Best Laptop for Podcasting [2023 Reviewed]

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All text and image links lead to Amazon unless stated otherwise. All product scores are based on ProRec’s in-house scoring model

ThumbnailPodcasting LaptopsProRec ScorePrice
Apple MacBook Pro M2

Apple MacBook Pro M2

9
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Lenovo ThinkPad E15

Lenovo ThinkPad E15

8.8
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Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

8.4
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Introduction

Like Voice Overs, Podcasting doesn’t require a lot of computing power. Any modern PC or laptop with a decent CPU and 16 GB of RAM will get the job done. If you’re working with a higher budget, you’re better off allocating extra cash to other elements of your podcasting setup such as mics, interfaces and headphones.

When choosing a podcasting laptop, the storage type and capacity are among the most important aspects. You must always go for an SSD since HDDs are slower and have an adverse impact on performance. As for the actual capacity, a 256 GB drive will work, but if you have the budget then go for 500 GB or more. You may also consider getting external storage for saving recordings that you want to archive or edit later.

Port selection is another important aspect. You will have to connect an audio interface using a USB or a Thunderbolt port, so make sure your device has either one of those. If you are a video podcaster, then camera quality also becomes important. However, most professionals use an external camera for better video recording. If you have a GoPro or any action camera with a wide lens then those are excellent options. However, if you are going to rely on the built-in camera of your laptop, then you should definitely look out for the video quality.

Your laptop’s fan noise can severely impact your podcasting experience. You want a machine with an effective, yet silent cooling system which is why Gaming laptops are a no go! Make sure not to go fanless either, as long-form podcasts usually tax all the components of your device, producing a lot of heat. Most fanless devices struggle to handle a heavier workload efficiently.

If you live stream your podcasts, then an Ethernet port is a must. Usually, the built-in WiFi card does the job well, but a LAN cable will ensure that there is no network lag or buffering. Even if you upload pre-recorded podcasts, having an Ethernet port will save you hours on upload time.

Most podcasters go for Macs over Windows machines for a few key reasons. Macs have smoother integration with certain audio/podcasting programs, as well as better software and driver support. You also have Mac exclusive software such as Audio Hijack, Garageband, and Logic Pro.

Most Windows laptops these days also have excellent drivers and software integration. Lenovo’s ThinkPad, Microsoft’s Surface, and Dell’s XPS series are a few great options that provide a similar experience as Macs, while being significantly cheaper. Adobe Audition and Audacity are the most popular Podcasting DAWs and both of those are compatible with Windows. Windows machines also have other advantages such as better port selection and affordability.

Best Laptop for Podcasting Reviews

All text and image links lead to Amazon unless stated otherwise. All product scores are based on ProRec’s in-house scoring model

9ProRec Score
MacBook Pro M2
Price to Performance
8
Processor
10
RAM
9
Storage
9
Connectivity
8
Additional Features
10

The MacBook Pro M2 comes with the M2 Pro, which is a 12-core CPU and 10-core neural engine. Compared to the M1 Pro on its predecessor, you get 20 percent faster CPU performance. Both these laptops provided similar experiences when it came to podcasting. We used the MacBook with Garage Band with multiple tracks running and it was able to handle heavy audio edits and renders without any performance issues.

The MacBook Pro M2 is also very quiet. The fans rarely kick in since Apple has configured them only to turn on when the CPU hits 100 degrees Celcius. In our testing, the fans were very quiet even under sustained heavy workloads. However, their noise level fluctuated a lot, which we found to be a bit annoying, but it did not have a significant impact on the overall podcasting experience.

Despite the fans being nearly silent, the thermal performance of the MacBook was terrific. We did not encounter any thermal throttling, which was partly due to the efficient M2 ARM chip as well as the thermal solution.

You get 16 GB of unified RAM, which, combined with Apple’s amazing memory management, provides you with excellent multitasking performance and helps your laptop run smoother. It also comes with a 1 TB SSD which is more than enough for most podcasters.

The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is the best panel you can get on a laptop. It provides excellent brightness and sharpness, which enhances the viewing experience. The display also covers 99% of the P3 color gamut for perfect color accuracy if you want to work with video. It also comes with 120 Hz “Pro Motion” which makes the device feel much smoother, thus improving your user experience.

The MacBook comes with 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI, a headphone jack, and an SD card reader. It would’ve been nicer if Apple included regular USB-A and Ethernet ports, but since MacBook Pros have historically not included these so we can let it pass.

TheThunderbolt 4 ports will let you connect other accessories, including a USB docking station to expand your connectivity. It is nice to see that Apple has included an HDMI, which was missing on past models of MacBook Pros. Moreover, the comeback of MagSafe is also a welcome addition.

A webcam is included in the notch, which provides one of the best built-in cameras you can get on a laptop. It is good enough for video podcasting and even includes sensors for facial recognition. Not to mention, the built-in microphone is also solid, especially for podcasting, since it picks up spatial audio really well,

Some other notable features of the MacBook include a fantastic trackpad with a solid backlit keyboard, touch ID to instantly unlock your device, and the ability to unlock your Mac as soon as you lift the display.

The dimensions of the MacBook Pro are 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches, and it weighs 3.07 pounds. It is a bit heavy and thick, but that was necessary for the excellent thermals as well as great build quality.

You also get some of the best battery life on any laptop coming in close to 22 hours of screen on time. It will easily last you two entire days of usage and maybe even a bit more. Not only that, you get fast charging via MagSafe if you ever want to top your laptop up quickly.

To conclude, The MacBook Pro M2 is one of the best devices you can get, not only for podcasting but for productivity work in general. It is an absolute powerhouse while being silent and also providing good battery life. Moreover, the microphone, speaker, and webcam setup are also great, so you won’t have to spend a fortune getting new accessories. You don’t get any significant drawbacks either, making this an excellent option.

MacBook Pro Benefits

The M2 Pro and Max chips provide some of the best laptop performance.

The webcam and microphone setup is great for podcasting.

You get unrivaled battery life that lasts the entire day.

MacBook Pro Drawbacks

You don’t get USB-A or Ethernet ports which limit your connectivity.

While quiet, the fans have inconsistent noise levels, which can be distracting but don’t have a significant impact on your podcasting experience.

All text and image links lead to Amazon unless stated otherwise. All product scores are based on ProRec’s in-house scoring model

8.4ProRec Score
Surface Pro 9
Price to Performance
9
Processor
9
RAM
9
Storage
7
Connectivity
7.5
Additional Features
9

The Surface Pro 9 comes with an Intel Evo 12th Gen i7-1255U, a 10-core (2 performance and 8 efficiency cores), and a 12-thread processor. While it doesn’t provide insane levels of performance like the MacBook, being about 40 percent slower, it is just as efficient due to the efficiency cores.

Despite that, the performance is more than good enough for podcasting. We didn’t encounter any stuttering during our testing with Adobe Audition. Even compared to its predecessor, which came with the i7-1185G7, you get a 10 percent performance boost. The performance of the Surface series has always impressed us, given that it is a 2-in-1 device.

During the podcast, the Surface barely produced any noise, but once we started editing large audio files, the fans were noticeably loud. Luckily, there is an option to configure the settings to lower fan noise, which comes with some performance loss that is not really noticeable.

The laptop’s thermals were excellent since the device barely throttled during our tests. It produced a lot of heat, making the laptop a bit uncomfortable due to the metal chassis. But since the laptop was placed on a table, it wasn’t an issue for us. Not to mention, a bit of heat is expected from a convertible powerful laptop like the surface.

This model is equipped with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a 256 GB SSD. Just like Apple, Microsoft also has good memory management, because of which the multitasking experience of this device is great. It even performed well when live-streaming a video for a few hours.

However, the storage is a bit low for most podcasters. This might be enough if you only use your device and run your DAW and work with audio. For anything more than that, you need to get an external storage device. Luckily, the storage upgrade is very straightforward since you won’t even need a screwdriver.

The 2880 x 1920 IPS display is amazing. It competes well with the MacBook’s panel, providing comparable contrast levels, colors, and brightness. It even has a 120 Hz mode for a smoother viewing experience.

The Surface is a 2-in-1 device, so it also has a high-quality touchscreen. This is especially useful if you plan to live stream and use your Surface as a stream deck. Not to mention, you can also use a stylus to navigate the interface easily. Unfortunately, both the stylus and keyboard are not included, and have to be purchased separately. Although, there is a built-in kickstand for better usability.

The port selection on the Surface is decent, considering it’s a Windows tablet. You get 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports and a surface connector for charging. We can’t complain much since this is a very thin device, and including a USB-A or Ethernet port won’t be possible. Just make sure your audio interface uses Thunderbolt or USB-C. Otherwise, you can always get a USB docking station to expand your connectivity.

While not as good as the MacBook, the built-in webcam and microphone setup on the Surface is useable for podcasts. It should be noted that Microsoft has made significant strides in this aspect, especially compared to its predecessor.

Being a 2-in-1 device, the Surface is very portable, coming in at ‎12.22 x 1.97 x 9.06 inches and weighing only 1.9 pounds. It provides about 7 hours of screen-on time, which is a bit of a letdown considering Microsoft advertises 15.5 hours. However, this was expected since the Surface’s predecessor provided similar endurance.

Overall, the Surface Pro is an excellent 2-in-1 device providing great performance, portability, and an amazing display. It is perfect if you want to live stream because that’s when the 2-in-1 form factor shines the most.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Benefits

The 2-in-1 form factor provides a lot of benefits and functionality, especially for live streamers.

You get an easily upgradeable storage, which doesn’t even require any screwdrivers.

The display of the Surface is outstanding, as it even rivals the MacBook Pro’s panel, which is already industry-leading.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Drawbacks

The 256 GB SSD was a bit lacking since it couldn’t do much other than store your programs.

The battery life was a bit disappointing coming in at only 7 hours of screen-on time.

All text and image links lead to Amazon unless stated otherwise. All product scores are based on ProRec’s in-house scoring model

8.8ProRec Score
ThinkPad E15
Price to Performance
10
Processor
8
RAM
9
Storage
8
Connectivity
9
Additional Features
9

The Lenovo ThinkPad E15 comes with an Intel 11th Gen Core i5-1135G7, which is a 4-core and 8-thread processor. Compared to the i5-1035G7 on its predecessor, you get a 10 percent performance boost. The CPU on the ThinkPad is a bit slow compared to the competitors, as you get 25 percent better performance with the i7-1255U on the Surface. That being said, the ThinkPad is still more than powerful enough for podcasting. We barely encountered any stutters or lags while using Adobe audition. It is also the most affordable device on this list.

The thermal performance of the ThinkPad is seriously impressive. Under sustained load, it manages to maintain its clock speeds. When you suddenly start a heavy task, the device thus throttle a bit but then quickly regains performance and stabilizes. The fans also rarely kick in, and when they do start spinning, they are fairly quiet and have a uniform sound. We did encounter some coil whine when the device was charging, however, it has no impact on performance.

Our model came with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a 512 GB SSD. Despite having the same RAM capacity as the Surface and MacBook, the ThinkPad had the weakest memory management. However, the comparison isn’t fair given the massive price gap.You don’t really need a heavy duty device for podcasting, the configuration on this laptop is more than enough.

The 512 GB SSD is perfect, especially if you don’t store too many audio or video files locally. Both the RAM and storage are also upgradeable, but you should note that there is only one RAM slot, so you will have to entirely replace the existing 16 GB kit if you choose to upgrade.

The 15.6″ Full HD (1920×1080) TN panel was pretty good for the price. It was very sharp and produced great colors. The viewing angles were also good because of the anti-glare coating. You can also tilt the screen a full 180 degrees for more functionality. The only problem we encountered was that the outdoor visibility wasn’t that good, considering the low 220 nits of brightness. This problem also existed on the predecessor of this model as well.

Lenovo’s ThinkPad series have always had great port selection, and the E15 is no different. It comes with 1 Thunderbolt 4, 1 USB-A 3.2 Gen1, 1 USB 2.0, an HDMI 1.4b, an RJ-45 Ethernet jack, an Audio Combo Jack, and a charging port.

You get both USB-A and Thunderbolt ports for connecting audio interfaces and other accessories, as well as an RJ-45 port for better interenet service. The ThinkPad’s predecessor included a similar port selection, but it had a Thunderbolt 3 port instead of Thunderbolt 4, so you get better transfer speeds with the newer model.

The built-in webcam, with a privacy shutter and microphone on the ThinkPad, isn’t that great especially compared to the competition. We recommend using a dedicated camerca instead for the best quality if you have a video podcast.

The ThinkPad has many other features that helps it stand out from the competition. These include one of the best-backlit keyboards on the market, a fingerprint scanner, Windows Hello facial recognition for quickly unlocking your device, and a Kensington lock slot.

This laptop is the heaviest device on our list, coming in at 4.3 pounds, and its dimensions are 14.49 x 9.65 x 0.74 inches. It is indeed hefty, limiting its portability, but we still had no major problem carrying it around in our backpack.

With the added heft, you get excellent build quality. While it isn’t as premium as the MacBook or even the aluminum unibody on more expensive ThinkPads, you get exceptional durability, which will help this device survive even the harshest conditions.

In our testing, the ThinkPad managed to last around 8 hours on a single charge which was enough to get us through an entire day of usage.

Overall, the ThinkPad E15 is an excellent option for podcasting, especially if you don’t want to spend a fortune on the more expensive options. The performance is good enough, and you get excellent features, ports, and build quality. It is also easily upgradeable for better future-proofing.

Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Benefits

The ThinkPad is very affordable and still manages to provide great performance and features.

The 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD is enough for most users, but if you ever feel you’re running out of space, you can always upgrade these easily.

The port selection on the ThinkPad is amazing, providing both USB-A and Thunderbolt ports, as well as an Ethernet jack.

Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Drawbacks

We encountered coil whine on our model when charging, which can be annoying.

The ThinkPad E15 is a bit heavy, coming in at 4.3 pounds which limits its portability.

Verdict

podcasting laptops comparison scoring model quantitative analysis

According to our scoring model, you can see the greatest variance in the Price to Performance, Processor, and Storage categories. The MacBook Pro, being the most expensive device on the list, provides the best performance with its M2 Pro processor helping it score a 10 in Processor and 8 in Price to Performance. The ThinkPad, on the other hand, is the most affordable option on this list and scores an 8 in the Processor category and a 10 in Price to Performance. You also get a 1 TB SSD with the MacBook Pro compared with the 256 GB SSD on the Surface, so we see a 2-point performance variance in that category.

The MacBook Pro remains stable in all categories, never scoring below an 8. It even has a perfect 10 in Processor and Additional features. The only categories it scores an 8 are Price to Performance and Connectivity. MacBooks generally have a weak port selection.Tthis model doesn’t come with USB-A or Ethernet ports. However, we can overlook this since that is expected from an Apple laptop, and you still get Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe, and HDMI ports.

The ThinkPad E15 proved to be a solid contender, with a total average score variance of 0.2 compared to the top performer. It provides excellent value for your money, thus having a perfect 10 in Price to Performance. The only categories it scores an 8 in are Processor and Storage, which we have discussed earlier. Besides that, it has a 9 in every other category, making it an excellent option for Podcasting, especially if you don’t want to shell out the money for a MacBook or Surface.

That being said, the best laptop for podcasting, according to our testing and scoring model, is the MacBook Pro, with a final score of 9.0. The M2 Pro chip gives you some of the best performance we have seen on any laptop, which even compares well to full-fledged desktop CPUs. It is insanely efficient, resulting in exceptional thermal and battery performance with little to no system noise. We can say that, without a doubt, the MacBook Pro is the best laptop for podcasting. Highly Recommended!

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I get a Windows or a Mac for Podcasting?

Both Windows and Mac laptops are excellent for Podcasting. Macs usually have better software and driver support, while Windows devices are cheaper and have a better port selection. The quality of your laptop and equipment matters more than the actual Operating System. Therefore, you should go with whichever you are more used to working on.

What is the most important thing to consider for a new Podcasting Laptop?

The most important thing for a podcasting laptop is the quality of your storage device and how noisy your laptop is. A slow mechanical hard drive can drive you crazy during work. That’s why we recommend going for nothing less than an SSD. You also want a device isn’t too loud. Another point of consideration can be the port selection. Ideally, your laptop should have both USB-A and Thunderbolt ports, to hook up your audio interface which can connect to other accessories.

Will my Laptop come with Podcasting software already installed?

Podcasting software (DAW) are not pre-installed on your laptop and need to be downloaded and installed from a third-party website or a CD/USB drive.

Other than a laptop what else will I need for Podcasting?

Besides your laptop, you will additionally require an audio interface that can connect other accessories to your setup. These accessories can include microphones, headphones, and mixers.