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[blog] Let's talk MacOS + TouchDesigner (Patreon)

Published:
2025-11-17 18:02:13
Imported:
2025-11
Tags:

Content

I'm the farthest from an Apple fanboy, but since my Lenovo Legion laptop died on me a couple of months ago (right before opening an event) I've been thinking of and researching on MacBook laptops.

For full disclosure I have Windows+NVIDIA machines (see my other blog post about the mini-ITX build) both at home and in our studio and I own an M1 Air that I use for writing code and testing my tools on that platform, to ensure Mac Patrons and users of my tools get the same experience as regular Windows users. I really grew to like that machine so I've pretty much made up my mind that my next portable would be a MacBook, but wanted to gather some more firsthand info.

So last night I put out a story on my Instagram where I asked about people's experiences with TouchDesigner on the Mac hardware. I was mainly interested in the M4 Max as that is what I have in my sights (yey tax deductible purchases), but a lot of different people responded so here's the short summary:

95% positive feedback in a short and sweet form:

Even M1 Max users and M3 Pro are happy and rarely run into limitations

Can run full power on battery for hours

Doesn't get burning hot

Doesn't get loud

Doesn't break your back

Breaks your bank just about the same as a high end Windows laptop

The only real negatives listed even among the positive ones were, with some longer elaboration:

Lack of Kinect support

Understandable, but the newer Orbbec devices ARE supported (except skeleton tracking which I personally rarely use, and Torin's YOLO plugin has us covered)

Lack of NVIDIA features

Flex + Flow: old news, we have POPs and amazing community tools that do those things better such as T3D, Mini UV and Sarv systems

Background removal: Torin's tools also pretty much covered that

Upscale: outside of upscaling StreamDiffusion I've never really used it

StreamDiffusion

Unfortunately the local version is pretty lacking; having just talked to DotSimulate the latest 0.3.0 version has dropped support but he's working on it!

With the 0.3.0 version a remote service is integrated which you can run for pretty cheap afaik and with some extra niceties

I am not the most frequent user, so if I'll need it I can prototype on my Win machine and if I want to perform with it I can just use the remote service

Some GLSL not compiling

I believe this is getting less and less of an issue; recently Derivative employee Malcolm wrote something very interesting on a forum post:

"We were originally Windows only, and we slowly continue to work on making it more feature complete on macOS. The progression is certainly not fast, but the end result is that it’s becoming less Windows focused, not more. We try to add workflows that are macOS specific to match up with the Windows specific features."

I repeat: "...becoming less Windows focused, not more..." --- wonder what they really mean by that!

Concerns about community tool support

Most community tools are developed on Windows machines, so there's a real concern that MacOS is an afterthought. This has validity but in rare cases so it's not a buzzkill. As I wrote before I always test my stuff on both OS!

This is a personal negative, but Apple's release strategy: I hate how by the time you decide to buy one of their devices the next one is already close to being announced. Right now I'd love to wait for the M5 Max release and get that, but am planning on traveling and performing before it happens.

I'm now waiting for some Black Friday deals to pop up hopefully, and will let you know how it goes!

Let's keep the conversation running in the comments! What are your thoughts and experience with using MacOS for TD? Are you also fed up with Windows? Blow off some steam in the comments!

P.S.: The world would be better if everything was running Linux, was just sent this blog post how to get TD running :O https://www.claudiuscoenen.de/2024/09/touchdesigner-on-linux-using-bottles-and-wine/

Files

Comments

Kyphae

It has been great so far. For more demanding projects I will use my PC (just better specs). Everything you have listed aside from running StreamDiffusion I agree with I have not tried it recently) . RayTK works perfectly well on it. Orbbec devices are not as plug and play as Kinect but they do work once set up properly. On Windows it was pretty much plug and play. I hear there is a limitation on the number of attributes you can have in POPs however but need someone to clarify that. There is a tool by Josef Pelz and some native TD operators that use Atomic Float not supported on Mac OS.

Josh

This is great, thanks for sharing these efforts. I very much want to be on a Mac laptop but most of my work is 3D (c4d / redshift render) with a focus of making TD a more prominent part of my skillset. I look forward to any updates on this conversation!

Conner Jones

I just spent the past 3 months building a TD project that implements a ton of custom ISF and GLSL shaders on my m4 Max. It runs so incredible: 60fps on two screens. I was asked to port the installation on a windows pc (latest AMD processor and a 5090) for a conference and I thought there would be no issues running on something that high end. It runs horrifically at 20 fps. I had to completely redesign the installation to work on what I thought were better specs! Unexpected win for the MacOS space and another reason to consider it.

Wessel

Yeah I’m in this struggle too atm. I have a MacBook Pro M1 Max for around 5 years. Still works great. Because of Macs limitations I want a Windows machine as well (for depth sensors and for the heavier stuff). I’m doubting between getting a Windows desktop or laptop. I feel like a laptop would be better too travel with and always have the option to work on a Windows (not only at home). But a desktop is more bang for your Buck and upgradable. Also switching between Mac and Windows in Unreal engine projects is a pain in the ass

CHEE

Consider checking BackMarket for refurbished Mac products. interestingly, i wasn’t aware you had a mini itx build. i have a teenage engineering case that is yet to be built and only uses mini itx, thanks in advance!

Pim Tournaye

I am far from a power user but haven't run into any limitations other than the rare GLSL bug on my M1 Pro. Equally I'm also looking forward to the day Derivative has a linux build available. Aside from that and Ableton, I'm tethered to my Win/Mac combo ;_;

Justin Looper

Curious about your thoughts on Derivative's decision to develop for Mac as opposed to Linux. It's seems to me as a serious commitment to the hobbyist market at deep cost to the professional production world. It's been deeply frustrating in my experience, having to continue to deal with running Windows in managed permanent installations, rather than being able to purpose-build media servers.

Shachaf Polakow

For whatever it is worth, i have macbook pro max 16inch, 64gb. I run dotsimulate streamdiffusion 0.26 with no issues. FPS is low around 6-7. I had it run with media pipe and with an ipad as resources as well.

Scott Eshbaugh

For the camera, have you looked into something like the Oak-D Pro? With it you can upload and run AI models on the camera. The camera comes with an RGB camera, Stereo depth cameras, and an IR dot projector/IR flood, so should be able to handle skeleton tracking. It's not plug and play but I have successfully built the necessary python libraries and got it working in TD (I use a macbook pro). There is a great tutorial on YouTube that walks you through it.

Noah Eisenbruch

Im on a MBPro M1 Pro and touch runs well. since the recent-ish blender updates im using that on mac more and more too. rarely boot up my pc these days tbh. waiting for the m5 pro laptops to come up, then will likely continue waiting for those to become available refurbished great write up here. i suggest you buy apple refurbished - good pricing and same warranty as buying new.

Hong Nin Hui

just got M5 MAX few weeks, it really good at data processing. it make live patching more possible when you have a heavy visual system. however it needed know the limit in mac GPU, it just feel using 3070~5070 laptop feeling, so if doing some >100k particles system, it wont work ( it just down to <10fps.). but no more VRAM Limit - it make Playback system way more usable.