A few years ago, you couldn’t record music of any kind without needing access to a studio, but now, all you need is a desktop and some editing software, and you’ve got yourself a few songs already! However, even though you can use a laptop to produce music, you need to make the right decision when choosing a processor, which is why we’ve put this guide together.
After conducting some research and testing different processors, we’ve concluded that the best processor for music production is the AMD Ryzen 9 3950 X. It has 16 cores and 32 threads, giving you the most processing power possible that any mainstream laptop can give you, which means that it’s also ideal for producing music. It can also run multiple software simultaneously, making it easier for you to produce music efficiently.
We’ve chosen the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X as our low and mid-range budget picks. The Ryzen 5 3600 is the processor that we’d recommend to users needing a low-budget CPU. We’d also recommend the AMD Ryzen 5600X as a mid-range CPU that gives you excellent performance and value for money. Don’t worry about the specifics of these processors because we’ll expand on that later on in this article.
If you’ve been searching high and low for the best CPU for music production, you needn’t look much further! In this article, we’ll take you through a list of the top ten best processors for music production. We’ll examine the number of cores, thread performance, compatibility with DAW software, memory, and much more.
First, we’ll list out the ten best processors. Next, we’ll give you an overview of the product, its technical specifications, and its advantages and disadvantages. Finally, we’ll conclude our list with a buying guide and some frequently asked questions.
Please keep reading for our list of the best processors for music production!
The Best Processor for Music Production
- AMD Ryzen 9 3950 X
- AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
- AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
- Intel Core i5-11400
- Intel Core i9-9900K
- Intel Core i3-10100
- Intel Core i9-11900K
- Intel Core i7-11700K
1. AMD Ryzen 9 3950 X
The first item on our list is the AMD Ryzen 9, and it’s the best CPU out there for producing music. We’ve listed this at number one because there truly isn’t another processor for music like this one. As we mentioned before, the AMD Ryzen 9 gives you the most processing power that any mainstream desktop computer ever could, thanks to the number of cores and its thread performance.
Let’s look at the specifics.
Product Tech Specifications:
- It has 16 cores and 32 processing threads.
- It has a clock speed of 4.7 GHz.
- It can deliver 100+ FPS performance if you’re into playing video games.
- It can support PCIe 4.0 on x570 motherboards.
- It has a clock speed of 3.5 GHz.
- It also has a CMOS-TSMC 7 nanometer Finfet.
- This processor has a total L1 cache of 1MB, an L2 cache of 8MB, and an L3 cache of 64MB.
Advantages:
- The performance and speed are extremely fast, especially when working with DAW software or video editing.
Disadvantages:
- It runs very hotly.
- It is pretty expensive.
2. AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Next up on our list of processors for music production is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600. This is the CPU for music production that we’d recommend to users on a budget.
Let’s have a look at the features of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPUs.
Product Tech Specifications:
- This AMP Ryzen 5 is a wonderful entry-level CPU.
- It is a 6 core and 12 thread processor.
- The clock speed is 3.8 GHz.
- This CPU can support PCle 40 on x570 motherboards for the advanced socket AM4 platform.
- The AMD Ryzen’s turbo speed for this CPU is 4.2GHz.
- It comes with a high-performance cooler.
Advantages:
- This AMD Ryzen 5 is the perfect CPU for music production.
- It is also perfect for DAW use.
- Its performance is high.
- As a CPU, it is also perfect for video game enthusiasts.
- It’s perfect for users on a budget.
Disadvantages:
- Fortunately or unfortunately, we couldn’t seem to find anything negative about the AMD Ryzen 5 2600. It’s a great purchase to make because of how fast, affordable, and effective it is.
3. AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
When searching for a processor that you need for music production, you want to make sure that you’re spending an adequate amount of money while also ensuring that your purchase has all the features you need it to. The following AMD Ryzen that we’re recommending is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X. It’s affordable for users on a budget, and it’s perfect for when you’re recording tracks or playing video games.
These are its features.
Product Tech Specifications:
- This CPU has 6 cores and 12 threads.
- It comes with an AMD Wraith Stealth Cooler.
- It has a clock speed of 4.6 GHz.
- It has a 35MB cache.
- This CPU can support PCIe 4.0 on X570 and B550 motherboards for the advanced socket AM4 platform.
Advantages:
- It is ideal for users on a budget but who still have a little extra money to spend.
- It’s perfect for music producers and musicians working from home.
Disadvantages:
- Depending on when you buy it, you might end up paying a higher price for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X.
4. AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
We hope you’re not sick of the AMD Ryzen recommendations because there’s another after this. We can’t seem to get enough of these high-quality CPUs! The AMD Ryzen 9 is a higher-end purchase, thanks to its higher price. We’d recommend that you think of this processor as an investment.
Let’s look at the specifics of the Ryzen 9.
Product Tech Specifications:
- This AMD Ryzen 9 CPU has 16 cores and 32 threads.
- It has a clock speed of 4.9 GHz.
- It has a 72MB cache.
- It also has DDR-3200 support.
- It can support PCIe 4.0 on X570 and B550 motherboards for the advanced socket AM4 platform.
Advantages:
- The AMD Ryzen 9 is one of the faster processors globally, making it the ideal CPU for music production and recording tracks and instruments.
- It’s also great if you’re an avid video game player.
Disadvantages:
- This AMD Ryzen 9 is a higher-end purchase, making the price more expensive for users on a budget.
5. AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
Don’t worry, we’ve reached the last AMD Ryzen recommendation. The last one we’re recommending is the AMD Ryzen 7. As the brand themselves say, it gives you the “highest multiprocessing performance on a mainstream desktop PC.” With 8 cores and high speed, there is much to love about this CPU.
Product Tech Specifications:
- The Ryzen 7 has 16GB of RAM.
- This CPU has 8 cores and 16 threads.
- The frequency and clock speed for this processor are 4.3 GHz.
- It has a base clock of 3.7 GHz.
- This AMD Ryzen 7 processor is compatible with Windows 10 64 bit edition, RHEL x86 bit, and Ubuntu x86 64 bit.
- This CPU has a combined cache of 20MB.
- The AM4 socket requires a motherboard.
Advantages:
- The price of this CPU is in the mid-range, making it more affordable than some of the other CPU models that we recommended.
- It is also ideal for video game players.
- The AMD Ryzen 7 works well with DAW software.
Disadvantages:
- Thankfully, we have nothing negative to say about this processor either!
6. Intel Core i5-11400
We’ve now entered Intel Core territory! This Intel Core i5 processor is great for music production because of how fast its performance is. Let’s take a look at the features of this CPU.
Product Tech Specifications:
- This core i5 CPU has 6 cores and 12 threads.
- It is compatible with the Intel 500 series and specific Intel 400 series chipset-based motherboards.
- This CPU has a base frequency/clock speed of 2.6 GHz.
- It uses Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0.
- This CPU has an internal cache of 12MB.
- The top-boost frequency of this processor is 4.2 GHz.
- This CPU has Intel Optane Memory Support.
- It comes with a thermal solution.
Advantages:
- It is the ideal processor for when you’re using DAW software.
- This core i5 CPU is one of the more affordable processors.
Disadvantages:
- This is not the fastest i5 CPU that you can buy.
7. Intel Core i9-9900K
Next up on our list is the Intel Core i9 processor! The Intel i9 has 8 cores and 16 threads, and the price is quite reasonable! There is a lot to love about this CPU, so let’s look at its features.
Product Tech Specifications:
- This CPU has 8 cores and 16 threads.
- It has a 16MB cache.
- It is compatible only with motherboards based on the Intel 300 series chipsets.
- It is Intel Optane Memory Supported.
- The base clock speed for this CPU is 3.6 GHz.
Advantages:
- This core i9 CPU is perfect for working with DAW software b
- ecause the processor’s interface material is built to maximize internal heat transfer, making it easier for you to push your system further.
Disadvantages:
- In terms of cost, purchasing this CPU means that you pay a higher price. However, we’d advise you to think of the Intel Core i9 processor as an investment.
8. Intel Core i3-10100
We’re nearing the end of our list, but we still have a few Intel Core processors to recommend. Next up is the Intel Core i3 – 10100. It’s a fast and affordable core processor, so let’s take a closer look at the specifics.
Product Tech Specifications:
- The Intel Core i3 is a quad-core processor, as it has 4 cores and 8 threads.
- It has a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz, which can go up to 4.3 GHz.
- It is compatible with Intel 400 series chipset-based motherboards.
- It has Intel Optane Memory Support.
- It has a smart cache of 6MB.
Advantages:
- It is perfect for music production and for music producers to work with, thanks to its i3 processing feature.
- This CPU is highly affordable for users on a strict budget searching for a fast quad-core processor.
- It’s also great for gamers, especially after you add an integrated graphics card.
Disadvantages:
- Some users might find it challenging to adapt to.
9. Intel Core i9-11900K
We’re almost at the end of our list, and we’ve got another Intel Core i9 recommendation for you. This is a beautiful CPU for music production! It is compatible with the Intel 500 series and has much to offer, making it a stronger contender for the best CPU for music production.
Product Tech Specifications:
- This CPU has 8 cores and 16 threads.
- It has a base clock speed of 3.5 GHz, which can go up to 5.3 GHz.
- It has an Intel Smart Cache of 16MB.
- It is compatible with the Intel 500 series and certain Intel 400 series chipset-based motherboards.
- The Intel Core i9 comes with Intel optane memory support.
- This Intel Core i9 was built with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 3.0.
Advantages:
- This CPU is ideal for those of you who have been wanting to upgrade the performance of your computer.
- It is perfect for music producers working from home.
- It is also ideal for those of you who are avid video game players.
Disadvantages:
- This CPU runs too hot.
10. Intel Core i7-11700K
The last item on our list is the Intel Core i7-11700K. The performance of this Intel processor is exceptionally smooth and fast, which is why we loved it so much!
Let’s look at the specifics.
Product Tech Specifications:
- It has 8 cores and 16 threads.
- It is compatible with Intel 500 series and certain Intel 400 series chipset-based motherboards.
- It comes with Intel Optane Memory Support.
- It has a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz that can go up to 5.0 GHz.
- This Intel Core i7 was built with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 3.0.
- It has an intel smart cache of 16MB.
Advantages:
- It is affordable.
- Its performance is stable.
- It does not overheat.
Disadvantages:
- Once again, we didn’t have anything negative to say about this CPU. It performs exceptionally well, has excellent storage capacity, and runs much cooler than some of the other processors available out there.
Buying Guide: Top 3 things to keep in mind when buying a processor
- Number of Cores
When buying a CPU, it is essential to keep in mind the number of cores that the processor has. If your wallet permits, we’d recommend purchasing quad-core processors simply because they offer you more processing power when recording music. Of course, the price is much higher, but the turbo performance is might better. While single-core performance is excellent, remember that single-core performance might be too slow for music production.
- RAM
You want something that has a good amount of storage, and this is where RAM comes in. When shopping for CPUs, try and choose one that has over 4 or 8 GB of RAM. Depending on the generation of your CPU, you might want to try and select a product whose RAM is higher.
- Hard Drive and Solid State Drive
Most computers come with an HDD and an SSD that range in size. Try and choose a system that has a 500MB or 1TB drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AMD or Intel better for music production?
Is i5 or i7 better for music production?
Are 6 cores enough for music production?
How many GHz is good for audio production?
Can you use an older CPU for music production?
Conclusion
In this article, we took you through the top ten best processors for music production. We broke down each product’s features, pros, and cons and gave you a short buying guide. We also answered some FAQs. Our favorite processor is the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, with the and Intel Core i7-11700K coming in at a close second and third. If you found this guide helpful, don’t forget to check out our list of the best motherboards for music production and the best desktops for music production as well!
John Chiong is a creative writer with seven years of experience writing engaging and informative content for various industries. More so, he has a deep love for music that fuels his passion and creativity. John enjoys all types of music and has a favorite song from every genre. His love for music has greatly influenced his writing.