Below are the recommended system specifications to get a decent performance out of Reason 12. For minimum system requirements, see here. Note that the optional Rack Extension plug-ins vary in how much CPU power they use, so this is worth keeping in mind when you are considering a new computer.
If you’re about to get a new computer for music production with Reason, a great resource for comparing CPU power is cpubenchmark, which provides performance test results for most CPUs on the market. Aim for the highest possible CPU Benchmark points for your budget. In any situation, aim for a minimum of 4000 CPU Benchmark points.
Generally, the more physical cores and the higher the CPU clock speed, the better. Regarding hard disks, SSD (solid state) drives are generally the best choice as they allow you write and read data faster, for example when recording audio. If you decide to go for a traditional (mechanical) hard disk, 7200 rpm drives are recommended. Note that it may also be possible to run Reason on a lower speced system but for bigger projects you might not get the performance you want.
macOS:
- Fast and stable Internet connection for installation and registration required!
- Apple Silicon or Intel Mac i5/i7/i9/Xeon with multi-core processor with at least 4000 CPU Benchmark points (see cpubenchmark). More physical cores highly recommended!
- 8 GB RAM or more
- 50 GB free hard disk space or more on the system drive. (The full Reason installation requires a minimum of 5.5+8 GB free system drive disk space and another 12 GB if you are using the additional Reason+ Rack Extensions. Additionally, the program may use up to 20 GB scratch disk space and additional space for cached graphics asset)
- macOS Ventura
- Monitor with at least 1920 x 1080 resolution
- CoreAudio compliant audio interface (or built-in audio hardware)
- MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard
- For using Reason as a Plugin, a DAW host with VST3 and/or AUv2 and/or AAX support is required
Windows:
- Fast, stable internet connection for installation and registration required!
- Intel i3/i5/i7/i9/Xeon multi-core CPU or equivalent multi-core AMD processor and at least 4000 CPU Benchmark points (see cpubenchmark). More physical cores highly recommended!
- 8 GB RAM or more
- 50 GB free hard disk space or more on the system drive. (The full Reason installation requires a minimum of 5.5+8 GB free system drive disk space and another 12 GB if you are using the additional Reason+ Rack Extensions. Additionally, the program may use up to 20 GB scratch disk space and additional space for cached graphics asset)
- Windows 11 - or Windows 10 (64-bit) 1607 (Build 14393) or later
- Monitor with at least 1920 x 1080 resolution
- Audio Interface with ASIO driver
- MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard
- For using Reason as a Plugin, a DAW host with VST3 and/or AAX support is required