> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://soundforgepro.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Samplitude Review 2026: Is the Pro X8 Successor Worth It? - URL: https://soundforgepro.com/samplitude-pro-x-review/ - Published: 2026-10-24T07:41:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T07:40:59.000Z - Description: There is no Samplitude Pro X9: Pro X8's successor is Samplitude 2026.5 from Boris FX. Prices, the edition split, what X8 owners lose when they upgrade, and a verdict drawn from nine published reviews and user reports. - Author: Erick Finn - Tags: Boris FX Audio, Boris FX **There is no Samplitude Pro X9\. Pro X8's successor is Samplitude 2026.5 from Boris FX, and it is worth buying if you record, edit, mix and master on Windows and want clip-level control over every edit. Samplitude costs $395 perpetual or $145 a year; Samplitude Suite costs $495 perpetual or $175 a year.** Across nine published reviews and user reports, the praise keeps returning to object editing, the bundled plug-ins and value for money, and the complaints to a busy interface and occasional bugs. It does not run on a Mac. My recommendation turns on three questions. If you deliver stereo mixes and masters, I would buy standard Samplitude: it has the same object editor, Crossfade Editor, 999 tracks and core mixing plug-ins as the Suite. If you deliver Dolby Atmos, need spectral cleanup at track level, or would otherwise buy Melodyne and Sound Forge separately, the Suite's extra $100 on a perpetual license is the better spend. If you already own Pro X8, upgrade for $185 only when a 2025 or 2026 feature solves a real problem for you, and keep X8 installed, because Vita instruments bought through the MAGIX Music Maker Shop no longer load in the new version. On a Mac, skip Samplitude and go straight to the alternatives at the end of this review. ## Samplitude 2026.5 at a glance Samplitude is a mature Windows DAW whose real advantage is editing depth: every clip carries its own effects, sends and automation, and crossfades get a dedicated editor. The table below is the short version of everything that follows. | Question | Answer on October 21, 2026 | | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Current version | Samplitude 2026.5, build 26215, released September 29, 2026 | | Developer | Boris FX; acquisition from MAGIX announced August 21, 2025 | | Platform | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit only; no Mac version | | Editions | Samplitude and Samplitude Suite | | Price | $25 a month, $145 a year or $395 perpetual; Suite $175 a year or $495 perpetual | | Upgrade from an older version | $185, or $275 for the Suite | | Trial | 15 days, without restriction | | Rated reviews | PCMag UK 4/5 (Pro X4, 2019); Amazona.de "Gut" (Pro X7, 2022) | | Best for | Windows engineers who edit at clip level and master in the same program | | Not for | Mac users, and anyone who needs immersive formats beyond 7.1.4 | ## Which Samplitude version is current, and what happened to Pro X9? The current version is Samplitude 2026.5, and no Pro X9 was released. The release that followed Pro X8 was Samplitude 2025, the first under year-based names: "Samplitude 2025" and "Samplitude Suite 2025", as the [Samplitude 2025 release notes](https://borisfx.com/release-notes/samplitude-2025-release-notes/) put it. When a user asked about "Pro X 9" on the MAGIX forum in 2025, the answer was a link to the Boris FX pro audio page, as the [MAGIX forum thread on Pro X9 features](https://www.magix.info/us/forum/samplitude-pro-x9-features--1340654/) shows. Anyone searching for a "Samplitude Pro X8 review" today is really choosing between X8, which still runs, and its year-named successor. | Release | Date | What changed for buyers | | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Samplitude Pro X8 and Pro X8 Suite | June 2023 | MAGIX release at $399 and $599 perpetual; added comping with automatic grouping, AudioWarp, a Marker Track and multi-codec export | | X8 patch 19.2.2.24222 | January 6, 2025 | Final MAGIX-era update for Pro X8, Pro X8 Suite and Music Studio X8 | | Samplitude 2025 (build 25258) | August 19, 2025 | Year-based names, Boris FX licensing, 15-day trial | | Boris FX acquisition announced | August 21, 2025 | Sequoia, Samplitude and Music Studio move from MAGIX to Boris FX | | Boris FX Suite | November 24, 2025 | Samplitude becomes part of the Boris FX Suite | | Samplitude 2026.0 (build 26012) | April 10, 2026 | New video engine, OSC remote control, FX Routing Matrix in the Suite | | 2026.0.2 and 2026.0.3 | April 28 and July 1, 2026 | Maintenance builds; 2026.0.2 added Boris FX SoundApp as an ARA plug-in | | Samplitude 2026.5 (build 26215) | September 29, 2026 | Spatial Panner, Stream Deck OSC plug-in, automatic ARA detection, BandRack in the Suite | The launch details for X8 come from [Sound On Sound's Pro X8 announcement](https://www.soundonsound.com/news/samplitude-pro-x8-magix) of June 8, 2023, and the final X8 patch was posted in the [MAGIX forum announcement of the last X8 update](https://www.magix.info/us/forum/new-update-is-available-for-samplitude-pro-x8-and-music-studio-x8--1344210/). The build dates for 2026.0 through 2026.5 are in the [Samplitude 2026 release notes](https://borisfx.com/release-notes/samplitude-2026-release-notes/). The ownership change is in the [Boris FX acquisition announcement](https://blog.borisfx.com/press/boris-fx-acquires-pro-audio-post-production-mastering-and-broadcast-tools), which also says that Thomas Wolf and Sven Kardelke lead the new Boris FX Germany subsidiary as co-CEOs and that the developers, engineers and support staff stayed. That continuity is the main reason I treat 2026.5 as the same program as X8 with a new owner, not a new product. X8 itself is effectively out of retail. Front End Audio, for example, now lists the [Pro X8 upgrade download as no longer available](https://www.frontendaudio.com/magix-samplitude-pro-x8-upgrade-from-professional-or-suite-download/). X8 prices you meet in older articles describe the MAGIX-era product, not what you can buy today. ![Timeline from Samplitude Pro X8 launch in June 2023 through the last X8 patch in January 2025, Samplitude 2025 on August 19, 2025, the Boris FX acquisition on August 21, 2025, Samplitude 2026 in April 2026 and Samplitude 2026.5 on September 29, 2026, with a box listing what X8 owners lose](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/4b/af4b05d4-2e0b-4edc-8378-1e2a62fecc70/content/images/2026/10/samplitude-upgrade-path.webp) Pro X8 ended with the January 2025 patch; everything since carries a year in its name. Keep X8 installed if you rely on Music Maker Shop instruments. ## Samplitude prices and editions On October 21, 2026, the [Boris FX Samplitude product page](https://borisfx.com/products/samplitude/) listed these US prices. A perpetual license includes one year of upgrades and support; the Suite has no monthly plan, which the [Samplitude 2026 launch announcement](https://blog.borisfx.com/press/reimagined-audio-engine-in-boris-fx-samplitude-delivers-greater-processing-power) lists as "N/A". | Purchase option | Samplitude | Samplitude Suite | | --------------------------------------------------- | ---------- | ---------------- | | Monthly subscription | $25 | Not offered | | Annual subscription | $145 | $175 | | Perpetual license, one year of upgrades and support | $395 | $495 | | Upgrade from a previous version | $185 | $275 | Customers with an active Samplitude or Boris FX Suite subscription, or with a Samplitude upgrade and support plan, received the 2026 release as a complimentary update. Compared with 2023, when X8 launched at $399 and the X8 Suite at $599 perpetual, standard Samplitude costs about the same and the Suite is $104 cheaper, so the gap between the two editions has halved from $200 to $100\. That smaller gap is why I would look hard at the Suite before settling for standard. If you can wait until late November, read my notes on [past Boris FX Black Friday sales and current list prices](https://soundforgepro.com/boris-fx-black-friday/) before paying full price. A discount is a pattern, not a promise. ### What the Suite adds Both editions share the engine, the editing tools and the core plug-ins. The Suite adds immersive formats, track-level spectral editing, extra routing and a large third-party bundle. The edition table on the product page breaks it down as follows. | Feature | Samplitude | Samplitude Suite | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | Dynamic EQ, EssentialFX, Vintage Effects, VariVerb II, Vita 2, Revolta2, DN-e1, Stream Deck OSC plug-in | Yes | Yes | | DeHisser, DeClipper and DeNoiser | Yes | Yes | | Spatial mixing | Up to 5.1 | Up to 7.1.4, native Dolby Atmos, ADM Editor | | Vita Solo instruments | 22 | 33 | | Spectral view and editing at track level | No | Yes | | FX Routing Matrix | No | Yes | | BandRack, any plug-in across up to six bands | No | Yes | | coreFX and colorFX | coreFX VolumeFormer and Delay only | Full suites | | Vandal guitar and bass amps | 4 stompboxes, 50 presets | Full version: 24 stompboxes, 70 presets | | Analogue Modelling | am\|track | Adds am\|phibia, am|pulse and am|munition | | sMax11 inter-sample peak detection | No | Yes | | MP3/AAC Preview plug-in | No | Yes | | CrumplePop SoundApp ARA and VST suite | No | Yes | | Soundly integration | No | Yes | | Celemony Melodyne 5 Essential | No | Yes | | Sound Forge 2026 | No | Yes | | Acoustica 7 Premium, Convology XT Complete, 3D Reverb | No | Yes | ![Two-column comparison of Samplitude at $395 perpetual, $145 per year or $25 per month and Samplitude Suite at $495 perpetual or $175 per year, with shared features in a middle band and Suite extras including Dolby Atmos up to 7.1.4, 33 Vita Solo instruments, Melodyne 5 Essential, Sound Forge 2026, track spectral editing, FX Routing Matrix and BandRack](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/4b/af4b05d4-2e0b-4edc-8378-1e2a62fecc70/content/images/2026/10/samplitude-edition-split.webp) The editions share the editing core; the $100 perpetual difference buys immersive mixing, spectral editing and the third-party bundle. Two Suite items matter more than the feature count suggests. If you master for streaming, sMax11's inter-sample peak detection and the MP3/AAC Preview plug-in, which lets you hear the encoded result before export, are Suite-only. If you clean up dialogue or location sound, track-level spectral editing and CrumplePop SoundApp ARA, which brings stem separation and denoising inside the session, are also Suite-only. My [CrumplePop vs iZotope RX comparison](https://soundforgepro.com/crumplepop-vs-izotope-rx/) explains where one-knob cleanup is enough and where a full repair editor is not optional. Melodyne deserves its own note. The Suite includes Melodyne 5 Essential, the entry edition, which handles quick pitch and timing fixes but not the detailed vocal tools. Before you count it as a reason to buy the Suite, check what Essential can and cannot do in my [Melodyne essential vs assistant guide](https://soundforgepro.com/melodyne-essential-vs-assistant/). One detail is inconsistent in Boris FX's own documentation: the product page lists a bit-accurate DDP master export under the Suite, while the 2025 release notes say DDP import and export became available in the standard version too. If DDP delivery is the reason you are buying, confirm with Boris FX which edition you need before you pay. ## Test results: what nine published reviews and reports conclude Reviewers publish verdicts rather than measurements for Samplitude, so the composite result is a count of agreeing sources. Nine went in: PCMag UK's review of Pro X4 (2019), PCMag UK's Sequoia 17 review (2024), which weighs Samplitude Pro X8 Suite as the cheaper alternative, Amazona.de's Pro X7 test (2022), an ask.video review of Pro X3, a Gearspace report from an X8 trial, and four threads on the MAGIX user forum from 2023 to 2025\. The two rated reviews of Samplitude itself land in the same upper-middle band: 4 out of 5 from PCMag UK and "Gut" (good) from Amazona.de. The rated reviews cover MAGIX-era versions, so I read each finding against the 2025 and 2026 release notes before applying it to 2026.5. | Finding | Sources that agree | Count | | ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ | | Object editing is a standout strength | PCMag UK Pro X4 review, Gearspace X8 report, PCMag UK Sequoia review | 3 of 9 | | Bundled plug-ins and instruments are a reason to buy | PCMag UK Pro X4 review, Amazona.de, ask.video | 3 of 9 | | Value is good against the alternatives | PCMag UK Sequoia review, Amazona.de, MAGIX forum (Sound Forge vs X8 Suite) | 3 of 9 | | Bugs, stutter or unresolved issues are reported | PCMag UK Pro X4 review, two MAGIX forum threads | 3 of 9 | | Stability is described positively | Amazona.de, MAGIX forum (Music Studio X8) | 2 of 9 | | Interface is cluttered or not intuitive | PCMag UK Pro X4 review, Amazona.de | 2 of 9 | | Windows-only is a drawback | Amazona.de | 1 of 9 | | Responsiveness | Split: ask.video calls Pro X3 snappy, PCMag UK calls Pro X4 sluggish | 1 vs 1 | The editing verdict is the most consistent. [PCMag UK's Samplitude Pro X4 review](https://uk.pcmag.com/recording/122804/magix-samplitude) (Jamie Lendino, September 2019, 4 out of 5) calls Samplitude "an ideal stepping stone on the path to pro-level mastering" and lists the slick object editor, useful metering, 32-core support and the Suite's encoder previews and DDP export as pros. A [Gearspace thread on Samplitude Pro X8](https://gearspace.com/threads/samplitude-pro-x8.1417640/) has a user who trialled X8 calling the mixer fantastic and object editing brilliant. In April 2024, [PCMag UK's Sequoia 17 review](https://uk.pcmag.com/recording/123050/magix-sequoia) asked why anyone would spend an extra $900 on Sequoia if Samplitude Pro X8 Suite does the same jobs for $599. The value and bundle findings come from the German side too. [Amazona.de's Samplitude Pro X7 test](https://www.amazona.de/test-magix-samplitude-pro-x7-digital-audio-workstation/) (Florian Scholz, July 2022, rated "Gut") lists stability, price-performance, the perpetual license, the bundled third-party software and the option to use external effects as plug-ins as pluses. Its minuses are Windows-only availability, an interface it found not very intuitive, no macros and incomplete ARA support. It recommends the update to existing Samplitude users and advises everyone else to take at least a close look. [ask.video's Samplitude Pro X3 review](https://ask.video/article/audio-software/review-samplitude-pro-x3) called the program "extremely snappy and responsive" with a huge included instrument set. The bug reports are real but specific. PCMag UK could make playback stutter on Pro X4 by changing options in the mixer or the arrange page, and listed a cluttered interface and sluggish, glitchy behavior as cons. In a 2024 [MAGIX forum thread on Music Studio X8 stability](https://www.magix.info/us/forum/sampliude-music-studio-x8-stability--1338418/), which shares the Samplitude engine, a forum helper called X8 "pretty reliable" after a year of fixes, one user called it "a very BUGGY release", another had MIDI controller and soft-synth problems, and a later buyer had no such issues. The advice in that thread for dropouts was an ASIO driver at about 512 samples, raised to 1024 or 2048 if needed, with Hybrid Engine monitoring. After the final X8 patch, one user in the update thread listed library resets, dropouts when recording on a crossfade, a 10 fps Melodyne full-screen window and an AUX click as unresolved. Support changed with the owner. In 2024 the stability thread confirmed MAGIX no longer offered phone support, only tickets and the forum; in August 2025 a Samplitude owner in the [MAGIX forum thread on Boris FX taking over Samplitude](https://www.magix.info/us/forum/borisfx-managing-samplitude-family-of-products-now--1348743/) reported a Boris FX support reply within an hour. One report each, so treat them as signals, not service levels. Some criticisms have since been answered by the release notes. Amazona.de's complaint about incomplete ARA support predates Samplitude 2026, which added IK ReSing and Melda MTrackAlign as ARA2 partners, and 2026.5, which detects new ARA plug-ins without developer whitelisting. The 2026 release also improved CPU management and the stability of the VST3 audio engine. The interface critique has no matching fix beyond improved High DPI handling in 2025, so expect a dense screen. My verdict from the composite: Samplitude's case rests on editing depth and value, and both have held across three generations of reviews. The risks are the learning curve and, for MAGIX owners, the content lost in the transition, not the core engine. For a Windows engineer starting fresh I rate it a confident buy; for an X8 owner it is a selective upgrade. ## Where Samplitude is strongest Samplitude earns its place through object-based editing, a precise Crossfade Editor and mastering tools that sit in the same project as the mix. These are the features that justify choosing it over a cheaper general-purpose DAW. ### Object-based editing In Samplitude every clip is an object with its own channel strip. According to the product page, you control plug-ins, sends and automation directly in the Object Editor for each individual clip. In practice that means a de-esser on one sibilant phrase, a different reverb send on one line of dialogue, or a gain change on one drum hit, with no track automation lane to manage. It is one of the three strengths reviewers named most often, and it is the main reason I would pick Samplitude for editing-heavy work. ### The Crossfade Editor The current Crossfade Editor was redesigned with an optimized overview and snapshots, and you can edit the audio objects directly inside it. Separate Fade Out and Fade In rows give each side its own length, overlap, curve shape and volume, three Move Modes (Classical, Lock Audio and Move FadeIn+Audio) set how the objects behave as you adjust the fade, and eight snapshot slots let you compare versions of the same transition. ![Samplitude Crossfade Editor with two overlapping audio objects and fade curves above a control panel showing Position, Length, Overlap, Shape, Volume and Play columns, Move Mode options Classical, Lock Audio and Move FadeIn+Audio, eight Snapshots buttons, Presets and Fade buttons, with orange markers 1 to 4 on the Length fields and the Overlap, Shape and Volume faders](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/4b/af4b05d4-2e0b-4edc-8378-1e2a62fecc70/content/images/2026/10/samplitude-crossfade-editor.webp) Set the fade length (1), overlap (2), curve shape (3) and volume (4) for each side, then store variations in the eight Snapshots slots to compare them. ### Engine, track count and plug-ins Samplitude records on up to 999 tracks. Its Hybrid Audio Engine calculates track effects with short response times, so live monitoring runs with minimal latency, while the integrated High Latency Engine handles the computationally intensive object, AUX and surround functions. The 2026 release added smarter CPU management and improved the stability of the VST3 audio engine, according to the launch announcement. ARA2 support lets Melodyne and similar tools work on clips without exporting files. If the plug-in formats are new to you, my explainer on [what a VST plug-in is and how the formats differ](https://soundforgepro.com/what-is-a-vst-plugin/) covers the basics. ### Video and post-production exchange Samplitude imports and exports AAF and OMF, exports EDL and MIDI, and handles WAV, BWF, AIFF, FLAC, MP3, AAC and OGG on both import and export. The 2026 video engine plays AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265) and AV1 with GPU acceleration on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel hardware, with 4K footage up to 60 fps. For sound-for-picture work, that means the common camera and delivery codecs play inside the session, with the GPU taking the video load off the CPU. ### Mastering and delivery Samplitude no longer burns or rips CDs, but CD authoring stays: the Prepare CD Audio dialog exports CUE or DDP, and CD Text returned in 2025.0.2\. Samplitude 2026.5 restored 32-bit integer export for mastering and archival delivery and improved true-peak filtering in the sMax11 limiter; the release notes warn that this may change the output level of sMax11 in older projects, so recheck the final level of any master you reopen. If you still need to burn physical discs, plan on a separate burning tool. ## What is new in Samplitude 2025, 2026 and 2026.5 Three releases separate Pro X8 from the current version. The biggest changes for most users are the 2026 video engine, the 2026.5 Spatial Panner and, on the Suite, Atmos and the new routing and cleanup tools. ### Samplitude 2026.5 (September 29, 2026) - A new Spatial Panner that puts all stereo and surround panning in one place, with ADM and Atmos panning in the Suite. Existing ADM and Atmos projects must be converted for it. - A Stream Deck OSC plug-in that turns an Elgato Stream Deck into a Samplitude control surface, in both editions. - BandRack, which splits audio into up to six bands for any VST3 plug-in (Suite only). - Automatic detection of new ARA plug-ins, without developer whitelisting, and better EUCON support. - 32-bit integer export is back, and sMax11 true-peak filtering changed; read the mastering notes above before you reopen older masters. - The update may require a license update; the installer warns when it does. ### Samplitude 2026 (April 2026) - A reworked video engine with GPU acceleration; the codecs it plays are covered under video and post-production above. - OSC remote control from a phone, tablet, Stream Deck or OSC app, plus Auto Mute, VCA nesting and performance improvements. - FX Routing Matrix for plug-in input, output and sidechain routing, and Soundly library integration (Suite only). - Sound Forge 2026 in the Suite, and ARA2 support for IK ReSing and Melda MTrackAlign. - Boris FX SoundApp as an ARA plug-in, added in the 2026.0.2 maintenance build. - Licensing through a Boris FX Suite license. ### Samplitude 2025 (August 2025) - An ADM Editor for Dolby Atmos metadata and 3D surround with up to 12 channels (Suite only). - A range marker track and improved High DPI handling. - Boris FX licensing with a 15-day trial. - Removals: CD burning and ripping, the MME audio system, the MAGIX Low Latency driver and the MAGIX remote controller app. The next section covers what that means for X8 owners. ## Should Pro X8 owners upgrade? Upgrade if you need the GPU video engine, Atmos and the Spatial Panner, or the Suite's routing and cleanup tools; the upgrade costs $185, or $275 for the Suite. Stay on X8 if it is stable on your system and your projects depend on content that the new version no longer installs. Either way, keep X8 on the machine: users relaying Boris FX support in the transition thread were told to keep X8 or earlier installed to use old Music Maker Shop content. | X8 item | In Samplitude 2025 and later | What to do | | ---------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | Vita Solo instruments bought in the Music Maker Shop | Cannot be used | Keep X8 installed for those projects | | Independence sampler | No longer installed | Installed copies keep working | | Orange Vocoder ME and 32-bit Object Synthesizers | No longer installed | Copy them from the old installation to open old projects | | BitMachine | Not available for new projects | Bounce parts you want to keep | | MME audio system | Removed | Use WDM or an ASIO driver | | MAGIX Low Latency driver | Replaced by FlexASIO | Switch the audio device after installing | | MAGIX remote controller app | Removed | Use OSC remote control from 2026.0 | | CD burning and ripping | Removed | Export CUE or DDP through Prepare CD Audio | | Melodyne 5 Essential | Included only with the Suite | Choose the Suite if you rely on it | | Boris FX Hub | Does not detect old MAGIX installs | Do not expect the Hub to manage X8 | Every row except the Melodyne one comes from the 2025 release notes. The Melodyne change is easy to miss: in the X7 generation, Amazona.de reported Melodyne 5 Essential with both Pro X7 and Pro X7 Suite, while the current edition table lists it only for the Suite. In the transition thread, the Samplitude team acknowledged owner concerns about feature decisions, licensing and content bought from the MAGIX shop, and pointed to initial workarounds in the Boris FX Help Center. My advice for X8 owners is practical. Install 2026.5 side by side with X8, open your three most complex projects in the trial, and check every instrument and effect before you pay for the upgrade. ## Samplitude Suite and Sound Forge Samplitude Suite 2026 includes Boris FX Sound Forge 2026, and the two programs do different jobs. Samplitude is a multitrack DAW for composing, recording, mixing and mastering; Sound Forge is a multichannel audio editor for recording, editing and batch processing individual files, as a forum answer in the [MAGIX thread comparing Sound Forge Pro 16 Suite and Samplitude Pro X8 Suite](https://www.magix.info/us/forum/sound-forge-pro-16-suite-vs-samplitude-pro-x8-suite--1331491/) explains. The same thread notes that the X8 Suite came with Sound Forge Pro 16, and the X4 Suite with Sound Forge Pro 11, so the pairing is long-standing. The useful workflow is a round trip: you send one file from the Samplitude arrangement to Sound Forge for detailed repair or batch work and bring it back. My guide to [setting up Sound Forge in Samplitude Suite](https://soundforgepro.com/sound-forge-in-samplitude-suite/) walks through the external-editor setup step by step. One documentation quirk: the product FAQ still describes "Samplitude Suite 2025" with Sound Forge Pro 17, while the current comparison table and the 2026 press release list Sound Forge 2026\. Trust the comparison table. If you only need the editor, compare the Suite with [Sound Forge's own plans and perpetual prices](https://soundforgepro.com/sound-forge-pro-pricing/) first. The rest of the family, including Sequoia, Music Studio and CrumplePop, is collected on the [Boris FX audio hub](https://soundforgepro.com/boris-fx-audio/). ## Samplitude on Mac and system requirements Samplitude is Windows-only: there is no Mac version of Samplitude or Samplitude Suite. These are the official requirements from the product page. | Component | Requirement | | ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | Operating system | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit; 32-bit Windows is not supported | | Processor | Intel Core i or Core Ultra series, or AMD Ryzen | | Memory | 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended | | Disk space | 2.7 GB, or 13 GB with instruments and sounds | | Video playback | GPU acceleration on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel hardware | On a Mac, choose a different DAW rather than a workaround. REAPER runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, as its [download page](https://www.reaper.fm/download.php) shows. Logic Pro is Mac-only and needs macOS 15.6 or later on Apple silicon, according to [Apple's Logic Pro technical specifications](https://www.apple.com/logic-pro/specs/). The same platform question applies to the editor in the Suite; my guide to [what works for Sound Forge on a Mac](https://soundforgepro.com/sound-forge-for-mac/) covers that side. ## Trial, student license and activation You can try Samplitude without restriction for 15 days with a registered activation key, and you cannot request a second trial key, so start the trial when you have real projects ready. Full-time students and faculty at accredited universities and colleges can apply for a free one-year license of Samplitude and the entire Boris FX Suite; after verification there is a $5 application fee. A license activates on two computers through the Boris FX Hub app, and you deactivate it there to move it. Since 2026.0, a Boris FX Suite license also covers Samplitude, which has been part of that suite since November 24, 2025, as the [Boris FX Suite page](https://borisfx.com/products/bfxsuite/) records. If you already subscribe to the Boris FX Suite for video work, check whether you own Samplitude before buying it again. ## Who should buy Samplitude, and what to choose instead Buy standard Samplitude if you work on Windows, edit heavily at clip level, and deliver stereo or 5.1 mixes and masters. MIDI-heavy composition fits too: PCMag UK found the [MIDI editing in Pro X4](https://uk.pcmag.com/recording/122804/magix-samplitude) increasingly advanced, with a well-integrated score editor, and the [Amazona.de test of Pro X7](https://www.amazona.de/test-magix-samplitude-pro-x7-digital-audio-workstation/) found the MIDI plug-ins reliable, if not innovative. Buy Samplitude Suite if you deliver Atmos up to 7.1.4, do dialogue or location cleanup, or would otherwise buy Melodyne, Sound Forge and a restoration bundle separately. For everyone else, one of these is the better fit. - **Tight budget or a Mac:** REAPER costs $60 on a discounted license or $225 commercial, with a 60-day fully functional evaluation, according to the [REAPER purchase page](https://www.reaper.fm/purchase.php). My [Sound Forge Pro vs REAPER comparison](https://soundforgepro.com/sound-forge-pro-vs-reaper/) shows where REAPER's flexibility pays off and where a dedicated editor still helps. - **Immersive work beyond 7.1.4:** Sequoia, Samplitude's bigger sibling, goes up to 22.2\. Before choosing it, weigh PCMag UK's question about whether the extra cost buys anything Samplitude Suite does not already do for you. - **A first DAW:** Samplitude Music Studio is the entry program in the same family and is included in the Boris FX Suite. - **Mostly stereo file editing and mastering:** a wave editor may serve you better than any DAW. My [guide to Sound Forge alternatives](https://soundforgepro.com/best-sound-forge-alternatives/) and the [Sound Forge vs WaveLab comparison](https://soundforgepro.com/sound-forge-pro-vs-wavelab/) cover that choice. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a Samplitude Pro X9? No. After Pro X8 the product moved to year-based names under Boris FX: Samplitude 2025, Samplitude 2026 and the current Samplitude 2026.5. ### Can you still buy Samplitude Pro X8? Not as a current product. Boris FX sells Samplitude and Samplitude Suite 2026.5, and retailers list X8 upgrade downloads as no longer available. An X8 license you already own keeps working, and the upgrade to the current version costs $185. ### Is Samplitude free? No, but there are two free routes: a 15-day unrestricted trial, and a one-year license for verified full-time students and faculty with a $5 application fee.