My monster 16" MBP 2021 (M1Pro, 32GB memory, 2TB storage) has just shipped from Shanghai.
What badass heavy-compute things can I do with it that I can't with my 2016 (see specs screenshot below)?
Conversation
Things I'm interested in doing more of:
1. CAD
2. 3d modeling for metaverse
3. Animation (2d/3d)
4. Machine learning
5. Machine learning art
6. Astrophotography processing
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I'm guessing, while this has a 16-core GPU and 16-core neural engine, it can't do as much as a dedicated Nvidia card, but can still do a shit ton more than my current machine. This is likely the most powerful computer I'll ever own... next one might be all cloud/light client
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I didn't buy any bundled software, but since this machine costs ~4k and I'll likely keep it for 5-7 years, I do want to invest consciously and proportionately in paid software too, not just open source. So my planned budget is ~$2000-$3000. What could I get for that?
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I think I'm going to shell out for good 2d animation software at least, and if the free iMovie isn't good enough, maybe something more capable for video editing.
ML should all be free I'm guessing, just PyTorch.
What else is worth the money?
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I'll echo other's recs for Blender. It's the best tool for creative expression I've ever used. And it's also handy for making practical illustrations for work.
For video, Davinci Resolve won't make you hate your life like Premiere Pro so often does.
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FCPX is worth it for video editing; Motion is pretty good and cheap for 2d animation (haven't tried others really). Have had good luck dabbling a bit w/ Blender and Fusion 360.
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Most software is subscription-based now, and there are good free substitutes. Blender for basic modeling/animation. Davinci for video editing. Unity if you’re trying to move beyond modeling into metaverse interactivity. Google Colab for ML/ML art in the cloud is almost too easy.
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