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Description

Represents the latest - or general, in case the model cannot easily be determined - Apple MacBook Pro laptop computer (any screen size).

Tech & Design

Tech & Design

How to Use MacBook Pro - New to Mac Beginners Guide 2021

Video thumbnail for How to Use MacBook Pro - New to Mac Beginners Guide 2021 by Tech & Design

How to Use MacBook Pro - New to Mac Beginners Guide 2021

Tech & Design

Tech & Design

Video thumbnail for Windows User Switches to MacBook Pro by kwoknation

Windows User Switches to MacBook Pro

kwoknation

kwoknation

Video thumbnail for MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air (2020): How to Pick Your Next Mac by Digital Trends

MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air (2020): How to Pick Your Next Mac

Digital Trends

Digital Trends

Video thumbnail for Review: 16-inch MacBook Pro. The best MacBook Pro ever? by 9to5Mac

Review: 16-inch MacBook Pro. The best MacBook Pro ever?

9to5Mac

9to5Mac

Reviews

PROS

  • Exceptional computing power and processing capability for VSTs in DAWs

  • Lightweight and portable, suitable for live setups

  • Reliable and durable, even older models perform well

  • Can handle large audio and video editing tasks seamlessly

  • Stunning Retina display enhances visual experience

  • Excellent battery life for extended use

  • Runs Logic Pro X and Reason Studios with ease

  • Dual boot capability allows for both macOS and Windows

  • Fast and responsive, ideal for on-the-go production

  • Known for minimal latency and strong performance with music software

CONS

  • Internal SSD storage fills up quickly with large VSTs

  • Requires multiple adapters for older USB connections

  • Expensive to upgrade storage and components

  • Some users report GPU issues in older models

  • Limited ports can be inconvenient for extensive setups

  • Can overheat during intensive tasks or in warm environments

  • High price tag; premium cost for features and brand

  • Known issues with certain models crashing frequently

  • Not ideal for extremely heavy video editing tasks

  • Touch bar functionality is underutilized by some developers

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Apple MacBook Pro (General).

Features and functionality

  • The M4 MacBook Air now supports dual monitors, allowing for a total of three displays when including the built-in screen.

    Source
  • The MacBook Pro has better audio with a thicker bass and more vibrant sound compared to the Air.

    Source
  • The 16-inch MacBook Pro's 120Hz refresh rate, combined with its brightness and color accuracy, significantly enhances the user experience beyond just technical specifications.

    Source
  • The 16-inch MacBook Pro's 1600 nits brightness capability, when paired with apps like Vivid, offers unparalleled screen clarity even in bright environments or near windows.

    Source

Software and compatibility

  • The base model M4 Air with 16GB RAM can handle IDEs, Docker containers, and local LLMs but may struggle with gaming.

    Source

User experience

  • Users report that thermal throttling is more noticeable on the M1 Air but less so on the M4 Air.

    Source
  • Owners transitioning from older models report that the display upgrade on the 16-inch MacBook Pro is akin to going from an iPhone 5 to an iPhone 7, enhancing overall visual interaction.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • The MacBook Pro's screen is particularly appreciated in environments with glare due to its higher brightness and anti-glare options.

    Source
  • The 16-inch MacBook Pro's larger screen area is favored by users who frequently work with multiple windows or require more space for applications like Lightroom.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The weight difference between the 15" Air and 14" Pro is minimal, with the Air being slightly lighter by 0.1 lbs.

    Source
  • Some users find the Pro's additional ports (HDMI and SD reader) useful, reducing the need for dongles compared to the Air.

    Source
  • Some users who switched from Windows to macOS chose the MacBook Pro for its superior display, citing difficulty finding a comparable Windows laptop with similar screen quality.

    Source
  • Users prefer the MacBook Pro's display over high-end Windows OLED panels due to its higher brightness and lack of blooming, crucial for use in natural light.

    Source

Build quality

  • The 16-inch Pro's speakers are highly praised for their quality, providing an immersive audio experience that exceeds expectations for laptop speakers.

    Source
Add

5.0 out of 5

Based on 397 Reviews and 1868 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
tedhayes

Good

Good, but getting older, speakers broke and processing speed starting to slow down

From Gear Setup
ovrladn

I have a MacBook Pro M1 Pro

From having an ASUS Zenbook, I upgraded to a MacBook Pro. It has better stability, ease of operation, more power and efficiency!

vort3x_music

Rock Solid perfomance

Apple's M1 Pro, even at almost 4 years old when writing this, still handles all my production needs with ease!

robby_garner

It's a very stable platform for sequencing and sound editing.

I take my MacBook wherever I go. I can easily just poke song ideas into the computer using virtual keys in my DAWs. I use it for live setups because it is small and can be carried around. I use a USB3 Thunderbolt to USB2 dongle which expands to 4 ports. Works fine for everything I've tried it on. I run Logic Pro X and Reason Studios 11 on it with no problems.

Roles:
galaxyjames

Versatile

This laptop has been wonderful when it comes to computing power and processing VSTs within DAWs. The only reason why this gets 4 and not 5 stars is because of the capacity of the internal SSD. I have the 512GB version and I have ran out of space fast due to the amount of VSTs. Some VSTs are only a few hundred megabytes but some are as large as 60 gigs. If you have large VSTs, you may run out of space quickly.

andreashuller

Definitely Must Have!!!

I'm using the 2018 MacBook Pro (15 inch, i9 Model). Not just for editing my set, also this macbook control my school theater display & lightning. it's really big... about 210 inch... I just I can't believe just laptop to control the display & a lot of lightning... a lot of my friends using MacBook Pro too.. but only my MacBook Pro can handle this... If my friend's MacBook control this thing, it just crash and always restart... Apple, i really appreciate it... If you are video, music, lightning editors... this MacBook is right for you...

engineeermusic

Model: 15" i7 (Late 2011) - It Worked great, till it started overheating and got GPU issues

I produced a lot of music on this computer. The 2011 model was easy to upgrade with RAM and it came with a no-glossy screen. Unfortunately, this computer developed GPU issues and it had to be repaired three times. It is working now, but I switched to PC, as the Mac is unreliable. Ableton works a little bit better on this Mac, than on my PC, though.

ttinari

Industry standard, for good reason

These laptops are reliable, capable, and widely-used. You can use MacBook Pros even from several years ago to create music at a high level. I bought one new in 2015, and since losing that one, got one recently from the same year refurbished. It serves my purposes well and are approachable and powerful at any skill level.

From Gear Setup
gchiaren

Thin, light, powerful, and retina display is beautiful

On paper, it didn't seem like a huge upgrade from my old mbp. It's amazing though - they got rid of the optical drive and made it much lighter and thinner (almost like an Air), the battery life lasts significantly longer, and dat retina display is stunning!! Not cheap by any means, but WELL worth it.

Specs of mine are 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7, 16GB 1600 GHz DDR 3 memory, 500GB SSD.

pressurekay

Suitable for Media Peeps

Don't mean to sound like a Mac fan boy because I do have a PC as well for other things that I do, but I would say in my experience Macs are definitely better for media peeps. I started out with a PC and during one night of DJing, it completely crapped out on me during the peak hours of the night and I had to sit through a few minutes of silences before switching to CDs (Thank god I brought some for backup). A few days after the event, I went out and bought a Mac as most people were recommending it for music production/DJ/etc. I never went back to PC for live sets.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Flying Lotus uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Flying Lotus

Rapper, Music Producer

FLYamSAM

...
Verified via YouTube

Flying Lotus' live show is centered around a MacBook Pro running Ableton Live and a MIDI controller. The MacBook Pro can also be seen in his studio.

See how Tyler Joseph uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Tyler Joseph

Singer, Bassist

Twenty One Pilots

...
Verified via YouTube

In this live performance, you can see Tyler using a MacBook Pro.

See how Tim Henson uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Tim Henson

Guitarist, Music Producer

Polyphia

...
Verified via YouTube

Seen in his studio tour

See how Dillon Francis uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Dillon Francis

Music Producer, DJ

Meowski666

...
Verified via Instagram

Dillon Francis uses a MacBook Pro for his live performance. He runs Serato Scratch Live on it as his main DJ software.

See how Sebastian Ingrosso uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Sebastian Ingrosso

Music Producer

Swedish House Mafia

...
Verified via Instagram

Sebastian Ingrosso produces on the go with Logic installed on a MacBook Pro.

See how Kaskade uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Kaskade

Music Producer

Late Night Alumni

...
Verified via Twitter

Kaskade praises the improvement in the speakers on the MacBook Pro with Retina display.

See how Krewella uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Krewella

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via YouTube

"Really, everything I do is on my laptop. Wherever I go, as long as I have a pair of headphones, my production studio is my laptop." - Kris "Rain Man" Trindl

See how Laidback Luke uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Laidback Luke

Music Producer

Axwell / Angello / Ingrosso / Laidback Luke

...
Verified via Twitter

"I produce on a MacBook Pro Retina..."

See how FINNEAS uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

FINNEAS

Singer, Guitarist

The Favors

...
Verified via YouTube

He uses MacBook Pro for production with Billie Eilish.

See how Dada Life uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Dada Life

Music Producer

...
Verified via Photo

In this photo, you can see Dada Life using a Macbook Pro with Serato Live.

See how Kygo uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

Kygo

Keyboardist, Music Producer

...
Verified via YouTube

In this video we see Kygo using the Macbook as his main "DJ Laptop"

See how W&W uses Apple MacBook Pro (General)

W&W

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via Photo

W&W posted "Working on our new single" in this Facebook image. You can see them working on a MacBook Pro with Retina display.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Apple MacBook Pro (General), it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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