Installation & update
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ArchiCad on 2018 MacBook Pro i9

yma2010
Participant
I was wondering if anyone is using AC on the new MacBook Pro with the i9 processor and if there are any observable benefits to it. Or, even Windows users if they have seen any benefit to the i9 processor.
20 REPLIES 20
Anonymous
Not applicable
Useful discussion...

I use a 15 inch 2.9GHz i9
Mem - 16GB 2400Mhz DDR4
Redeon Pro 560x

I am finding it unbelievably slow... in clamshell mode with two monitors.

The zoom in and out function is on its knees... so frustrating.

I was considering the Black Magic box of tricks. Do you think this will help?

Cheers

Ben
Anonymous
Not applicable
Ben,
i9 MacBook Pro has serious thermal issues (google it) running in clamshell mode would just accelerate thermal throttling

Sorry I don’t think things will get better
Scott
Gerald Hoffman
Advocate
I don't use my laptop in clamshell most of the time and haven't experienced any throttling after Apple applied the fix soon after release of the 2108 model.

A new updated MacBook Pro has just been released with updated Radeon Vega graphics. Early reports indicate from 30-60% speed bump over the 560X that I have. This was just 3 -4 months after the 2018 update so I am a little upset given that Apple had to have been working on this all along.

Cheers,
Gerald Hoffman
“The simplification of anything is always sensational” GKC
Archicad 4.55 - 27-6000 USA
2019 MacBook Pro-macOS 15.0 (64GB w/ AMD Radeon Pro 5600M GPU)
Ben Cohen
Advocate
I had a bad run with my Macbook pro i9. ArchiCAD was running well but the machine would get hot. After 7 weeks the right hand USB-C port stopped working.. Apple gave me the option to replace the machine or I could get a refund. I asked for complimentary Applecare to cover me if this happened in the future (thinking this design could not handle the i9 - thermally) They would only give me complimentary apple care on an i7...
Needless to say I took the refund.
I am now back to my old 2015 Macbook pro. Its a bit slower but it has 2 x USB-A ports - HDMI, SD slot, 2xThunderbolt ports, Mag safe and an escape key... plus I am 7k richer...
I really think Apple has lost its way with pro users. They need to remove the POS touchbar, increase the thickness to improve the cooling and then drop the price 1k before I buy again.
Ben Cohen
Mac and PC
Archicad (Latest Version) aus
www.4DLibrary.com.au
Anonymous
Not applicable
Ben,
I am of the same opinion, have been using Macs since the Macplus but would not buy one today.
Scott
cagarruta
Contributor
Phil wrote:
We run ARCHICAD 22 on our iMac Pro (3.2GHz 8 Core Xeon with 64GB RAM and 2TB solid state drive). It works fast when running under macOS and we see no degradation in speed when we run it under Window 10 using Boot Camp. The only noticeable difference is that Windows 10 graphic rendering of text and other graphic items is n nowhere near as clear or as easy on the mark 1 human eyeball as when ARCHICAD 22 runs under macOS.

We also have a MacBook Pro (early 2017) so its processor is a lot slower but ARCHICAD 22 still works fine.

Phil Allsopp
KAMBRIO - development-finance-human habitat
iMac Pro
3.2GHz 8 Core Xeon
64GB RAM
2TB solid state drive
12 TB G-Drive RAID unit
Hello Phill, what file/Project size you ussually make small, medium or large?

Its important to know The performance, thanks,
JCG
Archicad 25 SPA v6000

i9 9900K/32 Gb DDR4/1TB SSD/10GBPS Lan/Windows 10 PRO
aahatimo
Newcomer
I am getting ready to buy a 2018 MBP with 32 GB ram but will go with the I7 2.6 processor not I9 due to the heat issues reported for the I9 (and save $300). The reported performance is fairly close w the I7.
My question is regarding the $350 Radeon Pro Vega 20 graphics card option over the stock Pro 560 and if there is a noticeable performance gain with ArchiCad 22?
Of course I could wait for the possible 16.5” 2019 model but I’m using a 7 year old MBP now. It still does a good job with ArchiCad, pretty amazing!
Is anyone using a similar equipped MBP?
Thanks!
tim hanagan
aaha! design studio durango, co
27" retina 5k iMac 4ghz i7 os 10.13.6 m395x 4 mb, 32gb ram, 512 gb ssd ac 22 current
15" retina mbp 2.6ghz 1mb 16gb ac 22 current[/size]
Erwin Edel
Rockstar
I've allways 'maxed out' the GPU in my iMacs and this I feel helped with keeping them capable of running the software I'm using on it for years.

I do feel like Apple is putting stock GPU in their machines that struggle to handle the pixels of their 4k/5k screens, so for me that would be another reason to get the 'best' they have on offer.

That said, I don't think ArchiCAD is very taxing on the GPU.

My main work machine is a pretty old HP Workstation that still seems capable of handling ArchiCAD22 just fine with its Nvidia Quatro GPU from way back when, but that is running two HD screens.
Erwin Edel, Project Lead, Leloup Architecten
www.leloup.nl

ArchiCAD 9-26NED FULL
Windows 10 Pro
Adobe Design Premium CS5
aahatimo
Newcomer
Erwin,
Generally my approach also. I now have a new MBP 2.6 ghz 6 core I7, 32 gb ram, 512gb ssd and the Pro Vega 20. Finally found one on Apple's refurbished site for $3k, saved $550. Love it, thanks! Now I am waiting for more options for a 5k monitor and may retire my 2015 retina 5k loaded 27" iMac.
Tim
tim hanagan
aaha! design studio durango, co
27" retina 5k iMac 4ghz i7 os 10.13.6 m395x 4 mb, 32gb ram, 512 gb ssd ac 22 current
15" retina mbp 2.6ghz 1mb 16gb ac 22 current[/size]
Ben Cohen
Advocate
Ben wrote:
I really think Apple has lost its way with pro users. They need to remove the POS touchbar, increase the thickness to improve the cooling and then drop the price 1k before I buy again.
WOW!! Nailed it. They modified the touchbar to include an Escape key, increased the thickness and re-designed the cooling, Plus they dropped the price over 1k - for the same specs as last year!!

I think we may have an Apple executive trolling the forums
Ben Cohen
Mac and PC
Archicad (Latest Version) aus
www.4DLibrary.com.au