Hi,

I'm a Reaper user. I mainly using PC because I love it and are used to it. Also I use it for gaming and have quite a collection of games on Steam. However, I am thinking about buying a MAC for my RV. I have a limited battery bank and, as I understand it, MAC doesnt require many watts. If I want an affordable laptop with at least 16GB ram that runs Reaper fairly good, does anyone have any recommendations for which machine to buy? I know nothing about MACs.

 

I would try out a Mac somewhere to see if you can even get used to it. In my opinion, Windows and macOS are very different things, and you should be sure first before just buying.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 16"

 

Last edited: Apr 6, 2025

Macbook Air M4 13 inch

 

Yea, I would recommend a MacBook Air M4 as well.

 

Thank you for your answers. The fact that Macbook Air is silent is also a big plus. I'll give it a try. Thanks again!

 

Be prepared.
- If $$ is an issue you'll be spending more @ processor thread with apple stuff.
- apple is mega proprietary - you cant just shop for best parts, best deals, etc... with apple the prices are set. you're stuck
- if you thought the big-brother mentality was alive and well at microsoft- with apple it's an order of magnitude worse.
- you cannot reverse engineer the junk and spyware out of apple os. again you're stuck with whatever you get.
- warez - if it's a thing for you, it will be another order of magnitude harder to implement
- a larger portion of warez in general are for PC
- there are no advantages, production wise, between platforms anymore - there is only platform familiarity and comfort factor.
- if noise is a factor there are many silent PC laptops to be had, with equal/better power, for less $$...
- ask yourself once again... "why apple"?

...personally, the cost and additional frustration gained due to user constraints implemented by apple are just not worth it IMO.. but this isn't about me. if you still have valid reasoning for going apple and $$ is not a issue then go for it...

 

[citation needed]

Yes, Apple knows best and all, but this is just not true. macOS is way better when it comes to privacy.

 

there is literally nothing frustrating about using an M4 MacBook Air. I think it's kinda misleading how much you talk about Microsoft and windows being more secure than apple , when Microsoft literally got bullied into rolling back their AI Recalled feature which they're trying to implement at the OS level.

so this whole rant about apple being worse than windows in privacy is nothing but hearsay.

also, most of the warez have Mac support , I dont know what you're talking about.

and finally, you say there are no advantages ....

this is where you're so wrong.

The single core cpu performance of a m4 MacBook Air is way better than anything you can get on a windows PC laptop ,
not to mention the MacBook Air is completely silent, and uses way less battery, and it basically stays cool always.

if you don't like apple, then just say so. but this whole spewing fake information to make apple look bad is just silly in my opinion.


how are they spending more money in the process thread count ??? this makes no sense to me.

 

he's def an apple hater lol

 

If your computer is meant to be your main workstation, I recommend getting a desktop: In laptops, to have portability there will be a compromise on external connections, cooling system, screen size and obviously on the price (Macbook base model is $1599). When portability is not required, having a macmini is much more convenient ($599).
As for me, a few weeks ago I pulled the trigger on an Mac mini M4pro with various upgrades (24GB ram 1 TB SSD) and the difference with my last iMac Intel is HUGE: I still can't explain how it is possible that such a small metal box can unleash so much power. I haven't managed to put it in difficulty yet: no way, whatever heavy task I assign to the Mac mini, it completes quickly and without ever having heard the fan turn on.
Audio editing:
I can use 32 samples buffer without glitching: I tried to open 400 tracks, all with eq and comp and it didn't show any signs of overload. I also made the VST stress test with Serum: up to 250 tracks without any glitch
Video editing:
4K editing: with color correction: there are no hitches, it's fluid. Renderings are superfast
Obviously, with all this power and speed, using a mechanical HDD is really out of the question, I realize that now I need a fast external SSD. Another expense that I will inevitably have to face will be a Thunderbolt hub so to have multiscreen and max speed on ext SSD. The choice of the screen is a totally personal matter and must be made by studying a lot of everything that is on the market. The perfect match is the Apple monitor, for those who can't afford it (like me) I still advise not to be cheap: there is no point in hoping in vain, the good $100 monitor does not exist. In the end I chose the Proart 32" 16/9 and it seems decent, When I don’t feel the need of 4K resolution (eg audio production), I use 1440 resolution, the text on the screen is bigger.

I am absolutely happy with the purchase, M4 is a giant step ahead from the previous models

 

You mac monkeys apparently see what you want to see. I say one thing you see/read something different. Personally, I detest both platforms, but the win side can be made (thru user intervention) to adhere to standards that I deem necessary for my workflow. Apple doesn't cut it in this regard.
Anyway... Whatever .. who gives a shit... the platform wars have been over for at least a decade. Nobody won.
Blather on kiddies...

 

Last edited: Apr 6, 2025

You said Macs are worse for telemetry. How about you prove it?

Please do.

Arguing about platform preferences is one thing, something I don't care about (besides, my Macs are years out of date so from my standpoint that's kinda a no-go), but you just stacked that "fact" on prove... well, your preference. But it's just not true.

 

You mac peeps crack me the fuck up...

I am the one who called it, so I have to "prove" it eh?... Whell.... here you go. Just the first 3 articles that come up when you search for shit about apple telemetry... Bing! Bang, and Bong... Enjoy.. There's WAY more where those came from...

Like I said. Neither platform is better than the other especially in regard for privacy concerns... but with apple you dont get much of a choice. windoze sucks ass but it can be RE'd to make it comply.

Maybe do your own looking next time before you tell others they are full of crap...

 

Last edited: Apr 7, 2025

I don’t disagree with you that both platforms have their flaws.

I personally use both platforms and have learned to deal with each others shortcomings but this thread was about getting a Mac for music production , not about how much you or I like each OS.

Again, getting a MacBook Air M4 is a no brainer considering the battery life, and the fact that it’s silent.
I’m still using an M1 MacBook Air with only 8gb of ram and can still churn out tracks on the go.

 

and all I am doing is simply illuminating the terrain on which we currently find ourselves deployed, using facts, that others, who seem to be in apple denial, are wanting to make into a platform debate. it isn't. but kids will be kids...

 

Last edited: Apr 7, 2025

For $1,000 you can buy a MacBook Air, with 16GB (or more) that'll run Reaper like a charm.

In fact Reaper is one of only two DAWs that uses all the cores (Efficiency and Performance) equally - it's better optimized on Mac than Logic or ProTools. There are benchmark tests you can watch on YT that illustrate this.

Mac and Reaper - a winning combination any way you slice it. Buy a new Mac with the best specs you can afford, go with confidence.

Also, I believe you can power up a MacBook Air with a portable/phone battery bank - google it maybe to check but I'm pretty certain certain power banks can do it - which could help in a pinch. (There are also solar powered power banks, but you would know about those already)

 

Very very cliche comment by a typical apple hater!
"Big brother" mentality is mostly based on where you live. In the EU you are very safe! If you live in the US you got a big problem since data privacy is not existent there. I mean you can find out if someone got a ticket just by searching his telephone number.

And you blame Apple?! Even Google knows more about your pr0n collection, than any other "big brother"!

 

you can get a 24gb Mini cheaper than an Air. If you actually need a laptop for travel or whatever, get a laptop. If you do not need one, they are always more expensive than a desktop machine. If you get a mini, just remember to get one with an ethernet port.

There is nothing to "get used to" about MacOS. If that is an actual problem, you should worry more about your learning disability. Most Windows users barely know Windows. Most can't even pass the Comptia A+ cert.

 

Last edited: Apr 7, 2025

These days it does not matter as around 90% of all software runs on both. As for DAW's, all except for Logic (and Garage Band) it seems, which is MAC only. I like both but parts for MAC are more expensive than PC parts if you need to upgrade or replace for proprietary components.
If it was me, I'd do research on battery life and power needs, which seems to be important for you.

 

Last edited: Apr 7, 2025

I worked on a windows desktop in my studio, and a MBP for stuff when I was travelling.

But I recently switched to a 14" M4 MBP, and I'm using it for everything now.

I have my desk set up, so I sit down, and literally just plug in 2 usb-c cables (one's usb, one's thunderbolt) and that instantly hooks me up to my interface, keyboards, control surface, external monitor, everything, it's super cool.

And the M4 chip is ridiculously power efficient - unless I'm working on a really heavy project, the 15W of charge that I get from my UAD Satellite that's on the TB connection is enough to keep it so the battery doesn't discharge at all (it actually charges up slowly)

The M4 chips are crazy powerful, like genuinely bonkers.

Oh, and it's really quiet too - I've had it for about a month, and I think I've only heard the fan come on (quietly) once while working in Ableton. I've had the fan kick in a couple times while gaming, but yeah, for audio work, you have to be absolutely slamming it for a long time before the fan needs to kick in. 99.9% of the time, my machine is completely silent.

(If you do go for an M4 MBP, I'd highly recommend paying the extra for the nano texture display - having a screen that just doesn't have reflections/glare is honestly something you don't realise how much you appreciate until you have to work without it again!)

The M4 Airs are fantastic too - and honestly unless you're running pretty huge projects, you'll likely not notice the diference most of the time. I will say though, the MBP is (for me) worth it, cos the mini-LED screen is beautiful, and the speakers are significantly better.

Oh, and always take a look on Apple Refurbished - that's where I got mine, and you're basically getting a brand new macbook for about 15% off retail.

 

Last edited: Apr 7, 2025