Upgrading my iMac

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Kubicixfactor

Active member
I'm looking at replacing my iMac (I7, 32gb RAM) with a Mac Studio, it's been a reliable machine but getting tired now and won't run the latest version of Resolve.
For those of you who run a mac studio with Resolve, what specs did you end up with and have you been happy with it? I'm mainly editing 4k, sometimes Canon RAW Lite.

I'm looking at:
  • Apple M4 Max chip with 16‑core CPU, 40‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
  • 64GB unified memory
I think that will be ok but worth asking!
 
I don't have a Studio, but lesser M-series chips run Resolve well.

If you can't wait 6 months for an M4 Ultra (better multi-core performance if Resolve can benefit from it, IDK) or M5 Max then the above should be a tremendous upgrade for you.

Only thing I would consider - if this is going to be a long-term computer (5+ years or so) - is if you add another $800 to the budget, you'd get 128GB unified memory.

$800 is a good chunk for something that really may be unnecessary, but 64GB is the bare minimum these days and sometimes in retrospect it's like, 'Ah, I should have went a little higher and got some more speed." (Especially if software continues to utilize RAM well.)

Either way, you'd have an elite computer.
 
Kubicixfactor said:
I'm looking at replacing my iMac (I7, 32gb RAM) with a Mac Studio, it's been a reliable machine but getting tired now and won't run the latest version of Resolve.
For those of you who run a mac studio with Resolve, what specs did you end up with and have you been happy with it? I'm mainly editing 4k, sometimes Canon RAW Lite.

I'm looking at:
  • Apple M4 Max chip with 16‑core CPU, 40‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
  • 64GB unified memory
I think that will be ok but worth asking!
Click to expand...
Same here. I have a mid 2017 i7 27” iMac with 40GB RAM. Was notified that Apple will be ending support for this iMac in November 2025. Shoot primarily 4K (UHD). Considering a Mac Mini M4 Pro vs Mac M4 Max Studio with 64GB RAM. What I like about the Studio it has all of the ports I need whereas with the Mac Mini I would have to also buy an external hub. Will also have to buy an external monitor. Leaning towards the BenQ 27” 5K monitor. In either case both options will be expensive. Wish Apple still allowed iMacs to be used as external monitors. There are rumors floating around Apple may release a 30” or 32” iMac Pro which probably would cost $5K or more.
 
Not a Resolve user, but Pro Tools and FCPX with 4K. Haven't installed Resolve yet because it can cause issues with Pro Tools, apparently.

Anyway, I went from a similar iMac to a Mac Studio last year. M2 Max, 64GB memory, 1TB storage. It's screaming fast. I was also tempted to get a Mac Mini, but went with the Studio for the extra connectivity without a hub as I have a three-monitor setup. Thunderbolt hubs can work just fine, though. I probably could have gotten away with a Mini, but have had no regrets about my purchase.
 
Kubicixfactor said:
I'm looking at replacing my iMac (I7, 32gb RAM) with a Mac Studio, it's been a reliable machine but getting tired now and won't run the latest version of Resolve.
For those of you who run a mac studio with Resolve, what specs did you end up with and have you been happy with it? I'm mainly editing 4k, sometimes Canon RAW Lite.

I'm looking at:
  • Apple M4 Max chip with 16‑core CPU, 40‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
  • 64GB unified memory
I think that will be ok but worth asking!
Click to expand...
I have a recent Mac Studio, purchased in March of 2025.

M3 Ultra, 28 Core CPU, 60 Core GPU, 32 Core Neural Engine, 96 GB Memory, 1 TB hard drive. This is the base model they sell of the M3 Ultra at $3,999. Footage is stored on an OWC Thunderbay 4 Mini Raid, connected over Thunderbolt 3 and OWC Thunderbay 8 Raid, also connected over Thunderbolt 3 and both running OWC's SoftRAID. Neither of those is running solid state drives, but I'm forgetting exactly what's in them at the moment and how they're configured beyond that.

I typically edit footage anywhere from Canon RAW LT from a C500 II (5.9K) and R5C (both 5.9K and 8K), 6K REDRAW from a RED Komodo, ProRes 4444 from an Alexa Mini, and the more compressed, smaller data rate variations from all of those cameras. Occasionally I'll work with Sony compressed footage from FX3, FX6 as well.

I'm usually running a 4K timeline in Resolve with two camera streams (A and B camera) when editing interviews and then dropping b-roll clips on top of that.

Most footage has a few color correction things going on, but I'm not typically running intense effects or anything like that.

The whole system basically runs in realtime with no hiccups. It's the first time I haven't had to worry about what type of footage is being edited and at what resolutions. I just edit, and the machine takes care of the rest.

When my laptop was my primary machine I would have to make proxies, reduce the playback quality and/or resolution and all kinds of stuff. Now I don't do any of that. I just import footage, drop it in the timeline and I'm rolling. Exports are super fast too.

If you can swing the cost, a high spec machine will save you countless hours in editing and exporting and will pay for itself over time. My Mac Studio has been one of the better purchases I've made.
 
Some great advice, thanks everyone for sharing your specs - I need it pretty soon so unfortunately can't wait for the next release. Looked at the M4 Max and M3 Ultra and I think the M3 Ultra will be the one.
 
I'm still on a M1 Max Mac Studio with 64GB RAM. Works great. Connected to a 32-inch ASUS ProArt monitor that I also like a lot. Also connected to an external eight-drive Promise RAID5... Several good options for both monitors and storage, of course. And I'll probably get a new main computer next year.

As others are saying, it could be getting a slightly older main processor and applying the money towards RAM (and monitor, etc) is a prudent way to go. Also, I work with people (and not just "influencers" who have M4 Mac minis that are doing good work, though mainly straight-ahead editing; 4K, not tons of complex Resolve Fusion, etc. Then they have money for other equipment. I haven't talked with them enough to know the real limits and tradeoffs of using a Mini, but perhaps people here or on the Blackmagic Resolve forum will have thoughts: https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewforum.php?f=21

Let us know what you end up getting and how it works for you.
 
Everyone’s budget and needs are different but in my experience it’s easy to over spend and Apple makes highest profit margins on these upgrades.

I have many times been tempted to replace my Mac mini M1. I mostly edit in HD and when I need to edit multi clip 4k it bogs down but have found a proxy or ProRes render will fix it. That alone has bought me many years of use.

Base M4 is your best value at $500
The Pro doubles in price with slightly more ram and storage 24/512 and more gpu cores useful for demanding effects

Then there is another doubling of price to get into the Studio. The prices go up exponentially.

In my own use case I am the weakest link, meaning my mental energy to edit is what holds back the completion of projects not the speed of the computer.
 
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