MacBook Pro 13” with i5 3.3 or i7 3.5?

[GreatWhiteEagle]

I searched the forum and couldn’t find exactly the answer I was looking for so I thought I’d post. I’m going to buy a new mbp with touch bar (to get fastest processing), 16gb ram and 512 ssd. I’m wondering if it’s necessary to get the i7 over the i5?

I’m planning on getting into making ambient stuff that is probably a little synth heavy (currently using Bengal by max for cats and would like to get into OSCiLLOT), use push 2, sample from vinyl, etc. I’m not getting the 15” because I also use this computer at work and I commute by bike so the 13” is very preferable and basically mandatory since the 15” won’t fit in my bike bag. I’ll also upgrade to 16gh ram and 512 ssd.

Thanks for the help!

[GreatWhiteEagle]

I’m not sure if it is, which may be another question, but the fastest processors are only available in the touchbar versions (the i7 in the non touch bar is 2.5ghz with turbo to 4.0). I don’t really want the touch bar, I just want the best processor I can get that will last the longest in terms of obsolescence in ableton world. [quote][/quote]

[GreatWhiteEagle]

I mean that’s a really hard choice. I’ve been using Mac since 2003. My wife uses Mac. We are fully integrated at home with backups and all that, and I really don’t want to go back to windows. Really don’t want to. I realize the price difference is kind of staggering, but I also still, whether just or unjust, view pc as more unreliable. My dad was a pc user until about a year ago, and he would buy nice machines and seemed to have poor reliability. I know it’s crazy, and I fully acknowledge it may not be based in reality, but I don’t know if I can go back.

[yur2die4]

Get the 15". Otherwise just accept that you'll be making some major compromises no matter what the choice is.

[GreatWhiteEagle]

What do you foresee as the most likely compromises in the future? I would really like to bump up to the 15", but it would really throw a wrench into how I get to work on my bike and carry all my stuff, and I ride in 90% of the time.

[Stromkraft]

What do you foresee as the most likely compromises in the future? I would really like to bump up to the 15", but it would really throw a wrench into how I get to work on my bike and carry all my stuff, and I ride in 90% of the time.

Performance obviously. If you do only native Live instruments maybe you can get away with a duocore. If you use third party instruments (plug-ins) they probably will be needing more resources.

With a duocore your production design will need to adapt to the performance limitations at hand. This will likely mean maybe using a higher latency than you'd like, a need to be getting to audio only early and add native mixdown effects and plug-in effects firstly in separate audio only mixdown versions.

This is not a bad way to make music necessarily as it forces you to make decisions. If you need to get back something in, you can merge into the current from the first version sets. Some of this process takes time to learn. Moving quickly can still speed things up to counter this.

All of this takes some discipline, planning and acceptance of the performance limitations you are likely to encounter. If you feel comfortable with making this tradeoff, it may work out for you.

I'm currently on a duocore backup until my quadcore comes back. It's possible, but a bit harder to be spontaneous. If you don't know Live well, it can set you back a bit. I'm 5-6 years in and at this point I know quite a bit about performance issues.

[GreatWhiteEagle]

I figured and I’m pretty torn. I move my computer to and from work most days,but I’d hate to get 2 years down the road and feel a real need to upgrade. But I may go with 13 because of portability needs and engage in necessary processor efficiency workarounds as they come up. Thanks for all the input!

[yur2die4]

Yeah. As long as you identify and accept that there will be limitations in performance, you'll probably end up having a decent experience. The hard part is that a lot of people don't realize there is a difference in CPUs in the first place. Once you overcome that, and accept and understand what it entails, you should do just fine.

I shouldn't downplay the processor. I7's are still quite powerful no matter which model. It's just the least powerful of the i7's in each gen by a healthy leap.

[GreatWhiteEagle]

Are there concerns with overheating with the current 15”? I have read a few things about the discrete graphics creating excessive heat when running ableton. Still not totally decided....

[Tarekith]

Bought my 15" MBP a few months back, not had any issues with heat and running Live (or any other app). In fact it runs a lot cooler overall than my 2014 rMBP did.

[Emanresu0891]

Bought my 15" MBP a few months back, not had any issues with heat and running Live (or any other app). In fact it runs a lot cooler overall than my 2014 rMBP did.

I would expect it to work just fine for you after two years. Theres no proof of longevity with you only owning it for two years and we dont know how hard you push it. Your dedicated graphics might only be in use every few days how do we know.

Some people also go for longevity when they buy an expensive computer, these mac bookpro's are starting to show there un-reliability with a dedicated gpu even after a few years.
The cooling is inadequate for the gpu in these computers. Unless they make thicker computers or use less powerful graphics like a normal manufacture would, there will always be gpu issues with dedicated graphics in a mbp 15.

If you buy a 15 you have to buy one that is a couple of years old to not get dedicated graphics or go with 13.

[Tarekith]

Huh, what does that have to do with my post?

[scheffkoch]

"Bought my 15" MBP a few months back, not had any issues with heat and running Live (or any other app). In fact it runs a lot cooler overall than my 2014 rMBP did."

...this!...and even if the fans are spinning you don't hear them anymore...only when you put your ear to the chassis...

[GreatWhiteEagle]

Yeah. As long as you identify and accept that there will be limitations in performance, you'll probably end up having a decent experience. The hard part is that a lot of people don't realize there is a difference in CPUs in the first place. Once you overcome that, and accept and understand what it entails, you should do just fine.

I shouldn't downplay the processor. I7's are still quite powerful no matter which model. It's just the least powerful of the i7's in each gen by a healthy leap.

So, Would the 2.8 quad i7 be significantly better than the dual core i7 at 3.5? Or would I need to jump up to the 3.1 quad i7 to have significant performance improvement?

[yur2die4]

Doing benchmark comparisons of models won't give you a fully accurate idea of performance in a DAW for specific usage but it can kind of give you an approximate idea of CPU power comparison.

I usually look at those, and look in forums and at reviews in groups that are Ableton Live-related.

But specifically, look at your options. The specific CPU model. See which ones are outside of your needs and narrow it down.

Edit: I guess to answer your question more directly, but more theoretically, Live theoretically handles audio channels in such a way where it divies up the duties amongst cores of the CPU. If you have two high CPU instruments and some fx, the dual core would likely out-perform the quad. If you have four, then it gets more murky because each channel might not come close to overtaking any given core and the dual might still handle it just fine, even great. In the meantime the quad should also do fine, unless it's an insanely hefty four channels. . But if you have say 20 channels, then probably only 4 to 8 are heavy duty channels and the remainder are not so demanding but still use resources. You're getting closer and closer to the edge with the dual core.

Additionally, the dual core CPUs are also more intended to save power and be efficient. On top of cores, cache etc are qualities that can affect overall performance.

But a lot of this is slightly speculation. It's best to seek out the specific CPU models of each candidate of laptop and do comparisons. If it's not that much of a reduction in performance for the price and convenience, then totally go for the 13". It should mostly run okay. But if it seems underwhelming in contrast to the other choice then I'd do more research and get more informed.

Try to find people who have the 13" notebooks and tried to run Live on them. See what kinds of experiences they've had.