MacBook Air 2020 (i5, 16gb) for Logic Pro X & Premiere

Question

MacBook Air 2020 (i5, 16gb) for Logic Pro X & Premiere

Does anyone know if the MacBook Air 2020, with the i5 CPU and 16gb of RAM be enough to run apps like Logic Pro X and maybe Premiere?

I do more of the former, but I feel like I would have some video editing projects in the future (I probably wouldn't be working with anything intense, like 4K). I use a decent amount of plugins, and usually have upwards to 20 tracks going in Logic Pro X.

I do have an old iMac from 2014, and a Desktop PC as my main setup. This MacBook Air would be mainly for when I'm on the go. I'm keen on the MacBook Air because I really want something portable/light for travel.

Should the MacBook Pro 13 upgrade soon, I still probably would prefer the weight of the Air, and I don't think I care about the Touch Bar. Obviously performance would be better though.

Thanks!

-Brian

MacBook Air

Posted on Mar 25, 2020 6:38 AM

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Answer 1

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Eriksimon

Level 6

15,422 points

Mar 25, 2020 8:46 AM in response to brianvendiola

Logic Pro is open ended - it is possible to create a project that will even overload the maximum specced ($45,000 or so?) new Mac Pro, so the use of Logic very much depends on how many ridiculously powerhungry plugins you are going to deploy - that said, my daughter can work comfortably on her mid-2015 Macbook Air.

For video you will always want the fastest CPU and the fastest machine.

That said, I think it will do just fine, though 20 tracks doesn't say much. 20 tracks all loaded with Alchemy, two Space designers each and what not else might overload an Air, 20 tracks with some synths and two or three Space Designers on send-return auxes should run just fine.

For audio recording the Air is more than fine. My daughter runs about 50 to 100 mainly audio tracks on her 2015, with CPU to spare, so...

However, any Macbook Pro with a quad i7 from 2011 or later (basically any 15 inch retina, and the older 17 inch from 2011) will leave the new Air in its wake, at 50 to more than100 % higher speeds. Also: those are still upgradeable (RAM is exchangeable, not fixed)

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Answer 2

Mar 25, 2020 9:17 AM in response to Eriksimon

Ah! I see. That's interesting.

Re: Tracks - for more context, in my projects, each track usually holds up around 7 to 10 plugins at a time, unless the tracks are sent to a bus, then the bus would hold most of those plugins. And I use a mix between stock and Waves plugins, which to my knowledge aren't as power-hungry (there could be an odd one out), and it varies between a single Tape Delay/Space Designer and a bunch of EQs and Compressors.

But in you and your daughter's experience, it seems that this new Air should be just fine enough. I appreciate the input!!

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