Lastly, this is a user community so if you would like to send in your thoughts and experiences of buying or building a Pro Tools computer then contact us with your buying a Pro Tools computer tips and tricks.īuy The Pro Tools System You Need Tomorrow Not The One You Need Today If you are looking for a list of Windows computers approved for Pro Tools then Avid, the makers of Pro Tools, have produced a list of approved Pro Tools windows computers. We don't sell anything either so that you can be sure of impartial advice from the largest independent Pro Tools user community in the world - even better all our Pro Tools computer information is completely free.
We are not tied to any particular platform so you can find open-minded advice on both Mac and Windows PC for Pro Tools. Independent Advice On Buying A Pro Tools Computer If you are looking for advice on buying a computer for audio recording with Pro Tools, then we have lots of advice from both Pro Tools professionals and Pro Tools enthusiasts about getting the best Pro Tools computer for you.
What Apple offer with their integrated software and hardware ecosystem is compatibility, as outlined above this helps when third party manufacturers need to support protocols like Thunderbolt. Generally, a Windows computer is going to give you more computer for your money, Macs on the whole cost more than a comparable Windows computer. We think our job is to try and present you with the facts about both Mac and Windows and then let you decide which platform is best for you. This article is not about telling you to choose a Mac or Windows computer, some of the Pro Tools Expert team use Macs, and some use Windows computers. Should You Choose A Mac or Windows for Pro Tools? You can also consider using an interface that connects to your computer using audio over IP and connects via a standard ethernet connection. Whilst this is a single standard on Mac computers Windows users have do not have the luxury of Thunderbolt working across all Windows computers and so this has meant audio interface manufacturers have supported Thunderbolt on Mac, but Windows computer users have seen a slower roll-out of Thunderbolt-equipped audio interfaces they can use. Thunderbolt is fast becoming the standard protocol for audio interfaces. If you choose to run Pro Tools with a native audio interface using a protocol like Thunderbolt, USB or FireWire then you have a much greater choice of computer both on Mac and Windows. You can also use an expansion chassis to host older UAD cards for use with UAD powered plug-ins. Expansion chassis can accommodate PCIe cards so are a favourite for Pro Tools users. Newer Apple computers like the Apple Mac Pro Late 2013 ‘Trash-can’ and Apple laptops do not have any way of using a PCIe card so need to consider using an expansion chassis connected via Thunderbolt. Windows PC users have an almost limitless choice for a Pro Tools computer there is no shortage of Windows-based computers that can accommodate Pro Tools HDX and HD Native PCIe cards.Īpple users have a harder job if they want to use Pro Tools HDX or HD Native PCIe cards and DigiLink audio interfaces.
Pro Tools has some unique requirements that some other popular DAWs like Logic Pro X, Studio One 3 Professional and Cubase in that many Pro Tools users will want to take advantage of Pro Tools HDX or HD Native cards. Buying An Avid Pro Tools System? Then Read This First This article has been updated after being first published in 2013. Here are our 6 top tips to consider when buying a Pro Tools system. At Pro Tools Expert we get a lot of emails to the Pro Tools Expert Podcast each week from users asking us to advise them on buying a Pro Tools system - this often includes what computer and what interface to buy.