

That’s limited pros’ capabilities, and the lack of Nvidia driver support has left 3D rendering software developers in the dark since their GPU accelerated renderers often only work with Nvidia’s CUDA technology. Instead, Apple has favored AMD’s Radeon cards, which are generally known for being cheaper and less powerful than Nvidia’s GeForce series. “this is a status symbol kind of purchase.”Īpple hasn’t sold computers with Nvidia cards in years, and it fully dropped support for them in the latest version of macOS. I can still get better results for half the price with a custom-built PC,” he says.

“I need the best solution for heavy 3D rendering and high-resolution video processing, so for this new Mac to lack support for Nvidia graphics cards is a big disappointment.

Mac or windows for artists upgrade#
Patrick Longstreth, a VFX supervisor on shows like Adam Ruins Everything and Pen15, says the new Mac Pro is an upgrade from the old trash can model, but it still isn’t enough to get him to make the switch from a PC. At that range, artists say the Mac Pro might make more sense as an investment for companies and studios, rather than something for individuals to put in their home or office.įor 3D and visual effects artists, the fact that it doesn’t support Nvidia graphics cards is a major sticking point. That alone puts it out of reach for most creators, and that’s before they’ve started to configure it with added power, potentially pushing the price up by tens of thousands of dollars. But is the new Mac Pro actually what pros have been looking for?įrom the modular design that allows flexibility for upgrades to the dedicated Afterburner video editing card that supposedly eliminates the need for proxy workflows, everything about the machine is extreme, including its $5,999 starting price. Creatives have been asking for a new professional-level computer from Apple since the disappointment of the un-upgradable trash can-looking Mac Pro from 2013, and Apple finally delivered this week with something very pricey and very powerful. Apple’s new Mac Pro is its most powerful computer ever, with performance specs catered toward creative professionals like visual effects artists, musicians, and filmmakers who need a lot of processing power.
