Introduction

When picking a best laptop for serato pro dj software, you want to first consider if you’re running a Daw along with it or not. If you wanted to, you could record directly using serato pro without a Saw programme. Using serato with a Daw is a bit taxing so you will need a high-capacity SSD, good ram and a powerful CPU which isn’t going to come cheap.

Having at least 4 GB of ram is the requirement if you merely want to use serato for djing. However, that isn’t very practicable these days. If you employ effects, cue points, loops and other elements that may be demanding then look towards obtaining 16 or 32 GB, especially if you’re going to work with video. Anything less than 16 GB is not a good option, unless you go for a macbook where things are bit more optimised.

You may also go towards a 1 or 2 GB dedicated video card for working with video. Going for recent high-end integrated graphics can work as well, since intel iris xe and ryzen radeon are similar to dedicated laptop gpus from a few years back such as the GTX 950m and even comparable to low end desktop gpus such as the gtx 750.

Serato itself isn’t resource intensive and doesn’t require a lot of computing power. We ran it on a machine with a dual core processor and it worked out just great. However, if you are recording whole sets and utilising serato was not well optimised for windows, therefore users would suffer a lot of crashes and stutters. But those days are long gone. Serato now works equally well on windows and mac. Use your preferred operating system.

Last, consider screen size and kind. We favour 13-inch devices for portability, but 15-inch or 17-inch devices function better in studios because to their better viewing distance.

If you’re without your controller, a touch screen can help. Touch displays are tricky to use, therefore we recommend using a separate controller. Modern laptops, especially ones with touch screens, are fragile, so use them carefully, especially in dj booths.

How to Choose the Best Laptop for Serato Dj?

When we buy a laptop, there are a few things we need to keep in mind to make sure it works well with the music we make on it.

Processor:-

Choosing a processor for your laptop can be challenging, but if you look at how well Intel works with the Serato DJ software, it should be much easier.
There are several straightforward ways in which Intel processors are better than AMD processors. Intel is the best processor with Serato DJ software because it works quickly and doesn’t get too hot for a long time.

RAM:-

Although Random Access Memory is known as RAM, what does that imply, and why is it significant? The quantity of memory (RAM) your computer has to run the programmes and systems you’re now utilising is referred to as this. For instance, running one application Simultaneously consumes less RAM than running two.
The best laptop for Serato DJ software should have a minimum RAM of 8GB or more to enable smooth music-making operations. DJ software runs quite a few systems and processes simultaneously.

Display:-

The screen or display needs to be relatively dynamic to meet all the venues in which DJs perform, such as outdoor festivals under the hot sun, nighttime parties, etc.
It shouldn’t be the case that the sun or laser lights in the dark are making you and your laptop screen temporarily blind, making it impossible to play your music properly. Thus, DJ laptops must have a dynamic display.

Top 5 Best Laptop for Serato Pro

1. Apple M1 13-inch MacBook Air

Apple’s latest generation of macbook air is perfect for dj work because it has the right amount of power, reliability, and portability. Even though it’s not as powerful as the more expensive macbook pro models, the base level of 8gb ram and the new m1 chip with its 8-core cpu, 7-core gpu, and 16-core neural engine is more than enough to run any significant dj app.
Serato pro and rekordbox dj are two big dj apps that run natively on the m1 chip. We’ve used various tools to make music in both formats, and things have been smooth and stable. Those that still need to be updated can use apple’s rosetta 2 translation tool.
The best thing about the macbook air for djs and musicians on the road is how thin and light it is. The battery can last up to 18 hours, which is great for djs who spend a lot of time in airports, on trains, or just hanging out backstage.
The biggest problem with the macbook air is that it doesn’t have many ports. It only has two thunderbolt/usb 4 ports; you need to use one to charge it. This should be fine if you use a single controller with a built-in interface, but you may need to find a Usb 4 cable if your dj controller doesn’t come with one. For more complicated setups, you might need an extra hub/adapter.
The macbook air is the best dj laptop you can get and is also affordable. The base air also doesn’t have a lot of storage space, with just 256gb. We’d suggest getting an expanded SSD, which can be upgraded up to 2tb because the lack of ports can make it hard to use external storage.

2. Dell XPS 13 OLED 

SPECIFICATIONS

For years, and for a good reason, creatives of all stripes have had a high regard for Dell’s XPS line. This Windows laptop has specifications that can compete with the pre-M1 MacBook Pro but at a lower cost, making it the most excellent DJ laptop available.
An 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB RAM provide enough power for DJing, just like its Mac competitors. The XPS is also an excellent option for production-related tasks.
However, it shares some drawbacks with MacBooks, such as a lack of connectors. There are only two Thunderbolt/USB C ports. Therefore using more than one piece of external equipment at once may require an adaptor. However, adding a Micro SD card connector gives users another external storage option.

4. Asus VivoBook S

SPECIFICATIONS

Most Asus VivoBook laptops are made for home use rather than creative work, but these Windows 10 machines have more than enough power for simple DJing.
There are other reasons to recommend them as essential laptops for DJing, like the fact that they are skinny but strong, which makes them great for traveling. There are also a lot of ports that can be used to connect controllers or external storage.
Since these machines don’t have their own graphics cards, they would have trouble with visuals and wouldn’t be good for advanced creative tasks or gaming. The base level RAM and SSD storage can be upgraded to 16GB and 1TB, respectively, while keeping the price at a reasonable mid-range level.

5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

SPECIFICATIONS

We’re still waiting to sell on the idea of using a 2-in-1 Surface device for DJing, but Microsoft’s pure laptop is an excellent mid-priced option.
There are different versions of all these machines with Intel or AMD chips and at least 8GB of RAM, so you should be able to run all-powerful DJ software on any of them. The most important thing to watch out for is storage space. The cheapest models only have a 128GB SSD, which isn’t much room for music.
Microsoft devices are well made, look very good, and are an ideal weight. I/O isn’t the best, but there are USB-C and USB-A ports and a separate Surface Connect port. Oh, and it has a touchscreen, which isn’t a must-have for a DJ but is still lovely.

What qualities should the best DJ laptop have?

So, what should a DJ laptop have? Depending on the software and type of controller used, digital DJ setups can be very different from one another. Luckily, most DJ setups don’t have too many complicated needs regarding laptops.
In this round-up, we’re making just a few significant assumptions. First, we’re using the specifications for Serato DJ Pro, Traktor Pro, and Rekordbox DJ, the three most popular DJ software programs, to determine your need. However, most DJ applications have roughly the exact system requirements. If you want to use a different application, you should look up its system requirements before buying it.
Most of these apps want at least 4GB of space. But when you’re in the booth and playing for a crowd, reliability and stability are very important, so we would only recommend risking 8GB. Still, DJ software is easier on the CPU than a complex music production setup with many plugins, so you can get away with a little less power if you don’t plan to use your computer in the studio.