12 Perfect laptops for Bitwig Studio 4 in 2023

If you're a producer, composer, or DJ – the time of expensive pro-grade hardware is almost over. Bitwig Studio 4 is a great alternative to analog and other digital music recording and production tools. However, when you're looking to find the best laptop for Bitwig Studio 4 you need to consider the software's demanding processing power.

In this guide, I'll break down everything about Bitwig Studio 4 and what specs you should look for in your laptop. Furthermore, I'll discuss both the must-haves and the nice-to-haves so you can make an informed decision when it comes time to buy.

Lastly, I'll provide several top-tier laptop recommendations from the budget category to the absolute cream of the crop. With this list, you should be able to get the most out of Bitwig Studio 4 and work on your projects with ease.

Processor Power

The laptop processor you choose for Bitwig Studio 4 makes a huge difference in performance. Therefore, it is important to choose a processor that suits your needs and budget. With the release of Apple's new ARM-based M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max and M2 system-on-chip modules, and AMD taking 20% of the CPU market, there are more options than ever before. But what is the right processor for you and Bitwig?

What's new in the world of processors?

Intel's 13th generation processors have yet to reach laptops. So, their 12th generation is their latest offering. Meanwhile, Apple's silicon chips adopted a hybrid performance/efficiency core design (based on big.LITTLE) for their M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max and M2 system-on-chip modules, which offer exceptional single-core performance and battery life. Ryzen models also offer great battery life in a PC laptop.

How does Bitwig use the CPU?

Bitwig is available on both Windows and macOS platforms. Although I will include MacBooks in my recommendations, I will focus on Windows laptops since most Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) are designed for Windows. When choosing a processor for Bitwig, you need to take into account the load that the CPU will be under. If you're working with audio and a lot of virtual instruments, you'll need a powerful processor that can handle the load. If you are just composing music and don't require many virtual instruments, you could get away with a mid-range processor.

When comparing processors, I use multi-core and single-core benchmarks to compare their performance; however, these tests are not perfect since they don't account for differences in clock speed and hyperthreading (which allows one core to process multiple threads simultaneously).

Why I'm not recommending a specific CPU for Bitwig

Since everyone's needs and budget are different, I'm not recommending a specific processor for Bitwig. But I will list the recommended processors for various price brackets.

What to look for in a laptop if you're not planning on upgrading the CPU?

If you're looking for a budget laptop, I recommend looking for an H-series processor with a good performance per watt ratio. Alternatively, if you don't need high performance and are not working with audio, you could opt for an U-series processor.

Table of Recommended Processors organized by Price Bracket

Price Range	Recommended Processor
Budget	Intel i3-1115G4
Mid-Range	Intel i5-10310U
High-end	Intel i7-1180G7

GPU Choices

The laptop Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) market has changed quite a bit in the past few years. Nvidia continues to dominate the laptop GPU market and have recently released a few RTX 40 series cards; however, these are not yet available on laptops (expected in 2023). Nvidia's latest notebook cards are in RTX 30 series such as RTX 3070 Ti.

Desktop GPUs are now a lot more power-hungry, so the gap between power-limited notebook graphics and desktop graphics cards has widened in the past few years. Additionally, Nvidia has discontinued the Max-Q label for its RTX graphics cards. Now, an exact GPU wattage is determined by a laptop manufacturer (OEM). Unfortunately, that results in a wide variance in graphics performance even in laptops with the same GPU chipset.

Bitwig is not a demanding Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and it can run on almost any laptop. That said, it's still a music production application, so it's advisable to have some GPU power in your laptop. If you're looking for a more powerful graphics card, you should look for an Nvidia chip, as they're better suited for audio workstations due to their superior audio performance compared to AMD's offerings.

You should look for a discrete graphics card if you need the best performance possible or if your budget allows it. However, integrated graphics are sufficient for most people, and they're much cheaper.

To rank GPUs by performance, I use 3DMark, which is one of the most popular benchmarks out there and is easy to find online. However, keep in mind that these scores don't tell the whole story since different notebooks have different cooling designs that could limit their potential performance; ideally, you'll want to check reviews from professionals who test laptops with similar components as yours (or at least close enough).

Finally, if you're looking for a high-end gaming laptop, look for one with an Nvidia RTX series GPU; these provide excellent performance at a reasonable price (though not cheap).

Table of Recommended GPUs and Expected Laptop Prices:

GPU	Minimum	Recommended	High-End
Iris Xe Graphics G7	$999
Quadro T500		$1799
GeForce MX550			$2199

Bitwig Laptop FAQ

What laptop is best for Bitwig Studio 4?

The best laptop for Bitwig Studio 4 depends on your budget and the type of music production you do. We recommend the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G733CX-XS97 for top-notch performance. If you're on a tight budget, the HP Victus 15t is a great value.

What laptop specs do I need for Bitwig Studio 4?

The minimum laptop specs for Bitwig Studio 4 are 8 GB RAM, an Intel i3-1115G4 processor, and Iris Xe Graphics G7. For more demanding music production, we recommend 16 GB RAM, an Intel i5-10310U processor, and Quadro T500 graphics.

Is 8 GB RAM enough for running Bitwig Studio 4?

8 GB RAM is enough for basic tasks in Bitwig Studio 4. However, if you plan to use multiple tracks, plugins, and high-resolution audio samples, we recommend 16 GB RAM or more.

Can you run Bitwig Studio 4 on a laptop?

Yes, you can run Bitwig Studio 4 on a laptop as long as it meets the minimum specs. For best performance, we recommend a laptop with 16 GB RAM, an Intel i5-10310U processor, and Quadro T500 graphics.

How to choose a laptop for Bitwig Studio 4?

Choosing a laptop for Bitwig Studio 4 depends on your budget and the type of music production you do. Start by making sure the laptop meets the minimum requirements and then focus on the processor, RAM, graphics, and storage. Finally, check reviews to make sure the laptop is reliable and has good battery life.

What laptops can run Bitwig Studio 4?

Any laptop that meets the minimum specs can run Bitwig Studio 4. We recommend the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4 for a great overall experience. If you have a larger budget, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar and MSI Titan GT77 12UHS-064 are excellent choices.

Which laptop is best for music production?

The best laptop for music production depends on your budget and the type of music you make. We recommend a laptop with 16 GB RAM, an Intel i5-10310U processor, and Quadro T500 graphics for maximum performance.

What are the minimum laptop requirements for Bitwig Studio 4?

The minimum laptop requirements for Bitwig Studio 4 are 8 GB RAM, an Intel i3-1115G4 processor, and Iris Xe Graphics G7.

Is Core i5 fast enough for using Bitwig Studio 4?

Yes, Core i5 is fast enough for using Bitwig Studio 4. We recommend at least an Intel i5-10310U processor for a great overall experience.

Is 500 GB SSD enough for music production with Bitwig Studio 4?

Yes, 500 GB SSD is enough for music production with Bitwig Studio 4 if you don't plan on using high-resolution audio samples or plugins with large memory footprints. If you do plan on using these, we recommend at least 1 TB of storage.

RAM: Memory Matters

In the past few years, laptop RAM specs have changed drastically. Most mid-range laptops now come with 16 GB of RAM, while the higher-end ones have 32 GB or more. With the latest-gen Intel and AMD CPUs, they can support either DDR4 or DDR5, though the latter is still quite expensive and needs time to mature as a technology.

So if you're looking for a laptop specifically for Bitwig, how much RAM do you really need? Well, Bitwig is a demanding application, so you'll need a lot of RAM. 16 GB is the minimum if you're working with multi-track audio, but 32 GB would be ideal. If you're going for a MacBook – make sure it has ECC memory. It's not required for most applications, but it can prevent data corruption when working with audio and video.

While more RAM is always better – in this case, it's not the most important component. Instead, prioritize getting the best CPU/GPU and SSD possible. As far as CL and frequency, both are not relevant for performance in this case.

Below is a table of our recommended RAM configurations and their approximate laptop price ranges:

RAM Configuration	Average Laptop Price
8 GB	$700 – $1000
16 GB	$1000 – $1500
32 GB	$1500 – $2000+

6 Best Laptops for Bitwig studio 4

Table of the Best Laptops for Bitwig studio 4

Laptop	Price (approx)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i	$960
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro	$1,350
GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4	$1,600
ASUS ROG Strix Scar	$2,310
ASUS ROG Strix Scar G733CX-XS97	$3,800
Dell XPS 17 9720	$5,600