Lightroom on Mac vs windows: I am about to purchase a new computer to replace my 13 year old windows 7 machine. I plan to use Lightroom on the new machine. I am considering a Mac and...

Tim Canavan Loc: Central Connecticut

I am about to purchase a new computer to replace my 13 year old windows 7 machine. I plan to use Lightroom on the new machine. I am considering a Mac and windows. I have researched enough to know what specifications should be as far as memory, storage and graphic card. I am looking to identify any differences in tools and features in Lightroom when used on a Mac versus a windows 11 machine. Is LR exactly the same on both machines? Are any differences meaningful? Any help would be appreciated.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Tim Canavan wrote:

I am about to purchase a new computer to replace m... (show quote)

Have you worked on a MAC OS before? The interface is much the same, and different and frustrating in subtle and annoying ways. Adobe software is exactly the same, within the confines of differences in the OS. There's no "control" key, for example, on a MAC. They have a similar "command" key, that isn't a 1:1 equivalent. Lots of little changes like that will continuously confuse you, if you have deep Windows experience.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Tim Canavan wrote:

I am about to purchase a new computer to replace m... (show quote)

New Macs are lightning fast. M1 and M2 families of “systems on chips” will startle you with speed and power efficiency.

I have always preferred to run Adobe and other graphics apps on a Mac. MS office, games, and most database systems are best used on Windows PCs.

Go watch reviews of the new Macs on the MaxTech YouTube channel. Max and Vadim compare the new models with comparably priced Windows hardware.

BTW, Linux now runs natively on new Macs, and Microsoft officially licenses Windows 11 for Arm for use on new Macs running Parallels Desktop 18.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

All I can add is that my better half thanks me EVERY day for throwing the Dell out the window... She has resisted for years and only now sees the light. As Paul said if you do things in Windows that would take you a while to duplicate in a Mac, by all means stick with what is more comfortable. I myself am on my second 27" Mac and would NEVER look back. Interface IMHO is so much easier and more logical. Photoshop and Lightroom will look the same as an application. Go to your local Best Buy etc... and play with both. Its like a camera, if you don't actually handle it how are you EVER going to know. Good luck.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

MrBob wrote:

All I can add is that my better half thanks me EVE... (show quote)

For now, M1 iMacs are 24”. Everyone hopes Apple will again offer a 27” soon. Personally, I use an M1 MacBook Air and a 27” LG monitor…

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

burkphoto wrote:

For now, M1 iMacs are 24”. Everyone hopes Apple will again offer a 27” soon. Personally, I use an M1 MacBook Air and a 27” LG monitor…

I have an M2 MacBook Air (13") with 24GB RAM and 1TB SSD. I run Windows 11 in a Parallels VM and notice no drop-off in performance. I did once run a little low on memory doing something like 18 things at once, but I use multiple "spaces" (Windows calls them virtual desktops) so as to not get too confused. I use the Windows space to run my PowerPoint presentations as well as giving software demos (in a separate Windows desktop -- don't get confused, it works for me!). Then I run Zoom, a remote client to my sandbox server, two browsers (one for personal use, the other for work-related messaging), the Mail app and the Preview program to follow along with students as they work the labs. Apple's memory management is so good that even all those programs running at the same time don't drag down the performance.

Plus, the Windows VM under Parallels boots up lightning fast. I've never seen it run that fast under non-Apple hardware.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Just Fred wrote:

I have an M2 MacBook Air (13") with 24GB RAM ... (show quote)

Yep. I ran Win XP on Parallels about 15 years ago on a MacBook Pro. It was a really sweet setup, as I could run all my proprietary corporate apps and all my Mac graphic apps on one platform. Of course, back then I had only 4GB RAM, a Core 2 Duo, nVidia graphics, and 750 GB spinning platter... But it worked.

The M series chips are the real deal! Best of all, your Air won't slow down when you unplug it. Most PC laptops do.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

burkphoto wrote:

For now, M1 iMacs are 24”. Everyone hopes Apple will again offer a 27” soon. Personally, I use an M1 MacBook Air and a 27” LG monitor…

Yeah Bill, Thats what she has, an iMac 24 and just LOVES it... Basic memory and nothing exotic except the M1 and it FLYS... She adjusted to the new interface in a day or so and could not believe how easy it was to navigate... I will prob go for a 24 myself when that day goes.

Tim Canavan Loc: Central Connecticut

I appreciate all the reply’s. You have given me a bit to think about. My entire career has been using windows and I have never tried a Mac. I think I may just be up for something new. I can keep my old PC if I need to use it for anything. By time I figure out how to process photos on the Mac I should be used to the new operating system. Thanks again for your comments. They were very helpful.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Tim Canavan wrote:

I appreciate all the reply’s. You have given me a bit to think about. My entire career has been using windows and I have never tried a Mac. I think I may just be up for something new. I can keep my old PC if I need to use it for anything. By time I figure out how to process photos on the Mac I should be used to the new operating system. Thanks again for your comments. They were very helpful.

Try the Mac and keep the PC.

I got a MacBook M1 a year ago and all my editing is on it now. I keep the PC for legacy programs I use a lot. The Mac runs LR/PS ten times faster than my old PC did.

It will take some getting used to but at 83 I am able to hack it. Muscle memory is my main problem after 40 years on a PC.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

MrBob wrote:

Yeah Bill, Thats what she has, an iMac 24 and just LOVES it... Basic memory and nothing exotic except the M1 and it FLYS... She adjusted to the new interface in a day or so and could not believe how easy it was to navigate... I will prob go for a 24 myself when that day goes.

It’s a great blend of features.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Tim Canavan wrote:

I appreciate all the reply’s. You have given me a bit to think about. My entire career has been using windows and I have never tried a Mac. I think I may just be up for something new. I can keep my old PC if I need to use it for anything. By time I figure out how to process photos on the Mac I should be used to the new operating system. Thanks again for your comments. They were very helpful.

You can run Win 11 Pro for ARM on Parallels Desktop on M1/M2 Macs… so if you need a fall-back for some reason, it’s there.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Have you worked on a MAC OS before? The interface is much the same, and different and frustrating in subtle and annoying ways. Adobe software is exactly the same, within the confines of differences in the OS. There's no "control" key, for example, on a MAC. They have a similar "command" key, that isn't a 1:1 equivalent. Lots of little changes like that will continuously confuse you, if you have deep Windows experience.[/quote]

I agree completely with Paul. The minor differences will drive a Windows person insane. Why take on a new operating system if you are happy with Windows. Remember all your other programs will be subtly different in MAC OS and you will probably have the same issues with them.

Laramie Loc: Tempe

One thing you may miss (and maybe not) is the huge selection of native programs available to Windows users. I have run Win7 in a vm on a Win7 machine with only 8G RAM. Since the virtual disk is in RAM, everything is fast.
I remember the days when Adobe abandoned the Mac platform too. Not everything is sunny in Jobs-land, but since Apple runs on BSD Linux, it even interests me!

Alex A

I run Lightroom very successfully from my iPad Mini. Very easy, simple to load and set up.