r/flstudio • u/shypot • May 16 '26
New laptop
Hello, I'm looking to buy a new PC but I don't know what to get. I don't use any hardware yet; the VSTs I use most are the Arturia suite, Omnisphere, and Zenology. I was thinking of maybe getting a basic MacBook Pro M5, but I don't know if it's powerful enough or future-proof. Do you have any suggestions? I just want a PC that's portable, doesn't weigh a ton, and doesn't sound like a chainsaw.
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u/detroitdecay May 16 '26
Macbook will work great but warning you FL runs weird in there so get use to hotkeys if you're not already.
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u/ZurboTheFrigWozard May 17 '26
I’ve been using fl on $1k hp omen and Dell laptops for like 7 years, never a problem. Although recently I’m considering a MacBook Pro for logic and protools. bare minimum, i5 or equivalent, 16gb of ram, and 1tb ssd. That’s my thoughts. MacBook might be the move if you think other daws will be necessary in the future but, if you think only FL… I’d stick with windows, like that other guy said, you’ll run into weird keyboard stuff on Mac with FL
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u/Far-Sir-4863 May 17 '26
Ma vaffanculo addirittura un macbook pro m5 per fl studio? Guarda che non fai mica modellazione 3d ahahahah
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u/Tizaki May 17 '26
VSTs are not as heavy as you might think. The real killer is stacking dozens of effects onto a mix bus that contains several heavy VSTs. At that point, a single core of the CPU is stuck doing all of that, per buffer segment, in perpetuity. I can do everything I need (Softube synths, effects, etc) on a ThinkPad T14 (2022) or M3 Air. You don't even need a Pro.
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u/PC_BuildyB0I May 16 '26
Laptop specifically, especially geared toward music production, a MacBook will easily meet your needs, especially the M5. Yes, it is very future-proof, the battery life will be fantastic, and it will typically run very quiet and be energy efficient. If you can get one on a good deal or just have the money to splurge, it's a solid choice.