Which Mac Mini M2 Config for Lightroom Classic?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
February 7, 2023
3 replies
19074 views

Hello. I am an amateur wildlife photographer. I often return from an outing with 400-600 RAW full-frame images. My current workflow on a 2015 iMac and 2019 MacBook Pro is too slow. I have on order a Mac Mini M2 w. 16GB memory and 512 GB SSD. Do you think this configuration will be significantly faster using a workflow anchored by LR Classic? Adding the M2 Pro chip is +$300. Thanks in advance for your advice.

macOS

This topic has been closed for replies.

D

daveandworld

Participant

Hi,

Did you end up going for the MAC mini?

I'm looking at the MAC Mini M2 PRO 16gb 512 ssd and like you I'm into landscape photography - currently still struggling with the late 2015 iMac 27 (thinking of still using the screen via 3rd party dongle - luna something) - I'm a fujifilm shooter XT-5 so looking at using capture one - currently longtime LRC user (with fullframe Canon now sold) Any help, advice would be really appreciated! Thx

Jim Wilde

Community Expert

I have the M1 Mac Mini, with 16GB and a 1TB SSD, and I've been very pleased with its performance. My only suggestion to you would be to consider upgrading the SSD from 512GB, and also consider the 32GB memory upgrade (as these components are not user-upgradeable, it makes sense to me to over-spec for current needs to allow for future growth).

Ian Lyons

Community Expert

@Jim Wilde

I don't disagree, but I try to avoid spending other peoples money 😉

For example, 32GB is only available if the OP steps up to the base M2 Pro version (10-core CPU and 16-core GPU). So, the price for M2 Pro plus 1TB SSD would be $1899. For an extra $100 the OP could get the base Mac Studio M1 Max (10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, 32GB memory and 512GB SSD). It's also worth noting that 512GB SSD on M2 Mac mini is using only one SSD chip, which has been found to be slower than the same size of SSD on M1 based systems, which use two 256GB SSD paired as RAID 0.

The takeaway from above is that Apple don't make the decision making process easy, especially when customers try to factor in what's best approach to future proofing.

My personal experience with three M1 Macs (Mac mini M1 8-core CPU and GPU, 16GB memory, 1TB SSD, MacBook Pro M1 Pro 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 32GB memory, 2TB SSD, Mac M1 Ultra 20-core CPU, 48-core GPU, 64GB memory, 1TB SSD) is that LrC will use every byte of memory available and then some to support the GPU. On the otherhand LrD is now much more frugal with how much memory the GPU takes for itself.

MettamanAuthor

Participant

Thanks for answering. In you opinion - based on my purchasing an M2 Mac Mini (Not M2 Pro) am I better off upgrading to 24 GB Memory/512 SSD - or - 16 GB Memory/ 1 TB?

Ian Lyons

Community Expert

Either of the options you mention will significantly out perform your iMac and MacBook Pro.

You may wish to have a look at this Youtube video that compares the M1/M2 and Mac mini https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx8vMlTGUC8&t=1291s

MettamanAuthor

Participant

That's a great analysis. I wonder if there's one comparing Photo Mechanic - Capture One - and Lightroom running off the M2 Mini (one at a time, not consecutively.) 🙂

Ian Lyons

Community Expert

The video I linked to above includies a segment on Capture One. Sadly and unlike Adobe, the vendor has not yet optimised the application to make best use of the increased number of GPU cores.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded