Carbon - Intel Mac mini vs M1/M1x Mac mini

[Sardi]

Originally Posted by K Roche

I do not know what "running in clamshell mode" means

Laptop with lid closed and using ext. display, keyboard and mouse.

Essentially, you use the laptop as if it was a desktop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ben Jenssen]

I have a couple of random thoughts;
To the OP: I had the M1 Mini 8gb for a couple of weeks, it's extremely powerful, doesn't get hot and therefore its fan is silent. PT runs flawlessly under Rosetta, as far as I could tell. Even with only 8gb ram. Only a couple of plugins didn't run. So, I think it's a very good idea to get a M1 mini w/16gb, and very good value for money. And wait a bit and see what happens with new models, processors, PT/OS compatibility and so on. That's my strategy.

Now, I returned the M1 mini (there is a 10-day free return policy, at least around these parts), and got the mini in my signature. Reason: in short, I found that I missed a couple of things that you lose when you don't have a intel processor, and I didn't think Big Sur brought much that I needed.

I'm no expert, but aren't people being overly optimistic when they expect Avid to re-write PT for apple silicon by the end of the year? It's a giant job, isn't it?

[K Roche]

Originally Posted by Sardi

Laptop with lid closed and using ext. display, keyboard and mouse.

Essentially, you use the laptop as if it was a desktop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ah Ok thanks

[LukeHoward]

Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen

I'm no expert, but aren't people being overly optimistic when they expect Avid to re-write PT for apple silicon by the end of the year? It's a giant job, isn't it?

It's not a rewrite, it could be as simple as a recompile (not having to change the source code). The reality is somewhere in between because of the use of Intel assembly, or assumptions about how Intel processors work (memory ordering models).

What is going to take time is for all the plugin manufacturers to update.

[K Roche]

I don't know anything about writing code but, think it makes sense for Avid to rewrite PT to run natively on Apple silicon ASAP whatever it takes ....
As I am guessing that now you are going to see PC's going to ARM as well if they don't want to loose a big market share ..

And for the OP I just got this e-mail from Production expert blog about the new Mac mini and M1 Pro and M1 max chips
https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/pro...eid=3af5b4ba3b

[JFreak]

M1 Mac Mini is totally zero drama here, even without native code PT and plugins. I only expect things get smoother once the transition moves on.

If you have a mission critical computer in mind, I would still suggest latest generation Intel and Catalina OS, but if you can affort few hiccups then Apple Silicon seems to be the way to go.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by LukeHoward

It's not a rewrite, it could be as simple as a recompile (not having to change the source code). The reality is somewhere in between because of the use of Intel assembly, or assumptions about how Intel processors work (memory ordering models).

What is going to take time is for all the plugin manufacturers to update.

To cut some very large corners, it is simply ticking a box and recompiling. However it takes time to test that most if not everything is working as expected.

Last transition from PPC to Intel meant that the "press the recompile button" method made PT 7.3 very buggy. I know something about it, I was beta testing versions 7-10

[K Roche]

Originally Posted by JFreak

M1 Mac Mini is totally zero drama here, even without native code PT and plugins. I only expect things get smoother once the transition moves on.

If you have a mission critical computer in mind, I would still suggest latest generation Intel and Catalina OS, but if you can affort few hiccups then Apple Silicon seems to be the way to go.

I am doing just that with my system i7 10 th gen and Catalina and it is very stable and works great.
While I have only a little fan noise while recording audio,, but man as soon as I start doing any rendering in FCPX the fans jump in big time and are pretty obnoxious ..

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by K Roche

I am doing just that with my system i7 10 th gen and Catalina and it is very stable and works great.
While I have only a little fan noise while recording audio,, but man as soon as I start doing any rendering in FCPX the fans jump in big time and are pretty obnoxious ..

This fully loaded (inc.10gbps ethernet) Mac Mini has no problem at all. Up to 4K all is fine. Storage speed about 3000MB/s. No fan noise at all, stays quiet and not getting hotter when things get heavy.

[Ben Jenssen]

Originally Posted by K Roche

I am doing just that with my system i7 10 th gen and Catalina and it is very stable and works great.

Me too.

Originally Posted by K Roche

While I have only a little fan noise while recording audio,, but man as soon as I start doing any rendering in FCPX the fans jump in big time and are pretty obnoxious ..

I'm very happy with this solution:
Turbo Boost Switcher for OSX / macOS

Keeps the mac mini silent.
You do loose a little overall cpu power when you switch it off, but it has never bothered me.