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Apple computer advice needed
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| DJREMIDI |
Hi all!
I've been using Logic 5.5 on PC for over 3 years now, and I feel it's time for me to upgrade to the current version. My XSKey is already authorized for Logic Pro so now the only problem is my computer. Logic Pro only runs on OSX and I am a PC/Windows guy. So I was considering purchasing a Mac Mini purely for production and was just wondering how would a Mac Mini compare to my current PC in terms of raw performance.
Here are my PC specs:
P4 2.8 OC'd to 3.0
1GB of RAM
800mhz FSB
HD running at 7200 rpm
And here are the specs for a Mac Mini:
Intel Core Duo 1.83
512MB RAM (can be expanded to 2GB)
667mhz FSB
HD running at 5400 rpm
Do you think I would get at least equal performance from a Mac Mini? Track freeze feature in Logic Pro will definitely take some load off the CPU.
Thanks in advance! |
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| DigiNut |
You'll get some gain from having a dual core processor, but with a single core CPU on your PC that's almost twice as fast, it won't be a huge one.
Other than the CPU, all of the other specs are inferior, so I don't know in what alternate universe you'd get "at least equal" performance. Especially the 5400 RPM hard drive, that makes me cringe, and the RAM is pretty skimpy for a modern machine as well. The speed of the memory also matters and you don't specify (but I'd assume it's slower, if the FSB is slower).
It's cool in my book to switch over to Macs in order to use Logic Pro, but it isn't going to magically perform better just because it's a Mac, and the Mini is the very lowest entry-level Mac you can get, not really designed for serious media production. Maybe there's something I'm missing here, but I honestly am pretty sure you're going to see a major performance drop with that switch. |
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| DJREMIDI |
I realize that the RAM (667 on Mac Mini) and HD speeds are inferior to that of my current PC, but since all my projects mostly run off the CPU (barely any hard drive streaming; just VSTs running in real time), I was hoping the Dual Core CPU would provide some advantage over my current set-up.
Don't get me wrong, I am a BIG PC/Windows fan, always have been and always will be, but I'm so used to the way I work with Logic (and like it) that it's easier for me to switch platforms than learning and using a new DAW that will run on my PC, despite the fact that I am pretty comfortable with Cubase. I would love to be able to run Logic on my PC, but it is nearly impossible at this point and requires a lot of tweaks and modifications in addition to illegal software downloads...
I've read some topics at Apple's discussion boards and quite a few people have reported that they are successfully running Logic Pro on their Mac Minis, even the last generation G4 Mac Minis, so I figured I can expect similar results. Unfortunately, none of the users compared the performance of their Mac Minis to a PC with mediocre specs like mine :/ |
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| DigiNut |
I'm sure it runs successfully, it's just a question of what how much you can do with it. I could produce on my old Athlon XP 1800 (mind you, even that had a gig of RAM), it was just very frustrating at times.
Keep in mind that when you talk about freezing tracks, that's just bouncing them and streaming them off the hard drive, so HD performance will factor into it then. Memory too - the more it can cache, the less it needs to thrash the hard drive.
It's all interrelated really, and it's all relative. I certainly didn't mean to imply from the original post that you won't be able to produce; you will, it just won't perform as well as your current PC, by my estimation. |
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| DJREMIDI |
Thanks Digi,
I'll keep all of that in mind.
Anyone out there actually using a Mac Mini with Logic Pro? |
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| echosystm |
I wouldnt worry about the HD too much, unles you're doing a lot of recording. When I swapped over from 2x7200rpm in raid 0 to a 5400rpm laptop I didn't notice ANY difference. :P
If you upgrade the ram, you will be fine. The CPUs will perform similar, but you need to keep in mind that OSX is superior to Windows in terms of efficiency - it's very likely it will perform better than it's actually "rated" at in comparison, if that makes sense. The RAM in those Macs is DDR2 I believe, so you won't get the bottlenecking you used to in the P4 era - the RAM runs at the same speed as the FSB. Might want to double check that though... |
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| DigiNut |
| quote: | Originally posted by echosystm
...but you need to keep in mind that OSX is superior to Windows in terms of efficiency |
LOL... never get tired of hearing that nonsense. If only Bill Gates had an RDF! |
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| No Left Turn |
| As long as you have 1GB or more of RAM, the Mini will be flying almost twice as fast as the P4. There isn't really any performance difference even between the Mini and regular Macbooks (in case you might want to compare with other Mac computers). So yea, just up the RAM and you'll be set. |
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| jacheatamobits |
| quote: | Originally posted by DigiNut
LOL... never get tired of hearing that nonsense. If only Bill Gates had an RDF! |
:conf:
Anyways, IMO, buying a Mac now (a couple moths ago), was the smartest thing I ever did. I get angry thinking about all the cool (geeky) things I could do with it if I wasn't taking so many classes.
(Macbook-minimum specs...)
But srsly, Diginut, WTF is RDF? I google it and Wiki'd it, but it isnt readilly apparent how your comment applies to what Echosystm was saying.
Rather, I just havent done the research... |
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| Fledz |
Digi was just saying that with a bit of tweaking, Win can be more efficient than OSX, but there are literally millions of variables to take into account.
I guess he's just fed up (so am I) of the marketing tactics that Apple started which have clearly now spread to the users.
At the end of the day, if you know what you are doing, both Win and OSX are good options. Like I said before, still millions of variables there too.
As for the OP, I doubt you will get much of a performance increase, if at all. It's got nothing to do with the OS, but the specs of the computer. From my personal experience, a faster HDD can make alot of difference and you will definitely want at least 1gb RAM.
I advise you to save up a bit more and get a better speced system. |
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| jacheatamobits |
| quote: | Originally posted by Fledz
Digi was just saying that with a bit of tweaking, Win can be more efficient than OSX, but there are literally millions of variables to take into account. |
Oh, you are preaching to the choir, my friend! Alot of what I learned on the path of an amateur producer directly applied to 'tweaking', as you say. I just wanted to know what RDF was...
| quote: |
I guess he's just fed up (so am I) of the marketing tactics that Apple started which have clearly now spread to the users. |
Yah, I agree here also. I think that it does give Linux a chance to step in, and show everyone it's potential. My freind just dropped 3 grand on a Macbook Pro, fully loaded (3rd party OEM RAM and HDD, of course), and he did it for only 2 reasons:
1. He used my Macbook, and was enthralled with it's aesthetics.
2. He saw the Beryl videos on Youtube.
I guess I have to brush up on my Linux distro's, cuz' I will end up installing everything for him, and teching him how to use it...
He want's to use it for 3D graphics/engineering... |
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| DJREMIDI |
| Thanks for your input everyone! |
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