I am wanting to get a new Mac. I have been using GarageBand for music production, and want to upgrade so I can get Logic Pro. I want something that can last a while, but still run strong. But here is the big issue: I don't want to spend much money. I want to know from you people:
Thanks! :)
I hope to be getting to more advanced stuff. I do use some 3rd Party Plugins.
Also, I would be hooking a monitor up to this, so I'm not that concerned about the screen.
If you think you’ll ever want to run more than one external display, go for a MacBook Pro — the Air can only handle a single external screen.
That said, if you’re not planning on getting an M4 Pro or Max, you probably don’t need a Pro at all. In that case, you can get everything you need from an M4 Air. I’m not deeply familiar with Logic Pro, but for most users I’d recommend a standard M4 Air with 16 GB RAM and at least 500 GB of storage — more if your workflow demands it. It’s worth checking online for RAM usage benchmarks or experiences for your specific use case, as you might find that 24 GB or more is recommended. CPU-wise, though, the M4 in that configuration already delivers plenty of power, so I don’t think you’d hit a limit anytime soon — but it never hurts to double-check.
One bonus with the MacBook Pro models is the Nano-Texture display. I use it daily and love it — it’s a fantastic feature if you’re going for a Pro anyway. But on its own, it’s not enough reason to skip the Air.
As in, you can get an equally good computer for 3/4 the price, but with a worse gpu.
Oh, so you mean a desktop PC limited to Linux or Windows? Cute. Yeah, sure — you can grab one for about a quarter of the price… if you’re fine with skipping a real GPU. Spend double or triple that and maybe you’ll score a “starter” gaming card — perfect if your expectations begin and end with playing games with your mates all day, assuming you’re not stuck installing updates or reinstalling Windows for the sixth time this year. Slap on some rainbow RGB and I might consider it bathroom décor. Put it in a server chassis and, sure, it could live in my rack as a Linux box — except I already have enough servers doing actual work.
Not saying you shouldn’t buy PCs or anything else — but posting this 💩 in a thread where someone specifically asks for help choosing the right MacBook, and even says the reason is a macOS-only app? That’s not advice, that’s barging into a vegan café, slapping a raw steak on the counter, then handing out Trump flyers while oinking at people.
And honestly, calling €1500–1750 overpriced for a machine that gives you around 18 hours of video playback, packs an M4 chip, at least 16 GB of RAM, weighs less than most textbooks, and runs fully passive with zero fan noise is just… adorable. That’s before you even factor in macOS — three words sum it up: It just works. And that’s not some marketing slogan, that’s daily life. This is what the pros use, not toy gaming rigs dressed up in RGB. For serious developers and sysadmins, it’s the wet dream setup. For those who are both? It’s like having root access to heaven… and once you’ve had it, there’s no going back to the kiddie pool.
Whoa. Uhh... don't quite know what to make of that. could you sum that up? I can't tell what you are trying to say.
You don't need a mac because:
Also, since you want something that will last, do not get a newer mac, it has a 2-year planned obselence period.
I mean, I really like Garageband, have tried multiple different kinds of software, and want to update to Logic Pro
Well, my rant was a strange amalgamation of fact, and my own opinion, I really can't stop you from bying a mac if you want to, I just don't reccomend it.
I honestly can’t confirm any planned obsolescence. From what I’ve seen, MacBooks are some of the most reliable machines out there—as long as they don’t break. They’re not designed to be easily repairable, sure, but the idea that Apple would deliberately engineer them to fail? No chance. The blowback would be catastrophic. Apple would be easily ruined.
And don’t mistake this as blind fanboyism—I can bash Apple with the best of them. But when it comes to reliability, I have to give them credit. I spent nearly four years working in a computer repair shop, building and fixing notebooks and motherboards day in and day out. From that experience, my stance is clear: Macs are solid. Would I rather not have dropped nearly 6k€ on my M4 Max? Absolutely. But as a sysadmin and developer, macOS is priceless. It’s smooth, it just works, it’s supported for ages, and it’s optimized to a degree Windows machines can only dream of. That alone makes the price worth it to me.
For the record, I despise Intel. But if you love them, fine—I’ll happily help you spec out a decent Intel rig or find a good Windows notebook. Just don’t be shocked if your shiny new “toaster” fries itself after a couple of years (though, to be fair, Intel has that fixed, i hope). Everyone’s got preferences, and that’s cool. Just don’t trash Macs if you’ve never actually used macOS. That’s like calling MSI garbage without knowing they had, at least in my firsthand experience, RMA rates 500–1200% higher than almost any other motherboard brand. For reliability, go Gigabyte or ASRock.
And if you’re a dev or sysadmin who enjoys working in the Linux console, macOS is a dream. It’s Unix-based, clean, and ridiculously elegant. For real work, it feels like finding your soulmate which does not break up with you after some y… 🫥🔫 sudo reboot…
Yes, some people have had Macs fail early. That’s frustrating. But when you zoom out and look at long-term customer data, the numbers tell a different story. And if mine ever dies, I’m covered—I insure my gear, because I’m not about to replace a 6k€ Mac every few years out of pocket. Also never had to yet, but guys everyone has bad luck. Just not at MSI i tell you they are so rigged, but psst.
I started with a smaller MacBook, but I upgraded for the unified memory, raw power, and because I like playing with AI and gaming. And if you developers don’t bother porting games to macOS, fine—I’ll brute force them with raw horsepower.
So yeah, I’ll stand by my opinion: for me, Macs are worth every cent. But if Windows is your jam, then get a Windows machine. Let’s put the pitchforks down and admit that people have different preferences. Stop the pointless brand wars. I’m the first to admit I’m biased. I used to be one of the biggest Apple haters in western Europe—just on principle. Too expensive, too flashy, whatever. My friends still remind me how much I trashed Apple back in the day. I only switched when I got so fed up with terrible phones that I tried an iPhone. It just worked. Backups worked. That was a revelation. After the second iPhone, I bought a small MacBook Air. Since then, my Windows PC has seen daylight maybe seven times in years. Imagine I bought that iPhone just with the hope to end my private IT suffering
and it for once fucking worked. I was
never happier in my life 😭.
Now? I wouldn’t go back. At work, I still get grief because I not yet got me a MacBook approved because it costs like 3€ more on the leasing rates. 😢
Okay, so this got quite heated. However, I think I am buying a mac mini.
It is on sale for 100 dollars, resulting in a $500 computer, that will last me for a while.
I will make a follow up post with my findings :)
What are your specific use cases? A fully configured MacBook Pro with the M4 Max chip delivers top-tier performance, but for most users, a MacBook Air with the standard M4 chip and 16 GB of RAM will handle nearly all tasks efficiently.
Logic Pro’s performance depends heavily on your workflow—light projects with basic plugins may run flawlessly on the Air, while more demanding sessions with numerous third-party plugins or processing-intensive tasks can benefit from the Pro’s stronger GPU, active cooling, and faster memory bandwidth. Let me know what you’ll be working on, and I can help refine the recommendation.
Personally, I’d recommend the MacBook Air (M4, 2025)—13- or 15-inch, depending on your preference—with 16 GB of RAM and at least 500 GB of storage. In my opinion, it’s the sweet spot for most people, offering excellent performance, long battery life, and great portability in a fanless design, all at a fair price.