I've used Windows my entire life, but I'm considering switching to a Mac. The system I'm looking at is a Mac Mini M6 with 32 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD, costing a little over €1,700.
My main uses would be multitrack music production with VSTs and plugins, recording and mixing, video editing for YouTube, DaVinci Resolve, Photoshop, Premiere, and similar software. I don't play games.
I'm trying to decide whether the Mac is the smarter long-term purchase or whether I should spend the same amount on a Windows desktop. The main concern is upgradeability: a Windows PC could potentially be upgraded to 64 GB or more later if RAM prices fall, while the Mac's memory is fixed. On the other hand, Apple's unified memory, hardware integration, efficiency, and controlled software environment may offer advantages in real-world performance, stability, power usage, and noise.
I'm particularly interested in how the two options compare over several years in terms of music-production performance, video editing, reliability, noise, energy consumption, upgrade options, and overall value. I'd prefer comparisons with an actual Windows PC available for roughly €1,700 rather than theoretical specifications.
I'm not a professional working on huge commercial projects, so I'd also like to know whether 32 GB would realistically be enough for typical metal and electronic music projects using tools such as Superior Drummer, amp simulators, FabFilter, and several effects over the next four or five years.
I'm not looking for a brand war. I simply want to choose the system that will be the more practical and durable purchase for my workload.
4 Answers
For very large sample libraries and high-resolution video projects, memory usage can grow quickly regardless of how efficiently the operating system manages it. A custom Windows desktop gives you a safety net: if your projects become more demanding later, you can add RAM, storage, or replace individual components instead of replacing the whole computer. A quiet case, sensible fan curves, and efficient parts can also make a Windows system nearly silent during normal work.
I use Windows for music production, and a properly configured PC can be both fast and quiet. A modern processor, a decent cooler, and carefully tuned fan curves can leave the fans off during normal work, with noticeable activity mainly during rendering or exporting. For audio, both platforms can be stable; problems are often caused by individual plugins or drivers rather than the operating system itself.
For music, macOS has a strong advantage with Core Audio, which generally provides a smoother audio-device experience and can combine multiple inputs and outputs more easily. Windows can work very well with reliable ASIO hardware, but the setup may require more attention.
I’d lean toward Windows if long-term flexibility is the priority. You can start with 32 or 64 GB, add more memory later, replace the graphics card, expand storage, or upgrade the processor on a supported platform. I’d choose the Mac if lower power use, compact size, simple integration, and predictable audio/video behavior matter more than future upgrades.
This is helpful because it frames the decision as flexibility versus efficiency and integration rather than simply which machine is faster. I had assumed a desktop PC would be noticeably louder, but a well-built system may not be.
For your stated workload, 32 GB on the Mac should probably be sufficient for quite a while, especially since you aren’t describing huge orchestral sample libraries or professional-scale video projects. Both platforms can be stable for recording and editing, and external storage makes it easy to expand beyond the internal 512 GB drive.
The main limitation is that the Mac’s memory choice is permanent. If you want the option to adapt to larger projects later, a Windows desktop is the safer long-term investment. If you value a quiet, compact, efficient machine and expect your workload to remain moderate, the Mac is a reasonable choice.
Mac systems are also widely used by serious audio professionals, so the platform itself isn’t a barrier to professional work. The real question here is whether the fixed memory is acceptable for this particular user’s future projects.
At this price, Apple Silicon offers a very strong overall experience for audio and video work. Unless you’re doing unusually demanding 3D rendering or massive production projects, 32 GB should be workable, and external USB4 or Thunderbolt storage can handle additional project files. For many workloads, CPU performance, GPU capability, and video memory matter as much as or more than ordinary system RAM. Waiting for a sale or considering a good used system could improve the value further.
The distinction between CPU/GPU performance and RAM capacity is exactly what I need to investigate. I’ll compare the memory requirements of my actual projects rather than assuming that 64 GB is automatically necessary.
That makes sense. I’m not working professionally or creating huge orchestral templates, so I’m mainly trying to determine whether 32 GB would be enough for typical metal and electronic projects over the next few years. The ability to upgrade later is still a strong argument for Windows.