Check out the best DJ MacBooks to run Serato, Traktor, rekordbox, Virtual DJ and more.
As a DJ, your MacBook is your closest ally when it comes to producing music, mixing tracks, and performing live sets. It’s not just a computer, it’s a tool that helps you unleash your creativity and take your music to the next level. But with so many MacBooks available in the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for your DJing needs. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the best MacBooks for DJing in 2023.
Before we dive into the list, let’s briefly discuss what makes a MacBook suitable for DJing. First and foremost, it should have a powerful processor and enough RAM to handle multiple tracks and effects without any lag. Secondly, it should have a spacious hard drive or SSD to store your music library and samples. And finally, it should have a reliable audio interface to connect your DJ controller or mixer.
To choose among the best MacBooks for DJing, we started with extensive personal experience: All the MacBooks here have been road-tested and reviewed in some way. Then, we added in-depth research by cross-referencing third-party reviews with specs sheets, first-party benchmarks and user experiences. Rest assured, we know the ins and outs of all these machines, so you can choose the perfect one for you.
Now that we’ve established the criteria, let’s explore the top MacBooks for DJing in 2023.
1. Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022)
Specifications:
Display: 13.6 inches; 2560×1664 CPU: Apple M2 GPU: 8-core or 10-core GPU RAM: 8GB-24GB Storage: 256GB-2TB SSD Weight: 2.7 pounds
Why It’s The Best MacBook For DJing
The new MacBook Air M2 is so good it has taken the No. 1 spot on our best MacBooks for DJing purposes. And that’s because it delivers everything you could want in a DJing laptop: great performance, an awesome display, long battery life and plenty of comfort in a very sleek design.
Apples 2022 MacBook Air with the M2 chip is an excellent choice for DJing. It can handle most tasks and is arguably the best multipurpose, ultraportable laptop that Apple makes.
It’s the newer of the two Air models Apple still sells, and notably a better buy than the 13-inch MacBook Pro, as the latter is both heavier and more expensive. The Air was built around the new M2 chip and completely refreshed for 2022 with a squared-off design that ditches the wedge shape.
The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina screen hits up to 500 nits, making it both bigger and brighter than the previous generation. The 60Hz refresh rate doesn’t deliver the butter-smooth scrolling you get on Pro models, but it’s lovely nonetheless. The quad speaker array pumps out great sound, filling a room at max volume without distortion, and the three-mic array does a good job of picking up your voice for video calls. The 1080p camera is an improvement over previous generations.
Despite being thinner than ever, the M2 Air manages to hang on to its 3.5mm headphone jack and includes two USB-C Thunderbolt ports and a MagSafe connector. That means you don’t have to worry about your external gear while charging. If you plan on using a single controller with a built-in interface this shouldn’t be a problem, although you may need to source a USB 4 cable if your DJ controller doesn’t include one in the box.
The battery life is ample, lasting 16 hours and 30 minutes in our rundown test, which should be more than enough for a day (or two) of DJing task.
The M2 chip gives the Air enough power to run any DJ app. Several major DJ applications already run natively on the M2 chip, including Serato Pro and rekordbox. Our review unit performed well in benchmark tests, beating the Air M1 and nearly matching the performance of the 13-inch MacBook Pro M2. It’s a fanless system which means it’s quiet, but to keep things cool, the CPU does have to be throttled occasionally.
Overall, it’s an excellent choice for DJs and can handle most tasks. Of course, if you’re planning on doing intensive video editing, you’ll likely want something more powerful, such as the MacBook Pro M2, but the Air is arguably the best multipurpose, ultraportable laptop that Apple makes.
Pros:
- Sleek, thin new design
- M2 is powerful and efficient
- Long-lasting battery
- 1080p webcam
- Bright display
- MagSafe returns to MacBook Air
Cons:
- Starts pricier than previous generation
- Supports only one external display
- Display notch will bother some people
2. Apple MacBook Air M1 (late 2020)
Specifications
Display: 13.3 inches; 2,560 x 1,600CPU: Apple M1 GPU: Integrated 8-core GPU RAM: 8GB-16GB Storage: 256GB-2TB SSD Weight: 2.8 pounds
Why It’s The Best MacBook For DJing
The MacBook Air with M1 chip is another excellent option for DJs who want a powerful machine but in a smaller form factor. With a base price of $999 (and often on sale for less), Apple’s 2020 MacBook Air with the M1 chip is a relatively affordable way for DJs with tight budgets to snag a fast and capable machine.
The MacBook Air M1 may not have the most current Apple silicon, but it gets so much right that it’s still an excellent laptop. Of course, now that the M2 is on the scene, its numbers are comparatively less impressive – but with a base price of $999 (and often on sale for less), it’s a relatively affordable way for DJs with tight budgets to snag a fast and capable machine.
The Air’s 13.3-inch Retina display looks beautiful and is ideal for binge sessions. The laptop’s sturdy, wedge-shaped unibody case weighs just 2.8 pounds, making it an excellent choice For touring DJs and musicians. You can even fire it up in the quietest studio without making a sound, thanks to a heat sink and passive cooling that eliminate the need for a fan. The keyboard offers a satisfying amount of depth despite its thin profile and the trackpad is smooth.
The performance of the M1 chip really makes the MacBook Air M1 a great choice for DJ purposes. It’s impressively responsive, launching major DJ apps nearly instantly and running them effortlessly. Safari delivers a slick browsing experience, loading complex pages quickly. The M1 chip is also behind the Air’s great battery life. We managed to get 16 hours and 20 minutes during our video rundown test, which should be more than enough to get you through a full-day grind.
Of course, it’s not without drawbacks. The M1 Air houses a 720p webcam, which isn’t as sharp as the M2 Air’s 1080p camera and it only comes with two Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack. If you’re charging your computer, there’s only one available plug for DJ controller or mixer. There’s no SD card slot, either, and since Apple hardware isn’t the easiest to upgrade yourself, you’ll want to buy all the storage you need right out of the gate.
We recommend sticking with the base configuration (8GB RAM/256GB SSD) if you’ll mostly be using web-based programs and cloud-based apps. For an extra $200, you can upgrade to 16GB of memory which is good if you stream heavily, like to have a lot of open tabs or want to run a ton of DJ apps at once. Alternatively, the same amount could get you 512GB of storage if you want to keep a lot of music and photos locally.
Pros:
- Remarkably fast performance
- Strong legacy app support
- Amazingly long battery life
Cons:
- Still has thick bezels
- Light on ports
3. MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, late 2020)
Specifications:
Display: 13 inches; 2560×1600 CPU: Apple M1 (8-core) GPU: 8-core integrated RAM: 8GB to 16GB Storage: 256GB to 2TB SSD Weight: 3 pounds
Why It’s the Best MacBook For DJing
As a DJ, you’ll often need to handle complex visuals to accompany your set. In that regard, you’ll want to turn to the M1-powered MacBook Pro. Its display is better than the Air’s and its battery lasts longer as well — it has over 16 hours of battery life, which is absolutely epic. And once your favorite DJ applications update to support Apple silicon, you’ll wonder what took Apple so long to ditch Intel.
And just like with the aforementioned Air, the MacBook Pro comes with the new Magic Keyboard, as Apple finally ditched the shallow and unreliable Butterfly keyboards. This combination of endurance and performance, mixed with a display that’s great for seeing your DJ tasks come to life makes for one of the best MacBook for DJing, provided their budget allows for it.
Pros:
- Superb performance
- Crazy long battery life
- Bright and colorful display
Cons:
- Dated design
- Just two Thunderbolt ports
4. Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)
Specifications:
Display: 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600Size: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches CPU: M2GPU: M2 (integrated) RAM: 8GB/16GB Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB Weight: 3.1 pounds
Why it’s the Best MacBook For DJing
While the design is unchanged, the M2 inside the MacBook Pro 2022 gives another performance and battery life boost to Apple’s already outstanding laptop.
The MacBook Pro is more powerful than nearly every PC on the market, including some workstations. And despite cramming so much power into such a slim and sleek chassis, the Pro has over 18 hours of battery life which means it’ll keep its charge through multiple DJing events.
Thanks to the image processing unit, the webcam (sadly, still 720p) is better than its 720p rivals and since it runs on Apple’s ARM-based architecture, iPad and iPhone apps are available on Mac.
While the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models may tempt some DJs with high-end needs, the MBP 13-inch with M2 remains a strong option at a far more affordable price point for those that need just a bit more juice than the MacBook Air.
Pros:
- Stellar overall and gaming performance
- Excellent battery life
- Lightning-fast SSD
- Great webcam
- Comfortable keyboard
Cons:
- Stagnant design
- Not enough ports
5. 14-inch MacBook Pro (2023)
Specifications
CPU: M2 Pro (10-core CPU, 16-core GPU or 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU), with optional M2 Max with up to 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU RAM: 16GB to 96GB Size: 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches Display: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display (3024×1964 pixels, 254ppi) Weight: 3.5 pounds (M2 Pro) – 3.6 pounds (M2 Max) Storage: 512GB to 8TB
Why it’s the best MacBook for DJing
For DJs who need a powerful laptop that can handle demanding tasks like video editing and music creation, we recommend the MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip.
The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros came out in January of 2023, both using more powerful versions of the M2 chip: the M2 Pro and the M2 Max. For professional video or music creators, the new machines are a blessing.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with a 19-core GPU M2 Pro chip can easily handle your music library and samples quickly and efficiently, without any lag or delay. The 14.2-inch screen is a bright and vibrant MiniLED Liquid Retina XDR display with a 120Hz refresh rate, making it easy on the eyes even during long DJ sets. The keyboard is backlit, which is great for low-light environments, and the Touch ID adds an extra layer of security to your machine. A six-speaker array produces crisp, punchy sound for your gigs or practice sessions.
As you’d expect with a Pro model, you get a full complement of ports, including an SD card slot, headphone jack, HDMI port and three Thunderbolt sockets. This allows you to connect your DJ controller, mixer, or audio interface with ease. There’s even a MagSafe power connector dedicated to charging. We got a respectable 15 hours and 10 minutes of battery life out of the 14-inch model and, according to Apple, the 16-inch model can get up to 22 hours on a charge.
If you’re planning on processing a lot of 8K video, complex 3D scenes or more expansive music compositions, you may want the faster M2 Max chip. In that case, we recommend the 16-inch model, as its larger battery can better match the chip’s higher power consumption. As long as cost isn’t a deciding factor, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Max is the way to go. It’s one of the more powerful MacBooks available, with a 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU, paired with 64GB of memory and 2TB of storage. Those options will run you $4,299, but should serve even the most demanding user well for years. In all honesty, this is more power than you need purely for DJ purposes, however, if you want the best MacBook to cover all of your DJ and production duties, or handle complex visuals to accompany your set, this is the best bet.
Pros
- Impressive performance
- Over 14 hours of battery life
- Great port selection
- Beautifully vibrant display with crisp detail
- Excellent audio
Cons
- Expensive
- Off-putting notch
- Still no Face ID