When looking at the best laptop for DJs, there's no DJ-specific laptop out there as such. Pretty much any laptop suitable for music production will do an equally good job for DJing, so you just need to make sure you have a powerful enough processor, enough RAM, and plenty of hard drive space to get yourself up and running.
For Windows users, you'll want at least an i5 processor with at least 16GB of RAM in your machine of choice. If you're going the Mac route, an M1 chip is a minimum requirement, and 8GB of Apple's Unified Memory will do the job for DJ and production software. A lot of laptops don't come with much hard drive space, and many aren't upgradeable, so it's important to get something with at least 512GB of space, but ideally more, or look at an external hard drive for music production to go alongside your purchase.
For the best all-around performance DJing, I'd recommend the Apple MacBook Air M3 as the go-to choice. It's more than powerful enough to handle any software you can throw at it, features a rugged build, and is lightweight enough to take anywhere. It is quite pricey though, so if you want cheaper, you'll have to go with a Windows machine. The Acer Swift X14 is an excellent budget option that will give you the minimum required to use software like Serato, rekordbox, Traktor, and others.
If you're new to laptops, I recommend you go check out our how to choose section for advice on buying your first laptop for DJing. I've also curated an FAQs section which answers loads of the most common questions.
My top picks
The Air M3 is now available in two sizes: 13-inch and 15-inch, but for DJing we prefer the extra real estate offered by the 15", and would certainly recommend this machine if you have the funds. The M3 Air is slightly better than the equivalent base model MacBook Pro as it boasts the bigger screen and equal power, but costs less. We also love the overall performance, silent running and sleek design.
Acer's Swift X14 has both a powerful CPU and GPU all squeezed into a slim Ultrabook form. Add in a gorgeous OLED screen to this mobility and you have a great laptop DJ option. Considering what this laptop can deliver in terms of the power versus size and that price, I really do think it's a great value contender.
If you want a laptop used by countless professionals, the Apple MacBook Pro M3 is the one to go for. Incredibly powerful and with plenty of connectivity options, it's the ideal machine for DJing and production.
Best overall
✅ Buy if you want a powerful Apple machine that is both portable and well-designed: This is one of the best-designed laptops out there and great for mobile use and any DJ application.
❌ Avoid if you don't have the cash or simply prefer the Windows environment: There are cheaper PC options in this guide that will give you a lot of what this machine delivers, for less outlay.
Build quality: ★★★★½
Battery life: ★★★★½
Ease of use: ★★★★½
Overall: ★★★★½
Apple have now released their M4 range of laptops, but their Apple Air M3 is still widely available, and remains my choice for best overall DJ laptop.
It comes in two sizes, 13-inch (actually 13.6-inch) and 15-inch (15.3-inch). Having tested a smaller 13-inch M2, I prefer the extra real estate offered by the 15", and would certainly recommend that M3 machine if you have the funds. The MusicRadar team also discovered by testing both models that the bigger 15" model has a much better sound than the 13”.
We also carried out several benchmark tests between the Air M2 and this M3, and found that in Ableton Live we got a 25% uplift in performance, so a significant power boost over the older model. It will be interesting to see if this trend is continued with the M4.
In the meantime, we've also included the base-model MacBook Pro in this round-up, and while that machine certainly delivers the storage specs you might need, the M3 Air is a slightly better buy as it boasts the bigger screen and equal power, but costs less.
Combine these factors with the performance, silent running, sleek design and larger screen, and we think the 15-inch Air M3 is one of just two Apple picks for laptop DJs.
"The MacBook Air M3 might not look like much of an upgrade over the M2, but for music production it makes a surprisingly powerful leap, and the extra screen real estate provided by the 15-inch model is essential."
Read more: Apple MacBook Air M3 review
Best on a budget
✅ Buy if you want one of the most portable and powerful Ultrabooks around: This is a compact machine to take on the road that delivers a surprising amount of power considering its size.
❌ Avoid if you need battery power: The Swift underperforms in this regard so if this is an important factor for you, there are many here that last longer.
Build quality: ★★★★½
Battery life: ★★★½
Ease of use: ★★★★½
Overall: ★★★★½
Acer's Swift X14 has both a powerful CPU and GPU all squeezed into a slim Ultrabook form. Add a gorgeous OLED screen to this mobility and you have a great laptop DJ option, and it's among the best Ultrabooks you can get.
The price starts very reasonably but can ramp up depending on the spec. However, considering what this laptop can deliver in terms of the power versus size and that price, we think it's a great value contender. Its only downside is the battery life of around eight hours when running at full power, which is among the lowest in this buyer's guide.
The OLED screen is the real star of the show - especially great for environments that aren't well lit. Performance wise there’s little the Acer Swift X14 can’t do, which is not something you can say about all Ultrabooks.
The Acer Swift X14 is by no means perfect, but the pros outweigh the cons, especially for the DJ who doesn't want to lug a heavy laptop around, and we think it is one of the best compact choices out there.
Best pro option
✅ Buy if you want some serious MacBook Pro power and storage: This is the more mobile and cheaper Pro, and a great option if you don't want to pay the extra for the larger 16".
❌ Avoid if you are lacking the budget: While the cheapest one we recommend comes in at under £$2k, you are never more than a couple of mouse clicks away from upgrading to a reduced bank balance.
Build quality: ★★★★½
Battery life: ★★★★★
Ease of use: ★★★★½
Overall: ★★★★½
We could have easily included the 16" MacBook Pro in this guide simply because it is one of the best music laptops out there, but unfortunately its cost puts it out of reach for most, and you probably won't need its power for DJing. However, this 14" MacBook Pro represents a cheaper way of getting that mobile power, although you should be careful as you can easily spec it up to a price that gets close to the 16".
The MacBook Pro 14" range can be complicated - there is a spec for everyone - but we'd say aim for the bottom-end 8GB memory model which should suffice for most DJ tasks. The potential storage capacity options are huge (as is their price) so it's there if you need it, although we'd also recommend the cheaper external storage route.
The 14" MacBook Pro is a great machine, but has many options so you will have to work out which one you need with some care. However, whichever one you opt for will easily handle any DJ task you throw at it
Best compact
✅ Buy if you want one of the latest and greatest PC laptops: It looks great, has an exceptional performance and good mobility, not to mention a fantastic OLED screen.
❌ Avoid if you are looking for something cheaper or longer lasting: The price can easily ramp up and the battery can easily power down.
Build quality: ★★★★½
Battery life: ★★★½
Ease of use: ★★★★½
Overall: ★★★★½
The latest laptop in Dell's popular XPS line boasts a powerful new processor and amazing OLED display, and we think it looks better than just about any other Windows laptop out there. It's also one of the smaller XPS laptops, so wins out on portability and is great to take from gig to gig.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor and the Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics deliver a powerful performance across all tasks - in some cases matching or exceeding a MacBook Pro 14-inch - so will easily handle most DJ applications.
The speakers are also a plus, offering a much better sound than other machines in the XPS range. Ok, this might not be important for gigging but great for creating set lists and auditioning tunes.
Overall, the Dell XPS 14 9440 is a powerful performer with its only letdown being a poor battery life. It's expensive, but one of the best Windows laptops you can buy right now.
Best gaming
✅ Buy if you want gaming-level power: There's more grunt than you'll ever need under the hood of the Razer, making it an ideal one-stop-shop for DJing, music production and any other creative pursuit.
❌ Avoid if you purely want a DJ laptop: You won't need such an almighty machine if you need a laptop mainly for DJing.
Build quality: ★★★★
Battery life: ★★★★
Ease of use: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★
Razer are best known for their gaming laptops, which tend to boast powerful specs and often feature eye-catching RGB lights. The Blade 14 Studio Edition is a slightly classier-looking laptop aimed at crossing over into the creative market.
These Windows machines come in a variety of configurations, but they’re powerful across the board, with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS in the 14, and Intel Core i9 chips in the 16 and 18 models, and at least 32GB of RAM, upgradable to 96GB.
The 14, which is the most basic iteration has a 1TB SSD onboard, plus graphics capabilities that outstrip most machines in this round-up.
There’s certainly more here than most standard DJs need – and you certainly pay for that power. However, if you’re after a PC laptop that can handle the DJ booth, studio and also some serious gaming in the green room, then this is the best DJ laptop for you.
Best 2-in-1
✅ Buy if you want a flexible 2 in 1 machine: The Surface Pro doubles as a tablet so is one of the most flexible devices here, and you can use it for DJing and entertainment.
❌ Avoid if you don't want a touchscreen: You do end up paying a fair bit more for something you might not need.
Build quality: ★★★★½
Battery life: ★★★★
Ease of use: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★
As one of the most flexible and portable devices in this round-up, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a great option for the mobile DJ, and one that can be used equally well on the road as it can for entertainment on your downtime.
The screen is also great thanks to a 120Hz refresh rate, so you won't be missing anything in those dark clubs, although its size doesn't offer the biggest real estate to run those DJ applications.
The 15.5 hours battery life is also very good compared to most laptop PCs here, although you might expect it given the machine's diminutive size.
Overall, this is probably the most flexible laptop here – given that it doesn't have to be just a laptop! However, you will have to judge whether its small screen might be a hindrance. Otherwise it's a great mobile option.
"The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a powerful machine that will make light work of any heavy lifting in your music production workflow."
Read more: Microsoft Surface Pro 9 review
Also consider
How to choose
Although digital DJing set-ups can come in many different shapes and sizes depending on the software and controller used, DJ laptop requirements generally remain pretty straightforward.
1. Software
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We’re assuming here that you’re using one of the three most popular DJ software applications – Serato DJ Pro, Traktor Pro or rekordbox DJ. There are of course other options and you should always check system requirements before committing to buying, but most DJ applications will make similar demands of your laptop’s CPU.
2. RAM
The first thing to consider is processing power. Most DJing applications require a minimum of 8GB, but it’s not advisable to run your laptop up to the edge of its capabilities, especially when you’re out playing gigs and reliability and stability are crucial. So we’d recommend machines with 16GB or above.
DJing software tends to be less processor-hungry than running music production platforms with lots of plugins, so you can get away with a little less power if you’re only going to use your machine for DJing.
3. Use case
And what type of DJing will you be doing? Because if you’ll be using your laptop away from home, travelling to clubs and festival gigs, then weight, build quality and general portability all become more important. Also, you’ll need to consider battery life if you’re planning on using your laptop to prepare tunes pre-gig or to stream videos while on the road.
FAQs
Do I need my DJ laptop to be portable?
If you’re using your DJ laptop away from a home setup – regularly travelling to bars, clubs or festivals – then portability becomes a significant factor. Battery life may play a role here too, particularly if you’re likely to spend time in transit preparing for your next set, or simply streaming videos or music to keep yourself entertained on the road.
How much storage and connectivity do I need?
There are two other major considerations when choosing which DJ laptop is right for you: storage and connectivity. Streaming is becoming more common within DJing software, but certainly, for the moment, almost all DJs are going to be travelling to gigs with a hard drive full of downloaded tracks. These will likely be higher quality and therefore larger file formats so a decent-sized SSD (Solid State Drive) is essential.
If your machine doesn’t have enough built-in memory then USB or SD card ports for external storage might be the answer, but you need to consider how many connections you’ll require.
Obviously you’ll need at least one port to connect your DJ controller, then another if you want to connect external devices (and maybe another if you want to charge your phone during the gig too).
Which is better for DJing, a PC or a Mac?
If you ask a Mac owner which is better for DJing, they’ll tell you it’s a Mac, and if you ask a PC owner the same question, they’ll tell you to opt for a PC. The reality is that Serato, rekordbox, Traktor, Ableton and Virtual DJ all run perfectly well on either Mac or PC, and either choice can serve you perfectly well for laptop DJing.
The Apple platform’s famed slick, integrated approach, along with the ease with which you can step up from DJing to music production, is hard to fault, and their current M-powered processors mean your foreseeable power needs are well covered.
However, while myself and the MusicRadar team have included a couple of Macs here, they come at a price that will be out of reach for many.
PCs are the most realistic option for many and there are plenty of outstanding PCs, perfectly capable of delivering the same DJIng experience as Apples. And as well as a substantial price advantage over Apple machines, PCs can offer more customisation options and can be easily upgraded, particularly their all-important memory.
The user’s experience using any of the leading DJing software platforms on either a PC or Mac will be similar, so your decision may well come down to which operating system, Windows or macOS, works best for you. It’s definitely worth becoming familiar with both so you can make an informed decision.
How we choose the best DJ laptops
Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.
When choosing what we believe to be the best DJ laptops available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.
First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best DJ laptops on the market right now.
Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.
Why you can trust us
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MusicRadar has been in operation from 2007 and has been helping people on their musical journey since then. No matter if you're a producer, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, DJ or general music enthusiast, you'll find useful information across the site, while our team of experts and industry pros regularly put instruments and gear through their paces to help you make an informed decision.
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Meet the experts
I'm the Managing Editor of Music Technology at MusicRadar and former Editor-in-Chief of Future Music, Computer Music and Electronic Musician. I've been messing around with music tech in various forms for over two decades. I've also spent the last 10 years forgetting how to play guitar. Find me in the chillout room at raves complaining that it's past my bedtime.
Harold Heath is a UK music writer and author. A DJ since the late 80s, Harold also produced a few hundred singles and remixes and two artist albums, and worked as a performer, ghostwriter and music-technology teacher. His first book Long Relationships: My Incredible Journey From Unknown DJ to Smalltime DJ was published in 2021.
Andy has been writing about music production and technology for 30 years having started out on Music Technology magazine back in 1992. He has edited the magazines Future Music, Keyboard Review, MusicTech and Computer Music, which he helped launch back in 1998. He owns way too many synthesizers.
Latest updates
21/08/26: The guide has been given a top-to-bottom audit, and new labels for the top products that better suit the use case for DJing. A new 'Also consider' section has been added with some additional options. A new how-to-choose section has been added to guide readers through the buying process. A fresh introduction and a new header have also been added.
28/05/25: The guide has been updated to include the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 and Razer Blade 14. Verdict panels have been added where applicable, while all the laptops featured now have star rating panels. The FAQ section has been rewritten and expanded, while a section on why you can trust the MusicRadar team has also been included. We've also added a new "meet our experts" section.
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