Upgrade from Mac Mini i7

[nyplugin]

i guys, I currently have a Mac mini 2018, i7 with 64gb ram.

I compose and mix music for media with DP, generally using lots of plugins, usually no more than 30/50 instances of kontakt.

My Mac mini works very well but I’m thinking to buy a laptop since I started to travel a lot.

I haven’t been following the market since the new M1 chip so I’m not updated on the current CPUs nor on what is the unified memory and if it works well with VSTs.

What kind of new Apple laptop would you recommend to buy?

[mikehalloran]

i guys, I currently have a Mac mini 2018, i7 with 64gb ram.

I compose and mix music for media with DP, generally using lots of plugins, usually no more than 30/50 instances of kontakt.

My Mac mini works very well but I’m thinking to buy a laptop since I started to travel a lot.

I haven’t been following the market since the new M1 chip so I’m not updated on the current CPUs nor on what is the unified memory and if it works well with VSTs.

What kind of new Apple laptop would you recommend to buy?

There is no issue with Unified Memory and VSTs. Discrete RAM / Intel Mac is a thing of the past. and is no longer offered new by Apple.

Integrated RAM (same thing) is part of all Apple Silicon and is estimated to be 4x more efficient than discrete RAM. Like any rule of thumb, it’s a guess. Since you have 64GB onboard, I wouldn’t consider less than 16.

Apple has many MacBook offerings these days. My wife has an M1 MacBook Air with 8GB onboard and it runs DP 11.23 but I only use it for testing. I don’t care for the port management and USB-C power supply so am looking at the 16GB or 24GB M2 MacBook Air for myself—Apple went back to a MagSafe power connector freeing up both TB3/4 ports.

There were some M3 MacBook Pros announced on Monday. You have a lot to choose from. There may also be some bargains in the Refurb Store.
https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/mac

[mikehalloran]

I compose and mix music for media with DP...

One thing to keep in mind with the M1/2/3 chips is that AV performance, while impressive and beyond what your 2018 Mini could do, has a serious limitation. If you use more than one display in your work, pay close attention to how many additional displays each AS Mac supports. I am assuming that you intend to the same new Mac in the studio and on the road.

A hub with more TB or HDMI ports won't make it if the GPU supports say, only one external monitor—as the MacBook Airs and the smallest of the new M3s do. The only workaround if you need more displays than your desired MacBook can support is a DisplayLink box over USB (DisplayLink doesn't make the boxes; they provide the free software and updates). Although those are not expensive and there are many brands, you don't want that do be a surprise.

In my case, I already know that the current MBAir only supports one external. Though I cannot live without three monitors, that only applies to my desktop workstation where I am running my new M2 Studio.

[nyplugin]

Great, many thanks for your advices. I was thinking to buy a MacBook Pro with an M2/M3 pro or ultra processor, it seems it is more powerful and reliable for vst.

[mothra]

From what I've read on the M3s so far, they might not be that much of a jump over the M2's yet. The M2 Pro MacBooks might be a little cheaper now that the new ones are out too. I went from the 2018 i7 Mini to the M2 Pro Mini a few months ago and no complaints here. I don't use anywhere near that many instances of Halion in a project, but still with about 20 or so, the CPU meters aren't even doing anything. Im not a DP user, but it runs Cubase 12/13 like a charm..

[mikehalloran]

…The M2 Pro MacBooks might be a little cheaper now that the new ones are out too.
…

Check Apple's Certified Refurbished (was the Refurb Store) listings the day after M3s start shipping to see if there's any further reduction in price. Besides customer returns and actual refurbs, this is where Apple Store and warehouse overstock is sold.
https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/ ... acbook-pro

There are M1 and M2 MBP's in there right now at a significant savings over similar M3s. I'm not saying the M3 isn't worth the extra money but one can do a price/performance/needs comparison with eyes wide open.