I'm on an older desktop , Monterey. will be upgrading to Mac Studio M2. I use Photoshop and photo mechanic . editing large RAW files, but one at a time.. I'm out of touch re/memory. I have 32GB now but the RAW files will be double in size. Is this a good configuration or do I need to bump up the memory? THANKS
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Mac Pro, macOS 12.7
Sizing unified RAM on Apple Silicon (M1/2/3/4) is still subject to debate. Some argue that due to the M-series design, unified RAM is more efficient & faster than on previous (Intel) Macs and that therefore you don't need as much. I don't agree with that outlook, especially for demanding apps like Photoshop, CaptureOne, Logic, Final Cut, etc.
Could you "get away" with 32GB RAM on the M2 Mac Studio? Yes, but you might not be happy with it in the long run given that the OS & apps continue to require larger & larger amounts of resources including RAM ... and you cannot upgrade the RAM later.
Considering your stated use, and buying for performance & longevity, I would go with the 64 GB RAM.
Question ... is there a reason you aren't considering an M4 Mac Mini instead of the M2 Studio? The top end Mini - M4 Pro with 64GB RAM & 1TB SSD - comes in at $2,199 ... a full $800 less than the older M2.
Yes. 64 GB is more than enough for editing RAW photos.
hi super pro? no as I mentioned I do edit as part of my job but one file at a time. however the 45 megapixel RAW is large so I m asking will I benefit from that extra memory? I don't know if it is needed. thanks
64GB RAM in an M2 Max Studio will be plenty for editing 50MB RAW files and will provide for significant growth in resource demands over the long run.
For comparison, I currently use a older Intel i9 iMac with 32GB RAM. I regularly edit 50MB RAW & TIFF images and 3x12MB RAW HDR merge images in Photoshop and CaptureOne ... and have never had a performance problem.
The M2 Max Studio (as well as the M4 Pro Mac mini that I suggested earlier) will dance circles around my Intel iMac.
The M-series PRO processor features one hardware ProRes RAW encoder and decoder. the MAX processor features TWO. The ULTRA processor features FOUR.
Punchline: you might not like the M-series (plain) processor for RAW video editing, as it has no Hardware assist for that.
64GB Of unified memory is enough, but if you're a super pro user and you have the money you might want to bump it up because it is a possibility to do so
what is a SUPER PRO???
im wanting to spend $ for the fun of it. I'm asking again will the 64 gb be enough for RAW files without any issues.
thanks Martin! if not for RAW processing I could stay on older OS but I need the Icon images in preview!
janet99x wrote:
ports
two terse.
more words needed to convey a cogent thought.
How to configure Mac Studio M2 for Photo editing
