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appleshill

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 27, 2021
8
0
I presently have a 2019 I9 Macbook Pro 32GB ram, 5500M 6GB GPU, 1TB SSD that is miserable to use. YouTube videos stutter when connected to my 3 4k/60hz displays. I program on it which is slightly more tolerable, but not the build times. I have the opportunity to buy a 6 battery cycle M2 Max spec'd out processor and GPU, 64GB ram, 2TB SSD for 3000 USD. Is this a good deal, or would fellow enthusiasts recommend waiting for the M4 max chipset and buy the M3 Max in the pre owned market.
 

Random_Matt

macrumors 6502
Mar 21, 2022
271
291
I would consider the M3 Max if the deal was good or wait for the M4 Max if you can hold off. Although, I swear each successor is more expensive than the last.
 

Bigwaff

Contributor
Sep 20, 2013
2,775
1,848
YouTube videos stutter when connected to my 3 4k/60hz displays.
Your MBP should be able to drive those displays without sweating. How are your displays connected?

Either M-series will blow away your i9 so go for the one with the most memory you can afford.
 

mcnallym

macrumors 65816
Oct 28, 2008
1,211
939
Well if your current set is miserable use and you find build times intolerable for program code then not sure how you can wait 12 months to replace this.

however I would suggest that backup your data then do a clean reinstall action on your machine, first of all, as you may find that will clear out any little glitches that have crept in.

may find Mac improves after clean re-install.

if that doesn’t resolve perfor for you then can you really wait 12 months in which case usage cannot be that miserable, in which case M2 Max it is.
 

SjoukeW

macrumors member
Jun 8, 2020
68
63
Netherlands
4k screens and intel macbooks is a disaster, technically it produces some picture, but 'workable' it isn't; I had the same.
For work I now have m2max, it is fast, quiet and drives my 4k screens perfect.
There is always a next machine on the horizon which will be faster then what's out there now.
But do you want one more year of misery?
I would upgrade to a m2 max and enjoy it.
 

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,926
2,188
Redondo Beach, California
I presently have a 2019 I9 Macbook Pro 32GB ram, 5500M 6GB GPU, 1TB SSD that is miserable to use. YouTube videos stutter when connected to my 3 4k/60hz displays. I program on it which is slightly more tolerable, but not the build times. I have the opportunity to buy a 6 battery cycle M2 Max spec'd out processor and GPU, 64GB ram, 2TB SSD for 3000 USD. Is this a good deal, or would fellow enthusiasts recommend waiting for the M4 max chipset and buy the M3 Max in the pre owned market.


So you watch YouTube and edit text files? Any current Mac will be completely overkill for those activities.

You did say builds were going slow. The SSD on the new Mac is fast. In fact, with software development, it is usually I/O bound and that is the case with my M2-Pro Mac Mini

But look into the display support. I suspect the stutter problem is not because of the CPU speed or RAM. It is because you have three monitors attached.
 
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