The Mac platform continues its renewed rapid rate of new hardware releases - but which machines are appropriate for the audio professional right now?
The family of Mac hardware
Apple Silicon
We're now in the fourth generation of Apple Silicon processors, and there's no denying it was a smart choice for Apple to move away from Intel CPUs: the performance boosts gained by the initial transition to the M1 family of processors have been reinforced by year-on-year improvements as Apple squeeze ever-greater gains out of their new architecture.
The latest generation of processors - the M4 family - are now around 60% faster than their equivalent M1 processors from 2020; we're approaching the point where even those already running Apple Silicon systems might consider upgrading to a newer Apple Silicon machine for improved performance.
The transition to Apple Silicon has been incredibly straightforward, thanks to the remarkable translation layer which Apple include with macOS, Rosetta 2. This seamlessly and invisibly translates legacy Intel-coded applications, plug-ins and certain drivers, meaning it's still possible to run a DAW in Rosetta mode and have access to plug-ins which haven't yet made the move to Apple Silicon-native code, all with minimal loss of performance and zero inconvenience. Although some users might balk at the prospect of running a system with non-native code, Apple have done a very impressive job with Rosetta - you’d never be able to tell an application wasn’t native, either by its appearance or by its performance.
The original version of Rosetta helped to bridge the transition from PowerPC CPUs to Intel CPUs back in 2006 only survived two major OS upgrades. Rosetta 2 has so far survived four - but Apple remain tight-lipped about how long they intend to support the software - and it is in Apple’s DNA to drop support for legacy software as soon as they can.
October 2024 Hardware Releases
At the end of October, Apple released their initial range of new Macs powered by the M4 family of processors:
iMac M4
iMac M4 now features up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of internal storage - although it is still limited to the base-level M4 processor and 24" display;
Up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports;
Support for up to two external 6K displays.
Mac mini M4
Mac mini M4 substantially reduces the size of the unit compared with its predecessor, and is offered in both M4 and M4 Pro varieties;
The M4 Pro model features up to 64GB RAM and 8TB internal storage;
Up to three Thunderbolt 5 ports, two USB-C USB 3 ports and one HDMI port;
Support for up to three 6K displays.
MacBook Pro M4
MacBook Pro 14" and 16" are now available with processor options including M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max varieties;
The M4 Max models feature up to 128GB RAM and 8TB internal storage;
Three Thunderbolt 5 ports and one HDMI port;
Support for up to three external 6K displays and one external 4K display.
Although these systems feature the powerful new M4 processor, Mac Studio and Mac Pro - even though they haven't yet been upgraded to the M4 processor family - may still be the appropriate choice for some situations. Notably the new iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro all require macOS Sequoia as the earliest supported OS version - and we would generally not yet running this new release.
Notably a compatibility issue with iLok software protection has recently been identified with the new M4 processors and, although a fix will likely be issued quite quickly, it may take some time for developers to release compatible updates.
The M2-generation systems currently available are:
Mac Studio is available with M2 Max or M2 Ultra processors;
The M2 Ultra models are available with up to 192GB RAM and 8TB internal storage;
Up to six Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A USB 3 ports, and one HDMI port;
Support for up to eight displays at 4K, or six displays at 6K.
Available in either tower or rackmount format;
Mac Pro is available with M2 Ultra processors;
It can be configured with up to 192GB RAM and 8TB internal storage;
Eight Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A USB 3 ports, and two HDMI ports;
Support for up to eight displays at 4K, or six displays at 6K;
Six PCIe Gen 4 slots, supporting additional internal storage, audio/video interface cards, etc.
Obviously Apple have not announced when Mac Studio or Mac Pro will be upgraded to the new processor family - or what other features the new machines will have - but it is generally reckoned to be at least Spring 2025, possibly Summer or later.
Just as with upgrading an OS installation, we’d encourage readers not to jump onto a new computer without accounting for the time it takes to thoroughly ensure the system is fully functional. Rogue applications, plug-ins or drivers can easily ruin an otherwise-worthwhile upgrade, leading to no end of frustration with the new machine.
Our Support and Maintenance page highlights some areas where Yellow Technology can help streamline the upgrade process, ensuring you get the best outcome from your new system!