Here are a few highlights (all tests on a high-resolution image from a Nikon D850): The gains with M1 are very real and very impressive. I’ve just released a free benchmarking tool for Photoshop called G-Bench. 64GB and an upgraded GPU are nice for photography, but the gains are smaller (64GB is nice if you work with a lot of large files and the upgraded GPU is nice if you edit a lot of video). The tests below reflect my maxed-out 14″ computer, but I’m using this for business and most photographers should probably just buy 14″ or 16″ with the basic 10-core CPU, 32GB RAM, 2-4TB SSD. Of course, it also includes all the standard features like a greatly improved screen, better speakers and mic, upgraded web cam, HDMI port, SDXC card reader, and MagSafe.

With all the other upgrades, my 2021 MBP includes the M1 Max with 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 64GB unified memory, and 8TB SSD storage. My 15″ 2018 feels hefty at 4.0lbs and putting 4.7lbs on in my photo backpack for a 16″ screen (and some extra battery life) didn’t sound like fun. I opted for a smaller screen and battery life to save some weight. It was an easy decision to buy every option except the 16″ as a professional doing photography, software, and video. Within 15 minutes of the machines going on sale, I’d bought mine. So I’ve been literally waiting to hand my money to Apple the moment they released a Pro version of Apple Silicon. But time has moved on and I’ve nearly run out of internal storage, I’ve been eager for a lighter laptop to carry on photography trips, and of course I’m eager to get my hands on anything that will cut down the time I spend waiting while processing images and video. And thanks to a free battery replacement last month from Apple (the original battery was swelling, probably from being continuously charged during Covid), it’s still just like new. This includes a 2.9GHz 6-core i9 Intel processor, 32GB memory, Radeon Pro 560X GPU with 4GB of GPU memory, 4TB SSD, and 15″ display. I’ve been using a fully-loaded 2018 MacBook Pro (MBP). This is unquestionably the best computer I’ve ever used for photography and I wanted to provide a detailed review from a photographer’s perspective, as well as some tips on how to make the most of the transition.įirst, some quick background. I’m stunned by how good this computer is in so many regards.

I’ve had my hands on the brand new 2021 Macbook Pro (M1 Max) for a few weeks now, does it live up to the hype? Yes, absolutely. Update: See /hdr for a demonstration of just how incredible the XDR display is on the new MacBook Pros.

Macbook m1 lightroom