Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro might hit the sweet spot for music production

MacBook Pro 13-inch 2020
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple has unveiled a new version of its 13-inch MacBook Pro, and if you’re looking for a macOS music-making laptop, it could be a pretty compelling proposition.

Like the 16-inch MacBook Pro and new MacBook Air, this sports Apple’s latest Magic Keyboard - a big improvement on the typing surface that came before it - which offers 1mm of key travel and a physical Escape key. 

You also get double the storage as standard in comparison to the previous 13-inch MacBook Pro - from 256GB to 1TB depending on which configuration you go for - and you can push the capacity up to 4GB if you wish.

• The best MacBook Pro deals 2020: get a great price on a new Apple laptop
• 
MacBook Pro vs Dell XPS 13: which laptop is best for music making?
• 
The 10 best laptops for music production 2020

There’s the option to spec a 10th-generation quad-core Core i5 processor, too, with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 4.1GHz. In comparison to a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a dual-core processor, performance is said to be 2.8 times faster. 80% faster graphics performance is also promised.

Other highlights include the option to spec up to 32GB of RAM (all models come with at least 8GB as standard) and a Retina display with True Tone technology.

With prices starting at $/£1,299, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro looks like a pretty good option for music makers, being significantly cheaper than the 16-inch model, and more powerful than the MacBook Air, which starts at just $/£300 less

Find out more on the Apple website.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

Get over 70 FREE plugin instruments and effects… image
Get over 70 FREE plugin instruments and effects…
…with the latest issue of Computer Music magazine