M4 Mac Mini: Insane Value for Music Production, But… | M4 vs M4 Pro vs M3 Pro vs M1 Pro

[@npinero1]

The best Mac tester for music production on YT. Thanks!

[@duarteestelita7257]

true story ;)

[@SuddenSoundStudios]

100%

[@FirstLast-nr6gf]

Honestly, I'm not sure how useful are these results. Test 1 - audio recording of 100+ guitars. Test 2 - 100 tracks with the same synth, Test 3 - process audo files only. Many people would not use audio tracks, or maybe just one. If you add acoustic drums VST, Bass Guitar VST, Piano VST (e.g., Keyscape), Saxophone VST, few more sample based instruments you will run out of 16GB RAM before you max out the CPU.

[@salut9658]

@@FirstLast-nr6gfthose test are just to determine relative power, how much more powerful is a mac compared to an other, not absolute values.

[@NaughtyJackal]

but yet no propellerhead reason test :(

[@DJMarcusGrant]

You're genuinely the only KZbinr that I listen to with regards to Macs and music production. You know your stuff, do proper testing, providing reasoning behind multiple scenarios, and directly address the main worries that most of us as producers have. This to me is why I trust your input over 'Tech KZbinrs' who've never done anything proper in any of the DAWs. Thank you again for another great deep dive into this subject!

[@JamesZhan]

Thanks for your kind words! The music production use case is much less well tested for Macs I think because it doesn't push many aspects of the computer. What I mean is that, while video editing heavily involves not only the CPU and the GPU, but also the media engines in the chip, music production is mostly just about the CPU and RAM (not even the RAM if not much sample libraries are used). This means that testing DAWs don't really give you a sense of how powerful a computer is *as a whole.* However, this is exactly why I started testing Apple Silicon Macs for music production in the first place-the tests that big tech KZbinrs do on Macs don't always apply for music production use cases.

[@IRO1519]

@@JamesZhan Why don't you share your test sessions so we can compare the performance of other computers?

[@hollygrovedallashg8709]

@@JamesZhan can you do one with Reason 13 Software

[@vaportrails7943]

I got the M4 Pro mini, I use Logic, and there is nothing I can do to make it struggle. It is kind of crazy when you consider that it has taken decades to finally reach the point where computers can handle the needs of audio production as intended. But I think we’re there. No more freezing tracks, no more worrying about plugin count. No more hassle. You just use it. EDIT: I should mention that I don’t use huge sample libraries. Superior Drummer 3 at max settings is the extreme of samples I use, and it runs like it’s nothing.

[@vaughnwilkinson595]

Im dying right now with a 2017 Macbook Pro using Ableton.. when I get a large session going the playback gets terrible and there is like a full second of latency. So you are saying you never experience any issues ?? I wasnt considering the mac mini until I started deep diving all these videos, but now it seems like the way to go, especially since Ive never disconnected my Macbook Pro from my studio desk setup since owning it

[@vaportrails7943]

@ I can’t guarantee specifics about your situation, because the interface and DAW you use matter, but I can say the leap from the computer you’re using to the M4 Pro is massive. When it comes to plugin count, track count, etc, it is capable of handling far beyond any typical music production case.

[@ReasonanceHead]

the last couple years we finally got real cpu upgrades again, between roughly 2010-2020 intel was the king with no real competitor, thats why they didnt need to push their progress/innovation. AMD came back again couple years ago with the help of Jim Keller, and a new architecture that pushed intel. He also worked on apple's own processor line that's were we got the m1.

[@huancuc1492]

using more 10 Vocal pluggins , you'll see....

[@kevinmaunsell9474]

@@vaughnwilkinson595 Even with an M1 you will notice a massive difference to the intel. We use Logic Pro tools and ab;eton at the college I manage the Macs on. In order of performance on our M1's 1 is Logic 2 Ableton then Protools. I can't see an M4 having issues with anything.

[@roeescharf104]

It is beyond me why Apple's own DAW can't utilize all cores. With that being said, I just record my bass guitar so who cares! Awesome video as always

[@MPHORROCKS]

I agree absolutely! I spoke to an Apple Logic 'expert' a few years back, when the M3 came out, and you'd think I'd insulted his entire family, lol! How dare I question Apple engineers 'logic' (scuze the pun!) as to why it can't use all the cores in their own DAW. Whats that damn BIG secret FFS???!

[@infindebula]

Well, by not using the efficiency cores, they do make the much pricier “pro” chip more compelling for pro users!

[@srinivasc1720]

​@@infindebula But they also make it "compelling" to switch to cubase or protools from logic.

[@salut9658]

I think it’s because it has less chance to crash using only performance cores, which is important for music production, specially live.

[@deeomayall]

@@srinivasc1720 They ain't making the big bucks from Logic, though. They're making them from Macs. Logic was really just there over the past 15-20 years of Intel macs to provide yet another reason not to switch to Windows. Now, you just get the objectively better hardware by buying a Mac, so there's less reason to invest to make Logic compelling. (PS: anyone would ever seriously switch *to* Pro Tools these days? :D :D )

[@Bossxx88]

This guy is the hero of humble people. Thanks, man!

[@daprodukt1981]

The review we were all waiting for!!! Thanks for all your hard work.

[@mangochutneyartist]

Woah you are completely excellent!The presentation, the content video all is excellent . Thank you!💯

[@reginaldduty974]

Thanks James, going with the Mac mini m4 pro. I use Logic Pro.

[@busyworksbeats]

LEGEND!

[@nathanstatham]

James your videos are so thorough and professionally done. Thanks for what you do. It’s evident how much effort you put into these videos and your research. Thanks a ton my friend! Really interesting information on this one. Answers my questions about my M1 Pro vs the new M4.

[@JamesZhan]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

[@jimmerz1321]

THIS is the video I needed. THANK YOU so much for this very helpful analysis.

[@iameags]

I'm a music mixer, and I really wish I'd had this info when I bought my Mac Studio with the Ultra chip. I would have saved so much money! I bought my computer because I was worried that I wouldn't get good performance out of a lower-priced model. I have a small commercial studio, and the big fear is that my client will encounter a problem with the computer. I totally get it - technology's come a long way, but there are still folks unsure about which computer to go for, worried that their investment might not keep up with their productivity. I'm so grateful for this info, and for the guidance it'll provide as I figure out what to get next.

[@uffe.damgaard.pedersen]

I've been waiting for this video 😍

[@stefbarone]

The best comparison ever, THANK YOU!! I'm going to buy the Mini M4 Pro tomorrow :) I mostly use Logic

[@VXTfour]

Just ordered myself an M4 Pro MBP. (My first MAC) Your videos have been incredible help in choosing which device to get!

[@JamesZhan]

Glad to hear my videos are helpful! Hope you enjoy your first Mac!

[@douggroulx1525]

My mind is definitely made. I’m very thankful for this channel and all the knowledge You share. Thank You James!

[@Izax734]

This guy made me save so much money on the overall, thank you so much

[@LucasBere]

Thanks for all your work on these videos, they're super helpful! I'm upgrading from an Intel MacBook Pro to an M4 Pro Mac Mini next week and I'm super excited for the performance increases

[@baldrust]

I’ve been on the fence about M4 vs. M4 Pro, actually waiting for this video - Thanks James! Currently using Cubase 14 Elements. My projects are not all too complex at the moment; up to about 24 audio or VST tracks. I’m temporarily on an M2 MacBook Air. I noticed that while Cubase certainly does use all the cores for playback and audio processing, project exports uses only the performance cores. Partially to anticipate growing into more complex projects, I’ve decided to go with an M4 Pro Mac Mini w/ 24GB/1TB. In addition to the higher P-core count, I would imagine that Thunderbolt 5 products will become more commonplace over time. James, really appreciate the work you do on your channel!

[@50450720]

Thunderbolt 5 will no doubt be a big feature in the future. But.... by the time TB5 becomes the norm, and affordable, your m4 mac mini will be outdated and look like an expensive option. A cheaper alternative would be to get the base model now, use it for 2 or 3 years, sell it for 60% of its original cost then buy the m6 mac mini pro which will be way more powerful than the m4 pro and way cheaper.

[@mattmattga]

As far as audio gear goes, I would be surprised if Thunderbolt 5 is implemented. My guess is that studio gear will follow the live industry and start implementing more Dante/AVB.

[@Jon-e3w9k]

Please DON'T! just add an external NVME drive it will cost you much less! Get a 2TB NVME and T4 or even T5 enclosure for the same sum, or less than the Apple upgrade to 1TB...

[@baldrust]

So I ended up buying an M4 Mac mini (not Pro) with 24GB/1TB. First, I'll never buy a computer w/ less than 1TB internal. I also attach a 1TB SDD for VST libraries and active projects and a 2TB for archives, raw audio captures and some duplication. Both SDDs have been part of my setup for years. I've been running a M2 MacBook Air 16GB/1TB on my setup of the past few months, and it has not broken a sweat with any of the larger projects I've thrown at it. That says to me that the config I purchased will be a stellar performer today and for years to come. I'm not one to constantly buy and sell equipment, so buying something that had longevity was critical. By saving those few dollars, I upgraded to an Apple keyboard with TouchID, which is a huge convenience. Again, thanks James for running these real tests for those of us focused on making music!

[@Jon-e3w9k]

@@baldrust Good luck and enjoy the music! Each one should consider their work flow sure. Personally I Would suggest 512Gb/32Gb of ram but probably you don't need much of Ram in your workflow, I do.

[@deeomayall]

Great video James!!! Any chance you could measure the performance for different amounts of RAM, especially for samplers? 8GB of the M1-M3 was ridiculously puny, but 16GB still isn't much. But the 32GB upgrade for £600 is a slap in the face with a titanium robotic arm.

[@JoshRichmanDesign]

Great practical tests! Thank you Waiting for new M Mac studios to compare to M4 Pro minis. Please test niose and fan output of the macs too for studio environments.

[@Gibboncore]

Thanks, this was exactly what I wanted to know. It's great that you were able to cut through all of the hype to actually offer music makers important information and allow us to make informed decisions.

[@mattragan1142]

Thanks!

[@JamesZhan]

Thanks so much for the tip!

[@MVRUNOV]

YES !!! THE BEST KZbin CHANNEL IN THE WORLD🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@johndoyle325]

This is the video I've been waiting for! Clear and to the point! Thanks, James!

[@serkankocak]

Thank you so much for testing. I‘m new into music production and will be using Logic Pro and want to get the new Mac mini. Now I know that I will definitely get the pro chip. Now I can‘t wait for your testing of the RAM usage results. I‘m planning on getting the base version with 24 GB but I read on Reddit how someone recommended 1 GB per track which seems to be a little excessive to me.

[@TheStinkyDinkyBand]

Man, I’m in the same boat. I have a fully maxed out M1 Studio. It was like $7k. I’m a designer though but want to get rid of the M1 before it’s a dinosaur already. Now I’m more confused as ever

[@IcemanTheDj]

👍 before press play cause you’re doing a great job! I got the M4 base model the day it came out. For my projects I was fine with my M1 but I wanted 16GB of ram. Now I press play… cheers!

[@JamesZhan]

Thanks for your support! Hope you are liking your M4 Mac mini :)

[@IcemanTheDj]

Sure. It uses less desk space than my MacBook Air M1 base model, have more ports so no need for hubs and is more powerful.😁

[@epicsynthwave]

Please can you include Bitwig Studio in your tests in future ?

[@apollo3340]

Thanks for your high-quality videos! I'd really like to see some tests/reviews on RAM and SSDs for music production. I recently got the 12-core M4 Pro MacBook Pro with 24GB of RAM, and I tried downloading and playing a professional's orchestral Logic Pro project. With all the samples loaded, it needed 35GB of memory, so it took 13GB of swap space on the SSD. While it still played fine, I would think anyone using a whole orchestra of virtual instruments would want the 48GB of RAM (at least).

[@SchweinchenHorst]

Use 30 instances of OsTirus. 80GB of Ram…running smooth on 14900k with 256 smp latency

[@adziak]

Can't you bounce most of the tracks into audio and import them instead of crunching the ram and swap memory? Work smart not hard.

[@SchweinchenHorst]

@@adziak : it’s About Live Jaming in the DAW. Flexibilty, fast Workflow inkl. A tons of AI Ruled FX etc. and in the Mixing phase of the production you go down to 1024 with a workload of 50% @5.200 Core speed (45e) 200€ for 96GB RAM 6000 mts was worth it

[@bparkpark1764]

Yes!!! He's back!!! Let's go!!!!

[@garyscully2183]

Great Video ! 1 little mistake in your chart at 6:54 where you have the m4 at 60 tracks for S1 but it looks more like Ableton´s 48 tracks. Many thanks for putting the time into clearing this stuuf up!

[@carlosp.1846]

Best tests around for music production , thank you

[@siddhu14]

Thanks a lot for all the clarity🙏🏽🎶

[@mcdjchandler]

Great video. I use Ableton and Pro Tools, and just upgraded to a 14 core M4 pro laptop with 24gb memory. It was time to retire my 4 core i7 from late 2013! Very happy with the decision to get the 14 core Pro chip

[@mitchmcturtle6890]

14 or 16 inch and why and do you regret it

[@mcdjchandler]

@@mitchmcturtle6890I went with the stock 14” 14 core M4 pro with 24gb of memory 1tb. I have an external 4K 27” display as well. I didn’t want to go crazy with memory as these machines use memory differently to older intel chips. My Mac Pro has 96gb. We will see if there’s regrets there with stock memory in a few years time. I don’t think it will be an issue.

[@mcdjchandler]

@ if you’re going M4 pro I would get the 14 core. The 12 core has a smaller charger and if you upgrade anything memory wise, you’ll be at the same price as the 14 core. I think the stock 14 core is good value.

[@AwayWithWordsMusic]

Thanks so much for your testing and opinion!

[@busyworksbeats]

Apple, hire this man

[@dertaberti8321]

Thanks for your efforts in doing these tests. Must be a lot of work. I decided to go with Windows, but I love your great, easy-to-understand videos.

[@H-4-D3423]

Congrats James, interesting stats/reading. Another gr8 deep-dive!!

[@ThadBrown]

I'm a Logic and Live guy, 100%, and while I thought I wanted the upgraded M4 now there's no question at all. Great, great, great work parcero. I haven't found anyone who does close to the quality fo your work around here. Greetings from Colombia and may reggaeton beats be bangin and your chata guitars well chorused. One thing I think it's also good to remember when buying machines for musci produciton is how long they will last. I to bought an M1 with a pro chip during the first year they came out, and I'm pretty happy with it ven today . I do a lot of pretty intense synth/processing/sound design work, so while the M1 pro certainly works fine, it is showing its age. I'm hoping to get 4-5 years out of a mini pro. Great video!!

[@sleonse]

Man you’re amazing, AMAZING! thank you 🙏🏻

[@andivax]

Great video, Jan! M4 all the way! However the bottleneck of audio production is 1 core performance. Let's say we want to use mastering plugin on master bus. So our master bus will use just 1 core. And if that core clock is low then we can't use many "heavy plugins" like Ozone, Bloom, Intensity, etc. These plugins are not needed for beginners or arrangers (these guys can use just limiter on the master bus) but for serious producers or mastering engineers it is essential.

[@JamesZhan]

That's what the mixing into a mastering chain test is for! I put heavy plugins on folder tracks and the master bus to factor in the single core performance.

[@andivax]

@ ahh right! BTW I have tried your bus project on i9-9900k cpu and it was close to m1 pro.

[@adambozzetto1]

Great video. Thank you! I always share these with my work colleagues who all teach music production, composition etc etc

[@wavesequencer]

It's a strange situation with Logic, but maybe Apple's reasoning is that limiting processing to P-cores can avoid any backgroud OS tasks causing CPU spiking on the E-cores, potentially interfering with audio loads, leading to a more reliable/less bursty processing audio load, reducing the risk of dropped frames (whilst having a lower baseline performance). As an audio software developer I'm still not sure how Logic is even able to limit processing to only P-cores - I didn't see that option in the API documentation. Also for consideration is RAM - if you are a composer using lots of heavy sample libraries, the M4 mini base configuration may not be ideal (but significantly better than the old 8GB base config on the M2 mini). If you happen to use plugins that you know use their own multi-threaded processing/thread pool (such as the ones I develop) you may still see good performance and usage of the E-Cores in Logic and Ableton even if they limit their main track processing threads to p-cores.

[@JamesZhan]

Thanks for chiming in with your technical knowledge! I consider myself a layperson and I have no knowledge in plugin development, so I just report empirical data and draw conclusions based on those. I have heard about the use of efficiency cores making the DAW less stable, but I have yet to experience that on REAPER or Cubase. The computer gets real laggy when all the cores are maxed out, but as long as the DAW isn't overloaded, the playback would always be smooth. RAM is definitely a consideration, but like you said, that's directly related to sample libraries usage, and this video is focused on audio processing only :)

[@wavesequencer]

@@JamesZhan Your videos a great - I just subscribed. Just maybe in a future test it might be good to also test with a synth plugin that leverages multi-core to see how that changes things. Another valid test is just single channel mastering of a final mix.. all plugins in one track and no other tracks/aux buses feeding in.. most effect plugins can only do single core processing - some DAWs will break the audio buffer requests even for a single track over several threads (even if they are sequential audio buffer requests) as it can spread CPU load but may not help much in this case with a single channel other than maybe in terms of load spreading for thermal management.

[@JamesZhan]

@@wavesequencer Thanks for the kind words! Do you know of any synth plugins by Native Instruments that leverage multiple cores? I don't use synths in general so I don't have many to begin with haha I did the single core test in my M2 MBA and M2 Pro MBP videos. I might bring that back again.

[@wavesequencer]

@@JamesZhan I don't know of many synth plugins that do multi-core (there are probably quite a few now though), other than my own (Hyperion/Theia) and Dawesome's recent synths such as Myth (both via Tracktion) - but another option is to use 'Unify' which lets you build up multiple layers of single core synth/sample playback plugins & effects and will leverage the multi-threading capabilities properly on Mac (using Audio workgroups). I can help you with NFRs for Hyperion or Unify - as I just took on development of Unify.

Man.. I read this comment and replies to try to learn something... I learned I don't know much about plugin development! LOL...

[@davidcoffman321]

I’m about to buy a Mac mini for logic and Final Cut. Thank you so much for such a detailed breakdown

[@NelsonColt]

Hello James. I follow your excellent videos on KZbin, thank you for those! I live near Ottawa and am a Country Music Producer/Artist. I just wanted to know about the new Mac Mini. I’m about to buy one and I wasn’t sure about how much RAM to get. I use Logic Pro X and EzDrummer, Vienne Strings, MoDO Bass Guitar, Pedal Steel from Impact Soundworks, and orange Samples Banjo. I record my own guitars. I was hoping you could recommend a RAM amount please. 48 or 64GB? Thank you so much! Oh and Happy New Year!

[@zeitgeist_uk]

Feel like a lot of us were waiting for you to do this one so thank you so much bro you're wicked! x

[@LloydBuckmanGuitar]

Fantastic video. Must've been the one I was waiting for - Just ordered Mac Mini, upgraded to 24GB Unified Memory. Thanks!

[@Shirochri]

I read a comment on why Logic, bitwig, ableton dont use the e cores, and it was something to do with the fact that those daws have the ability to play/trigger live rather than just straight sequenced. Logic has their clip style view like ableton/bitwig for triggering loops which could be why it falls in to that category. I don't know if this is correct, but as they all have similar playback models, it kinda makes sense. Studio one is the outlier

[@Artsonica]

Studio One have SHOW file to use as live performance tools like Logic or Ableton 🙏

[@MrFn65]

Great video James keep up the great work!!

[@RuinThatDay]

great video. I ordered M4 pro mac mini 24go ram/1To as a logic user

[@robsmith5434]

That is exactly what I’m using for Logic. It’s awesome.

[@grandtetone]

Been waiting patiently for this JZ assessment, thank you.

[@mikaelsuomela1549]

Excellent video, this is literally valuable information!

[@JamesLloydKeyboardist]

Always great watching one of your videos, thank you. I’m going for the m4 mini with 32gb, 1tb. My main daw will be cubase 14 pro, switching from studio one 6 and Logic Pro. 🎹💙

[@MaartenBlij]

Thanks for this very detailed breakdown. Most reviewers focus on video production and I've been holding off because I could find any info on audio production. The base m4 is apparently very suitable for my workflow.

[@ShyBoyEnt]

This is my one of m very first of Your Videos!! Excellent work James!! Glad I found You and Subscribed!! Thumbs Up.👍👍👍👍👍

[@JamesZhan]

Welcome! And I'm glad you liked my video :)

[@Vilarezz]

U're the best, Zhan!!!!

[@romanvinzenzbaier2295]

Amazing comparison series so far! Huge thank you and please keep up the tests and outstanding work 🙌 Any chance for a m4 max chip comparison due to the increased bandwidth and/or the extra cpu cores?

[@t_mama3599]

Wow your analysis is excellent and clear! I am not a super tech person and I understood you very well. Thank you sincerely ❤

[@JamesZhan]

I'm so happy I could make it clear for you!

[@undogmatic]

A cool scenario to test would be: export time (same number of tracks, same plugins on each tracks), across the different DAWs, to compare how they render things.

[@tiantpassmore937]

Great video. I've been on the fence on which one to choose for music production

[@SeekAudionet]

Great Video. Very helpful. Thank you

[@KK-hp5bl]

You're simply the best!! How about the slower writing and read speeds on the 256 internal ssd ,is it a big deal for a home studio enthusiast..?😮

[@JamesZhan]

The slower SSD speed will have no impact at all. It's more than fast enough for most music production use cases.

[@KK-hp5bl]

@@JamesZhan Happy New Year !!!

[@DojoOfCool]

Thank you for your videos on performance for audio they are very helpful.

[@lozenger1]

Thanks for this, from a cubase user :)

[@joeylibbs6236]

Couldn’t wait for this video.

[@peteralexander3084]

Many thanks, James. You are the most scientific tester of them all. I would be very interested in knowing what the developers at Ableton are doing to accommodate the M4 chip configuration from the software side of things. Will Ableton optimize their DAW for the Mac mini in future updates? How can we be better informed of this kind of thing?

[@elianmusic7452]

Beautiful video. Thank you so much. Genuinely. As a viewer, i would appreciate more focus on logic pro in a mixing and mastering context, and a very heavy mixbus processing chain. My intel i9 27 inch 2019 always fails, repeatedly here.

[@NikosXidisOfficial]

great video and very useful. If you want, next time try to put UAD's LUNA in the test as well. It is a pro DAW and it would be interesting to see how it is managed and how it utilizes the cores.

[@p-mixxatonphiremastermix4618]

In my testing, LUNA uses all the Cores. What's interesting is... it uses the efficiency cores first, then, as demand increases, the performance cores become active, which would be useful if using battery power. James may be able to confirm this behavior and compare it to other DAWs

[@dianat.6426]

So appreciate your humbleness and all the work you put into your videos. Thank you for doing this exactly as you do ❤

[@adamb2408]

Love to know what version of pro tools you’re running in these tests.

[@josephpowers2184]

Any plans to include Reason in testing? We also have Reason users XD it's a perfect DAW to test efficiency also :D

[@Jamminn555]

Fantastic video, like all of your testing videos. Thanks so much!

[@joshuabroughton8581]

Fantastic vid. Thanks, James!

[@bjornark]

Awesome video mister. It would be interesting to see the performance dynamic IF Ableton or Logic at some point starts using efficiency cores. Actually, it would be cool to talk to some of these developers and see what they say about this in a podcast style perhaps. Have fun with the new studio display, happy holidays. :)

[@PierreChalifour]

You just earn a follower! Amazing video content. Good job.

[@JamesZhan]

Thank you so much for the support! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@scratchanitch]

Great comparison. Nicely done.

[@UlyssesZopol]

Very helpful, indeed. Even though an M4 Pro would literally double what I can do performancewise, I think I will see first how far I get with the M4. Coming from an 8yo MBPro, I sense that I will have tons of headroom. It would be splendid though to see how Bitwig compares between the versions. Technically it should be closer to Ableton, as it only runs on performance cores given the real-time performance focus of the software, but some say it is better optimized for Apple Silicon. Got the Mini M4 last night, will report back when I have first results.

[@Johnny3000ize]

Any update on your purchase? How is the performance holding up? Fellow Bitwig user here, so I'd be very interested in your experience! :)

[@esmeeobels8294]

Thank you so much for making this video!!

[@TalleyWacker1000]

Incredibly useful for music production!

[@Tama-k1q]

Great video!

[@timsubscriptions3806]

Hi. Love these audio science litmus-type tests. Do you happen to know if Bitwig uses all cores?

[@arindeb]

Much needed review, highly appreciated..... thanks a ton brother...

[@aziouzfiguir5344]

Thank you! your video has helped to understand and decide

[@80sJayOfficial]

Thank you James. Your technical content is the best. Im going to buy the base model mac mini and up the ram to 64gb using cubase 14.

[@judsonsnell]

One variable here (that would be a pain to add to the mix) is RAM. I am running a the 10-core M4 with 32GB RAM. I definitely monitor memory pressure and a busy Cubase Pro 14 session will go beyond the stock 16GB - sometimes pushing up to near the 24gb mark. It sucks that Apple charges so much, but the SoC design makes user-service difficult. There are developers playing with activating the GPU cores for DSP usage. Considering most DAW users just need one or two monitors redrawn, a lot of that horsepower goes unused.

[@joseluishernandezseptien]

Hi James! Thank you for this video. I really like your channel. Would you recommend a Mac Mini 4 Pro with 64 GB of ram over a Mac Studio M2 Max with 96 GB of ram for film scoring on Logic?

[@boabmatic]

Great video , been waiting for this as an Ableton user I was worried about it only using the 4P cores,my projects are not overly complex so think the base mini M4 will handle it fine.

[@InfiniteRhythmProductions]

Thank you so much for making these videos. Helped me out a lot!

[@JoelBrandonMedia]

Just got the 64 GB M4 Pro for film composing in Logic - The ram is all I care about, but excited for the rest! I am going from a 2013 iMac 😮😮 Gonna be wild!! 🎉🎉

[@greatpix]

I find it amazing that an Apple product that had been available for just weeks went on sale for Black Friday, and not for just the usual few dollars off. I had planned on buying one even though I'm living on a very tight budget so it was a very pleasant surprise to save not $10 or $20 but a whole $100! The only negative is that so many others also went for the deal that I have to wait until January before mine will be shipped.

[@inwex8350]

Thank you for this video!

[@hectorsoulless]

Such a fantastic video. Thank you so much for the breakdown. I opted for the M4 MacBook Pro (my first Mac) and will be running Cubase on it.

[@EnervatedSociety]

All in all I'm happy I went with a custom build PC for my music production set up. I'm running a hacked up version of Windows that can run on a potato. It's about 3.8 GB (I forget exactly, I'm away for the machine) installed, and barely uses memory. In short, it's super fast, and barely uses resources, so I can spend it elsewhere. In this case the DAW. Not trying to sound like I'm against Macs, I actually love them, I'm on one right now. I'll be getting myself a Mac Mini for all my Web/Graphic stuff. I'll also use it for audio editing, and or random ideas that might pop up wen I'm away from the studio. It's a very capable machine and worth it if you're not spending a lot imo. Otherwise I think a custom machine/OS build is the better way to go, and it's a lot cheaper.

[@thiagocesaro]

Great video, as always, James! You could do the same series for video editting purposes, ranking like Final Cut Pro, Da Vinci Resolve and others. A totally different scenario could appear for these Pro chips.

[@JamesZhan]

As a full-time video editor, I really want to test these Macs for video production too! But I feel like video production is very well-tested on KZbin for Macs already, so I will need to see if I can add anything valuable to the table, haha

[@thiagocesaro]

@JamesZhan I understand your concern. But you make such well-made and easy-understandable videos that I think video makers will enjoy as much as us audio geeks.

[@weareonemosaic]

Your videos are so, so valuable, thank you! I am hoping though that maybe you could add Bitwig to your test DAWs at some point 😇

[@ollielewis6479]

Excellent review!

[@StoriesOfSolitude]

Really hope Ableton learns the importance of utilizing efficiency cores and releases an update soon.

[@db9091]

You Rock, Sir! Perfect. Just perfect.

[@jean-mariefuentes1787]

Merci de ces tests audio sur DAW .

[@t_mama3599]

Thank you so much!