LIVE 8 PERFORMANCE TEST - Results Here

[Florian95]

• Ableton Live CPU Meter : 19%
  Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MacBook Pro 2012 Retina
  Operating System? Mac OS X 10.7.4
  Ableton Live version? 8.3.3
  CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7
  Amount of Ram? 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
  Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Tested on inboard
  Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? APPLE SSD 512Go
  Number of playback tracks? 8

(44% with my MacBook Pro 2008...)

[wwzeitler666]

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter % (if it bounces around, please list the peak)
17%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model?
Laptop ASUS N53S
3) Operating System?
Win 7
4) Ableton Live version?
8.3.3
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed?
Core i7-2630QM 2.3GHz
6) Amount of Ram?
6 gigs (but FOUR memory slots, not the usual TWO!)
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)?
Focusrite Sapphire 6
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)?
7200 rpm
9) Number of playback tracks?
8

[nikulo]

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter % (if it bounces around, please list the peak) 20%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Custom build PC,
3) Operating System? Win 7 64b
4) Ableton Live version? 8.01
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? intel i5- 3,3ghz quad (not overclocked yet^)
6) Amount of Ram? 16 gig
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? M-Audio Audiophile 2496
8)Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? windows and ableton are installed on SSD OCZ-AGILITY3
9) Number of playback tracks? 8

and its a gaming pc^^

[lloydforth]

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 36%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MBP (MacBookPro8,2)
3) Operating System? 10.6.8
4) Ableton Live version? 8.3.3
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core i7 2.2ghz
6) Amount of Ram? 8GB
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Motu Fastrack Pro driver 1.8.1
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? Apple 512 SSD
9) Number of playback tracks? 8

16 tracks / 75-85% and Clicks WTF !

[siliconarc]

something's not right there. i have the same mbp, os and live version as you and i get 16% cpu.
only diff i see is the ssd. what soundcard are you using? the fast track is an m-audio interface, not motu... ?

[lebaz]

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 14%
2) Laptop: MBP 17" Early 2011
3) Operating System: 10.6.8
4) Ableton Live 8.2.7
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Quad 2.3
6) Amount of Ram? 16gb
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? RME FF800
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? 7200RPM 500Gb
9) Number of playback tracks? 8

[lloydforth]

Interestingly the same test was performed AM after laptop being shutdown all night

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 17% Strangely after 5-7 minutes of the mac being on the result is a mind boggling 73% ( nothing in activity viewer suggest other processes hogging the CPU either)
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MBP (MacBookPro8,2)
3) Operating System? 10.6.8
4) Ableton Live version? 8.3.3
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core i7 2.2ghz
6) Amount of Ram? 8GB
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Motu Fastrack Pro driver 1.8.1
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? Apple 512 SSD
9) Number of playback tracks? 8

16 tracks / stated out at 55% but very soon went to 90-100% with clicks


I have long suspected this with Ableton as some days its performance surprises me whereas others it disappoints this test is revealing and at the same time confusing. This is a 2.5K laptop so i'm wondering exactly what i am supposed to think as a consumer. It's pretty clear from these tests that Ableton seems to run better on PC's it would be great to see a spread sheet of the different results.

[lloydforth]

Hi Garyboozy


Just seen your post after running the test again this morning (see above) Something very strange going on, interestingly since posting the above i disconnected my external monitor and got a better result. I also found when disconnecting my FW drives i gained another 3-4%

This Laptop OS could be a bit dirty i use it every day and i'm an IT tech so over time i have installed alot of shit on it, VPN software etc. I'm going to rebuild this weekend and repost from a vanilla machine.

I also tested my old MBP3,1 , 10.6.8 intel Core 2 duo 2.4 Ghz with OCZ vertex SSD ( with trim enabler) and got 55% on built in output which raised by about 2% when on the M-audio Fast track which as you rightly pointed out isn't Motu sorry/

[M-bition]

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter % = 15%
2) Laptop Dell XPS17
3) Windows 7 64bit
4) Ableton Live 8.2.6
5) CPU I7-2760QM
6) Amount of Ram = 6GB
7) Soundcard = NI Audio 2 DJ
Hard Disk Mushkin Callisto Deluxe 120GB S
9) Number of playback tracks = 8

Will do some tweaking to see if there is more to gain. It hits the 100% at about 78tracks

With 8.4b3 64bit it saves 1 or 2 %. CPU Meter says 13/14%. Maximum no real difference

[Sibanger]

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter % = 15%
2) Laptop Dell XPS17
3) Windows 7 64bit
4) Ableton Live 8.2.6
5) CPU I7-2760QM
6) Amount of Ram = 6GB
7) Soundcard = NI Audio 2 DJ
Hard Disk Mushkin Callisto Deluxe 120GB S
9) Number of playback tracks = 8

Will do some tweaking to see if there is more to gain. It hits the 100% at about 78tracks

With 8.4b3 64bit it saves 1 or 2 %. CPU Meter says 13/14%. Maximum no real difference

With this test. Running your projects in 64bit is when you'll notice quite a difference.

[Zenda]

just upgraded to a new Macbook Pro from MBP 2007, it is really worth, so happy with the system in general (graphic programms as well)

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter % = 22%
2) MBP Early 2011
3) OSX 10.7.4
4) Ableton Live 8.3.3
5) CPU I7 2,2 Ghz
6) Amount of Ram = 8GB
7) Soundcard = internal at 44,1 (512 buffer size)
Hard Disk 500 GB 7200rpm
9) Number of playback tracks = 8

with 16 tracks 31%

with 32 tracks 49% but pretty stable (till this I had itunes radio and firefox open in background)

with 60 tracks started crackling

[Xen Ochren]

Has anyone tried this with a beta Mountain Lyon? So I have tested 4 Mac laptops.

Mine.
1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 60% one day with glitches, another day 60% no glitches, another day 50% with glitches. wierd.
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MBP early 2008
3) Operating System? 10.5.8
4) Ableton Live version? 8.2.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Core2Duo 2.4 Ghz
6) Amount of Ram? 6GB 667mhz DDR2
7) Soundcard no sound card used in these tests.
8 Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? 5400
9) Number of playback tracks? 8 With glitches most of the time, 6 with no glitches.

Mates new Mac

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 33%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MBP 2012 13 inch i5
3) Operating System? 10.7.4
4) Ableton Live version? 8.3.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
6) Amount of Ram? 4GB 1600mhz DDR3
7) Soundcard no sound card used in these tests.
8 Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? 5400
9) Number of playback tracks? 8

Dads 2011 Quad core mbp
1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 45% (wtf!)
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MBP 2011 15 inch i5
3) Operating System? 10.7.4
4) Ableton Live version? 8.2.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2ghz quad-core Intel Core i5
6) Amount of Ram? 4GB 1333mhz
7) Soundcard no sound card used in these tests.
8 Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? 5400
9) Number of playback tracks? 8

Wifes early 2011 mbp
1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 35%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MBP 2011 13 inch i5
3) Operating System? 10.6.8
4) Ableton Live version? 8.2.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2.3ghz dual-core Intel Core i5
6) Amount of Ram? 4GB 1333mhz
7) Soundcard no sound card used in these tests.
8 Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? 5400
9) Number of playback tracks? 8

So... the quad core running most recent Lion is not a huge improvement over my core2duo running Leopard.
why is his quad core with 4 years of development time, only slightly better than my old one? why are the 13 inchers outperforming the 15's!!!
is it really just about the OS?

I've been holding off buying for ages now, trying to squeeze the most life I can out of my old one.
Looks like the time is still not now to buy though... Either I get an older one with Snow leaopard, or I wait and hope mountain lion is ok???
advice?

[Xen Ochren]

Mountain lion tests anyone?

[Komodovaran]

Mountain lion tests anyone?

Compared to my previous result, Live now uses a bit more CPU on average, running ML.

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter:
Lion: Average 25%, spike 31%
Mountain Lion: Average 29%, spike 32%
2. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Late 2011 MBP 15"
3. Operating System? 10.7.4 Lion
4. Ableton Live version? 8.2.7
5. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2.2 GHz i7 quad core
6. Amount of Ram? 4 GB
7. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Built in
8. Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? SSD (Like 480 MB/s read)
9. Number of playback tracks? 8

[Xen Ochren]

Disappointing...