This.
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It’s like Elektron:TheDaw
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You really shouldn’t have to F with any drivers on windows either if you get class compliant stuff. If you want the same build quality of a mac you could go for a Razer but yeah it will cost you the same as a mac. I have heard that the thinkPads are still good so maybe look at one of those. I will say after dealing with razer customer support that is one area that mac is going to mostly win. Although the last mac laptop I own started to break weekly due to some odd problem. Apple continued to slap bandaid fixes on it until it was out of warranty which put me off apple for life.
I bought a win laptop with high specs, it was just not usble for audio, i replaced it with a used mac mini, which runs without problems, win laptops suffer from the power and sleep modes often, several brands like hp, lenivo are affected by this. You could turn off power management, but that kills the battery. Buying a mac for audio was a good choice, i hate a lot of apple things, but it just works. So … you like hating things … buy it and hate it like i do
I migrated towards a laptop + Ableton Live setup.
However, I’ll continue using hardware synths and effects that I have. On the Ableton side, at most I’ll just mess with some M4L MIDI toys and such, and dynamics plugins. Generally thought, it’ll mostly be a multi-track recorder/arranger of hardware audio.
This is all a way of keeping option anxiety at bay, by imposing some limitations. If I go complete ITB, using loads of synth plugins and the like, I’ll never get anything done.
ableton sampler is good very flexible you may like it and some Fors software-tools!
I think a computer is good for two things in music composing/production (for recording it’s obviously unbeatable IMO):
A) You know precisely what you want and need a tool to implement that with as little hassle as possible.
B) You want to get lost in absolutely limitless exploration.
Personally (!!!) I have found a computer-based setup to be non-ideal for handling anything in between. In other words, in a softsynth I either use a preset or I sit down with it for two hours to make one patch. I’ve never managed to find a good middle ground…
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I just got a new MBA today and I’m gonna use it exclusively with Bitwig (and a couple of Valhalla and WavesFactory plugins) and headphones. I can’t be arsed with expensive hardware right now. But equally fuck trying to use Windows. YMMV.
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I mostly want Ableton because.
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I’ve used it quite a bit before and am pretty familiar/comfortable with it.
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MAX
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Addedum: the most important thing, IMO, is that you not be bound to a particular space, and that your workflow be fast, fun, and satisfying for what YOU want out of it.
The kids will grow and change and so will your routines. Your setup has to be flexible enough to follow.
My 2p.
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All my hardware has outlasted 4 laptops, and has retained it’s value pretty much
Mac Minis are $500, with a Chrome cast you can easily cast to the TV
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Exactly, and I’ve spent the best part of the last two years massively failing to find that flexibility.
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Laptops rule for music production now a days.
I would say, research that the one you’re getting is good for music production (This will be more of an issue with windows based computers. Sorry, please don’t kill me but hardware variations introduce more variables 
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Other than that, be sure that ableton is the daw for your workflow.
I have a digitakt for fun, quick jams. To make tracks with what I’ve got at my fingertips with my computer and a midi keyboard, I would need a million dollars. Or pounds.
No reason to avoid a computer as part of your music making arsenal unless it’s for dawless religious reasons.
Unless it’s a live performance, even my more “pure” Elektron-based music gets some editing and polishing in a DAW. I can’t imagine why I would deprive myself of that capability.
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Not to turn this into a Mac vs PC thing, but I bought a cheap PC laptop for my missus’ mother and seriously it drove me insane how wank it was. I would make sure you get advise on what spec to get as buying cheap may be a mindfuck 
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That’s one of the strongest point for hardware. But, on the other hand, second-hand computers can be found easily because of the neverending turnaround.
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I would 100% recommend using a computer with Ableton but have only used Macs for music. No idea what Windows is like for music but I have no desire to find out because Macs just work.
I have Ableton set as a startup app so I power on the Mac (M1 Mini) and a few seconds later all I’m looking at is Ableton. A PC could do that too but I deal with enough Windows issues due to monthly updates at work.
That said, you seem to flip a lot of gear and maybe it’s the limitations causing that but I found it took a lot of time and effort before I felt comfortable creating music with a computer. It can be extremely gratifying but is by no means instant.
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That’s how it starts.
It’s a £1600 laptop going very cheap. It’s 11th gen i7, 16gb RAM and 512gb SSD.
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Get a Mac.
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