Building The Best Music Production PC For 2024

Building the perfect music production PC can be daunting for many musicians and audio engineers. Ideally, your audio PC should perform flawlessly for years, becoming an indispensable tool in your studio. Proper maintenance, including regular cleaning, applying fresh thermal paste, and timely hardware checks, can help extend its lifespan to a decade or more.

The ideal music production PC should offer immense computational power to handle all necessary plugins effortlessly, minimize audio latency, run quietly, be energy efficient, and ensure compatibility with all desired hardware and software. Additionally, it should be quick to load files, reliably up-to-date, and easily upgradeable.

In this article, we will explore the essential components and considerations for building the best music production computer for 2024. We’ll cover hardware selection, performance benchmarks, and practical tips for optimal setup and maintenance for your music production PC.

Choosing the Right CPU

The CPU is the heart of your audio PC. When selecting a CPU, you want one that offers a great balance of performance and efficiency. For 2024, consider CPUs like the Intel® Core™ i9-14900K or the AMD Ryzen™ 9 7950X3D. Both offer excellent multi-core performance and energy efficiency. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D is particularly notable for its lower power consumption under load, making it easier to cool quietly.

Mainboard Requirements

The mainboard should support your CPU (socket type) choice and provide enough expansion slots for your needs. Look for a motherboard with at least three PCIe slots to accommodate a powerful graphics card, an internal audio interface (if you use one), or Wifi adapters, and an extra USB card if needed.

Ensure it has many USB ports, both internal and external, and enough M.2 and SATA slots for your storage needs. Quality components and good manufacturer support are crucial for long-term reliability.

Memory Considerations

For most audio production tasks, 64GB of RAM is more than sufficient. Dual-channel memory configurations are recommended for optimal performance. High-speed DDR4 or DDR5 memory, with the capacity to support future upgrades, will ensure your system remains capable as software demands increase.

Audio production involves handling large amounts of data, including audio tracks, sample libraries, and effects. DDR memory allows for quick access and processing of this data, ensuring smooth playback and recording and maintaining low latency by efficiently managing audio buffers. Low latency is essential for real-time audio processing and monitoring.

Graphics Card

A video card is not usually necessary when building a music production computer. While integrated graphics can handle basic tasks, a dedicated graphics card offers significant benefits for video editing, 3D rendering, and AI applications. Using a dedicated graphic card delivers excellent performance and supports multiple monitors, ensuring a seamless multi-display setup.

Plus, you can enjoy a gaming session when you want to relax. Be careful not to get too involved with gaming and postpone important music projects. 🙂

Case and Cooling

Choosing the right case and cooling solution is essential for maintaining a quiet and cool system. Look for a case with good airflow and sound-dampening features. High-quality fans and a reliable water cooling system can keep your system cool without generating excessive noise. Noctua fans and a well-designed AiO water cooler can help achieve this balance.

Storage Solutions

Fast storage is crucial for audio production. Consider using M.2 NVMe SSDs for your operating system and project files. These drives offer superior read/write speeds, significantly reducing load times and improving system responsiveness.

Allocate an extra budget for more storage space. Think about around 2, 3, or even 4 TB. Additional HDDs can be used for sound libraries, audio plugins, preset banks, Kontakt libraries, backups, and less speed-critical data.

Power Supply

A reliable power supply is vital for your system’s stability. An 800W PSU is typically sufficient, but opting for a higher capacity model with a fanless mode under low loads can help maintain a quiet environment. Look for units with an 80 Plus Gold certification for energy efficiency.

If your power supply is prone to voltage fluctuations or interruptions, it’s crucial to consider purchasing a UPS. This will safeguard your components and production sessions, ensuring you don’t lose projects during a power failure.

Operating System

Choosing between Windows 10 and Windows 11 depends on your specific software and hardware requirements. While Windows 11 offers newer features, Windows 10 remains a stable and reliable option with support until 2025. Before making the switch, ensure compatibility with your audio interface, plugins, and other essential software.

I have been using Windows 11 for some time because it has become stable, and many audio software developers have aligned themselves with Microsoft’s new OS.

Performance

The ideal audio PC should handle complex music projects easily, allowing for lower buffer sizes and faster load times. Reduced audio latency (down to 0.7ms input and 1.4ms output at 32 samples) significantly enhances real-time recording and monitoring, ensuring a seamless workflow in your studio.

If you already own a gaming PC, you can easily use it for music production. Gaming PCs are built with powerful CPUs to handle complex games, which translates well to audio production. Modern popular DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) and plugins require substantial processing power, similar to high-end gaming.

With some considerations for noise and audio interface quality, a gaming PC can be an excellent machine for music production.

Alternatives

A great alternative to a noisy PC unit is an All-in-One PC or a mini PC, which can be mounted directly behind your display monitor. These options have become quite popular in many music studios due to their enhanced performance, space-saving design, and low noise levels.

I’m seriously thinking of switching to a mini PC that I can attach to an ultra-wide monitor, which will help me save a lot of space in my studio. The only problem is related to the storage space, which is quite limited and I will have to find a more viable external solution.

Check out my article: Intel NUC 13 Pro the Best Mini PC for Audio Production

In Conclusion

Building the perfect audio PC requires careful consideration of components, future-proofing, and balancing performance with noise levels. By selecting high-quality parts and meticulously planning your build, you can create a powerful, reliable, and quiet PC tailored for music production, mixing, and mastering.

To help you build your music production PC, I’ve put together three recommended setups based on different budget ranges. Each setup includes carefully selected components that ensure optimal performance, efficient workflow, and future-proofing, catering to aspiring producers and seasoned audio engineers.

Budget PC Setup for Music Production

1. CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K
2. Motherboard: ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-PLUS
3. RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4
4. Storage: Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB NVMe SSD
5. GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super
6. Case: NZXT H510
7. PSU: EVGA 600 W1, 80+ WHITE 600W
8. Cooling: Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition
9. Optional Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD

Total Cost: ~$1150

High-End PC Setup for Music Production

1. CPU: Intel Core i9-12900K
2. Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E
3. RAM: G.SKILL Trident 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5
4. Storage: SSD Samsung 980 PRO 2TB
5. GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
6. Case: Fractal Design Meshify C
7. PSU: Corsair RM850x, 850 Watt, 80+ Gold
8. Cooling: NZXT Kraken X63 280mm AIO Liquid Cooler
9. Additional Storage: WD Black 4TB HDD

Total Cost: ~$2460

Ultra-End PC Setup for Music Production

1. CPU: Intel Core i9-13900K
2. Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
3. RAM: G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series 128GB
4. Storage: SSD Samsung 980 PRO 2TB NVMe SSD
5. Additional Storage: Samsung 980 PRO 4TB NVMe SSD
6. GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080
7. Case: Fractal Design Define 7 XL Dark
8. PSU: Corsair AX1000, 1000 Watt, 80+ Titanium
9. Cooling: Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix Liquid Cooler
10. Additional Storage: WD Black 8TB Performance HDD

Total Cost: ~$4290