Ableton Forum

Hey guys, quick question, someone stole my old laptop and I am choosing between a new iMac or a new Macbook Pro. Both would be suped up to the max,
iMac: 32 GB Ram, 3 TB Fusion Drive, updated graphics card and faster i7 processor
Macbook Pro: Retina Display, 1TB SSD, 16 GB Ram, upgraded i7 processor.

My question is this, which should I get? I download a lot of music and need space for all the sample packs so I am thinking about the higher space drive with the iMac, but being able to take my laptop places and show people my trax is also very convenient (when my laptop is not getting stolen). So anyone have any experience with this? My old Macbook (2012, Retina suped up to the max) was starting to falter a lot as I had 70+ tracks in Ableton, and was using a variety of plugs (Soundtoys, Dubstation, Modular V, occasionally Omni & Trillian, but rarely) and FX which would ramp up my 64-Bit Ableton to around 30-40% CPU, so wondering if the new iMacs are better equipped to handle this.

Sidenote: just grabbed the Apollo Quad & Dangerous D-Box, anyone been utilizing this combo? Does it take a lot of CPU off the system? (Haven't hooked mine up yet)

Appreciate the help.

I was using MBPs from about 2007 to 2011 when I realized the thing never really left my desk. I had lofty ideas I was going to go perform or some shit. Then I saw the 27” iMac, fell in love, and never looked back. *

Another route to consider, and the one I’m planning, get a Mac Mini as speced up as you can afford and an Apple monitor. Then when it’s time to upgrade down the road you just have to get the computer and not have to pay for the built-in monitor. You don’t even have to get the Apple monitor but they are divine.






* In the spirit of full transparency I have a 13” MBA I use with Traktor, but I far prefer my iMac for production.

beats me wrote:I was using MBPs from about 2007 to 2011 when I realized the thing never really left my desk. I had lofty ideas I was going to go perform or some shit. Then I saw the 27” iMac, fell in love, and never looked back. *

Another route to consider, and the one I’m planning, get a Mac Mini as speced up as you can afford and an Apple monitor. Then when it’s time to upgrade down the road you just have to get the computer and not have to pay for the built-in monitor. You don’t even have to get the Apple monitor but they are divine.






* In the spirit of full transparency I have a 13” MBA I use with Traktor, but I far prefer my iMac for production.

I have a mini and like it. Only real gripe about the mini is Apple don't seem to update them as frequent as their other models, but a fully blown Mini is a pretty powerful machine, if you get them when they come out.

Only reason to go MBP is for portability, you would come out better going either with the Mini or even spending extra for a upgraded iMac which are more powerful than a MPB in terms of performance/dollar, as the iMac tends to have a faster processor, bigger screen. The thing you'd pay extra for though is upgrading to a SSD which isn't standard for the iMac.

It really just depends on your personal situation, for myself I have pretty much always been on a laptop because im always away from home so that just makes sense to do it that way. Would love an iMac for home though but I just can't justify the purchase.