The Problem with M3 Pro MacBook Pro for Music Production | M3 Pro vs M2 Pro vs M1 Pro

Summary

This video explores how different Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) perform on Apple's M1 Pro, M2 Pro, and M3 Pro MacBook Pros, focusing on core utilization. The reviewer tests seven DAWs, noting that while some fully utilize all cores, others, like Pro Tools and Logic Pro X, only use performance cores, making efficiency cores idle. The video advises that for DAWs like Reaper and Cubase, more cores mean better performance, but for Pro Tools and Logic, the number of performance cores is more critical. It suggests considering the specific DAW's core utilization when choosing a Mac for optimal audio processing performance.

Takeaways

• 😲 The M3 Pro MacBook Pro has an 11-core M3 Pro chip with 5 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores, which is a shift from previous designs with more performance cores.
• 🎛️ Different DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) utilize the cores of Apple silicon chips in various ways, affecting performance based on the DAW used.
• 📊 Reaper and Cubase 13 were found to fully utilize all cores, showing increased performance with the M3 Pro chip compared to M1 Pro and M2 Pro.
• 📉 Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, Ableton Live 11, and Studio One 6 did not fully utilize the efficiency cores, with some showing decreased performance on the M3 Pro compared to M1 Pro.
• 🔍 The test methodology involved duplicating tracks with a CPU-taxing plugin until audio crackling or CPU overload occurred, noting the maximum smooth playback track count.
• 💻 The test environment was controlled with a 1024 buffer size, 44.1 kHz sample rate, and 64-bit summing where available, ensuring consistent conditions.
• 📉 Pro Tools showed a decrease in performance from the M1 Pro to the M3 Pro, suggesting it does not effectively use the efficiency cores.
• 💡 For DAWs like Reaper, Cubase, and FL Studio that utilize all cores, more cores directly translate to better performance, making newer chips advantageous.
• 💼 For Pro Tools, Logic, Live, and Studio One, the number of performance cores is more critical for performance than the total number of cores.
• 💰 The video suggests considering the specific needs for performance cores versus efficiency cores when choosing a Mac for audio production, as not all DAWs benefit equally from newer chips.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The video focuses on testing how well seven DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) utilize the cores in Apple's M1 Pro, M2 Pro, and M3 Pro chips, and comparing their performance across different tasks.

Why is the efficiency core and performance core ratio important for DAWs on Apple silicon chips?

The ratio of efficiency cores to performance cores is important because some DAWs can fully utilize both types of cores, while others rely more on performance cores. This directly affects how many tracks and plugins a DAW can handle before the CPU overloads.

Which DAWs fully utilize all the cores in Apple's silicon chips?

Reaper, Cubase 13, and FL Studio fully utilize all the cores, both performance and efficiency, on Apple's silicon chips, leading to better performance on chips with more cores.

What is the testing methodology used in the video?

The methodology involves loading a guitar DI track with a native plugin, duplicating the track until CPU overload occurs, and then counting the number of tracks the DAW can handle before crackling or a CPU overload error occurs.

What surprising result did the tester find when comparing Pro Tools performance across different Apple silicon chips?

Despite the M3 Pro having more cores than the M1 Pro, Pro Tools performed worse on the M3 Pro because it did not fully utilize the efficiency cores, relying only on the performance cores.

Why might FL Studio underperform compared to Reaper and Cubase, despite utilizing all cores?

FL Studio may underperform compared to Reaper and Cubase due to differences in workflow and interface design, such as its complex animations, which may consume additional resources.

What is the general recommendation for users of DAWs like Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live?

For DAWs like Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live, users should prioritize Macs with more performance cores rather than newer models with more efficiency cores, as these DAWs do not fully utilize efficiency cores.

Why does the tester recommend M1 or M2 Macs for certain users instead of the newer M3 Macs?

The tester recommends M1 or M2 Macs for users who need more RAM or SSD storage since they may provide better value, especially for DAWs that don’t utilize efficiency cores. Older Macs may outperform newer ones in certain scenarios and are more affordable.

What does the tester conclude about Apple’s progression with performance vs. efficiency cores in the M1, M2, and M3 Pro chips?

The tester concludes that Apple is increasingly replacing performance cores with efficiency cores in the M3 Pro chips, which impacts audio production performance depending on whether the DAW can use both core types effectively.

What advice does the tester give regarding choosing the right Mac for audio production?

The tester advises paying attention to the number of performance cores rather than just buying the newest Mac, especially if using DAWs that don't utilize efficiency cores. Buying older models like the M1 Pro might offer better value for audio processing.