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7 Best-Sounding Laptops Reviews in 2023 | For Making Music, Gaming, Streaming & More!

7 Top Picks

4 Reviewers

26 Hours of Research

23 Options Considered

Who doesn't enjoy a laptop with good sound quality? Whether you're using it for a Zoom call, gaming, a movie, or music.

It would be best if you had ideal laptop speakers for everyday convenience. Nowadays, a laptop's audio quality is equally important as its screen quality, RAM, processor, and many other specs.

Fortunately, there are several existing laptops with great sound quality speakers if you know where to search. 

This review will identify the best-sounding laptops currently in the market, among other factors often considered when selecting the ideal-sounding computer.

3 Top Best-Sounding Laptops

 HP ENVY x360 Convertible 15-inch Laptop

1. [Best Overall]

 HP Envy x360 Convertible 15"

5/5

The HP Envy x360 is an excellent foldable laptop. It's versatile enough to serve as a typical laptop or a tablet. If you're a professional student who needs a powerful yet cost-effective laptop, this is the best choice.

  • Excellent crisp images
  • Vivid display
  • Great speakers with superb sound quality
 ASUS ZenBook 14 Ultra-Slim Laptop 14

2. [Best For The Money]

 ASUS ZenBook 14" Ultra-Slim

4.9/5

The ASUS ZenBook 14" is an excellent option if you're searching for a lightweight computer that doesn't compromise on good battery life. The laptop weighs 5.57 pounds, making it one of the lightest laptops available.

  • Lightweight
  • Powerful processor ideal for music production applications
  • Long battery life
Dell XPS7390 13" InfinityEdge Touchscreen Laptop

3. [Best For The Crystal-Clear Displa]

Dell XPS 7390 13"

4.8/5

The Dell XPS 7390 is a brilliant choice if you want a powerful convertible laptop with the best sound quality speakers built-in. It has a 256 SSD for storage, 8GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5 processor.

  • The display is crystal-clear, and the colors are realistic

  • Safety fingerprint scanner
  • Lightweight build quality

Best-Sounding Laptop Reviews

5/5

The HP Envy x360 is an excellent foldable laptop. It's versatile enough to serve as a typical laptop or a tablet. If you're a professional student who needs a powerful yet cost-effective laptop, this is the best choice.

The HP Envy x360's built-in Bang & Olufsen speakers produce rich sound. The device also has a microphone with noise-cancellation capabilities, making it ideal for video conferencing and podcast production.

 HP ENVY x360 Convertible 15-inch Laptop

This laptop has an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U processor, which can run resource-intensive progRAMs like video editing and gaming without a hitch. 

Additional features include 512 GB SSD and 8GB RAM. That means you can stop stressing about where to put all the content you've been downloading or creating.

This 15-inch laptop has a full HD IPS display, another outstanding feature. It can render vivid colors and crisp images, making it ideal for watching YouTube videos or working on creative design tasks.

Specs

Processor

AMD Ryzen 7 5825U

Graphics

AMD Radeon

RAM

8GB

Battery Life

Up-to 7 Hours

Camera

Wide Vision HD Camera with built-in microphone

Display

FHD 15” screen

Audio

Quad speakers, Bang & Olufsen, and HP Audio Boost

Hard Drive

512 GB SSD

Pros

  • Excellent crisp images
  • Vivid display
  • Great speakers with superb sound quality
  • Capable music production laptop with a fast processor

Cons

  • Having a short battery life
  • Inadequate number of USB ports

[Best For The Money]

2. ASUS ZenBook 14" Ultra-Slim

4.9/5

The ASUS ZenBook 14" is an excellent option if you're searching for a lightweight computer that doesn't compromise on good battery life. This laptop weighs 5.57 pounds, making it one of the lightest laptops available.

It has a powerful output, and the sounds and beats it creates are spot-on. You can hear every aspect of the rhythms, the singer's range of vocal tones, and every instrument in the band, even at maximum volume, making it ideal for listening to upbeat music.

 ASUS ZenBook 14 Ultra-Slim Laptop 14

The colors on this 14-inch laptop are vivid and accurate to life. The ZenBook 14's keyboard is spacious and responsive despite its compact size.

It has a 1TB PCIe SSD, 16GB of RAM, and an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor that is perfect for installing music production software. The exceptional battery life lasts about 10 hours of constant use.

Specs

Processor

AMD Ryzen 7 5800H

Graphics

Radeon Vega 7

RAM

16 GB

Hard Drive

1TB SSD

Speakers

Harman/Kardon with Alexa and  Cortana support

Display

Ultra-Slim 14” FHD

Battery Life

Up to 10 Hour

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Powerful processor ideal for music production applications
  • Long battery life
  • High sound quality speakers

Cons

  • It's not a touchscreen

[Best For The Crystal-Clear Displa]

3. Dell XPS 7390 13"

4.8/5

The Dell XPS 7390 is a brilliant choice if you want a powerful convertible laptop with the best sound quality speakers built-in. It has a 256 SSD for storage, 8GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5 processor.

Those are some serious internals; they'll help the device handle more than just the bare minimum. Two speakers on each laptop side provide an audible and clear sound.

Dell XPS7390 13" InfinityEdge Touchscreen Laptop

The exemplary audio quality is high enough to hear most of the components you are listening to, and the speakers are loud enough to fill a room of average size. The 13-inch laptop also boasts a bright HD display that creates vibrant colors standard in most Dell laptops.

When you factor in its long-lasting battery life (up to 7 hours), you have a potent device that can serve as an excellent sound accompaniment to your entertainment.

Specs

RAM

8 GB

Processor

Intel i5-10210U (10th Gen)

Display

InfinityEdge Touch Screen Laptop 3.3-inch FHD

Storage

256 GB SSD

Audio

2 speakers with built-in dual-array microphones

Battery Life

Up to 7 hours

Pros

  • Lightweight build quality
  • Safety fingerprint scanner
  • The display is crystal-clear, and the colors are realistic
  • Affordable laptop
  • Great speakers with high quality audio

Cons

  • Lower battery life compared to other laptops

Good built-in speakers on a laptop are fantastic since they let you enjoy your favorite tunes, play games, and watch movies without external speakers or headphones. Now, if you can get decent sound quality and long battery life on the same device, that's even better.

This laptop provides a 2-in-1 with a stylish design, with great speakers that generate high-quality audio, and the battery life can last for over 8 hours while doing basic chores in traditional settings.
 HP 2022 Newest 14" HD Laptop

However, the battery life will run out fast if you use it to watch videos continuously or listen to music while doing other things.

Considering that this laptop has 8GB of RAM, 128GB of SSD storage, and a brilliant 14.3-inch Full HD display, you have a powerful machine that can handle all your media files without a hitch.

Specs

CPU

AMD 3020e Up to 2.6GHz

RAM

8GB

Display

14" HD (1366 x 768)

Storage

128GB SSD + 64GB eMMC

Battery Life

Up to 8 hours

Pros

  • Beautifully crisp images
  • Vivid display
  • Superb sound quality
  • Highly efficient CPU

Cons

  • Insufficient number of ports

The laptop has impressive speakers and robust hardware, including an Intel Core i7 processor(12th-generation), 512 GB SSD storage, and 16GB RAM.

It's an efficient central processing unit that can handle most of your schoolwork.

 HP Pavilion 15 Laptop

Even though this Core i7 laptop only has Intel HD Graphics, it's among the top gaming laptops with the best speakers. Plus, this model has excellent sound configurations for speakers capable of producing well-balanced sound, even at high volumes. It's also one of the best laptops for music if you don't want to use headphones.

While a little over 7 hours of battery life isn't impressive, it's plenty to get you through nearly an entire workday.

Specs

CPU

Intel Core i7-1255U (12th Generation)

Graphics

16 GB

Screen

15” Touch Display

Hard Drive

512 GB SSD

Battery Life

Up to 7 hours

Pros

  • Quite light
  • Powerful intel core i7 with decent storage space
  • Top-notch audio system for music production
  • Beautifully crisp images
  • Vibrant display

Cons

  • The storage capacity is lower than competitor brands.

The laptop is decent, with quality speakers that you can use for entertainment.

It's a decent laptop that runs on a dedicated graphics card with 32GB storage and 4GB RAM. These specs enable you to stream videos or hold Zoom meetings seamlessly.

HP Chromebook 14 Laptop

HP installs a premium Bang & Olufsen audio system to round off the overall package. 

Despite the feeble bass, the sound system is adequate for watching Netflix or listening to music. When turned up to maximum, the sound is still crystal clear.

Even though it has powerful and demanding hardware, the HP Chromebook 14 only has a 6.5-hour battery life.

Specs

CPU

Intel Celeron Processor N3350 (Dual-core)

RAM

4 GB

Screen

FHD IPS (14-inch)

Hard Drive

32 GB

Battery Life

Up-to 9 Hours

Audio

Audio by B&O, Dual Speakers

Pros

  • Good enough sound quality
  • Slim and light
  • Decent performance
  • Cheap enough not to break the bank

Cons

  • Storage of 32 GB is inadequate
  • Limited battery life

The 2022 Apple MacBook Pro is an excellent option if you're searching for a computer with the best speakers. This model's speakers are among the best laptops in the MacBook lineup, generating both crisp and powerful sound.

The bass, though, is what truly sets apart this laptop's speaker. It's a common problem with laptop speakers, but Apple did a fantastic job eliminating it in the 2022 MacBook Pro.

2022 Apple MacBook Air with M2 chip

The model's robust sound enhances music listening, and the 13.3-inch Retina display and powerful processor make it an excellent computer for watching movies or giving presentations in a medium-sized room. Even at its loudest setting, the audio remains clear. 

Not only do the high-quality speakers make it one of the best laptops, but it also has impressive hardware.

It has 256GB of SSD storage and 8GB of RAM, making it one of the most versatile laptop models, useful for work and play. Its light and slim build make it portable.

Specs

CPU

Apple M2 Chip

RAM

8GB

Screen

LED-backlit Retina Display (13 inches)

Storage

256 GB SSD

Battery Life

Up to 18 Hours

Pros

  • Lightweight build
  • The M2 chip allows for lightning-fast processing
  • Extended battery life
  • The display is crystal-clear and well-lit
  • It has the best speakers producing superb sound quality

Cons

  • Insufficient number of ports
  • A lack of a suitable SD card reader

How to Choose the Best Sounding Laptops?

Here are some basic features to look out for to find the best laptop with the best sounding speakers.

Sound Quality

It's crucial to think about while shopping for the best laptops for music. These devices typically have decent speakers built right in and a high quality sound.

Paying attention to your laptop drivers is essential if you want to enjoy your music without disruption by subpar sound.

You can benefit from using an AC-powered laptop with a 2.0 amplified speaker system that produces stereo sound. A laptop can get the most immersive sound if it has a 2.1 system comprising two speakers and a subwoofer. 

CPU

Your device's performance depends on its processing speed, which determines how many tasks it can tackle simultaneously. A powerful Intel Core i7 laptop is the best option. 

It's essential to pick a gadget with enough RAM to do multiple tasks simultaneously. Memory capacities of 8 or 16 GB are sufficient for multitasking and music playback.

Man producing music on laptop with headphones on

Battery Life

It's pointless to waste your time with a laptop that always needs charging every few hours because of its low lifespan. Get a gadget with at least 7 hours of charge. That way, you can put in long hours without recharging every time.

Storage

Do you keep an extensive library of content that you love? Is extensive files something you enjoy and want to save on your machine? You'll want to invest in a laptop with plenty of storage space. 

A laptop with 128 GB to 256 GB of solid-state storage is among the best laptops for music or data storage. Investing in a device with at least 1 terabyte (TB) storage space (SSD or HDD) could save you from making frequent updates soon. 

Those seeking the best laptops for students can also benefit from this option.

Budget

Once you've settled on the critical paRAMeters, it's time to consider the cost. You can get a decent budget laptop with prices for the best laptops in this category going from $500 to $4,000.

A girl on a laptop

Is Windows or Mac Better for Music Production?

If you're not using a professional recording studio, your Mac or PC needs to meet a few technical requirements for you to make music.

You'll need the following hardware for music production with an outdated DAW.

  • An intel core i7 quad-core processor with 2.2 GHz

  • OS with 64-bit processing power

  • Up to 16GB of RAM 

  • 512 GB hard drive or solid-state drive

  • A portable hard drive for storing your music collection

  • A mouse that allows you to scroll sideways

While it's true that you can make music on a device with a screen as small as a smartphone, a 15-inch laptop or desktop monitor is ideal.

Having a dual-monitor setup simplifies the technical aspects of making music.

As far as recording quality, tone, and audio compression go, you will notice little difference between Mac and Windows. So, the ideal operating system for music production comes down to preference.

Why You Should Use MacOS X for Making Music

MacOS is the obvious choice for any Apple fan who wants to explore music creation. You'll have access to an excellent digital audio workstation and reliable connectivity. 

Finding a 1/4-inch jack to USB-C or Thunderbolt adapter before beginning the production process will ensure that your instruments record with the highest possible quality.

A USB-C and Thunderbolt transfer adapter is often useful when linking a MIDI to macOS. Once you've worked out the nitty gritty, check out these benefits of using macOS for making music.

  • Logic Studio Infrastructure

  • Plug-and-Play Options

  • Reliability of Both Hardware and Software

  • Lightweight Workstation

  • Standard Solid-State Drives

A girl editing video on a laptop

Why You Should Use a Windows Computer for Music Production

Using a Windows PC for music creation makes sense if you already use one for your other daily tasks. If you already have a stable network at home, there's no reason to mess with it unless necessary.

One obvious drawback of using a windows computer as a home music studio is that they do not optimize the Windows Audio driver for that purpose.

You should spend some money on a better-than-average audio interface if you care about the quality of your recorded and played music. To sum up why you should pick Windows, consider these points:

  • Unlimited Configurations
  • Scalability Over Time
  • Immediate Compatibility

Which Is Better: Mac or Windows for Making Music?

The advancements in computer technology over the past decade mean that either a Mac or a PC can produce music. However, the ultimate decision must depend on your goals.

So, macOS provides the most considerable advantages if you intend to play gigs, become a DJ, or even tour.

If you intend to record and distribute music at home, a Windows PC can be a better choice for music composition.

A man using a laptop for music production


How Much RAM Do You Need for Music Production?

If you want your computer to function well, you need enough RAM. The good thing is RAM is cheap, and upgrading it can improve your computer's performance.

How Much RAM Do You Need to Make Music?

You can enhance your machine's performance by increasing the amount of RAM.

The suggested amount of memory for music production and audio engineering is 16 GB, with 8 GB being the minimum to run all necessary programs without lagging. 

Increasing your CPU speed allows you to upgrade your RAM to 32 or 64 GB for a powerful PC.

Benefits of Having Higher RAM

When making music, more RAM is always dependable. Having a higher RAM has several benefits, which include:

1. Lower Rates of Freezing and Crashes

While working on a musical project, you will most likely encounter memory issues if your computer has a low RAM specification. Having at least 16 GB of RAM is ideal for optimal performance when making music.

2. Extra Channels

More RAM allows you to manage more channels without your progRAM crashing.

3. Plugins and Sound Banks Perform at Their Best

They reload into RAM and playback instantly when using VST plugins or other instruments that rely on them. A more considerable amount of RAM, therefore, permits the usage of more plugins and tools.

4. Run several plugins and pieces of software concurrently

If you have enough RAM, you can run multiple cases of various plugins and programs concurrently.

Man holding headphones over a laptop

RAM Specifications for Producing Music

A few RAM requirements for making music on a computer include:

1. RAM Speed

Computers measure RAM performance in MHz. So, rather than just adding more RAM, investing in quicker RAM can be a valuable alternative. 

RAM with a clock speed of 3000MHz (or higher) provides significant performance gains over RAM with a regular clock speed of 2133MHz when paired with an overclocked CPU.

It's a decent option for doubling your RAM if you run only a few progRAMs (multitasking) simultaneously. You will get more use out of your RAM if it has a higher speed (in MHz).

However, RAM size also plays a role. In most cases, more RAM is preferable to quicker RAM. 

For example, 32 GB of RAM running at 2400 MHz will perform better than 16 GB of RAM running at 3600 MHz.

2. The RAM Protocols

DDR is an abbreviation for "double data rate." The DDR protocol has developed where modern protocols' bandwidth and energy efficiency have improved.

So, most new PCs ship with DDR4 RAM, which is incompatible with older RAM standards like DDR3 RAM. To ensure the functioning of your motherboard, you must use the correct protocol.

Laptop on a keyboard for producing music

FAQs

How Much Should I Spend on a Laptop?

You can get a decent laptop with adequate sound quality for $500 to $1,000. However, you will have to spend more than that on a laptop computer if you plan to use it for gaming or to handle complex tasks. A top-of-the-line laptop with top performance will go for $1,500 and above.

What Is the Best Laptop for Audio Production?

The MacBook Pro (14-inch) is still the best laptop for making music. This multipurpose laptop, available with either an M1 Pro or M1 Max processor, is very potent and can efficiently perform even the most demanding tasks.

How Much RAM Do I Need for Laptop Music?

Having 16 GB of RAM is optimal for music creation and audio engineering. However, 8 GB of RAM is the minimum to run all necessary programs smoothly. You can upgrade your RAM from 16 GB to 32 GB or even 64 GB when your CPU performance grows.

Does It Matter What Laptop You Have for Music Production?

When shopping for a laptop to make music, it's essential to keep a few things in mind. To record audio without hiccups, you need a powerful computer with intel core i7 and above, plus plenty of RAM to run all your plugins and tracks simultaneously.

About Dusan Stanar

I'm the founder of VSS Monitoring. I have been both writing and working in technology in a number of roles for dozens of years and wanted to bring my experience online to make it publicly available. Visit https://www.vssmonitoring.com/about-us/ to read more about myself and the rest of the team.