Like the title says - im looking for a new computer to ise for my setup and one that plays nicely with OB - i am currently looking at an Imac or a macbook pro. I am quite keen on a smallish footprint - ive always used PC’s and im a bit worried about OS issues with the Macs and compatibility with my Elektron machines/OB.
Its a big purchase for me and im still sort of deciding on how to setup my system ideally, but i would appreciate some feedback or wise words on this 
I would like to hear about this too, I am in the opposite camp, got an old Mac book pro and want to go windows with a surface book!
I bought a reasonably well spec’d windows laptop running W10 for school this year - and it’s been an absolute bloody nightmare with the constant demands for updates, random freezes on bootup, and something that may or may not be unresolved driver issues causing my screen to flicker and crap out. Never had this poor an experience with W7 or XP.
On the other hand I’m still running my late 2011 MBP, which has worked flawlessly since day one. Upgrading to El Capitan earlier this year went off without a single hitch. Can’t comment on OB as I don’t have any of those boxes.
If small footprint and finances are a concern, it’s worth checking out the Mac mini.
nah the current Mac mini is pretty old. the only one to get would be a used one from 2012 but they’re in high demand. the current ones are actually worse than the 2012 model. and there will likely not be another new mini.
iMac - the current gen model is now one year old. there should be an update early next year. If you can wait for that, wait.
the new macbook pros - if budget is no concern, go for it. they’re really, really expensive but pretty slick. If you don’t need a fancy graphics card, get the 13". Be prepared to buy USB adapters…
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Im not super knowledgeable on tech but isn’t the general feeling these days that you get a lot more power for your money by avoiding Apple and that Windows is fine for audio now? And seems to always be issues when Apple upgrade OS, from what I see on here and other boards? I bought a top spec audio laptop from Scan a couple of years ago for approx £1200 and it’s been rock solid. Great customer support too (Psu died). I only bought from them cos I needed firewire and just for that extra reassurance that it was aimed for audio. It’s not a small laptop tho. Pretty big and heavy etc. Probably streamlined them a little more now if cooling etc has improved…
IMO, the iPad is still an “industry standard” tablet, but I think Mac has sort of whiffed on the computer/laptop front. (Peter Kirn on CDM has been writing pretty lividly about this since the new Macbooks came out.) I stopped using Macs years ago; too many bugs, not enough options/ports. I have a fairly boring Dell desktop that I’ve upgraded for my studio (which was cheap and gave me all the ports I would ever need), and I bought a used Surface Pro 3 for travel/gigs. Never had any problems with OB with either of them, or much of anything else audio related. Together, with the upgrades, I spent less than I would have on a Macbook, and I mean the entry level model. No regrets.
This is pretty inflammatory, but I think more and more Mac is selling a brand (at least as far as its desktop/laptop models go) and PCs are selling computers that do things.
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What is your GOAL ? Live or Studio ?
I’m surprised no people ask that question before to advise
That’s a real shame. Always liked those little guys and had contemplated getting one once my MBP dies. Mind you, last one I saw of them was back in 2012. 
Perhaps linux is the answer.
I agree, and I’ve been having these random audio glitches happen on my setup lately. And from reading around, I am not the only one.
I do wish more people reported on surface usage for music, seems to me touch is the future, and I am wondering why more companies don’t embrace the multi touch like bitwig did! Seems to me the reason rack would be a killer environment for multi touch!
Also, the new mbp are super lame, just more of the same with a new useless gadget added to it so lame!
I use Bitwig, and the touch/pen features can be incredibly useful once you get the hang of it.
In fact, I may have mischaracterized my use: even in the studio, I tend to sketch out ideas on my Surface Pro because of the touch integration and then bounce the projects to my desktop and back and forth, etc… I think there’s a way that I can link them, so that I can basically use the Surface as a controller, but I haven’t looked into that as much as I probably should.
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Why haven’t you moved to using only the surface? Do you think you could do that leap? I am really keen on the surface book!
Are there any issues you’ve come across with the surface and music gear? Like audio interface or controllers etc?
Thx
I have an Macbook Pro 2012 (2.9 Ghz i7). 16gb ram 256 gb ssd and a 1tb internal storage on an optibay. It’s an absolute beast. No issues with overbridge (or anything else for that matter)
It has 2 x USB 3.0 , FW800 and 400, Thunderbolt and SD reader. All the important parts are user configuragble.
I bought the lowest spec’d version from the apple store and souped it up over the years. It’s not going anywhere
I also have a Mac Pro 2009 I bought second hand. Again I looked for the lowest spec’d one I could find and souped it up over the years. It is also a complete beast (for what I need it to do anyways)
The 2009 comes with a 2.6 GHz 4 core CPU and 3GB ram but can also accept (with a bit of wizardry) a 3.33 GHz 6 core CPU and up to 48GB ram. The trick is to load the firmware from the 2010 Mac Pros on to the 2009s. Because internally the two machines are identical. A fact Apple never bothered to tell anyone. Loads of info out there on that plus a firmware replacement tool also
Anyways my advice for buying Apple is to buy refurb or second hand and upgrade as you go along or need it. And don’t buy anything made after 2012. No user replaceable parts or configurable hardware.
The new lineup of Apple “Pro” machines is an absolute joke. They couldn’t give a shit about that anymore.
No advice on windows really.
I might add that the difference in CPU processing power in newer macs (post 2012) is marginal. You’d be paying far more than that power is actually worth.
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It would be for studio usage - im not good enough to play live by far!! I just mess around for my own amusement and im in a lucky position to be able to afford some nice equipment to do so. Id be running the dark trinity and a few other hardware synths into it for recording, i want to go in via overbridge for the AK and AR to take advantage of the seperate outs - i have a mixer but currently just run the stereo outs of each into it as i havent enough inputs!!! Just for processing - P6 and drum machines will go via mixer.
I also use a variety of VST’s and such for the digital side of things.
Im using an 4 year old gaming tower PC running windows 10 at the mo and to be fair its been cool and had very few issues, im just starting to get nagged by the wife about how half her precious living room has been taken over by black boxes, things with keys and flashing lights!!! So i was looking for something powerful but with a smaller footprint. My boxes and synths aint going nowhere!!! I would be more than happy to use another PC/laptop i suppose ive gotten into the old ‘macs better for audio’ mindset that used to prevail when i was younger ( ahem!! )…
I have to say i totally agree with the view that Apple are selling a brand now. Which is validated by the fact my wife was cooeing over the IMac!!! If she green lights studio gear i have to seize the moment haha!!!
Thanks for the comments, keep em coming
Same here… was using a Mac but after 10 years (Yes correct) now its a build PC for audio use, running W7 and Protools.
No problems.
But I think that a lot of users don’t have a dedicated PC or Mac for audio only.
My PC isn’t connected to the internet for example, no unwanted updates.
So no playing games and doing the mailbox
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On topic: what’s your money worth?
I think I could work entirely on the Surface, but I wouldn’t: I think differently when I’m sitting down in front of a computer than when I’m working on the Surface and vice versa, and I like that difference. I also run up against the storage capacity of my Surface (500 GB), because Komplete, in particular, takes a lot of the space.
Occasionally working out a controller takes a little time, but I think that’s as often on the controller end (like trying to get Korg’s weird proprietary Bluetooth driver to work, for instance; Surface + Nanokey Studio is a very pleasant and portable combination) as anything else. No issues with interfaces once the initial “getting everyone on the same page” stuff is hammered out, and I’ve used a variety: OB via AK, I record modular using my Roland Aira (or OB), and I have an NI interface for everything else although that generally hangs with the desktop (although I have used it with the Surface). It’s not “flawless and easy” but again (setting up a new audio interface is always a bit of a hair-pulling ordeal), once you’ve got everyone talking to each other there aren’t any problems, at least that I’ve had. Surface Book looks like a hell of a machine.
Respect.
Grabbed an i7 surface pro 3 with a cracked screen for super cheap a few months ago. Seems solid enough for music but haven’t used it very much. Apparently the new Sonar has a touchscreen virtual midi keyboard. Pretty big deal for portable sound design etc… Can’t believe it took so long and ableton, reaper etc still haven’t added something similar…