Macbookpro for travel

[PeterQ]

Hi all,

 

My old MP5.1 VW21/mbp 2015 has run it's course but I have to say, still does a lot of stuff really well, except for render times and missing out on some needed libraries and functionality.

 

Planning to get a mac studio M2 max 96Gb, 4Tb soon.

Doing lots of 2D but 3D is now on every production. So at first rendering wasn't on top of my list but will need to render SL more and more in 3D views and vizaulisation. Drawings are not huge but demanding more each time. Still doubting 64 or 96Gb of ram.

At the same time I will be investing in a mbp for travelling and VW. This is where I should make a financial compromise.

I prefer a mbp M1 max refurb but hard to find with the azerty french keyboard. What about a 14" mbp pro M1/M2 or?

I'm thinking of not really using it for rendering, only when abroad, if needed.

 

My main software is VW, Photoshop, Davinci Resolve, MLA, LW and office.

 

Any advice, much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

[Pat Stanford]

Since no one else is chiming in, I will offer my opinion.

 

I travel enough that I need a single machine rather than trying to keep a sync between desktop and laptop, so I went with the top of the line 16 inch MacBook Pro.

 

If you compare the Studio to the 16" MacBook with the lowest processor that will support 96GB of RAM, there is about an $1100 USD difference between the machines with 2TB of SSD.  This is in the US Apple Store.

 

The Studio is 12 core CPU, 38 core GPU, 16 Neural

The MBP is 16, 40, 16 So it "should" be a little faster.

 

So for the money you will spend on the Studio and a used laptop, you could get a faster laptop that would still drive external monitors.

 

Just a thought.

 

I think @Mark Aceto may have switched from a Studio to a MBP and  regretted it though. I can't remember the reason. Maybe slower rendering.

 

[Elite Exhibits]

3 MacBook Pro in a row - Current machine is 32 gig M1 Max - no issues / served me well

 

Have learned to be judicious with what I draw if I will be rendering in front of the client out on the road.

     ... also use the trackpad vs an add on mouse - like playing a piano, when you get the hang of it it works.

 

Docked at the office I have additional twin 27in monitors via HDMI - though I use them for other than VW as the built in display is quite nice

 

More ran the merrier 

 

Peter

[Pat Stanford]

And one more thing.  While the M3 is a great chip, it looks like it has already been supplanted by the M4.  Not sure how long you can get by on your current machine, but  there could be new M4 systems coming this fall.

 

If you need a machine now, then get it. It will be far better than what you have.  If it is just a nice to have then perhaps wait.

[PeterQ]

Thanks for the reply.

One of the main reasons I prefer 2 computers is if something happens with my mbp, which in the past already happened, I can continue working. The desktop is my main computer from where I start. Mbp is my secundairy computer. That's why it can be a bit slower but from a financial point it's indeed cheaper to go with the mbp only.

If the mbp is a secondairy computer, I'm looking into: 14/16" M1/2 pro, pref 14/16" M1/M2 Max. For the moment I think the PRO has limited ram and the 14" max is slower because of lesser cooling but in relation to what I have now, it will both be faster. Btw, my mbp has given up. So I need one.

Travel is about 25-30% of the year. Will increase, before covid it was more like 50-60% travel.

 

 

[PeterQ]

what I can source easly is a 14" M1 max 32Gb with azerty french but not sure if this is future proof with only 32 gigs or ram, meaning lasting 3-5y

[Mark Aceto]

On 6/20/2024 at 8:32 AM, Pat Stanford said:

I think @Mark Aceto may have switched from a Studio to a MBP and  regretted it though. I can't remember the reason. Maybe slower rendering.

 

Slower at multicore and graphics related tasks but I'm in the same boat as the OP (MBP is the secondary machine which takes the pressure off performance).

 

The notes I have for the OP are:

• The M2 MBP has HDMI 2.0 (finally), so that might be of interest (supports widescreen monitors great than 4k if you're not using USB-C for some reason)
• Get the biggest hard drive you can afford, so you won't be forced into upgrading when you run out of space
  • Or get a portable Crucial / Samsung 4tb SSD for around 200 bucks

[PeterQ]

 

@Mark Aceto, would a 32Gb versus 64Gb be a good compromise in a M1/M2 max system because rendering would not be on the top of my list for travel situations?

 

Would 14" versus 16" make a big difference. There seems to be thermal issues with the 14" or are they minimal if not using for rendering as priority?

 

What 's your MBP configuration?

 

Thanks.

[Mark Aceto]

8 hours ago, PeterQ said:

 

@Mark Aceto, would a 32Gb versus 64Gb be a good compromise in a M1/M2 max system because rendering would not be on the top of my list for travel situations?

 

Would 14" versus 16" make a big difference. There seems to be thermal issues with the 14" or are they minimal if not using for rendering as priority?

 

What 's your MBP configuration?

 

Thanks.

 

i have a 16" m2 max 96gb

 

i'm at the point where i'd buy an a MacBook air if it had 4tb storage and 32gb memory because my desktop is doing the heavy lifting

 

however, if a MacBook was my only computer, i would max it out to the outer limits of my budget

 

sidebar: i'm a huge fan of the Apple Card. i pay it off every month. so, if it meant getting a system i wanted and floating their payment plan thingy... i would do that. there's no hard pull (on the purchase itself), and the balance does count against your credit score but there's zero interest. so do that for a few months, and then pay it off early.

 

and if anyone is interested in a laptop that will smoke the most expensive MacBook pro, go to best buy, and get a windows laptop for 1500 bucks