Upgraded Mini M4Pro v Base Studio
Hello there, I’m trying to choose between a Mac Mini M4 Pro, or the base model of the M4 Max Mac Studio. I’ve tried researching other comparisons but I feel like the case uses in these reviews are either far below my work load or way above. Some of the tech is a bit over my head as well and would appreciate some friendly advice.
For the Mac Mini M4 Pro, I would keep it at 12/16 core, but upgrade it to have 48GB Memory and 1TB storage. For the Mac Studio, I would only upgrade the 1TB SSD but keep memory at 36GB and 14/32 core.
I’m curious which one would be more advantageous for my workflow. I work in social media and influencer marketing. Mostly, I make 4k youtube videos with simple transitions/text video and photo overlay that usually run 30 minutes using Final Cut Pro. I do hi res image editing using Adobe photoshop and lightroom. I often have these apps open at the same time and many tabs on Chrome. *I also do live streaming of 1080p HD footage in OBS*
I worry that 36GB on the Mac Studio won’t be enough for me long-term. It’s imperative I can run photoshop, FCP and chrome at the same time. Also prioritizing actual editing experience like playback over export times. I’m not doing 3d modeling or anything.
The Apple specialist over chat said that the Studio’s CPU/GPU and max chip would make things run smoother even with the less RAM. I’m just worried about multitasking on these apps and down the line as I’ve always been someone who updated ram on my intel machine once things got slow.
I am upgrading from a 2019 intel imac so I know either one will be an upgrade, just want to make sure it can handle my needs longer term. The difference between these two configs is $200.. but I don't want to risk too much computer and not enough ram with the studio.
TIA!
Mac Studio (M4 Max, 2025)