Ableton Live Minimum System Requirements

The minimum system specifications required to install and run Ableton Live on Windows or macOS are listed below. Follow this link for Live 1-9 Minimum System Requirements. For optimal performance, you may need higher specifications. 

Live 12

Windows

• Windows 10 (version 22H2) or Windows 11 (version 22H2 or higher)
• 5th generation Intel® Core™ i5 processor or AMD Ryzen processor (CPU supports AVX2 instruction set)
• 8 GB RAM
• 1366x768 display resolution
• ASIO-compatible audio hardware for Link support (also recommended for optimal audio performance)
• Approximately 3 GB disk space on the system drive for the basic installation (8 GB free disk space recommended)
• Optionally up to 76 GB disk space for additionally available sound content

Note: Windows ARM chips are not compatible with Live

Troubleshooting: Please visit this guide if Live 12 doesn't open on Windows after installation.

macOS

• macOS 11 Big Sur or higher
• Intel® Core™ i5 processor or Apple Silicon
• 8 GB RAM
• 1280x800 display resolution
• Core Audio compliant audio interface recommended
• Approximately 3 GB disk space on the system drive for the basic installation (8 GB free disk space recommended)
• Optionally up to 76 GB disk space for additionally available sound content

Live 11

Windows

• Windows 10 (Build 1909 and later), Windows 11
• Intel® Core™ i5 processor or an AMD multi-core processor
• 8 GB RAM
• 1366x768 display resolution
• ASIO-compatible audio hardware for Link support (also recommended for optimal audio performance)
• Approximately 3 GB disk space on the system drive for the basic installation (8 GB free disk space recommended)
• Optionally up to 76 GB disk space for additionally available sound content

macOS

• macOS High Sierra 10.13 or higher
• Intel® Core™ i5 processor
• Apple silicon
• 8 GB RAM
• 1280x800 display resolution
• Core Audio compliant audio interface recommended
• Approximately 3 GB disk space on the system drive for the basic installation (8 GB free disk space recommended)
• Optionally up to 76 GB disk space for additionally available sound content

Live 10

Windows

• Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 
• 64-bit Intel® (Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended) or AMD multi-core processor.
• 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
• 1366x768 display resolution
• ASIO-compatible audio hardware for Link support (also recommended for optimal audio performance)

macOS

• macOS El Capitan 10.11.6 or higher
• Intel® Core™2 Duo processor. Intel® Core™ i5 processor or faster recommended
• Apple silicon using Rosetta (as of 10.1.35)
• 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
• 1280x800 display resolution
• Core Audio compliant audio interface recommended

Ableton Live System Requirements Information:

Performance in digital audio workstation (DAW) applications like Ableton Live is mostly affected by the processor (CPU) and system memory (RAM), along with the storage system (drives). The graphics card (GPU) matters very little, beyond simply being able to drive the number of monitors you want – usually two at least, often more. Below you will find advice on each of those topics, and most of this information applies equally to other demanding DAWs like Cakewalk, Cubase, and Studio One. If you are in the market for an audio editing PC, our expert consulting team is also available via phone or email.

Please keep in mind the various peripherals (speakers, headphones, audio interfaces, external storage, etc) that you plan to use. Our workstations provide a lot of USB-A ports, along with some USB-C, and some configurations support Thunderbolt as well.

Processor (CPU)

What is the best CPU for Ableton Live?

CPUs like AMD’s Threadripper with high core counts are ideally suited to heavy DAW workloads. Specifically, the 32-core Threadripper 7970X is a well-balanced choice, but you can go up or down in core count from there depending on your exact needs. For those working with smaller projects (low track counts, few VSTs, etc) a mainstream CPU like Intel’s Core or AMD’s Ryzen can work too.

Does Ableton Live use multiple cores?

Yes, Ableton Live is able to utilize multiple cores – especially with lots of tracks and plug-ins. Depending on your specific workload, something in the 24-32 core range is usually a safe bet.

Video Card (GPU)

What is the best type of video card for Ableton Live?

The GPU is one of the least important parts of a digital audio workstation, although having a dedicated video card is still a good idea since DAW workflows benefit greatly from multiple monitors. Something to note is that low noise levels are extremely important, especially when recording music, so blower-style cards like NVIDIA’s professional Quadro and RTX cards should definitely be avoided. GeForce cards have a wide range of noise levels depending on the quality of fans used and how their cooling profiles are set by manufacturers. Here at ProX PC, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is currently our best option as it’s the least expensive model we have that is quiet.

Memory (RAM)

How much system memory (RAM) does Ableton Live need?

Memory, or RAM, is a very important system spec for performance in DAWs. Each track and plug-in you add needs additional memory space, and it adds up quickly. Our minimum recommendation is 64GB, but for many users 128GB or even 256GB may be called for.

Storage (Hard Drives)

What type of drive (solid state or hard disk) is best for Ableton Live?

Solid-state drives (SSDs) are far superior to mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs) in virtually every way. They are much faster, have no moving parts (making them more reliable), and importantly for those working with audio they also make no noise. Hard drives, especially higher-speed ones, are often the loudest part of a computer! While we do carry them for other uses, we do not offer them on our digital audio workstations.

What type of storage configuration should I use for Ableton Live?

Our recommendation is to have two drives: a small one (500GB – 1TB) for your operating system and applications (including Ableton Live) and a second, larger drive (1TB+) for holding your project files, samples, and other data. We strongly recommend using solid-state drives for both of these, with M.2 NVMe drives being ideal. SATA SSDs will also work and can save some money, especially if you need a really large drive (4TB+) for storage.

Audio Devices

What type of sound card or audio interface should I use with Ableton Live?

The best type of audio interface for Ableton Live is one that supports ASIO, which will give the computer direct access to the interface and reduce latency. Beyond that, go with a respected brand and make sure it has the right type and number of inputs for your setup. Ableton has a guide for setting up an audio interface within Live.

It is also worth noting that we recommend using an external audio interface rather than an internal sound card. Going this way will give you easier access to connecting and disconnecting inputs, and will also remove the audio processing from the more electrically noisy environment inside the computer. There are many great options available, and we list some on our recommended peripherals page.

Visit: www.proxpc.com

Recommended Workstations for Ableton Live

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