Is anyone else blown away by how fast these M1 MacBooks are?

[dmccloud]

Which was what I was alluding to, the benchmark article was just easier to find. I don't know what Microsoft can really do other then allow Windows for ARM to run via virtualization mode (it not think booting into it is really an option). They need an ARM champ that make their OS shine until they can write a better version and right now the M1 Mac is it.

Microsoft has to change their licensing model for WoA. Right now, the WoA license limits availability of the OS to companies who build Windows-based machines. This is what Apple was referring to when they mentioned that it (running WoA on an M-series Mac) was up to Microsoft. Microsoft would most likely need to move to a licensing model closer to what they already use for x86 versions of Windows in order to open up the availability of that OS to the Mac audience.

 

[TigerMSTR]

This is so weird. I just tried all of these things and they all worked fine...Do you have the pro or mini? I have the air.

I have the Air

 

[Maconplasma]

Microsoft has to change their licensing model for WoA. Right now, the WoA license limits availability of the OS to companies who build Windows-based machines. This is what Apple was referring to when they mentioned that it (running WoA on an M-series Mac) was up to Microsoft. Microsoft would most likely need to move to a licensing model closer to what they already use for x86 versions of Windows in order to open up the availability of that OS to the Mac audience.

While anything is possible I personally don't see Microsoft Windows being on a VM in the future on M1's. Microsoft just recently put out another one of their many ads deterring people from buying MacBooks in favor of their Surface Pro. It's doubtful that a company who wants people to consider the Surface instead of a Mac to license Windows to be on M1 Macs via VM.

 

[Maximara]

Microsoft has to change their licensing model for WoA. Right now, the WoA license limits availability of the OS to companies who build Windows-based machines. This is what Apple was referring to when they mentioned that it (running WoA on an M-series Mac) was up to Microsoft. Microsoft would most likely need to move to a licensing model closer to what they already use for x86 versions of Windows in order to open up the availability of that OS to the Mac audience.

And there is Microsoft's out. The M1 Mac are not Windows-based machines...they are MacOS-based machines.

The reason Microsoft wants to keep such tight reign on Windows for ARM is the much the same reason as why Apple's Star Trek Project back in the 1990s failed - it only runs on a limited number of machines. If Microsoft was smart (stop laughing ) they would using that key detail to get Windows for ARM on M1 Macs and build up a clientele to where they can effectively drop as much x86 code as is sanely possible. Right now people are asking on how to enable 16-bit code on Windows 10 rather than something reasonable...like using a freaking emulator .

 

[grrrz]

Sorry to ruin your party but do you really expect Ableton to run fast under Rosetta? Keeping in mind that Rosetta is emulation. Secondly Ableton like many other audio editing softwares still have 32bit plugins and are still not ready for Big Sur. You should be getting "acceptable" performance enough to run it but expecting it to run fast is the fault of Ableton's developers, not Apple or the M1.

chill out; I know it's emulated; but other softwares have way better performance even emulated. It's not the fault of anybody; you don't just rewrite a massively complex software like ableton for a new architecture in a month.

 

[grrrz]

That is crazy that Ableton has to take that long to create an M1 version...so many other devs already have them out? Affinity said it took no time at all. Here is more information: https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/apple-m1-chip-support/

Same with programs such as Scrivener. It sounds like you should wait since you need more than 80 tracks in Ableton Live. That seems like a pretty pro (and intense) workflow.

I have no clue when they will release it; that's just what I expect if being optimistic; as cycling 74 who release the companion max for live said they expect it sometimes mid 2021. maybe it will be more. It's a big and complex ecosystem of a software; so yeah it takes time. Only Apple has worked in advance on logic to get it ready; but for the rest it'll have to wait. I bet protools won't be updated for a year or more (I once had to wait a year for an update to support a new OS version so imagine a system change). Things move slow in the audio world.

As for needing 80 tracks in ableton; that's not the question; it's a standardized test to compare performance but it depends 100% on what plug-in you used on your tracks. you can max out the cpu with one track. or you can create 200 empty tracks. I'm just saying the performance are those of a mac mini quad core from 2012 with a third of the geekbench score; which is really underwhelming compared to all the hype and hyperbole around this chip. I'm looking into replacing my laptop in the year; and the native performance with live and readiness of everything (drivers for specialized hardware; plug-ins); will decide wether I go this route or used intel. For now I couldn't even have my sound interface working for lack of compatible drivers.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

I have the Air

Can you still return and try a different one? Of course, some of these might be software fixable, but if you are in the window I would debate it.

 

[dmccloud]

Sorry to ruin your party but do you really expect Ableton to run fast under Rosetta? Keeping in mind that Rosetta is emulation. Secondly Ableton like many other audio editing softwares still have 32bit plugins and are still not ready for Big Sur. You should be getting "acceptable" performance enough to run it but expecting it to run fast is the fault of Ableton's developers, not Apple or the M1.

Rosetta 2 is not emulation though - it's a translation layer. It actually recompiles the code on installation (for apps that use an installer) or on first run (for apps that do not use an installer), then runs native ARM code instead of emulating an x86 processor. The plugin issues are the responsibility of the plugin developers, not Ableton or Apple. Those plugins should have been updated when Catalina was released since that was the OS that dropped 32-bit support.

Here's some info on how Rosetta 2 actually works:

About the Rosetta Translation Environment | Apple Developer Documentation

Learn how Rosetta translates executables, and understand what Rosetta can’t translate.

developer.apple.com

 

[grrrz]

Rosetta 2 is not emulation though - it's a translation layer. It actually recompiles the code on installation (for apps that use an installer) or on first run (for apps that do not use an installer), then runs native ARM code instead of emulating an x86 processor. The plugin issues are the responsibility of the plugin developers, not Ableton or Apple. Those plugins should have been updated when Catalina was released since that was the OS that dropped 32-bit support.

Here's some info on how Rosetta 2 actually works:

About the Rosetta Translation Environment | Apple Developer Documentation

Learn how Rosetta translates executables, and understand what Rosetta can’t translate.

developer.apple.com

32 bit plugins are way outdated anyway; almost nobody uses them anymore; because you can't mix and match 32 and 64 bit plugins; and modern DAW are full 64 bit.

 

[Maconplasma]

chill out; I know it's emulated; but other softwares have way better performance even emulated. It's not the fault of anybody; you don't just rewrite a massively complex software like ableton for a new architecture in a month.

Then you chill out and stop complaining. You started your post saying, "Sorry to ruin the Party and that you get equal performance with Ableton as you did with a 2012 Mac" so you were suggesting that it's the fault of the M1 why you were getting slow performance. It's 100% the developer's fault that Ableton doesn't run natively on M1. Nice how you defend the developer when they are making millions of dollars from customers and they are not taking care of business. They can fix it, they are lazy. Stop defending them.

 

[HappyMBAowner]

I just exchanged my 2020 intel MBA for a M1. I was having lots of issues with Final Cut Pro. It was often unusable to make videoclips. With the M1, it's like 10 years ahead. No more waiting. No need even to transcode files to proxy. I can work directly with original files and produce a 4K video in no time. That's absolutely amazing. If you hesitate one second, don't anymore. Of course, if you only use your mac for 'regular' apps (web surfing, email, pages, numbers, etc...), there may be no use. But with pro apps (Logic Pro, Final Cut and other tasks intensive apps), don't hesitate. It's really worth it.

 

[Maximara]

32 bit plugins are way outdated anyway; almost nobody uses them anymore; because you can't mix and match 32 and 64 bit plugins; and modern DAW are full 64 bit.

And yet windows experts are going here is how to run 16 bit code on your Windows 10 machine. Just why?! Why in the name of sanity would you want this?! Just do what a sane person would do and get some form of emulator for code that old. People always bang on windows back compatibility but when people are showing how to run 16-bit code the whole argument becomes some form of twisted parody of itself.

 

[Tech198]

I do not think there will be a gen 2 of the current M1 Macs in 2021....so if you are happy with what you have, just keep it and enjoy....you also said you do not run anything complicated, so I'm sure there would be no need to change it.

I also think that the next release of M chip Macs will be a lot more expensive too for no other reason than they can.

I think we have got quite lucky to get the current M1 Macs at the price that they have been released at...£700 for the Mac mini, £1k for the MBA are really well priced in my opinion....was never bothered about the MBP and for me the £300 increased price was not justified for my use case of a laptop.

When you have a fast CPU/ and no upgrade option anymore, the need to think of faster machines becomes short of a stop.

Why would you want faster than 8-core, and would any app take advantage of it ? photos and video editing perhaps, but the list would be short. Is this the end ?

This gives a new output to make things far more more interesting to see what Apple's response to this would even be.