It's been around for two decades now and FL Studio remains one of the go-to pieces of software for aspiring music producers. However, the computer hardware requirements to make FL Studio run smoothly are fairly steep. That's why this post seeks to address the topic – what is the best laptop for FL Studio 20?
Whether you're looking to start a career in music production, or just a bedroom hobbyist eager to record some beats, this post has all the info you'll need. I won't be listing individual laptops here; this post is a complete breakdown of the specs necessary to get the job done. Along the way, I'll also provide some practical tips and general advice. Let's get started!
The right processor
Requirements
The most important spec for FL Studio is the processor. Generally, an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 are the minimum specs for a good laptop for FL Studio. For more demanding projects, an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 is recommended. And if you want to take your laptop to its limits, get a high-end Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9.
Recommendations
Here are some good options for FL Studio laptops:
- Ryzen 5 5500U – minimum option
- i5-10500H – midrange option
- i9-11900H – top end option
- minimum processor is Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, and for more demanding projects – Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 is recommended
- high end processor is Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9, and you should look for laptops with those processors if you want to take your laptop to its limits
Graphics card for FL Studio 20
Integrated graphics
If you're on a tight budget and don't work with video or 3D – you can go with any integrated graphics for FL Studio.
Two monitors for FL Studio
Look for a video card with two DVI or some combination of DVI + HDMI + Display Port outputs (see also Quiet PC below). This will allow you to run two video monitors. Any modern Video card will perform similarly. FL Studio work-flow is significantly improved with two (or more) video monitor.
- if you don't work with video or 3D, any integrated graphics will do for FL Studio
- get a video card with two DVI or some combination of DVI + HDMI + Display Port outputs to run two monitors for FL Studio
Picking a good memory
Minimum (8 GB)
8 GB used to be the standard for RAM capacity for the longest time. In 2021, 16 GB is becoming the new de facto choice for budget laptops, starting at around $650. If you can't go above that, 8 GB is still alright. In fact, it might be a wise choice if you're prioritizing the CPU, which is much more critical for FL Studio.
Recommended (16 GB)
If you aren't limited by a very tight budget – you'll most likely end up with a 16 GB laptop. It just seems to do the job for most laptops under $2k. That's the sweet spot for work, gaming, and everything in-between. These days a fast SSD can soften the impact of running out of RAM. That might be one of the reasons why I've noticed a slowdown in the continuous climb of RAM capacities in laptops. Especially if you're buying a bulkier laptop that can be easily upgraded, there's no need to sweat about getting 16 GB.
8 GB RAM used to be the standard, but now it's becoming more common to have 16 GB RAM on a laptop. That's great for work, gaming, and everything in between. There's no need to sweat about getting 16 GB. You can even get away with 8 GB if you're prioritizing the CPU.
How to choose the right storage for FL Studio?
Various types of storage devices
Storage devices are all about storage. The most common type of storage is the hard drive, which has been around for decades. Hard drives have seen a lot of competition in recent years from SSDs, which are now standard on many new laptops.
Storage space for FL Studio
The good news is that you can install FL Studio on any laptop with at least 2 GB of free disk space, so the space requirement is pretty low. That said, FL Studio can use up a lot of space pretty quickly depending on how much sample libraries and VST plugins you're using, so you'll want to make sure your laptop has plenty of storage space.
Recommendations for laptop storage size
If you're on a budget, then I recommend getting at least 256 GB of free disk space on your laptop. That should be enough to get by for most people, but if you want to store more samples or VST plugins then I recommend upgrading to 512 GB or 1 TB of free disk space (with 1 TB being my preferred option). If you're willing to spend more money then I recommend getting at least 1 TB of free disk space – 2 TB would be even better!
- there are many types of storage devices, but the most common one is the hard drive
- SSDs are now standard on many new laptops, but they're much more expensive than hard drives
- you can install FL Studio on any laptop with at least 2 GB of free disk space, but if you want to store lots of samples or VST plugins then you'll need more storage space (at least 256 GB)
null
Table of Best Laptops for FL Studio 20
| Laptop | Price (approx) |
6 Best Laptops for FL Studio 20
Acer Swift 3 SF314-59-75QC
Pros and cons
- Up to scratch display (14 IPS)
- Featherweight (2.64 lbs)
- Mediocre processor (i7-1165G7)
- Substandard memory amount (8GB)
Alternatives
HP 15
- Decent processor (Ryzen 5 5500U)
- Great memory amount (16GB)
- So-so graphics card (Radeon RX Vega 7)
- No IPS Panel (subpar viewing angles)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i
Pros and cons
- Great display (14 IPS)
- Featherweight (2.86 lbs)
- Ordinary processor (i7-1195G7)
- Middle-of-the-road graphics card (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs)
Alternatives
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i 15
- Excellent graphics card (RTX 3050)
- Fair display (15.6 IPS)
- Garden-variety processor (i5-11300H)
- Bulky (4.73 lbs)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
Pros and cons
- Adequate processor (Ryzen 9 5900HS)
- Up to scratch graphics card (RTX 3060)
- No IPS Panel (worse viewing angles)
Alternatives
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
- Up to scratch processor (Ryzen 7 5800H)
- Up to the mark graphics card (RTX 3060)
- Weighty (5.39 lbs)
ASUS ROG Strix G15
Pros and cons
- First-class graphics card (Radeon RX 6800M)
- First-class display (15.6 IPS G-Sync)
- Substandard processor (Ryzen 9 5900HX)
Alternatives
HP Omen 17T-CK100
- Excellent processor (i7-12800HX)
- Sufficient graphics card (RTX 3070 Ti)
- Average battery life (290min)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 5
Pros and cons
- Good processor (i9-12900H)
- Up to scratch graphics card (RTX 3080 Ti)
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo
Pros and cons
- Decent processor (i9-12900H)
- Great display (15.6 OLED Touch)
- Underwhelming graphics card (RTX 3060)
- Unremarkable memory amount (32GB)
Alternatives
Lenovo ThinkPad P15
- Great display (15.6 OLED Touch)
- Superb memory amount (128GB)
- Underwhelming processor (Xeon W-10855M)
- Garden-variety graphics card (Quadro RTX 5000)
Table of the Best Laptops for Best laptop for FL Studio 20 in 2022
| Laptop | Price (approx) |
| Acer Swift 3 SF314-59-75QC | $580 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i | $960 |
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 | $1460 |
| ASUS ROG Strix G15 | $1980 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 | $4230 |
| ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo | $4410 |
