Top 10 Best Budget Laptops for DJing 2024 (Buyer’s Guide)

Best laptops for Djing on a budget and music production

Introduction: Who is a DJ?

DJs are typically an individual who creates a mix of recorded music using two turntables and a selection of DJ equipment. In this scenario, DJs offer their own opinions on the music they play via this set-up.

DJs are widely known for their skill in spinning records and providing the best entertainment in clubs or musical events. Some DJs also go on to produce albums or remixes of songs that they have heard.

People may also think that becoming a DJ is similar to becoming an actor or singer because you can make money by mostly performing at clubs, festivals, and other social events.

Some DJs work in recording studios for their day job or do something else during daytime hours while others consider it as more of a hobby than anything else.

Why You Need a Solid DJ Laptop

A DJ laptop is the perfect tool for an aspiring DJ. It will not only give you the power of a high-end laptop, but also come with great features that are essential for your performance.

One of these features is a dedicated audio interface so you can connect headphones or speakers to it without any hassles. This also comes with an advanced sound card and an SD card slot to store all your tracks and mixes.

What to Look for in a Best DJ Laptop?

DJs today need more than just a laptop to get the job done. They need to be able to edit and mix tracks, and use effects and software. We have put together a list of features for DJs, so you can find the best DJ laptop for your needs.

Processor: This is the main component in your laptop that determines how well it will be able to run all of your software and processes. This can also be untied with how many cores you get on this specific laptop model.

Memory: Memory is one of the most important factors in a DJ or any other professional that uses software for their job. The more RAM that you get, the faster it will be able to run your programs and load them without slowdowns. Laptops with 8-16 GBs of RAM are recommended.

Choosing a laptop for DJing is about more than just hardware requirements, brand, or software. One of the most important things to consider when you are looking for a DJ laptop is reliability and stability.

It’s hard to imagine how hard it is not only to DJ without any screens but also to be able to continue on. What was even worse was that Sasha had two sets of problems! The first time, there were already people waiting for him at the show, but then his computer decided not to cooperate and crashed during the set. Do you remember how he felt?

How can you avoid this issue, you might ask..?

There are still no DJ computers that you can purchase yet, but with these devices coming down in price, they might be more reasonably priced in the future. It may seem like a lot of work to find them at this point, but these devices would most likely provide an even sound quality for your needs. Today we’re sharing with you a list of the eight best DJ laptops in the market.

In 2024, a beginner DJ’s laptop doesn’t often have to be a scam. Some computers last for years and come in affordable packages. Cheap laptops are now built to last and withstand the test of time. It’s true that not every laptop will suit your needs. Depending on what you’re doing, you might find certain laptops better for different tasks at home or at work. But the DJ software is one essential feature that many laptops should have if you’re looking to build up your own collection of music to play for friends and family.

what size laptop for djing?

1. Apple MacBook Pro 13

Key Specs:

• 13-inch Retina Display

• 10th-generation Quad Core i5 processor

• 16GB RAM

• Up to 1TB SSD Storage

• Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports

• Up to 10 hours of battery life

There are several reasons why you encounter many DJs who live with MacBook. Reliability is the major factor. This model does not have the maximum possible MacBook Pro specifications, but it covers you for many years, as regards DJing.

If finance is not an issue, you can play safely with any of the Apple MacBooks when you start your work as a DJ. The same business has designed and built everything in the software, operating system, motherboard and sound card. This is ultimate reliability. All this works beautifully together and with nearly little risk that a live event will crash or drop.

The i5 quad-core 2.0 GHz and 16 GB RAM processors in 10th generation are the most powerful DAW or DJ software. To ensure you read your MP3s and tracks more quickly, you can use 1TB SSD to make them more trustworthy than ordinary HD drives.

Its resolution is significantly more than on many standard laptops for DJs (2560 to 1600 Native 227 pixel resolution/inch), allowing you to put more VSTs, interfaces, windows etc. The resolution is far greater than that found there. The battery life is also great; that’s not a problem.

A big feature is a backlit keyboard that you play in the dark conditions countless times. In addition, all your external devices have a great deal of connectivity: DisplayPort charging and four USB-C connectors in Thunderbolt (up to 40 Gbps). The sound card and the dj micrometrics are ideal for connecting any form of USB audio interface.

Probably the best and most popular laptop on the market for DJing and music production. It is offered in two colours. The new Space Gray to fit your style, or the classical Mac Silver.

2. Dell Inspiron 15 5000

Key Specs:

• 15.6-inch FHD Display

• 10th-generation Quad Core i5 processor

• 16GB RAM

• Up to 1TB SSD Storage

• Three USB 3.1 ports

• Up to 9 hours of battery life

A further DJing gem. Another gem. With its Inspiron, XPS and Precision series, Dell delivers quite reliable and robust laptops. It is a laptop windows, which is also generally used for DJing.

Perhaps less powerful than the DELL XPS 15, nevertheless, it’s three times less expensive. The ideal way is to purchase enough DJing laptop and live with a 1.8 GHz four-core processor and 8 GB of RAM for a cheap expenditure (upgradeable to 16GB).

If you believe that you need a larger RAM, upgrading it yourself is a little more costly. But you don’t have to worry about it because RAM is the easiest way to update on a laptop.

On the upper side is a 128GB Solid-State Driver (SSD). It is a storage device that is capable of sampling, tracking and blending. In addition to the advantage of the excellent reading speeds, it’s a fantastic solution for any DJ. More than 1 TB of HDD for saving additional data, music and software.

The display size is larger than the above-mentioned MacBook Pro. So it could be a better choice for this 15.6″ full HD screen when you have setup troubles distant from the optimum viewing distance.

Dell Inspiron 15 5000 has an illuminated keyboard that you can easily see your keys in your home studio. With many ports for all external connections (1x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0 and HDMI for displays). Probably the greatest DJ laptop with a tight budget. Here you’ll find the greatest DJ controller to connect to your laptop from day one to start mixing.

3. Alienware m15 R3

Key Specs:

• 15.6-inch FHD Display

• 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor

• 16GB DDR4 RAM

• 512GB SSD Storage

• Three USB 3.1 ports

• Up to 12 hours of battery life

The laptops of Alienware are undoubtedly gaming series. However, all functions and specs on your DJ’s laptop will be included.

The m15 R3 is constructed of high-end materials, including magnesium alloy, copper and steel. For easy traveling, it is still lightweight and small for the majority of DJ packages. The Intel Core i7 10th generation is among the finest DJing CPUs on the market. Together with the 16 RAM, you can operate every DJ and program with your eye the fastest laptop.

The Cryo Tech cooling component, which keeps your laptop cool and enhances overall performance, is a benefit of the new Alienware m15. An extra laptop light will be required from the ultra-bright, color-balanced and keyboard display.

Gaming laptops also are useful for DJ reasons, and the Alienware m15 R3 handles more things than most standard laptops. The main downside is that you are likely to desire a DJ laptop skin to cover off the “gaming” style. However, this is perhaps one of the best laptops for Serato DJ and Traktor Pro 3.

4. ACER ASPIRE 5

Key Specs:

• 15.6-inch FHD IPS Display

• AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Intel Dual Core processor

• Up to 16GB DDR4 RAM

• Up to 512GB SSD Storage

• One USB 3.1 port, Two USB 2.0 ports

• Up to 6 hours of battery life

The very inexpensive ACER Aspire E15 is a last-minute addition. The Intel Core i5-8250U Processor is supplied with an 8th generation (Up to 3.4GHz). An 8GB DDR4 Dual Channel RAM ensures high performance during your live performance. Save and operate all your music and DJ apps quickly on 512GB SSD hard drive.

The 2GB NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics card provides the laptop with promising capabilities to view videos but not particularly useful for DJing or music manufacturing. Explicit and natural content of the 15.6-inch LED light IPS display. This full HD screen makes it excellent for DJing with your favorite software.

If you want an affordable laptop for Karaoke or just using general purposes then Acer Aspire 5 is a great option.

If you are looking to buy a brand-new laptop, the Aspire 5 may be perfect for you. It has an SD card reader, Bluetooth 4.1, one USB 3.0, and two USB 2.0 along with an HDMI port. The laptop’s components are all power efficient and can run without any limitations for 6 hours while the battery lasts 12 hours. The DJ laptop he got is lightweight, so you can easily take it to any event or location.

5. Microsoft Surface Pro X

Key Specs:

• 13-inch Touch-Screen Display

• Microsoft SQ2 (co-developed with Qualcomm)

• Up to 16GB RAM

• Up to 512GB SSD Storage

• Two USB 3.0 ports

• Up to 15 hours battery life

If you want to play DJ with a screen on your laptop, one of the few options worth considering is the Microsoft Surface Pro X. However, if you’re trying to budget, choosing an option cheaper than this might be better for your needs.

Microsoft is a big competitor of Apple, and the new HP Spectre X2 laptop that’s coming out is a very powerful device for DJs on-the-go. It has an integrated touchscreen from which you can choose from thousands of music tracks available in the cloud. The display on the Surface Pro X is one of its best features. The sleek matte black finish provides a cool look and still weighs in at only 1.7 pounds! It’s also just 7.3mm thin too!

You should make sure you have a hard drive that can easily store lots of data before upgrading from the 64 GB because the 128 GB isn’t sufficient. Unsure as to what would be preferable? An external hard drive can be a great backup option. If you want a laptop/tablet with enough memory power, the 256 GB option should be fine. You can get a 16 GB RAM or 8 GB RAM model for your playback needs, and 512 GB should also be enough if you have reduced music storage.

6. MacBook Air 13.3

CPU: Intel Dual-Core Core i5 1.6 GHz |

RAM: 8GB 2133MHz DDR4 |

Storage: 128GB SSD |

Display: 13.3” LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560×1600

Back to Apple products, it’s excellent for your live shows with this “slender” Macbook Air 13.3. A combination of trustworthy laptops and amazing design features. This is not because Windows is unstable or PC computers are poor. But because Windows components are created by many manufacturers, they are less efficient and are more likely to do the job.

On the other hand, the Air notebook by Apple is completely different from the Pro, much more portable and possesses the largest battery life in ultrabooks and laptops. This is the only battery life of 2.91b, and it delivers the job for any DJ on the road for +13 hours.

MacBook Air is one of the most popular laptop computers for DJs. It also offers functionality for offline performance with features like DJ-friendly studio setups that are often missing from other computers.

More than sufficient power for 13″ MacBook Pro are available in new models. The Intel i5 dual core CPU of 8th generation 1.6GHz is a fantastic choice for DJing. Although 8GB RAM is also enough to be increased to 16GB, it must be kept in mind.

A big and quick hard drive disk is a crucial component for a DJ. The MacBook Air cannot, unfortunately, deliver the best it can. The 128GB (2017 – PCIe) SSD storage definitely won’t satisfy your needs. This model doesn’t lack the lighted keyboard. Also, because of its hard disk technology, Air has its fastest booting times in this ranking.

As a thin laptop, the only ports on this device are two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, which is pretty cool.

Note: This is one of the cheapest laptops Apple has to offer!

7. Lenovo ThinkPad T460

• CPU: Intel Core I5-6300U up to 3.0 GHz |

• RAM: 16GB 2133MHz DDR3 |

• Storage: 500GB |

• Display: 14” LED-backlit Widescreen Display, Full HD Matte Finish.

In recent years, Lenovo has shown that the two main objectives are reliability and durability. You can see the Thinkpads nearly everywhere from all their models. Users’ reviews suggest that it is one of the longest-lasting laptops. A great benefit for every DJ that travels a lot with elegant and strong design and structure.

This model is one of the finest DJ laptops for beginners with less than $500. It does not contain any unnecessary features or any gaming laptop (no dedicated graphics card). In all functions of DJing, the T460 has great features. Excellent processing capacity up to 3.0 GHz and 16 GB of RAM that handles a range of applications and tasks simultaneously. Together with a hard disk of 500GB, you can improve reading times and performance.

Its display size is 14′′, which is no little or too large for individuals who are far from vision. Another thing to be remembered is that the entire high-definition display gives you space for a multitude of interfaces, tools without switching between views.It also comes with a matt coating that prevents reflection when DJing. Remember to check one of the finest laptop stands to keep your laptop secure and steady.

The maximum number of ports is found in this list: You have three USB 3.0 ports, SD card slot, Ethernet and HDMI and what? There is an illuminated keyboard also included. In addition, for events which happen when you are performing the keyboard itself is also spill-resistant. One of Djing’s best laptops from a Windows device; nothing is lacking.

ThinkPad T460 is a very affordable DJing laptop and it is perfect for beginners who don’t have to worry.

8. ASUS ROG GL552VW

• CPU: Intel Core i7 3.5Ghz Quad Core |  

• RAM: 16GB 2133MHz DDR4 |

• Storage: 128 GB + 1TB HDD |

• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M 4GB |

• Display: 15.6″ Matte IPS HD (1920×1080) 

Among DJs searching for a nonstop apple, ASUS laptops for gaming are particularly popular.

Too much power for DJing comes with the ASUS ROG GL552VW: i7 Quad Core 3.5Ghz and 16Gb RAM which are going to fulfill your demands for several years. Also, you can run several DJs or software for producing simultaneously. At a wonderful price, the best of all. This device offers a storage combination, a 1TB HDD for all your pathways, mixes and SSD for your samples, mixes, operating systems and applications. For a long time you will not require an external hard disk. On the other hand, the GPU is probably a little superfluous if you don’t think about the game I wouldn’t advise for a few reasons.

If you are relatively distant from your view, a 15.6′′ display screen is a necessary. In the event of a loud reflection becoming inevitable, the Matte Display is perfect (working outside or when the sun is playing against you). Furthermore, there are far enough ports to play with, likely far more than ever you need: x3 usb 3.0 ports, xl usb 3.1 ports, HDMI and SD card readers. This laptop offers everything you need for DJing, while keeping economical at the same time, if you have little interest in the considerable playing tag on it.

Here are the best laptops for DJing in 2024;

• MacBook Pro
• Dell Inspiron 15
• Alienware m15 R3
• MacBook Air
• Microsoft Surface Pro X
• Lenovo ThinkPad T460
• ASUS ROG GL552VW
• Acer Aspire E15

How to DJ with a laptop?

Mixing songs is the most popular way to DJ in 2020. To mix with a laptop, you need software named Serato or Virtual DJ. Import your music library into the software and add songs on each deck. There’s an auto-cue function so you won’t need to manually beatmatch the tracks. Use the mixer interface to manipulate EQ (lows, mids, high) and add FX filters to achieve a smoother transition between tracks.

Finally, you can invest in some good DJ controllers for more natural mixing by using headphones, knobs, faders, jog-wheels etc.

What to look for before buying a laptop for mixing and DJing

Buying a laptop doesn’t have to be an expensive affair, with the right specifications & price point, you can get what you are looking for. Additionally, connectivity & battery life are important features to consider when buying most laptops. But, for about the same price, you won’t get a huge difference in the features offered. So, here are some things to consider before buying your next laptop!

1. Processor – The performance of your laptop will depend on it. Your processor should be a 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 and you should make sure that your RAM size is at least 8GB, which will ensure that you successfully handle heavy applications and multitasking without any issues.

2. RAM – You should pick a laptop with 8GB RAM or more. 

3. Hard drive – External Hard Drives: How Much Should You Buy? The choice is ultimately dependent on how much you require. 250GB and up is a good initial point and should be more than enough, but no hard drive can guarantee long-term success.

4. Screen Display – If you are into DJing, then you might want to get a laptop with a bigger screen. This way, your performance will be more exciting and exciting to watch for the audience.

Recommended Laptop Requirements For DJ Softwares:

Laptop requirements for Traktor Pro:

• CPU: i5 2GHz

•  RAM: 4GB

• Storage: 1GB

Laptop requirements for Serato DJ Pro:

• CPU: i3 2GHz

•  RAM: 4GB

• Storage: 5GB

Laptop requirements for Virtual DJ:

• CPU: i3 2GHz

•  RAM: 4GB

• Storage: 30MB

   

DJ Laptop design and durability:

Today, most manufacturers pay little attention to design. Consumer standards like CPU and GPU are regularly examined by consumers. Consequently, the design part is paid less attention. Exceptions, such as the gorgeous Macbook Pro and Air from Apple or the Alienware series are, however, available. You’ll notice most notable DJs using an Apple laptop out there (sometimes totally covered with stickers).

The essential point is not, however, that your laptop may not seem cool on stage, but most laptops end up with a weak refrigeration system. You may be skipping or even black-out your laptop. For every DJ, a nightmare, once more. Make sure your laptop and everything is properly ventilated.

Best DJ Laptops Under $1K/£700/€800 – Our Top Picks

DJ laptops are the best for musicians, but they are often not easy on the wallet. There is no point spending hundreds of dollars on an expensive laptop when there are plenty of cheaper options available. But what are these cheaper options? These are some of the cheapest DJ laptops available on the market.

Our top picks are budget-friendly without compromising too much performance or power. They have a sleek design, touch screen displays, powerful processors, great audio systems and more!

Great Alternatives to the Best DJ Laptops

DJ laptops are designed to be durable and portable. These qualities have made them a favorite among DJs. However, it is not impossible to find alternatives to the best DJ laptops.

Alternatives for the best DJ laptop:

1. Dell XPS 15: This laptop is great for a variety of tasks, from working with music to editing video files and photos. It comes with a 4K display and the option of a GTX 1050 graphics card for photo editing.

2. Apple MacBook Pro: This laptop has been around since 2015, but remains one of the top choices as it is lightweight and convenient as it can be used anywhere from homes to coffee shops or on location at any event or show you attend throughout your day.

3. Lenovo ThinkPad T460s: The Lenovo ThinkPad T460

The Lenovo ThinkPad T460 is a powerful and versatile laptop that offers users the latest technology and reliable performance. It has an Intel Core i7-6700HQ quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 1TB hard drive to store all of your files. The large full HD 15.6″ touch screen allows for easy web browsing, video editing, and photo viewing without strain on the eyes.

Conclusion: Final Thoughts on the Best Laptops for DJs

The Top 5 Best Laptops for DJs article is a popular article on the blog, and it has been viewed over 1 million times. The article is well-written and can serve as a great introduction to beginners looking to make their first DJ purchase.