new macbook air good for reason 8.3 ?

[ahs]

new macbook air good for reason 8.3 ?

[TheMiles]

It is a nice device by no means, but a little weak when it comes to processing power. Thats fine if you use reason stock devices exclusively, but with REs things are different. Be prepared to face processor shortages when using many REs. I love Apple and I use a 2012 MacBook pro, but still my next computer will be a PC running Windows. I can get a Six-Core i7 with good ram and a decent graphics Card when using Windows for merely 1200 EUR. Wanting the same power with a mac would force me to buy a MacPro costing more then twice the money..

As I said, I like Apple but recently using a lot of devices when making music became more and more common for me. The last project I had contained around 50 devices and that was just too much for my beloved MacBook Pro.

Looks like I will be using 2 computers at a time now. My Macbook for sketches and when I am on the run, and a PC at home to fully develop my music...

OK I realize I am talking too much so those were my 2 cents!

Cheers

[Vince-Noir-99]

Agreed with above. I think it's good enough for light to moderately charged projects.
I've used a 2013 MBA with i7 8GB ram and it ran smooth as long as I didn't push too much with the usual suspects: convolution, big sampler instruments,,,
If you're not a mega-project kind of person, used to loads of tracks and devices it'll be great!

[zakalwe]

I have the 2013 with 8GB RAM. it's absolutely fine with stock reason but some RE punish it and you'll have to be a little frugal with them. etch red, for example.

[chrispy]

I have exactly the same issue - I have a Macbook Air Mid 2013 i5 1.3 GHz 4GB. It's a lovely machine and although Reason works fine on it if you use stock devices, you do have to be quite selective when it comes to REs. It's not a show-stopper, but it is something you constantly have to be mindful of and it does inhibit your ability to just throw devices around without worrying about CPU hit.

So much so that I have created a test-bench project (much like Hydlide's) to see how many instances of an individual RE I can instantiate before I hit the CPU limit and it's the first thing I do with any RE that is released that I'm potentially interested in. No matter how nice the RE, if it's going to suck 20% of my CPU (and TSAR-1 does, for instance) then it's not going to be usable, or at least you'll only be able to get away with one or two max, or consider bouncing tracks, etc.

I have been seriously considering stumping up for a Macbook Pro (despite the fact they are not as portable) but am really concerned that I might spend £2,000 only to find I don't get the massive performance boost I'm expecting. Does anyone know whether a MB Pro will give, say, double or triple the RE performance (i.e. actual real world Reason benefits, despite what the specs may say)?

[joeyluck]

The newer MacBook Airs are more powerful than my 2008 MacBook Pro. So I'd say it would be a worthy machine to run Reason with REs. I just wish RE product pages would begin listing minimim and suggested requirements (based on average song with a particular number of instances).

I was looking into the Air option myself previously and have a thread here...and I can't seem to find it...

[joeyluck]

You can get a MacBook air with a 2.2GHz Broadwell i7 now.

There might be a refresh around the corner with Skylake? Around March maybe?
Those should be about 2.4GHz i7 processors (what seems to be compatible with MacBook Air)

[normen]

Go to an Apple Store, tell them you want to test out one with your own software, ask them when you can bring your software, bring a USB stick with Reason and your project and try it out

[ahs]

@selig
good idea
@others
yep thats the reason i have a windows PC but the air looks so smart

[chrispy]

Hmmm, I've never considered installing Reason on a USB stick. How does that work with REs and the Authorizer, etc.? Do you simply drag the Reason application from Applications to the USB stick... then what about the REs you need to test? And do you need the authorizer or can you run Reason on a new Mac from the USB key and then simply choose Internet authentication?

[normen]

Hmmm, I've never considered installing Reason on a USB stick. How does that work with REs and the Authorizer, etc.? Do you simply drag the Reason application from Applications to the USB stick... then what about the REs you need to test? And do you need the authorizer or can you run Reason on a new Mac from the USB key and then simply choose Internet authentication?

I was suggesting bringing the INSTALLER for Reason on a USB stick and installing it on a Mac at the store. From my experience they are happy to help out and let you do that but might ask you to come at a time where theres less people in the store.

Otherwise yes, you can move the Reason application anywhere you like. To have the REs go to the stick as well you'll have to use linked folders though as they get installed in the Library folder by default.

[eusti]

I have the 2013 with 8GB RAM. it's absolutely fine with stock reason but some RE punish it and you'll have to be a little frugal with them. etch red, for example.

I'm using a mid 2012 13" MBP 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 with 16GB RAM and SSD drives.
It's a neat computer, but when using a good amount of REs it does slow down...
And in comparison with a friend's PC with similar specs it turned out that his "low end" laptop was much more efficient in running Reason...
Not sure why that was...

D.

[zakalwe]

I have the 2013 with 8GB RAM. it's absolutely fine with stock reason but some RE punish it and you'll have to be a little frugal with them. etch red, for example.

I'm using a mid 2012 13" MBP 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 with 16GB RAM and SSD drives.
It's a neat computer, but when using a good amount of REs it does slow down...
And in comparison with a friend's PC with similar specs it turned out that his "low end" laptop was much more efficient in running Reason...
Not sure why that was...

D.

windows is a bit more efficient at running reason on the same hardware even from what I recall. RE in particular. not sure why. i've had some other odd issues with choppy faders and spec analyzer under yosemite also but they might have been resolved.

i guess i'd be more keen to use the air for music if i didn't have this quad core beast on my desk

[joeyluck]

Apple won't 'let me' buy a MacBook Air for music production

I was hoping to try the 2.2 GHz i7 in-store. But they don't carry that and it has to be ordered.
It comes with 8 GB RAM and I'd get the 512 GB Flash storage.
There is still a 15 day return policy.

I have been rocking an early 2008 MacBook Pro, 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo with 4 GB RAM for almost 10 years with little to no issues.

I know that even the i5 Air will outperform my current MacBook Pro. And they acknowledge that, but still keep recommending the Pro. Which I understand they are trying to up-sell me, but they should trust me in my needs haha. I work efficiently.

I do have my eye on the 2015 MacBook Pro (the one with all the connectivity). But the price tag on the Air and considering what I get done on my current MBP, makes it very tempting. I don't know if I need the Retina display of the Pro. The Air's display should appear the same or better than my current one, since it's the same resolution on a smaller screen (13" vs. my 15").

They keep saying the Air is mostly good for web browsing and basic functions. I know it's capable of more than that. If I wanted a laptop just for basic stuff, I'd get a Chromebook!

What do you all think?

[Data_Shrine]

I have a maxed-out mid-2014 MBP (i7 2.8ghz, ssd, 16 gig ram) and its struggling with RE that uses a lot of dsp (like the ladder filter). Ableton fares better with hungry VST's (like Monark). I recently updated to Sierra and Reason was performing slightly better under Mavericks.

It's hard to get out of the Apple ecosystem, but if you can, you can get better PC for a better price (unless you need a laptop, most PC laptops lifetime is limited due to shoddy materials - just my personnal experience).

[joeyluck]

I have a maxed-out mid-2014 MBP (i7 2.8ghz, ssd, 16 gig ram) and its struggling with RE that uses a lot of dsp (like the ladder filter). Ableton fares better with hungry VST's (like Monark). I recently updated to Sierra and Reason was performing slightly better under Mavericks.

It's hard to get out of the Apple ecosystem, but if you can, you can get better PC for a better price (unless you need a laptop, most PC laptops lifetime is limited due to shoddy materials - just my personnal experience).

Yeah I prefer Mac for laptop. I prefer the OS, the build quality, and touchpad. I also sound design shows using QLab which is only for Mac. But like I said, I'm still pretty happy with the performance of my current 10 year-old laptop, so I don't run into many issues that others do. Anything newer will be a step up.

[Oquasec]

Those macbooks are doing 400$ laptop numbers so I steered clear of them period.

[joeyluck]

Those macbooks are doing 400$ laptop numbers so I steered clear of them period.

Are you talking about the 12" MacBook? Yeah I'm not sure I would go with the m3/m5 processor myself, let alone the one USB-C port.
But a user did post on here about getting surprising results from the m5. But those cost more than the Airs and are less powerful, so that's an easy decision for me. Nice looking, thin laptop though.

[Oquasec]

Well for me, anything above 300 is desktop territory and sub 400$ is android territory.
Getting a 60$ amazon fire later though and puttin linux on it so I can run reason 5 [if that model allows linux/root]

[vondersulzburg]

Hi I am on a MacBook Air mid 2015 with 8GB RAM 256SSD. I love it. It#s better than my Surface3pro which was more expensive.
Together with duet and my IPAD it is great for not too heavy projects.

[joeyluck]

Hi I am on a MacBook Air mid 2015 with 8GB RAM 256SSD. I love it. It#s better than my Surface3pro which was more expensive.
Together with duet and my IPAD it is great for not too heavy projects.

Thanks! That's good to know.

The one I'm looking at is actually referred to as the '2016 MacBook Air' even though the only thing they really changed was including the 8GB RAM standard.

[Marco Raaphorst]

Hmmm, I've never considered installing Reason on a USB stick. How does that work with REs and the Authorizer, etc.? Do you simply drag the Reason application from Applications to the USB stick... then what about the REs you need to test? And do you need the authorizer or can you run Reason on a new Mac from the USB key and then simply choose Internet authentication?

I was suggesting bringing the INSTALLER for Reason on a USB stick and installing it on a Mac at the store. From my experience they are happy to help out and let you do that but might ask you to come at a time where theres less people in the store.

Otherwise yes, you can move the Reason application anywhere you like. To have the REs go to the stick as well you'll have to use linked folders though as they get installed in the Library folder by default.

I have had many problems when I moved to a new MacBook Pro. You need to reset the licenses on a machine to get it working on something else. And that authoriser process is very tricky. You might end up putting the license on the shop's machine and not be able to move it over to something else.

[joeyluck]

Hmmm, I've never considered installing Reason on a USB stick. How does that work with REs and the Authorizer, etc.? Do you simply drag the Reason application from Applications to the USB stick... then what about the REs you need to test? And do you need the authorizer or can you run Reason on a new Mac from the USB key and then simply choose Internet authentication?

I was suggesting bringing the INSTALLER for Reason on a USB stick and installing it on a Mac at the store. From my experience they are happy to help out and let you do that but might ask you to come at a time where theres less people in the store.

Otherwise yes, you can move the Reason application anywhere you like. To have the REs go to the stick as well you'll have to use linked folders though as they get installed in the Library folder by default.

I have had many problems when I moved to a new MacBook Pro. You need to reset the licenses on a machine to get it working on something else. And that authoriser process is very tricky. You might end up putting the license on the shop's machine and not be able to move it over to something else.

I only use Internet authorization for computers that are not my own.

[Marco Raaphorst]

Hmmm, I've never considered installing Reason on a USB stick. How does that work with REs and the Authorizer, etc.? Do you simply drag the Reason application from Applications to the USB stick... then what about the REs you need to test? And do you need the authorizer or can you run Reason on a new Mac from the USB key and then simply choose Internet authentication?

I was suggesting bringing the INSTALLER for Reason on a USB stick and installing it on a Mac at the store. From my experience they are happy to help out and let you do that but might ask you to come at a time where theres less people in the store.

Otherwise yes, you can move the Reason application anywhere you like. To have the REs go to the stick as well you'll have to use linked folders though as they get installed in the Library folder by default.

I have had many problems when I moved to a new MacBook Pro. You need to reset the licenses on a machine to get it working on something else. And that authoriser process is very tricky. You might end up putting the license on the shop's machine and not be able to move it over to something else.

I only use Internet authorization for computers that are not my own.

Oh yeah, sorry, forgot about that. That should work indeed like how Norman is suggesting. Cool!

[vondersulzburg]

I have to add that I have a 128GB micro usb and a 128Gb sd card with half hight so it fits in the MAC-slot always in my air active. This works fine. I have a lot of loops and re's and... on the 2 cards. Songs are stored in the cloud.

in addition to duet I use delora software on my iPad

Michael