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2025 Recording gear update: To Mac or to PC?

lowfreqgeek

lowfreqgeek

Mar 15, 2010
6,542
8,625
Tijeras, NM
#1
I'm considering upgrading my now 13yr old Lenovo Win7 PC running Reaper and a RME Fireface 400 or SSL2+ interface with something new. I would like to consider some of the UA plugins and an Apollo, or I might upgrade to the new SLL18. I really like the SSL2+ for most of my everyday kind of listening/practicing/goofing off needs, so I'd keep that operational. The RME FF400 still sounds great, but it's a pain dealing with the long-defunct firewire and PCIexpress card. The old Lenovo is still doing pretty well, but it's 13yrs old and it's getting harder to find tools that work with Win7.

My goal is to get back to remote recording again. I used to do it and had good success with the old setup, then I got involved with more live studio work and less of my own recording. That live studio work isn't happening as often, so I want to get back to remote work. I've used Reaper for 15 years, and I don't have a lot of reason to not use it, but I'm open to other options like Logic. I'd like to get back into some synths and sequencing, which I've not done for a long time.

So, starting over in 2025, is it worth going the Mac route over PC? I should also state that I have some CC reward points that'll get me about $670 in cash at the Apple Store, so I could get a pretty decent discount on a Mac M4 Mini, Mac Pro, iMac, etc. Then again, I can get a pretty decent PC for less than the cost of most decent Macs minus the cash reward.

What say you?
 
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#2
If you do go Mac, make sure you get hardware that has lots of USB I/O. I’m struggling with my Mac Studio (M1) with only 3(?) input. I’m maxed out with my interface, USB keyboard controller and an external SSD. Some peripherals don’t play well with USB expansion hubs.

I’m a hardcore Logic user so it’s Mac for me all the way. But it’s not for everyone.
 
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#3
DirtDog said:
If you do go Mac, make sure you get hardware that has lots of USB I/O. I’m struggling with my Mac Studio (M1) with only 3(?) input. I’m maxed out with my interface, USB keyboard controller and an external SSD. Some peripherals don’t play well with USB expansion hubs.
Click to expand...

Have you tried Thunderbolt hubs? I do not record all that frequently, but have never had issues (speed or compatibility) across several external devices and several MacBook Pro/iMac models with CalDigit TS3 Plus and TS4 hubs.

Definitely agree with the concern on number of ports though. I have 3 on my M1 Max MacBook Pro and 4 on my M1 iMac. Neither is enough for my needs and both have Thunderbolt hubs attached.
 
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#5
silky smoove said:
Do you intend to use any Apple-exclusive software? If so, get a Mac. If not, get whichever platform gets you the most horsepower for the money. Apple and Windows computers are all great (generally speaking), in 2025.
Click to expand...

I have no current plans to use anything exclusive to Apple and I'm definitely at home on a PC, for all it's faults. In my line of work outside of music, a Mac is pointless and useless to me, so this would be dedicated to music. Since I'm rather fond of Reaper and have no real reason to switch, a PC would make more sense. Then again, I wouldn't mind using something with better looping and sequencing than Reaper, but I do have a bunch of plug-ins and software synths in my old Win7 machine that may or may not be portable.

Then there's that $670+ of "free" money I've got. I can cash it out for less value and use it elsewhere, but I could maximize that "cash" IF I were to use it for a Mac. But maybe it's not worth using it for a Mac.
 
#6
I don't think you can have a PC as powerful as a Mac Mini M4 for the same price, and I'm not counting all the software/utilities included from Apples.

I'm working on Windows PC for more than 25 years (even had two at home for 5-6 years) and I'm using Mac at home for 30 years (even a standalone one running Protools long time ago). For me there's no question: Mac. I hate my life every single minute I have to use Windows and sh... Microsoft software. I work in IT.

I decided to convert my work Windows PC to Ubuntu Linux in 2018 and it was the best move in my career.

If you have an iPhone, a Mac for sure.
 
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#7
DonaldR said:
I don't think you can have a PC as powerful as a Mac Mini M4 for the same price, and I'm not counting all the software/utilities included from Apples.
Click to expand...
The new M4 Minis are fairly insane in terms of actual computing power. I run a commercial recording studio on an old 2018 Intel-based Mini, and it still crushes day in and day out without issue. The M4s are light years better than what I'm running. A buddy has one to run these gigantic film scoring sessions that are absolutely loaded with live VST instruments, and the thing doesn't even break a sweat. Truly remarkably computing power for an "entry level" consumer device.
 
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#8
I am having the same problem with USB on my new-ish MBPro. It is a really bad problem. I have to plug my interface directly into one of the only two USB-C ports actually on the computer. I have not yet found a hub (powered or unpowered) that works with the Focusrite (it's a Scarlett Solo, if it matters). And USB-C hub mfrs seem to lie a lot about whether or not their -C ports actually provide power or not. I'm not saying this is a reason to choose windows - i would never choose windows based on what I've heard about W11 - but dang this has been trouble and you should be aware.
 
#10
Main reason to get a Mac is to get Logic. I love it. A $200 one-time purchase with perpetual updates. Great stock plugins and built-in sound libraries.

If you do get a Mac, definitely get one from the M series. If you're on a budget, the Mac Mini is still pretty great and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I have a Macbook Pro M2 and am very happy with it, but the Minis are also awesome.

The interface matters MUCH less than your computer, imo. Most modern interfaces are great. And with a lot of the UAD plugins having now gone native, you no longer need an Apollo (or some other UAD interface with built-in DSP) to run their plugins. Granted, DSP is nice for reducing latency, but you're pretty limited in how many plugins you can run with the onboard DSP at once unless you buy extra expensive equipment like a DSP Accelerator. I think it's better and easier at this point to just stick to native plugins that can be run without a special interface. There are all kinds of tricks to reduce latency if that issue pops up.

Point being, save on the interface and put the extra money into storage, RAM, and your processor.
 
#12
I just bought an M4 Mac Mini, and while researching hubs I learned that the USB C cable used to connect devices can limit the performance.

Unlike audiophile AC power cable snake oil, a four dollar USB C cable is not the same as one that may cost twenty times that amount. There is electronic circuitry built into the connector of the USB C cable. If you are having problems with hubs or peripherals it may be because you thought that it was ridiculous to pay eighty dollars for a genuine Apple USB C cable when you can buy one from Amazon that looks just like it for a couple bucks.

If you qualify for the educational discount, Apple has what they call the Pro Apps Bundle that includes some great software.
Buy Pro Apps Bundle for Education
 
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#13
Reaper runs on Mac.
If you know how to use Reaper, and your projects are in Reaper, I dont know why you would switch just out of curiosity.
I would only change software if it would make collaborations with friends or artists better.

I just set up a buddy with a Mac mini m4 and Reaper. You can get a hub with plenty of I/O AND an internal SSD slot for a hundred bucks.
Get a REAL Thunderbolt 4 cable, and an interface that does thunderbolt. (the OWC cable works fine for less than $40)

If you do go for Mac, and you are accustomed to PC, you should know that Mac RAM is much more efficient. 16gb acts like a lot more than 16gb, so even the base model Mac mini is a beast.

I'm no expert, but I believe that computer power has outpaced the need for expensive DSP stuff. Audio is a snooze for a computer designed for hi res video work.
 
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#14
I’d suggest a Mac. I switched to Mac 15 years ago for personal use and have had a lot fewer problems than I have ever had on windows PCs. They have improved windows a bit, but also somehow managed to make it worse; and as far as I know they put adds directly in the start menu now.

I just replaced my old Imac with a Mac Studio and have been impressed so far. The version I had has 8 USB ports (2 USB A and the rest thunderbolt i believe (USB C at least on the front two).

I thought about going back to a PC but whenever I spec one out I get into the same price ballpark anyways so there was no real advantage.
 
#16
The Mac Mini is blessed with the best processor around. It's a well supported product and it will run a version of your DAW software, so you won't be thrust onto the base of a learning curve.

Downsides - for the tech savvy, Macs aren't as customisable or easy/cheap to upgrade as a PC; the Apple OS update cycle can be as difficult as any; legacy peripherals (including interfaces) can become bricks as major OS updates do not always support legacy drivers - this can include audio interfaces.

If I was buying a "set and forget" platform, the Mac Mini would be very high on my list. As someone who is capable of building PCs from components, I am happier with a platform I can continuously refine in a cost-effective way.
 
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#17
I've used Macs in the last 8 years with Reaper and a bunch of plug-ins. Laptop is a Macbook Air 2024 with an M3, but the desktop is a hackintosh. Reason is memory prices on the ARM-equipped Macs are obscene. When it's time to update the hackintosh, I'll probably switch to WIndows 11/12

Everything else I have on the hackintosh has Mac and Windows versions (plus some have Linux) - Musescore, Anthemscore, Song Master Pro, Guitar Pro, and KiCad.

If you must use Logic Pro, then Mac unless you are planning on doing orchestral DAW work and don't have Zuckerberg or Musk type money. Then you are probably looking at a Windows box if you need 128GB or 192GB RAM.

The other aspect to consider is whether you need the advantage of Apple's core audio. I've heard that the new Windows update will have a competing product in the box to core audio. Don't know if it's out yet or not.

An advantage of Windows is Microsoft has better backward compatibility than Apple.
 
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#18
Thanks for all the replies. It looks like I could get a base model M4 Mini (256GB SSD, 16GB RAM) for less than the total reward points I have on that credit card, so I could essentially get it for "free". Or lets just say "pre-paid". Or, I could add about $100 and get the 512GB SSD upgrade.

Is there any advantage to the M4 Pro for audio work? I can't imagine there is considering what my i7 Lenovo from 13 years ago can handle. As long as I can get a dock and expand the IO if needed, I should be ok for quite some time.

Also glad to know Reaper is playing nice with Macs. That wasn't always the case, but it's been a long time since I payed attention to that.

As far as Windows goes, I've still got 2 functioning Win7 machines from 2012 - one for music and one for general engineering work. My main engineering PC is a Dell professional workstation running Win10 Pro, but it hasn't been as mechanically robust as the older 2 workstations. I've dealt with the Win11 nonsense on some clients' computers and I'm dreading the day I need to upgrade my current machine. Most of my engineering tools are limited to Windows OS.
 
#19
Current state of play is that any of the upper end CPUs from Apple, Intel, and AMD have a processing capacity massively in excess of the demands of most DAW software. The standard M4 will be fine for years to come.

I'd be more interested in upping the RAM and/or SSD size if I was to spend more money. Some plugins and virtual instruments can be very RAM hungry, and you can never have too much storage capacity!
 
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#20
What Dabndug said, all the modern CPUs have enough cores. It's the memory that becomes important.

You'll want the 24GB version if not for the DAW and templates, then for the life of the SSD. More memory means larger caches, less swapping, and thus longer SSD life. My recommended minimum RAM is 32GB, but that's not obtainable with the Mac mini. Probably not until after Apple refreshes the Mac studio.

One other note is that Apple puts sales on their Amazon apple store. Basically they lower the price on Macs to the college pricing from time to time.
 
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