Good morning!.
I'm quite shocked, I admit it. Yesterday I finally set up my workstation by inserting my new 16" MacBook Pro with M2 Max and 64Gb of ram (the most powerful notebook currently available from Apple that I paid €5100 including Apple Care). My software main one is Archicad I download the version for Apple Silicon and install it without problems.
I immediately try to use one of my files which seemed a bit heavy to manage with the HP Z4. It is a file where there are almost only Worksheets, in which I have imported quite heavy dwg files (executive project of a building). My Hp Z4 has the following specs (three year old computer): Windows 11 pro 64 - Intel i9-10900X 3.70GHz - AMD Radeon Pro W5500.
Well. Opening the file with the Z4, I've always noticed that Archicad doesn't like, actually hates, imported dwg files. He gets heavy, he can't stand it, he becomes slow. And this was already a huge disappointment in my transition from Revit to Archicad (but never mind, that's how it went by now). In any case, despite some hesitation in doing especially Pan and Zoom in the worksheet, in the end we manage to work on it anyway. With some small problems but it can be done.
By buying the MacBook I was convinced, also based on the stories of my fellow engineers and architects, that the difference between the MacBook and the Z4, in the use of Archicad, would be HUGE! But no. To my great surprise, if you try to Pan and Zoom in the same file using Archicad for Apple Silicon, the color wheel immediately appears and turns, and turns, and turns... after a few seconds it stops turning and disappears, and at that point manages to navigate that worksheet just fine. But then, maybe I magnify a detail a lot, and I work on it. Then I need to review the entire worksheet, I zoom in to see the whole drawing, and here's the colored wheel again spinning, spinning...
I am very frightened by this very evident difference with my "old" HP. But mostly angry, for making a purchase without first being 100% SURE it was right for me.
I read here on the forum that many have had problems with Archicad and Apple Silicon M1. Maybe they are not fixed even for Apple M2?
I call Apple tomorrow morning and ask if I can return the computer (I still should be by day 14). Unless some of you with his experience make me understand that I'm wrong, and explain where I'm wrong!
Thank you all
++edit+++
I tried uninstalling the apple silicon version and installing the intel version. It's much better, crazy... This means something even more ugly and that is that Graphisoft hasn't managed to create even today, years after the release of M2, a version of Archicad suitable for the new processor. Disturbing, considering how much Macs cost and that especially in the workplace nobody has time to wait months and months to see their main software work well.
Is it possible that Archicad, native Mac software, is better optimized for Windows than for macOS???
