8 Outstanding laptops for FL Studio 21 in 2023

Ahhh, FL STUDIO. I remember starting out with version 2! In case you're too young to remember, version 2 still used keyboard shortcuts for almost everything. But that's a different story. If you're reading this, you're probably a serious FL STUDIO user, interested in the best laptop that can power your music making.

There are many options, and it can be hard to know where to start. That's why I created this guide – to help you make sense of all the latest laptops on the market and their ability to handle your music production needs. In this guide, I'll break down the minimum specifications that your laptop should have and suggest a few choice options that will make your FL STUDIO production shine.

Processor Power

There have been some major developments in the laptop processor market that are relevant for FL Studio. Apple has released its own ARM-based M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M2 system-on-chip modules, which offer exceptional single-core performance and battery life. On the other hand, AMD has managed to take 20% of the CPU market, releasing their 6th generation Ryzen processors. Meanwhile, Intel is still on their 13th generation, with the 12th generation being the latest. Both Intel's and Apple's silicon chips have adopted a hybrid performance/efficiency core design (big.LITTLE) for longer battery life. If you're looking for a laptop mainly for music production with good battery life, Ryzen models are a good option.

FL Studio can be used on Windows, macOS, and Linux, but I'll focus on Windows laptops here. FL Studio is a multi-track audio sequencer, which means we need a CPU with good single-core performance. However, it's not all about the CPU – a fast GPU is also important for real-time audio effects processing. The best benchmark to compare CPUs for FL Studio is Cinebench R23, one of the most popular (and accurate) benchmarks for audio workstations. But, if you're looking for an all-around laptop for music production, it's best to look for a CPU with good single-core performance and solid multi-core performance (at least 8500+).

So, is a high-end processor necessary for FL Studio? That all depends on your budget. If you're looking for the best performance without breaking the bank, here are some recommended processors and their expected price range.

Recommended Processor	Price Range
i3-1115G4	$400-600
i5-10310U	$700-900
i7-1180G7	$1100-1300

Powerful Graphics

It is no surprise that NVIDIA continues to dominate the laptop GPU market. Its most recent release of laptop graphics cards is in the RTX 30 series, such as the RTX 3070 Ti. Unfortunately, the new RTX 40 series of GPUs are not yet available on laptops and won't be until 2023. The desktop GPUs have also become a lot more power-hungry in recent years, which has widened the gap between laptop and desktop graphics cards. Additionally, NVIDIA has discontinued its Max-Q label for its RTX graphics cards, which means that laptop manufacturers (OEMs) have to decide on the exact wattage for their laptops. This can result in a wide range in graphics performance even in laptops with the same GPU chipset.

Although FL Studio is a digital audio workstation that can be used on a wide range of laptops, you don't need a dedicated GPU for audio production. But if you're looking to do some video editing and 3D modeling, then you might want to consider investing in a dedicated GPU.

When looking for a gaming laptop, it's always best to go for one with an Nvidia GPU, preferably an RTX-series GPU, since these will offer the best battery life compared to AMD laptops. However, sometimes you might have to sacrifice some performance for better battery life. I usually use 3DMark and Cinebench R23 to compare different graphics card performances. If you're looking for an affordable laptop with good graphics performance, look for one with an Advanced (or Advanced P-series) Nvidia chip instead of the regular U-series chips found in most budget gaming laptops.

To help you make a decision, here's a table of recommended graphics cards and their average laptop prices:

Graphics Card	Recommended For	Average Laptop Price
Iris Xe Graphics G7	Minimum	Under $400
Quadro T500	Recommended	Under $800
GeForce MX550	High-end	Over $1000

RAM Guide

FL Studio is an incredibly popular and powerful music production suite that can be used for a variety of applications, from recording to mixing and mastering. However, it's also a memory-hungry application, which means you need to make sure your laptop has enough RAM to handle your projects.

Generally speaking, most mid-range laptops come with 16 GB of RAM and high-end laptops come with 32 GB or more. Latest-gen Intel and AMD CPUs support DDR4 and DDR5 memory, though DDR5 is still quite expensive and needs time to mature as a technology.

So, how much RAM do you need to get the best performance out of FL Studio? While 8 GB is the absolute minimum, 16 GB is recommended for most users. If you're looking for a laptop that can last you through years of FL Studio use, make sure it has DDR5 memory and at least 32 GB of RAM. If you're working on a project that requires a lot of instruments or effects, consider getting a laptop with 64 GB or even 128 GB of RAM. However, these laptops are not cheap and are not worth it unless you're working on high-end projects with a lot of tracks or using high-quality plugins.

In terms of latency and ECC memory, both are worth considering if you're looking for the best performance. However, both are more expensive than standard RAM and are not really necessary for most users.

Overall, here's what you can expect depending on your budget:

Budget	Minimum RAM	Recommended RAM	High-end RAM
Low	8 GB	16 GB	32 GB
Mid	16 GB	32 GB	64 GB
High	32 GB	64 GB	128 GB

FL Studio Laptop FAQ

What laptop is best for FL Studio?

It depends on your budget and desired specs. For mid-range laptops, we recommend a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM, Iris Xe Graphics G7, and an i3-1115G4 processor. For higher-end laptops, you may want to invest in 16GB of RAM, a Quadro T500 graphics card, and an i7-1180G7 processor. The HP Victus 15t is our top recommendation for a laptop for FL Studio at a price of $870.

What specs should I get for FL Studio?

Generally, you’ll want to look for at least 8GB of RAM, a processor with 4 cores, and a dedicated graphics card. The recommended minimum specs for FL Studio are 8GB RAM, Iris Xe Graphics G7, and an i3-1115G4 processor.

What laptop should I buy for FL Studio 21?

You can choose from a variety of laptops depending on your budget. Our top recommendation for laptops optimized for FL Studio is the HP Victus 15t at a price of $870. For higher-end laptops, we recommend the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 at $2,320, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar at $2,310, or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 at $3,650.

Is a Macbook good for FL Studio?

Yes, Macbooks can be used to run FL Studio 21. However, since Apple laptops tend to be more expensive than Windows laptops, you may want to consider purchasing a Windows laptop instead if you are on a budget. For Macbook users, we recommend the 16” Macbook Pro with an 8-core processor and 16GB of RAM.

Which laptop is best for making music with FL Studio?

Again, this depends on your budget and desired specs. We recommend investing in at least 8GB of RAM, a processor with 4 cores, and a dedicated graphics card for optimal performance. The HP Victus 15t is our top recommendation for a laptop for FL Studio at a price of $870.

Does FL Studio work on a laptop?

Yes, FL Studio 21 works on laptops as long as your laptop meets the system requirements. You can find the system requirements on the FL Studio website. For optimal performance, we recommend 8GB of RAM, a processor with 4 cores, and a dedicated graphics card.

What RAM do I need for FL Studio?

We recommend at least 8GB of RAM for running FL Studio 21. For higher-end laptops, we recommend investing in 16GB of RAM.

Is Core i7 enough for FL Studio?

Yes, Core i7 processors can be used to run FL Studio 21. However, we recommend investing in an i7-1180G7 processor for higher-end laptops for optimal performance.

Is Ryzen 5 good for FL Studio?

Yes, Ryzen 5 processors can be used to run FL Studio 21. We recommend investing in a Ryzen 5 4500U or Ryzen 7 4800U processor for mid-range laptops. For higher-end laptops, we recommend investing in an i7-1180G7 processor.

Is 1TB SSD enough for FL Studio?

Generally, 1TB of SSD storage should be enough to store your music-making projects and all the necessary files associated with FL Studio 21. However, we recommend investing in 2TB of storage space for higher-end laptops for optimal performance.

4 Best Laptops for FL STUDIO 21

Table of the Best Laptops for FL STUDIO 21

Laptop	Price (approx)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i	$960
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro	$1,350
ASUS ROG Strix Scar	$2,310
ASUS ROG Strix Scar G733CX-XS97	$3,800