# With the more pro-focused Apple silicon computers coming in June/July, could we start to see way more native compatibility from the big players?



## WinterEmerald (May 23, 2021)

I'm asking this because there've been no changes on Native Instruments' front since February, Best Service seem quite far from it as well (let alone even releasing a new version of their current hugely CPU-hungry engine) and Spitfire are still in a lot of betas, amongst other companies/libraries/plug-ins. 

My thinking (read: hope) is that they had more of release-schedule based around Apple selling their more powerful ARM models this summer, whilst using the more consumer level M1 chips as an easier way to test and prepare.

What are people's thoughts about this?


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## LamaRose (May 23, 2021)

Absolutely... hope so. NI needs to get moving on this because Rosetta 2 eats up hippo-loads of Ram in Logic... also issues with Native Access. The M1 chip is damn impressive... LONG GONE are the debilitating days of CPU single-core recording issues... and I'm using an 8gb/256 SSD MBA!


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## davidson (May 23, 2021)

I've swerved a few purchases now due to that developers lack of interest in supporting the M chipset, and I doubt I'm the only one. I understand it involves more work on their side, but that's the business they're in, for better or for worse.


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## WinterEmerald (May 23, 2021)

davidson said:


> I've swerved a few purchases now due to that developers lack of interest in supporting the M chipset, and I doubt I'm the only one. I understand it involves more work on their side, but that's the business they're in, for better or for worse.


They literally have no choice but to get compatibility there; huge market for them in the Apple users.


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## storyteller (May 23, 2021)

I’d slow your roll a bit. Ha. I’m eager to see what will be eventually released, but Pro macs aren’t coming yet. *Maybe* there will be a surprise on June 7th, but I doubt it. The professionals out there are all using Intel... and will continue using Intel macs for years to come. There is potentially at least one more Mac Pro revision out there to come as well. The issue is less about the chips and more about the ram. 64gb is not enough these days and that is the max rumored amount for this next iteration of MnX chips...


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## WinterEmerald (May 23, 2021)

storyteller said:


> I’d slow your roll a bit. Ha. I’m eager to see what will be eventually released, but Pro macs aren’t coming yet. *Maybe* there will be a surprise on June 7th, but I doubt it. The professionals out there are all using Intel... and will continue using Intel macs for years to come. There is potentially at least one more Mac Pro revision out there to come as well. The issue is less about the chips and more about the ram. 64gb is not enough these days and that is the max rumored amount for this next iteration of MnX chips...


The new upcoming MacBook Pros are going to be 40% (rumoured) more powerful than the current M1 chips which are already pretty beastly. 64GB is still very much a capable amount for professionals; these new Macs are certainly going to be part of their line more geared towards professionals. You're also looking at the great benefit of efficiency with Logic on Apple chips. Furthermore, developers have to get their compatibility sorted because Apple is going to be eventually phasing out all their Intel computers. The new ARM Mac Pro will be in 2022, but we are still going to be seeing both the new MacBook Pros and the rumoured Mini Pro being part of their professional line with the Mac Pro being at the top end, of course.

Edit: and of course, the pro version of their iMac too.


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## LamaRose (May 23, 2021)

As stated, I only have 8gigs Ram, and in one instance, Rosetta had consumed over 6gb of memory on its own! And yet... the OS continued to perform as expected, as did Logic. Point being, the amount of Ram has become a _very gray_ area with these new chips.

A direct example of processing power: the Simple Sam Steinway was a Cpu destroyer on my Duo core 2015 MBP which has four cores - 2 actual, 2 virtual. A five note chord would send the infamous single-core capability almost to 100%... press the sustain pedal and that's all she wrote! NOW... I can press the sustain and play one 10-note chord after another... the needle hangs around 25%. 

Things should only improve with native compatibility, not to mention even smaller transistors. Eventually, PC's will catch up, but Apple's riding this wave alone at present.


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## khollister (May 23, 2021)

NI is always slow with updates/compatibility. Anyone using iLok (Eventide, LiquidSonics, Soundtoys, EW, VSL since they are moving to that) are stuck waiting on Pace to get a native iLok API. I assume Spitfire is working on their player (they’re a Big Mac/Logic house). A lot of stuff is already native.


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## WinterEmerald (May 23, 2021)

LamaRose said:


> As stated, I only have 8gigs Ram, and in one instance, Rosetta had consumed over 6gb of memory on its own! And yet... the OS continued to perform as expected, as did Logic. Point being, the amount of Ram has become a _very gray_ area with these new chips.
> 
> A direct example of processing power: the Simple Sam Steinway was a Cpu destroyer on my Duo core 2015 MBP which has four cores - 2 actual, 2 virtual. A five note chord would send the infamous single-core capability almost to 100%... press the sustain pedal and that's all she wrote! NOW... I can press the sustain and play one 10-note chord after another... the needle hangs around 25%.
> 
> Things should only improve with native compatibility, not to mention even smaller transistors. Eventually, PC's will catch up, but Apple's riding this wave alone at present.


Massive improvement for sure. It doesn't surprise me that OS would do a fantastic job of keeping efficient with the RAM, but the increased amount that is necessary for the bigger VIs and such really is where the 64GB allowance will shine beautifully.


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## DoubleTap (May 23, 2021)

We should see movement. But I'm not convinced we will, necessarily. Developers like d16 can't update their plugins so they'll have to release new ones, or at least that's what they told me. I wouldn't be surprised if NI never update some of their VIs, since they're so old. I have a NI audio interface which is admittedly cheap, but it worked on my PC. They claim it is now compatible with Silicon but I can't see any difference and it's hugely buggy.


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## WinterEmerald (May 23, 2021)

DoubleTap said:


> We should see movement. But I'm not convinced we will, necessarily. Developers like d16 can't update their plugins so they'll have to release new ones, or at least that's what they told me. I wouldn't be surprised if NI never update some of their VIs, since they're so old. I have a NI audio interface which is admittedly cheap, but it worked on my PC. They claim it is now compatible with Silicon but I can't see any difference and it's hugely buggy.


In NI's case, would it be as simple as just making sure Kontakt is compatible, for example, or would they also need to do it for each individual VI?


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## DoubleTap (May 23, 2021)

WinterEmerald said:


> In NI's case, would it be as simple as just making sure Kontakt is compatible, for example, or would they also need to do it for each individual VI?


It's a good question but I'm not a coder, just going on what I've been told by the developers I've interacted with. It could be that updating Kontakt and Reaktor could potentially break some of the instruments designed for them, and since the developers of those instruments are effectively NI's customers too, they probably have to do a much larger level of testing than other developers.


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