How to increase speed, reduce resource hogging? 16-core M3 Max MacBook Pro with 48GB ram is SLOW

[ntiliff]

I have a brand new MacBook Pro M3 Max with 16 cores, 48GB ram and 1 TB SSD. Chief is often using 50-80%+ of my RAM. It is often at 100%+ CPU utilization. How can I reduce these so it doesn't stop my computer? I have turned off ray tracing, for one thing. My plan and layout is around 100 MB, which doesn't seem huge.

 

Moving things around on layout (set to update on demand only) takes 10-15 seconds each. Updating a 3d rendering can take a minute. It can't raytrace more than two samples per second. This is a fast machine, this app should not be so slow. The computer is a week old. I bought it specifically to use Chief because my Intel iMac was even slower.

[DBCooper]

See if this helps:

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00521/troubleshooting-slowness-in-chief-architect-plans.html

 

[Renerabbitt]

1 hour ago, ntiliff said:

I have a brand new MacBook Pro M3 Max with 16 cores, 48GB ram and 1 TB SSD. Chief is often using 50-80%+ of my RAM. It is often at 100%+ CPU utilization. How can I reduce these so it doesn't stop my computer? I have turned off ray tracing, for one thing. My plan and layout is around 100 MB, which doesn't seem huge.

 

Moving things around on layout (set to update on demand only) takes 10-15 seconds each. Updating a 3d rendering can take a minute. It can't raytrace more than two samples per second. This is a fast machine, this app should not be so slow. The computer is a week old. I bought it specifically to use Chief because my Intel iMac was even slower.

share your plan and layout file and we could tell you whats going on

[ntiliff]

3 hours ago, Renerabbitt said:

share your plan and layout file and we could tell you whats going on

I just realized that there is something very wrong with the layout file. Looking at auto archives, it went from 150 MB to 3 GB with no major revisions. I am starting over and seeing whether that helps.

[kylejmarsh]

Its shouldn't be slow. I've been working with Mac + Chief for a while and I've got just an M1 MBP with 16 GB and chief works great, especially since x15 update. x16 has more bugs/crashes but it's not slower. 

[dshall]

A timely thread for me.  I have the MacBook Pro on order.  I should have it in a week.

 

I will be interested in the speed issues...

 

But I do need an external monitor.....

- 27" min........

-4k or 54k?

 

 

Does anybody have a suggestion for an external monitor????

 

 

[Joe_Carrick]

I have an extra 27" still in the original box unopened.

I also have an extra 45" 4K TV with wall mount.

 

Let me know if you are interested in either of those.  Just make a reasonable offer.

[Renerabbitt]

2 hours ago, dshall said:

A timely thread for me.  I have the MacBook Pro on order.  I should have it in a week.

 

I will be interested in the speed issues...

 

But I do need an external monitor.....

- 27" min........

-4k or 54k?

 

 

Does anybody have a suggestion for an external monitor????

 

 

I would really encourage you to wait another month for the new M4. m3 is still a bit underwhelming in the rendering side when compared to PC

[dshall]

Hi Rene,  I thought about that......  but I was not sure it was going to come out this year........  hmmm....  maybe I should cancel it....  

[DBCooper]

Quote

I just realized that there is something very wrong with the layout file. Looking at auto archives, it went from 150 MB to 3 GB with no major revisions. I am starting over and seeing whether that helps.

 

There may be nothing really "wrong" with your layout file because you have may have done something that is causing the problems.  A 3 GB layout file is ridiculously large and even a 150 MB file is probably much bigger than you need.  I just downloaded one of Chief's new sample layout files (the Saguaro) and the 21 page layout that has lots of pretty pictures and details is only 65 MB.  The largest layout file I have is less than 30 MB and most of them are even less than 15 MB.

 

If I was to make a guess, I would bet that you imported a lot of stuff that is taking up all that space.  Importing things like high res pictures and pdfs and setting them to "save in plan" can cause layouts to get really bloated really fast so that's the first place I would look.  The other thing that it might be would be imported cad details being stored in your layout.

 

So before I would start the layout over, or spend any money upgrading my hardware, I would spend some time to figure out what is taking up all that space.  Then you might be able to figure out a better way to solve these problems.

 

[CUChris81]

On 10/9/2024 at 6:54 AM, dshall said:

A timely thread for me.  I have the MacBook Pro on order.  I should have it in a week.

 

I will be interested in the speed issues...

 

But I do need an external monitor.....

- 27" min........

-4k or 54k?

 

 

Does anybody have a suggestion for an external monitor????

 

 

@dshall - Hi.  Wondering about your experience with this MacBook using CA17.  How does it handle PBR renderings?  Reasonably quick?  I'm looking to upgrade to a system with a similar configuration.  Tech support recommends that only a PC can adequately handle PBR rendering, but I'm loath to switch out of the Mac ecosystem.  Would very much appreciate your experience on this machine.  Thank you.

[dshall]

1 minute ago, CUChris81 said:

@dshall - Hi.  Wondering about your experience with this MacBook using CA17.  How does it handle PBR renderings?  Reasonably quick?  I'm looking to upgrade to a system with a similar configuration.  Tech support recommends that only a PC can adequately handle PBR rendering, but I'm loath to switch out of the Mac ecosystem.  Would very much appreciate your experience on this machine.  Thank you.

Hi Christopher,  I can't get a decent PBR rendering.  I have not pursued it...  but I would like to get an answer .  

If you are interested we could do a virtual meeting to share experiences.

 

[CUChris81]

3 minutes ago, dshall said:

Hi Christopher,  I can't get a decent PBR rendering.  I have not pursued it...  but I would like to get an answer .  

If you are interested we could do a virtual meeting to share experiences.

 

I just had a 30 minute call with CA tech support.  They said that in the absence of a dedicated graphics card (which is only on a PC) that it is simply not possible to get instantaneous or even quick PBR renderings with any MBP configuration.  If they are slow for you on your current machine, that supports their conclusions which is unfortunate.  I do not want to switch to a PC, but absent anyone who is using a high end MBP to achieve good results, it looks like that is the only option.   Are yours just slow?

[dshall]

Just now, CUChris81 said:

I just had a 30 minute call with CA tech support.  They said that in the absence of a dedicated graphics card (which is only on a PC) that it is simply not possible to get instantaneous or even quick PBR renderings with any MBP configuration.  If they are slow for you on your current machine, that supports their conclusions which is unfortunate.  I do not want to switch to a PC, but absent anyone who is using a high end MBP to achieve good results, it looks like that is the only option.   Are yours just slow?

 

I don't do them anymore.....  I thought with the M4 it was possible.,  Maybe I will call support tomorrow to get an answer and I will let you know.

Note that I am using the latest and greatest laptop with the M4 (no longer an IMAC)

[CUChris81]

2 minutes ago, dshall said:

 

I don't do them anymore.....  I thought with the M4 it was possible.,  Maybe I will call support tomorrow to get an answer and I will let you know.

Note that I am using the latest and greatest laptop with the M4 (no longer an IMAC)

I imagine they will tell you the same thing they told me.  The architecture of Chief Architect needs a dedicated GPU (RTX 5090) in order to quickly process ray tracing.  Yes I saw your system specs and that is similar to what I was going to purchase (only an M5 Pro or Max chip instead).  This is super unfortunate, like I said, PBR renderings are something my clients are requesting with increased frequency. =(

[Renerabbitt]

2 hours ago, CUChris81 said:

This is super unfortunate, like I said, PBR renderings are something my clients are requesting with increased frequency. =(

M5 will not be instantaneous but it will certainly be fast enough for most, I would go for the max or ultra.

[PhillipCA]

This graphic in our blog article “How to Choose the Best Computer for Chief Architect and 3D Design Software” compares Chief ray tracing speed across various computer configurations.

 

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/blog/computer-for-design-and-gaming

 

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/blog/computer-for-design-and-gaming/#ray-trace-speeds