which Macbook pro for Protools

ToneControl

If I switched to using a macbook, what should I get
I've had a Macbook 12 for 7 years, don't know much else about macs

I use Protools, Ableton,
Native instruments Kontakt etc, waves, arturia, etc
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
Current PC is 6900k, 64Gb ram, 500GB M2 + 1TB SSD + 4TB SSHD, never been happy with latency
I used to have Protools HD with 92IO running on a Dual-Xeon server, I miss that zero-latency experience, but it was flaky with virtual instruments and samplers

Objective: ultra low noise, low latency, I assume 2TB SSD 
Not sure how  much RAM I really need on a Mac 16GB? or just 8Gb?
Are faster external drives more expensive for apple interfaces?

andy_k

I'm thinking a new top of the line MBP will be STILL less capable than your current rig.
I only have experience of older hardware, and gave up wit PT a long time ago, so my opinion might be as out of date as my equipment, but if Latency bothers you with your current setup, I'm not sure the MBP is suited.
Maybe an M1 Mac mini would be the way to go, praise has been heaped upon it, and it will be considerably cheaper to jump on board, I don't really trust current MBP hardmare at this early stage with M1, unless you are prepared to spend a fair bit on Apple care 'just in case'.
Spec out a current MBP with the top specs and see what you are in for, and compare it to a basic M1 Mac mini- which will probably need as much offboard expansion as the MBP.
Ram and HD space is cheap, unless Apple are installing it, and neither is upgradable after you have bought it.
Mac pro is what you need, but skys the limit on prices there.

Danny1969

Current Protools needs 16Gb ram minimum apparently  .... Can't recommend any new Macbook Pro as too new and haven't seen any but on paper a lot of the issues with the TB models have been addressed and useful ports are back. 

Latency isn't a power thing but an OS / driver thing. I use a 128 buffer with Protools LE on a 2008 iMac with 4Gb ram and a dual core processor. 

Heartfeltdawn

When you say flaky with VI and samplers, I'm presuming that's down to latency. If that latency is down to the drivers and you need all the preaps and whatnot provided by the 18i20, then you could get an RME Digiface USB and use the ADAT ins and outs on the 18i20. You would lose the MIDI facilities of the 18i20 from what I can see online but you would have the benefit of the best USB drivers out there. 

Digifaces back in stock at Thomann in the next 2-3 weeks. £269. 

ToneControl

The Protools HD setup was on a 2009 HP workstation that used about 1kW, and had 2 quad core Xeons, with an Avid 2U D/A unit, I've had it a long time, it used to run on much slower kit and record with near zero latency, and using the TDM plugins was excellent, 
but when all the RTAS plugins came along, they were very flakey under windows, and 2 huge Xeons from 2009 ceased to be fast compared to modern CPUs 
With current PC, the VIs play great, but now I am reduced to USB-based IO
When I did the research, the 18i20 was nearly as low latency as the best, although some RME ones were faster.
tbh all it does is stop me using the AAX guitar amp sims like Amplitube and GuitarRig, so I just track from the AxeFx3 usually

octatonic

It isn't really down to the computer- it is the audio driver.
A new computer won't change your latency values much at all.

The reason the latency was so good with Pro Tools HD is the way the HD driver works.
HDX is even better especially at high sample rates.
Adding a HDX card to your existing computer (plus IO of course) would give you latency under 1ms.

But there are some caveats- it is expensive, there are no DSP synths anymore and you can get latency almost as good from native esp if you aren't tracking bands.
Modern computers are way more powerful than the HDX card but with the hybrid engine you would simply engage low latency for the tracks you are recording on. It works great.

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 is a decent interface but it isn't top shelf in terms of latency.
Some that are:

Focusrite Red (ie Red 16 Line, Red 8 Pre) interfaces.
Presonus Quantum
Various RME cards.
UA Apollo

I am sure there are others but these are the ones I know.