In today’s DJ business, using a laptop computer is almost essential. Gone are the days of having to carry around heavy crates of records (thank God). Now, laptops store all your music and whatever DJ software you choose to use. Sure, there are now ways to put all your music on a flash and plug your flash into your player and go “laptop free.” However, you most likely still have your laptop full of music, along with backup drives, cloud storage, etc. So the ever-lasting question remains, “which type of laptop should I use for DJing? A PC or Mac?” The answer isn’t easy, but basically, it depends on your preferences.
Neither is better for music production. If the software you want works well on it, whether it's Mac or PC, it will work the same way and the result will sound the same. Speed is dictated more by specs than the OS. That being said, if if your.
Mac or PC: Forget the I/Os, forget the gear (for now). Heck, even forget about the talent. In today’s music production world, you cannot record anything of any kind without a good computer. For the audiophiles out there, I too am a tape guy when the opportunity presents itself.
These days, the inside of a PC could be very similar to the inside of a Mac, yet both platforms still come with their own pros and cons. Although the cases and, in particular the operating systems, of a PC and Mac still have a somewhat different look and feel, after so many years of fundamental internal differences it still feels slightly bizarre that nowadays you could find almost exactly. While Mac hardware and software is denoted by its stability, the difference here has lessened. The odds of getting a virus or malware with a PC remain higher than with a Mac, but this is more about the numbers game than technology. About 7.5% of the computers in use are Mac, according to IDC, so hackers spend more time and creativity attacking PCs.
It’s timeless argument. DJs argue “my Mac is better,” or “my PC is better, faster,” etc. One thing is for sure, when it comes to Mac versus PC, Mac has managed to create an amazing brand campaign. If you didn’t already know, the new iPhone X is going to sell at around $1,000 (at the end of October). That’s the most expensive cell phone that has ever existed. Is it worth it? How different will it be from other phones? The premise is the same for computers. My wife and I both use Macs for DJing, and most of our team uses Macs, as well. Although some of our team members do not and have not had any issues running DJ software with it.
So you may ask, “why do I choose to use Mac or a PC?” For me, it’s about reliability. I know that PCs are reliable, and Macs are also reliable. In my experience, however, I’ve had issues with a PC not being reliable during a gig. It happened twice. The PC was an Asus and it had great specs. After the 2nd issue, I got a Mac and never looked back. The reliability is the number one reason for me. That’s not to say that Macs will never have reliability issues. Like all computers, they won’t last forever. If you upgrade to a Solid State Drive and have a lot of RAM, your computer (Mac or PC) should run well and handle DJ software easily.
What I also love about Macs are the updates being optional and not forced. PCs have updates and have managed to always force me to update at the most inconvenient times! The last thing I need is for my PC to update, right before a gig starts (or during a gig). No thanks. I rarely update my Mac until after I see that Serato DJ is compatible with the new update.
Should I Buy A Mac Or Pc
Overall, the choice depends on your preferences and budget. A Mac with “okay” specs, can cost far more than a PC with better specs. (I’ll discuss branding and influence, later). Do your research and use the computer that suits you. No matter which you choose, always have a backup laptop and have all your music backed up, too!
Filed Under: Digital DJing, Mobile DJ Business, Mobile DJ Equipment, Playlists, Songs & Music Charts