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Is a full-featured Mac sufficient for AI and ML development compared to NVIDIA GPU systems?
Is a full-featured Mac sufficient for AI and ML development compared to NVIDIA GPU systems?
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Hello everyone,
Hello everyone,
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We are about to make the decision to purchase a powerful Mac with maximum features for our university. This Mac will primarily serve as a development computer in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and will be used by a small group of users in the local network. After development, the systems will be transferred to servers that have to withstand higher loads and visitor numbers.
We are about to make the decision to purchase a powerful Mac with maximum features for our university. This Mac will primarily serve as a development computer in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and will be used by a small group of users in the local network. After development, the systems will be transferred to servers that have to withstand higher loads and visitor numbers.
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Planned system:
Planned system:
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Apple Mac Studio 2023 with M2 Ultra processor
Apple Mac Studio 2023 with M2 Ultra processor
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24-core CPU
24-core CPU
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76-core GPU
76-core GPU
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32-core NPU (neural engine) for machine learning
32-core NPU (neural engine) for machine learning
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128GB RAM
128GB RAM
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1TB HDD
1TB HDD
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Our question to you:
Our question to you:
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Is a fully equipped Mac with the latest SoCs chips and integrated neural engines sufficient for the development of AI and ML systems?
Is a fully equipped Mac with the latest SoCs chips and integrated neural engines sufficient for the development of AI and ML systems?
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Or should we rather rely on proven Windows/Linux systems with powerful NVIDIA graphics cards?
Or should we rather rely on proven Windows/Linux systems with powerful NVIDIA graphics cards?
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We already have several NVIDIA graphics cards available at the university:
We already have several NVIDIA graphics cards available at the university:
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NVIDIA Tesla T4
NVIDIA Tesla T4
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NVIDIA 2080Ti
NVIDIA 2080Ti
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NVIDIA 3080Ti
NVIDIA 3080Ti
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We are particularly interested in your experiences and assessments of how the performance of the Mac compares to the GPU systems mentioned. 
We are particularly interested in your experiences and assessments of how the performance of the Mac compares to the GPU systems mentioned. 
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Are there significant differences, especially in the development and training of models? 
Are there significant differences, especially in the development and training of models? 
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What difference would you consider to be significant? 
What difference would you consider to be significant? 
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For us, a difference of 100% or more would be considered significant.
For us, a difference of 100% or more would be considered significant.
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In other words, computer A (Mac) takes twice as long to calculate as computer B (NVIDIA system).
In other words, computer A (Mac) takes twice as long to calculate as computer B (NVIDIA system).
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Many thanks in advance for your answers and experience!
Many thanks in advance for your answers and experience!
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Best regards,
Best regards,
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 Oliver
 Oliver
Is a full-featured Mac sufficient for AI and ML development compared to NVIDIA GPU systems?

Hello everyone,
We are about to make the decision to purchase a powerful Mac with maximum features for our university. This Mac will primarily serve as a development computer in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and will be used by a small group of users in the local network. After development, the systems will be transferred to servers that have to withstand higher loads and visitor numbers.

Planned system:
Apple Mac Studio 2023 with M2 Ultra processor
24-core CPU
76-core GPU
32-core NPU (neural engine) for machine learning
128GB RAM
1TB HDD

Our question to you:
Is a fully equipped Mac with the latest SoCs chips and integrated neural engines sufficient for the development of AI and ML systems?
Or should we rather rely on proven Windows/Linux systems with powerful NVIDIA graphics cards?

We already have several NVIDIA graphics cards available at the university:
NVIDIA Tesla T4
NVIDIA 2080Ti
NVIDIA 3080Ti

We are particularly interested in your experiences and assessments of how the performance of the Mac compares to the GPU systems mentioned. 

Are there significant differences, especially in the development and training of models? 

What difference would you consider to be significant? 

For us, a difference of 100% or more would be considered significant.
In other words, computer A (Mac) takes twice as long to calculate as computer B (NVIDIA system).

Many thanks in advance for your answers and experience!
Best regards,
 Oliver
👀
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