M4Max 16/40 128 vs. M3Ultra 28/60 96 for VMs/Lightroom/Capture1

[Zubba]

Looking to see if any of the base model M3Ultra users have any comments on how much better it runs VMs vs. the M4Max (maybe some of them have MBPs they can directly compare to). Also if they have any direct comments on real world Lightoom/Capture 1 use.

I'm still undecided on going with a M4Max 16/40 128, or a M3Ultra 28/60 96. I'm currently leaning M3Ultra as it appears as if the added CPU cores would help a lot in running several VMs simultaneously, and 96 GB should be just about enough. Heavily into photography, and notice a lot of commentators suggest that while the M4Max is the sweet spot for just photography tasks, Lightroom classic, and Capture One are both able to utilize the added cores of the Ultra for improved performance.

 

[davewolfs]

Do you really need to run VMs or are docker images an option?

 

[Zubba]

Do you really need to run VMs or are docker images an option?

VMs. They have to be active for work.

 

[blen]

I’m going 16/40 64gb ram and it should be overkill for capture one…

 

[Zubba]

I did the exact same thing earlier tonight after deciding I'd buy for what I need at the moment only. I went M4 Max 16/40 64GB 2TB.

 

[Chancha]

This video should give you a pretty good idea. Though for some reasons he chose to buy and test binned M3 Ultra with 256GB while the full M3 Ultra is only with 96GB.

 

[picpicmac]

This video should give you a pretty good idea. Though for some reasons he chose to buy and test binned M3 Ultra with 256GB while the full M3 Ultra is only with 96GB.

In his first video on the M3 Ultra, Art also included a 32/80 core model, with 96GB of RAM. It was implied that it was on loan from a customer. In a prior video Art also explained he didn't want to go backwards from the amount of RAM he had in his M2 Ultra, so that is, I suspect, why he went for a 256GB model of the M3 Ultra. I understand his reasoning, and the 32/80 core model is $1500 more than the 24/60 model, and for someone who is going to use it for video it probably just doesn't make sense as the base version still has those 4 encoders.

 

[Chancha]

In his first video on the M3 Ultra, Art also included a 32/80 core model, with 96GB of RAM. It was implied that it was on loan from a customer. In a prior video Art also explained he didn't want to go backwards from the amount of RAM he had in his M2 Ultra, so that is, I suspect, why he went for a 256GB model of the M3 Ultra. I understand his reasoning, and the 32/80 core model is $1500 more than the 24/60 model, and for someone who is going to use it for video it probably just doesn't make sense as the base version still has those 4 encoders.

I see, I quite like his videos as the tests are usually pinpoint useful. Understandably with limited resource as a single man channel he probably can't afford to test enough configs to get an even more accurate picture. The RAM amount flipping between the binned and full M3 Ultra in this case doesn't seem to change much since most photography tasks in his tests if you just run it alone they are not limited by the 96GB, it is already plenty so the binned 256GB wouldn't get an advantage.

For this generation of Mac Studio the choice is very difficult, for workflows such as the OP's while most tasks are better on the M3 Ultra but not always, then there is the price difference in the formula. Especially when memory footprint is on the line, and the M4 Max already gives you the option for 128GB.

 

[icymountain]

I am always running a VM (with 4 Gb of RAM) and also doing photography (DxO). Based on my experience with working on laptops (that have 16 Gb or 24 Gb) and my intel Mac Mini (32 Gb, never saw myself close to the RAM limit, even when I was running TWO VMs which I know I will not have to do on my next ARM desktop), I concluded that the base 14 core with 36 Gb of RAM (and 1 Tb SSD) will be enough for quite some time, even if I give a bit more RAM to the VM (8Gb rather than 4 Gb)...

After seeing the configurations mentioned above, I start to wonder if I should have gone for the 16 cores/48 Gb config, but already feel the base studio will be overkill for my use.