specs (Must Haves)
Speed
– The main hard drive must be an SSD (Solid State) Drive with enough space to install all of your software, with plenty of room left over for storage. how quickly a computer can access data on its hard drive is one of the biggest determining factors when it comes to a computer’s speed. And Solid State Drives are lightning-fast hard drives!
Power
– It needs to have a current 10th generation processor. The processor, also known as the CPU ‘Central Processing Unit” is basically the computer’s engine. This is where your computer’s power comes from! Using a 10th generation CPU ensures your getting the latest and greatest “engine” for your computer.
Strength
– It needs to have enough RAM ‘Random Access Memory” to handle projects that require lots of vocal takes. RAM is basically a small storage device that’s dedicated to temporarily storing and accessing files such as recordings while working on a song. You can think of your RAM as your computer’s strength as it determines how many files it can lift at once.
Stamina
– Having great speed, power, and strength is great but how long can it be sustained? This is where your computer’s battery life comes into play. The laptop needs to have good battery life, 5-6 hours.
Growth Potential
Some laptop manufacturers restrict the ability to upgrade your existing computer because they want to sell you a whole “new and improved” laptop in another year or two.
The ideal laptop needs to be upgradable in case you want to pimp it out even more in the future. This will ensure your laptop meets your needs for as long as possible, thus allowing your dollar to stretch even further!
The Best Laptop For Recording Vocals On A Budget
THE VERDICTÂ
Acer Aspire 5 A515-55-56VK
Speed
This bad boy comes fully equipped with a lightning-fast 256GB SSD!
– Booting up this laptop takes less than 30 seconds
Compatibility
This computer will run pretty much all of your major DAW’s (recording software) with no problem!
Since this is a computer using the Windows 10 operating system you can’t run programs that are exclusive to Mac users such as Logic. But in terms of value for dollars, there aren’t any Mac laptops that can come even close to adding this amount of value! And plus 95% of recording software is compatible on Windows.
So if you aren’t a die-hard (Mac) Logic user, and are looking to get the most bang for your buck, this laptop is the move!
Power
This guy comes with a 10th generation i5-1035G1 3.6GHz processor which is more than enough power for your recording projects!
Strength
This laptop also comes stock with 8GB’s of DDR4 RAM (Random Access Memory) which is plenty of muscle to keep your recordings lifted while you’re working on your music projects! You also have the option to upgrade your RAM in the future if you wish to bulk up even more!
Stamina
This laptop boasts a battery life of up to 8 hours!
Growth Potential
This laptop gives you the ability to upgrade the RAM with an additional 8 GB giving you a total of 16 GB’s of RAM. You can also install an additional internal 2.5 Hard drive or an external hard drive via a USB port.
Additional Pros
Lit Keys
This laptop also comes stock with a backlit keyboard so that you can work comfortably in low-light situations.
Fingerprint Reader
This laptop also comes with a fingerprint reader for logging in securely.
Price:
And the price tag for all of this (as I write this) is only going to set you back $533.99! This is by far the best laptop that you can find in this price range making it the best laptop for recording vocals! You can check it out on Amazon by clicking here.
Also, if you’re looking to build your first home recording studio on a budget, be sure to check out my article, “The Ultimate Poor Mans Recording Studio Setup”.
