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2022 MacBook Pro M2 Max: Lightroom Import/Export
Related: 2019 iMac 5K, 2019 Mac Pro, 4K and 5K display, Apple MacBook Pro M2, Apple Silicon, iMac, iMac 5K, laptop, Lightroom, Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Macs
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MPG tested the Apple 16.2" MacBook Pro with M2 Max Chip Z1740017Z, maxed-out excepting 4TB SSD.
About
Ever popular Adobe Photoshop Lightroom ("Lightroom") requires that files be imported into its database before they can be worked on. Import was done with Add (don’t copy) and generate 1:1 previews in parallel, no lookup of location, etc. Time was measured until the preview-generation progress bar disappeared.
Export was high-quality level 90 JPEG at full resolution, with no extra processing involved.
Disk I/O not a factor, the files being on a fast SSD.
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Lightroom Import/Export
RAW files 45/60/100/150 megapixels: 100 Fujifilm GFX100, 100 PhaseOneIQ4 150, 100 Nikon D850, 100 Sony A7R IV
The 2022 MacBook Pro M2 Max ("MBP") does a great job, but it cannot compete with the 28 CPU cores of the 2019 Mac Pro. However, it trounces the 8-core 2019 iMac 5K.
The M1 Max takes 49% longer than the M2 Max for Import (odd), but is the same for Export.
The 20-core Apple Mac Studio closes the gap easily outpaces the 2019 Mac Pro.
The high-end 2019 Mac Pro with its 28 CPU cores easily outpaces the other machines, but the most common Mac Pro configurations (8/10/12 cores) would be running neck-and-neck or slower than the MacBook Pro M2 Max, so the MBP deserves high praise.
Note: Lightroom on the 2019 iMac 5K exhibited erratic CPU usage and minimal GPU usage. Performance seeemingly could be better (poor CPU/GPU utilization), but Lightoom does what it does.
