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16" Macbook Pro M2 Max 12 Core 64 GB RAM vs 16" Macbook Pro M3 Max 14 Core 36 GB RAM?
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Sorry not sure I understand, I am considering either of these 2 machines to put to use for a minimum of 5 years mixing audio only in Pro Tools.
That said, current machines are listed in my signature...
Any of these machines cover your correct mixing needs? The new MBP you looking at should replace all of them?
The MBP and Hackintosh yes, but the MBP SSD is small at 512 GB and the Hackintosh is a PITA to update the OS.
The MBP will go to my fiancee and there for backup if needed, and the Hackintosh disassembled to sell the components off.
Basically time for a new machine and deciding between these 2 options.
I am sure both machines will be fine for now, just wondering what predictions would be for the machine with the longest shelf life in the context of a Pro Tools user....
No one knows what/how/if Pro Tools will change down the road, or if your needs will change… but for mixing audio channels with light VI usage, the 36GB version will be more then enough. And if you want to be more future proof and can afford, get the 64GB version.
Yes and thanks - however the price is actually relatively similar and I am directly asking specifically to choose between only these listed 2 options, and why that choice.
If you want to carry more instruments over time, the RAM will become more important over time. It is my understanding that the biggest tax is keeping instruments in memory for quick playback.
My experience has been that RAM is more important than CPU power in audio. I am in a band and use Mainstage and Logic when we record and mix our music. My 2016 MBP with 16GB RAM struggled with Mainstage, taking 5-10 minutes to load my concert files and filling most of the available memory while performing. My upgrade was to a MBP M1 Max 14" with 64GB RAM and 2TB SSD. It easily handles my biggest files with plenty of headroom. Definitely recommend the model with more RAM, as that'll be the limiting factor especially as time goes on.
M3 MAX but with 64gb ram
I am buying an M3 Max Studio with 64gb ram when they come out.
32gb of ram you can still max out your ram
I am buying an M3 Max Studio with 64gb ram when they come out.
32gb of ram you can still max out your ram
Just remember a lot of people here have no problem getting others to spend a lot of money on upgrades. Then complain about the cost of upgrades. No one has a duplicate of your environment and can only make guesses on their perception.
true. but once you choose your ssd size and your ram you can never upgrade to bigger and better. your stuck with what you ordered
Many in the Pro Audio are also turning to building PC's. Because of PCI Express expansion and the ability to upgrade your Video Card, CPU, Graphics Card, Ram, SSD, and motherboard.
For 14 days, which is the return period.
After that, if the system is not capable, then sell it. The loss is probably only a few hundred dollars. Then buy a system fully spec'ed that will work. If a person is working in Pro Audio than selling if necessary should be a no-brainer decision as the system represents income.
At one time in my past I ran several servers, Windows based. One production server had 1TB of memory. Matched pairs, error correction, high speed, really expensive stuff, as in several thousands of dollars. Someone from the outside would look at the system and say there was not enough memory as the free space was a Gigabyte or two. They would say we did not have enough ram and should upgrade immediately. What these "consultants" did not realize is that SQL server would load as much of the database in memory as possible, especially the several dozen of indexes. Consume as much ram as possible. Which is what a good OS should allow and make provisions.
The query is not about now. The point is what is best for the life cycle of a new box; i.e. five years.
RAM needs ("needs" being what the Mac OS/apps will run optimally) always increase over time. Always. IMO between those two choices for audio get the box with 64 GB RAM. For anything dealing with 3D imagery I would recommend the M3 but with more RAM, a pricey solution.
For Pro Audio - the sensible choice would probably be the M2 Max just solely due to the higher ram capacity. I think the CPU performance is comparable, especially comparing with the 14 core M3 Max - you'll end up having 2 additional more performance cores compared to the M2 Max. Even if they're clocked higher on a per core basis, the real life performance delta is probably super negligible. Another pro for the M2 Max over the 14-core M3 is the higher memory bandwidth you'd get (400gb/s vs 300gb/s) - again probably not noticeable in real life use but a fact to consider nonetheless.
Maybe another big consideration is purely aesthetic or how good you might feel about your purchase. You might not care at all about having the latest model, or the latest color, but if you do — that might be something that's tough to quantify with cost, meaning just get the one you want/desire and put the sensible choice on the back burner.
Maybe another big consideration is purely aesthetic or how good you might feel about your purchase. You might not care at all about having the latest model, or the latest color, but if you do — that might be something that's tough to quantify with cost, meaning just get the one you want/desire and put the sensible choice on the back burner.
Saying "For 14 days" makes no sense, because what is relevant is how a new box will perform during its typical 5-year life cycle. Clearly either option the OP lists will easily meet needs today.
You don’t have much experience with music production, mixing and DAW’s in general, right?
If I was a professional making money with my systems, I would only go three years at the maximum. Partly for tax advantages, partly because I would not want a system more than three years old. If what I were to purchase today did not work to my satisfaction six months down the road, I would purchase another system without hesitation. A $2,000 expense amortized over six months is trivial.
None of us can predict the future, period. What works now will probably work in five years. If the workload increases because of more clients and more needs, then buy more. I doubt the software and OS needs are going to increase dramatically in five years. Photoshop requires about the same today as it did ten years ago and Photoshop is a hog.
I just bought a 14" M3 Max and spent some time over the last several days watching some YouTube videos trying to decided between the 14/30-core model or the 16/40-core model.Which would you choose for mixing audio only with Pro Tools? Maybe some light VI work.
Sessions can get up to 100 audio tracks here![biggrin.gif]()
I can't recall which video it was (so no link, sorry), but one of the head-to-head videos of the two processor options used for one of the tests a Pro Tools comparison. The 14-core 36GB model did something like 240 tracks and the 16-core 48GB model did like 300. So I'm presuming either M3 Max model will suffice for your needs.
Ultimately, I chose the 14/30-core model. The $500 difference for 15% multicore performance improvement (exact same single-core performance) wasn't going to do much of anything for me in my usual workflow other than bragging rights. Heck, the 14-core M3 Max is still nearly as fast as an M2 Ultra at half the price!
I do use one app that is fairly CPU and GPU dependent, but as it already performed satisfactorily well on my previous 10-core/16-core M1 Pro, I decided the battery hit, heat & fan noise and price difference wasn't worth it. And 36GB of RAM (vs. 48GB on the 16-core model) is still more than twice what I had previously.
I put the $500 difference towards another Studio Display instead
I just bought a 14" M3 Max and spent some time over the last several days watching some YouTube videos trying to decided between the 14/30-core model or the 16/40-core model.
I can't recall which video it was (so no link, sorry), but one of the head-to-head videos of the two processor options used for one of the tests a Pro Tools comparison. The 14-core 36GB model did something like 240 tracks and the 16-core 48GB model did like 300. So I'm presuming either M3 Max model will suffice for your needs.
Ultimately, I chose the 14/30-core model. The $500 difference for 15% multicore performance improvement (exact same single-core performance) wasn't going to do much of anything for me in my usual workflow other than bragging rights. Heck, the 14-core M3 Max is still nearly as fast as an M2 Ultra at half the price!
I do use one app that is fairly CPU and GPU dependent, but as it already performed satisfactorily well on my previous 10-core/16-core M1 Pro, I decided the battery hit, heat & fan noise and price difference wasn't worth it. And 36GB of RAM (vs. 48GB on the 16-core model) is still more than twice what I had previously.
I put the $500 difference towards another Studio Display instead
Usually these tests are pressure tests, in real life you can have much more channels/tracks.
On my old system (i7 Mini Mac, 16GB) i can have more then 100 channels in Logic without a sweat.
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Haven’t heard them save for doing CPU-based 3D volume renders in Osirix. GPU-based renders don’t bump the fans at all.