Hey Folks,

Using Logic with a lot of plugins, NI etc. Sometimes doing up to 70/80 tracks.

Currently using an Apple Trashcan. Its a late 2013 unit using 6 cores and 32 gig of ram.

Looking to upgrade to the new MacBook pro. Was looking at the Apple M3 Max chip with 14‑core CPU, 30‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
36GB unified memory.

Would this be enough or would I need to go to 48 or 64 gig ?

More Ram allows you to multitask the Mac more than it improves any one software performance. If you plan on having several apps open, and any complicated functions running at the same time, then Ram up. 32gb does fine with Mail, Messages, Pages, Keynote, Loopback, Zoom, etc all running simultaneously with a DAW (I use Pro Tools). But if you're planning on running more complicated functions, like Video-in the event of doing sound design-, while working in the DAW, you should up the Ram.

IMHO: The most important thing to remember when using a Macbook to run your studio is:
Although the Macbook is capable of running external displays ( in my case I was using 2 x 27 displays with my MB Pro)
IF you plan on using external display monitors, you'll have to leave your Macbook plugged into 'shore power' since the battery is not sufficient enough. And doing that causes the battery to over charge and eventually swell, like a flat balloon, which causes other issues with the computer.

It's a catch 22...you have to use 110 power to run external monitors, but the result is ruining the battery. OR you unplug from the 110 after a few hours to relieve the battery and lose your external display(s).

For that reason alone, when I upgraded from my 2012 era MB Pro I switched to a Mac Mini.

There are solutions to not allow the battery to be charged over a certain %. I forgot the name of the utility but it lets you pick a % to charge to.

That’s what breaks batteries: leaving them at max capacity constantly.

Letting it charge to 40% for example means you could leave it plugged in all the time and the battery will be OK.

Great articles here:

https://batteryuniversity.com/articl...ased-batteries

Regarding the model, with the M3 chip, the Max is the one to get for sure.

For a prolonged lifetime, I’d now go with 48 or 64GB RAM.

You never know how much more RAM-hungry future OSes, plugins and DAWs will be. It’s like an insurance policy - plus you can’t upgrade it.

https://apphousekitchen.com/#:~:text...your%20Battery.

apple internals are notoriously non-upgradeable. i would bump it up to 48gig if you want to run 60-70 tracks. 32 is probably fine. but 48 gives you extra space.

a person very recently posted some track count specs on an m3 macbook pro. he was getting a lot of tracks out of it. try looking up that post.

Another option would be to get a Studio (since OP has a trashcan anyway). No M3 yet but maybe some good deals to be had on a strong M2?

Or wait for the M3 version of that.

Depending on which DAW you use, you may get better performance from an M1 than an M3.

M3 have fewer P cores than M1.

Logic and Ableton can only use P cores, so an M1 is actually more powerful.

Reaper can use the E cores, so M3 is better.

M3 Max is the OP goal. 12 P cores.

Massively better speeds than OG M1.

Ah, I apologise; you are correct.

M3 Max = 12P vs M1 Max = 8P

I had the Pro in mind:

M3 Pro = 6P vs M1 Pro = 8P

This isn't true anymore. On my M1 Max I've literally worked for an entire day with an external monitor connected where I forgot to plug in the power and I didn't notice...

Apple also have much more intelligent charging these days than they did in the decade old laptops you are talking about.

36 GB will be plenty here.

I'm in the same boat, looking to upgrade from my Traschcan 2013. I stumbled over this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv78mPxRp9A

Anyone knows how the bandwidth issue relates to music production? (I'm not that computersavy)

This is interesting as it suggests for music production an M2 pro is more capable ?

Bandwidth is important for high rez video and 3d work, not so much for audio.

Yep, I work like this everyday no problem at all.

I run a 4k monitor using HDMI and I have a TB dock which powers the MBP and connects all my USB /TB devices.


M