Switching from Windows 10 machine to Mac – anyone here who did that recently?

[DWPress]

Unfortunately, even the top-end M4 Pro Mini is under-provisioned for creative professionals or power users.

I'm not sure what facts this might be based on looking at the benchmarks, if you're talking about needing more ports just get a hub. Originally I had a M1 mini with 8GB RAM and that was insufficient for real-time audio processing as well as everyday use so I upgraded to the M2 with 24GB RAM and things have been smooth sailing ever since. So I guess upping the RAM from the base 16GB would be the only consideration I'd be thinking about.

 

[Esprit]

Sorry I can't help, I've been using Macs since 1988, the same year I got married, and I remain faithful to both.

 

[Timmy]

Will by chance be someone around here who owns an iMac, Mac mini or a Mac Studio with Adobe Dimension installed and who could do a rendering for me, do give me some sort of a benchmark value for any of those Macs?

 

[Blumlein 88]

I have no idea what your requirements are. That is what you need to nail down to know what will meet those needs. An M4 Mac is very good, but not top of the world. If nothing other than SOTA will do there is no cheap solution and I doubt a Mac is it. If very, very good for the amount of money is good enough then the M4 chips are pretty impressive, but there are AMDs that can more or less match them.

Also if a Studio or Win version both cost 4k euro for your needs are you going to spend it or compromise?

I don't of course understand your situation. If you've been working with the gear you described is 10x better for affordable not good enough because 20x better for a high price is available?

 

[sam_adams]

Originally I had a M1 mini with 8GB RAM and that was insufficient for real-time audio processing as well as everyday use . . .

This is a perfect example of what "under-provisioning" means. With Apple's move away from upgradeable RAM and storage in the last generations of Intel devices—and continuing that trend with Apple Silicon devices—if you need more RAM and storage than a certain model line provides, your only choice is to move to a higher-priced model line.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Looking at Dimensions hardware suggestions I'd say don't go with Apple. It apparently still only runs under emulation which is a performance problem. You'll only meet what they call Optimal with a Studio.

Adobe Dimension

Adobe Dimension is a designing software, developed to let you create interesting 3D content quicker and with ease. It offers you smart tools to create mockups, brand visualizations, product, graphics, and other creative work. With Adobe Dimension, you can create real-time pictures and 3D models...

www.saasworthy.com

 

[drodgers]

...the M4 chips are pretty impressive, there are AMDs that can more or less match them.

I actually don't think this is true since the M4 came out. You can get an M4 Max laptop that has higher single and multicore benchmark performance than any desktop CPU (AMD or Intel). You have to go to the server CPUs (Threadripper or Xenon) to beat it.

 

[Wesseling Audio Lab]

3 weeks ago my search started for a new PC and 2x27 inch 4K monitors. I almost got an M4 mac mini but there were simply to many program that I use or want to use that aren't designed for MAC OS.. I was also thinking about M4 with a virtual windows machine.

I got a windows 11 Mele 3Q for $200 and 2 Dell 4K monitors.. I've had it for a week. Its great and does everything I need so far.. SD card can extend the memory. I might get one for my music room for DSP speakers, music server and 4k projector.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09TGPWNB5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

 

[Soniclife]

3 weeks ago my search started for a new PC and 2x27 inch 4K monitors. I almost got an M4 mac mini but there were simply to many program that I use or want to use that aren't designed for MAC OS.. I was also thinking about M4 with a virtual windows machine.

I got a windows 11 Mele 3Q for $200 and 2 Dell 4K monitors.. I've had it for a week. Its great and does everything I need so far.. SD card can extend the memory. I might get one for my music room for DSP speakers, music server and 4k projector.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09TGPWNB5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

I've been intrigued by this product category for what I assume is the very low power consumption at idle, but haven't seen a measurement.

The warning about getting very hot is refreshing honest.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I actually don't think this is true since the M4 came out. You can get an M4 Max laptop that has higher single and multicore benchmark performance than any desktop CPU (AMD or Intel). You have to go to the server CPUs (Threadripper or Xenon) to beat it.

Here is one that will do the trick in a laptop. Single threaded about 10% slower than M4, multi-threaded about 40% better than M4. Cheaper than a similarly equipped M4 Macbook.

Asus has created a monster — the ProArt P16 is a creative powerhouse that outshines the MacBook Pro

The one true Windows MacBook Pro?

www.tomsguide.com

Now once you get into a Pro Max maybe though we are now talking $3200 and up for the 14 inch. Again I don't know where the OP wants to end up, but he already has hinted the Pro Max is not in the budget. That Pro Art Asus or comparable desktop machine is half as much. So not out of the question to compare to a regular M4.

 

[sam_adams]

Here is one that will do the trick in a laptop.

That article compares the Asus to an M3 series MacBook. The M4 processor has noticeable performance improvements over the previous generation of Apple M-series processors.

 

[Blumlein 88]

That article compares the Asus to an M3 series MacBook. The M4 processor has noticeable performance improvements over the previous generation of Apple M-series processors.

Okay whatever. I should have also linked the benchmarks for the M4. It still doesn't win. And the percentages I listed were referring to the M4 and not the M3 in the article.

If you believed the marketing from Apple everything bows in disgrace to the M series. They are very good, and best per watt of power. But they haven't left behind other designs for raw computing power. And Apple keeps the prices up so they also aren't absolute winners for price in every situation.

Apple M4 8 vs AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 [cpubenchmark.net] by PassMark Software

 

[GXAlan]

I run a Dell Precision 5860 with a Xeon W7-2475X for workloads that require ECC, etc.

For hobbyist level stuff, I got the new Mac Mini M4 with the 10 GbE upgrade. The M4 is great for Adobe CC.

 

[Galliardist]

Looking at Dimensions hardware suggestions I'd say don't go with Apple. It apparently still only runs under emulation which is a performance problem. You'll only meet what they call Optimal with a Studio.

Adobe Dimension

Adobe Dimension is a designing software, developed to let you create interesting 3D content quicker and with ease. It offers you smart tools to create mockups, brand visualizations, product, graphics, and other creative work. With Adobe Dimension, you can create real-time pictures and 3D models...

www.saasworthy.com

Dimension is pretty much a dead product, kept alive for now by Windows users who invested heavily in the GPUs it uses.

Take a look at the apparent replacement, Substance: you can get a free trial.

If your use of these types of products is not determined by commercial file format requirements, take a look at Blender, as at least the price is right.

On the subject of Macs for other applications - our designers were using iMac Pros for their work prior to Covid, convinced they were "power users", but found that the close to entry level MacBooks they also had were more than good enough for anything they touched short of 4K video. With Apple Silicon, they are now happy again with M3 devices, the earlier ones were limited unless you spent a lot of money) but I'd venture that the new Mac Mini is up to most of it in standard configuration. Paging is so fast with these devices that you don't notice a RAM upgraded M3 Macbook Pro with Photoshop or Illustrator, even.

With performance, know your bottleneck. Too many people spend a fortune on the wrong componentry and still end up with slow results.

Sure, additional RAM/SSD space is expensive, but if someone is paying you to work it's still cheaper than your time.

Having said that... if you have invested time in Windows workflows and OS knowledge (can be as simple as keyboard shortcuts!) and peripherals, it's not worth switching and having to learn the other ways of working.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Dimension is pretty much a dead product, kept alive for now by Windows users who invested heavily in the GPUs it uses.

Take a look at the apparent replacement, Substance: you can get a free trial.

If your use of these types of products is not determined by commercial file format requirements, take a look at Blender, as at least the price is right.

On the subject of Macs for other applications - our designers were using iMac Pros for their work prior to Covid, convinced they were "power users", but found that the close to entry level MacBooks they also had were more than good enough for anything they touched short of 4K video. With Apple Silicon, they are now happy again with M3 devices, the earlier ones were limited unless you spent a lot of money) but I'd venture that the new Mac Mini is up to most of it in standard configuration. Paging is so fast with these devices that you don't notice a RAM upgraded M3 Macbook Pro with Photoshop or Illustrator, even.

With performance, know your bottleneck. Too many people spend a fortune on the wrong componentry and still end up with slow results.

Sure, additional RAM/SSD space is expensive, but if someone is paying you to work it's still cheaper than your time.

Having said that... if you have invested time in Windows workflows and OS knowledge (can be as simple as keyboard shortcuts!) and peripherals, it's not worth switching and having to learn the other ways of working.

I mentioned Dimension because that seemed to be the central interest of the OP. I don't do any heavy video processing. The audio mixing is done just fine even with a less than current device. I don't like Adobe's products and use none of them.

What little video editing I've done is mostly in Kden live or Open Shot.

 

[Galliardist]

I mentioned Dimension because that seemed to be the central interest of the OP. I don't do any heavy video processing. The audio mixing is done just fine even with a less than current device. I don't like Adobe's products and use none of them.

What little video editing I've done is mostly in Kden live or Open Shot.

I think I replied to the wrong post, sorry

 

[Galliardist]

Okay whatever. I should have also linked the benchmarks for the M4. It still doesn't win. And the percentages I listed were referring to the M4 and not the M3 in the article.

If you believed the marketing from Apple everything bows in disgrace to the M series. They are very good, and best per watt of power. But they haven't left behind other designs for raw computing power. And Apple keeps the prices up so they also aren't absolute winners for price in every situation.

Apple M4 8 vs AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 [cpubenchmark.net] by PassMark Software

Be careful when taking either side of this argument. More often than not, the CPU speed is not the determining factor for the complete device, and benchmarks can favour a particular processor type over another. The two processors can't be run in an equivalent environment.

I'd prefer to see equivalent devices per price as opposed to equivalent processors per price for evaluation at present, and I suspect for 95% of real world use real speed in tasks is determined by the operator. When we get into more complex tasks the code and the supporting cast to the processor may determine the actual results. Once again - know your bottleneck.

 

[sam_adams]

Be careful when taking either side of this argument. More often than not, the CPU speed is not the determining factor for the complete device, and benchmarks can favour a particular processor type over another. The two processors can't be run in an equivalent environment.

Not to mention that the linked comparison was for an 8-core M4 vs a 12-core AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. A more valid comparison is below that indicates that the differences are not as great as one would be led to believe considering that the single core advantage goes to the M4 processor.

AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 vs Apple M4 Pro 12 [cpubenchmark.net] by PassMark Software

Synthetic benchmarks rarely—if ever—reveal real world differences in total system performance as you so poignantly made the case for.

 

[Timmy]

Thanks for all your input!

Actually I don’t care about laptop’s or other mobile devices’ specs or comparisons at this point. What I am looking for is a »classical« desktop machine.

Your input helps me a lot to reach a decision, and I feel it is going to favour a Windows solution eventually. That is mainly due to the much greater flexibility in putting together a suitable machine and to probably upgrading/modifying it later. I wasn’t fully aware of that, so thanks again, for bringing that point to my attention.

Of course, the second reason pro Windows in my case is surely the price difference. Seems that I’d have to pay around twice as much for a comparable Mac solution, and then I would still have that sort of limited flexibility plus the uncertainty whether the performance will be so much better as to clearly justify the price difference or not.

 

[Sokel]

Since we are here about audio,at the time it's only Windows that come handy,specially for measuring stuff,both for compatibility and memory.
One has to go to 32 GB RAM and above for some tasks to go smooth and nice at big FFT sizes or measuring DSD,etc.

The rest,as above,a top Mac machine is a top solution at their own stuff.
Better have both