Apple WWDC 2023

[Guy Rowland]

You’ve all probably seen the announcements - aside from VR on your head, there’s a 15” MacBook Air, plus updated versions of Mac Pro and Mac Studio. Here’s a good summary - https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/produc ... 2-max-chip . Production Expert also point out for a mere $6k you can now upgrade your SSDs in an Apple computer again - https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/produc ... k-in-a-mac - though as far as I can tell it’s only with approved Apple hardware.

Anyone here tempted by anything? Those Studios look pretty nice. I’m wavering on the 15” MacBook Air, but as of this morning minded to wait out for the time being. The main honest reason is that right now I use the 2015 MBP very little, and until I face a realistic prospect of that changing - working away from base more frequently - I’m better to wait. That said, if it had that MicroSD socket in the MBPs I’d probably jump, because the reduced weight and power consumption trumps the extra horsepower and cost of the MBP range for me.

Trying to lure me is that I’d get a tax break if I bought in the next couple of months, so I may yet cave. I change my mind on an hourly basis.

[Ashermusic]

I love my M1 Mac Studio Max and the M2 is only 25 percent faster, so probably going to hold down the fort.

[Lawrence]

I priced out the Ultra with 128 GB RAM and a 4 tb SSD. Came out to around $5500, video monitors not Included.

Not too bad considering a composer friend bought a Mac Pro with similar specs about 3 or 4 years ago-for 20k. We banter back and forth about a lot of things but I don’t have the heart to go there.

Meanwhile, I have no reason to upgrade at present so it’s just idle curiosity.

[Guy Rowland]

There can’t be many composers who would need a beefier set up than that eh Larry.

Incidentally, on the VR thing - I’m not convinced one way or the other yet for all kinds of reasons. Part of the reason for that is that.it is very solitary - yes you can talk to people around you, but they can’t all watch your lovely IMAX screen, can they?

As I thought about this, I realised it actually it might - MIGHT - be quite incredible for the composer (or video editor etc). Limitless windows all around you, and controlling / performing by physical gesture alone. Even the price tag doesn’t seen quite so horrific next to the combined cost of top end computer monitors etc.

For those who haven’t seen it, here’s the glossy promo - it is, at least, about 10 billion times better than the Metaverse promo.