XPost: comp.sys.mac.system, comp.sys.mac.misc   
   From: YourName@YourISP.com   
      
   On 2025-10-28 04:52:33 +0000, Smithwicks said:   
   > In article <10dc1v4$12vmn$1@dont-email.me>, Alan    
   > wrote:   
   >> On 2025-10-17 13:25, Smithwicks wrote:   
   >>>> Why do you say that?   
   >>> Apple silicon uses system-on-a-chip ARM architecture, which weds the   
   >>> CPU, GPU, and RAM into a single chip. This makes them very solid   
   >>> machines but the downside is that you can't use any external GPUs or   
   >>> upgrade RAM - you're limited by your decision on those aspects when you   
   >>> buy the chip.   
   >>   
   >>>   
   >>> The upside is that even my stock M3 can game very well and handle any   
   >>> other applications I throw at it. I think LTT did a review trying to   
   >>> play Cyberpunk on an M-series and it did shockingly well. BUT, even if   
   >>> you have a Mac Pro you can't supplement that with a GPU card. The   
   >>> architecture just can't utilize it.   
   >>>   
   >>> That means, as others have pointed out, it's relegated to being a   
   >>> machine for specific uses - audio cards, server purposes, maybe   
   >>> something else that hasn't even occured to me.   
   >> Oh, no!   
   >>   
   >> You can only use the built-in GPU to support one screen...   
   >>   
   >> ...no...wait...   
   >>   
   >> ...it's two screens...   
   >>   
   >> ...nope, nope; three!   
   >>   
   >> Yes, a maximum of three screens at 8K resolution...   
   >>   
   >> ...or six at 6K...   
   >>   
   >> ...or eight at 4K.   
   >>   
   >> That's a HUGE limitation   
   >>   
   >>> Anything you could accomplish with a Mac Pro you should look at getting   
   >>> the Mac Studio for. It's the same chip in a form factor just larger than   
   >>> the Mini. Quite impressive, really.   
   >>>   
   >>> I suppose the real question is: why does Apple keep around the tower   
   >>> design instead of just putting some sort of PCI slot(s) in the Mac   
   >>> Studio body? Would easily cater to those specific use cases for people   
   >>> needing audio cards or similar hardware.   
   >   
   > As a minor consideration, I wonder if screen support increases linearly   
   > with the core-count of the GPU? ie - would a stock M4 support fewer than   
   > the M4 Pro, Max, or Ultra? Something I'm not sure about as it's a bit   
   > out of my own needs, haha.   
      
   The number / types of screens does change with the chip model and type.   
   Apple's M-series chips also the RAM is in the chip itself and used by   
   both ther CPU and GPU, so the amount of RAM you have will be another   
   factor in how many screens you can use.   
      
   There are some external hubs that claim to be able to let you use more   
   screens, but I've never used any of those to know whether they work or   
   not.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)