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#1
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Best Bang For Buck Macbook?
Our studio assistant is in need of a new laptop to handle various tasks, including prepping and tweaking mixes of audio-only Pro Tools sessions with up to 100 tracks. Additionally, the laptop should be capable of handling medium-heavy virtual instrument work, and own mixing projects.
Currently, the assistant is using a MacBook from the mid-2010s with 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB SSD, which struggles with the aforementioned Pro Tools task but manages the VI projects and own mixing projects. One suggestion I offered is to consider a refurbished 14" 12 Core M2 Max laptop with 64 GB RAM and either a 1 TB or 2 TB SSD. This option is available from Hoxton Macs in the UK for approximately £2.5k. I'm open to hearing other ideas as well!
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Pro Tools Studio 2024.3| Eucon 2023.11 | Mac OS 14.3.1 | Soundflow | Streamdeck | 16" Apple MacBook Pro M3 Max 16 Core 64 GB RAM | 2020 MacBook Pro 13" M1 16 GB RAM | Hackintosh i9 9900KS 32 GB RAM |
#2
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Re: Best Bang For Buck Macbook?
I'd say any of the M series MacBook Pros would work given a minimum 32GB RAM. Storage really depends if you'll be copying the sessions over or using an external drive?
My main concern would be screen size. I wouldn't want to work on a 14" unless it's connected to an external display. 16" would do standalone if need be.
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~Will |
#3
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Re: Best Bang For Buck Macbook?
Quote:
If he does not the mobility of a laptop then perhaps a Mac Mini M2 Pro with a 27 or 32 inch display might fit the bill
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System : Studio - Avid Carbon interface , PT Ultimate 2023.12 Mid 2020 (intel) iMac 27" Ventura 13.2 .1 Mobile - 2021 14 " MBP M1 Pro PT Ultimate 2024.3.0 --Sonoma 14.4 Enjoy the Journey.... Kev... |
#4
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Re: Best Bang For Buck Macbook?
Quote:
I don't see a 32 GB RAM M3? But a vanilla 14" M3 with 24 GB RAM is a comparable price, I'd still favour the M2 Max.
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Pro Tools Studio 2024.3| Eucon 2023.11 | Mac OS 14.3.1 | Soundflow | Streamdeck | 16" Apple MacBook Pro M3 Max 16 Core 64 GB RAM | 2020 MacBook Pro 13" M1 16 GB RAM | Hackintosh i9 9900KS 32 GB RAM |
#5
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Re: Best Bang For Buck Macbook?
Quote:
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System : Studio - Avid Carbon interface , PT Ultimate 2023.12 Mid 2020 (intel) iMac 27" Ventura 13.2 .1 Mobile - 2021 14 " MBP M1 Pro PT Ultimate 2024.3.0 --Sonoma 14.4 Enjoy the Journey.... Kev... |
#6
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Re: Best Bang For Buck Macbook?
No worries and thanks for the suggestion. How about the number of performance cores in the M3 Pro (6) vs M2 Max (8).
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Pro Tools Studio 2024.3| Eucon 2023.11 | Mac OS 14.3.1 | Soundflow | Streamdeck | 16" Apple MacBook Pro M3 Max 16 Core 64 GB RAM | 2020 MacBook Pro 13" M1 16 GB RAM | Hackintosh i9 9900KS 32 GB RAM |
#7
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Re: Best Bang For Buck Macbook?
As detailed in several other MacOS sub-forum threads here, the "Pro" variant is a poor choice for Pro Tools, especially in M2 and M3 guise. This is due to the lack of increase in performance cores from one generation to the next.
Dominic
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MacBookPro M1Max 16" 10/32 64GB 2TB, Ventura 13.6.6, Pro Tools 2023.12.1, Carbon. |
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