"(Update - the original owner commented on macOS 10.15.3 update.)
Jan 28, 2020 5:43 PM
Catalina 10.15.3 Update solves the problem.
Now FCPX on Mac Pro runs faster than that on iMac Pro even with multi-cam clips/effects.
I guess the second one (item in macOS 10.15.3 Update) also relates to (2019) Mac Pro.
Just my guess but... iMac Pro shouldn't run faster than Mac Pro in terms of handling h.264 stuff since they both use Xeon Processors lacking Quick Sync Core. The only reasonable explanation would be: Mac Pro's T2 chip was unable to accelerate h.264 editing.
Anyway, this nagging problem has been solved by Apple's software updates.
(His comments below were with macOS 10.15.2 on the 2019 Mac Pro.)
(Added comments on the replacement 28-core Mac Pro.)
Jan 17, 2020 2:25 PM
Now I have a 28-core Mac Pro with 384GB RAM.
FCPX runs as slow on this new machine as on the previous 16-core Mac Pro with 192GB RAM.
No problem with other applications.
Benchmark results are through the roof.
Now I'm pretty sure FCPX itself is the culprit.
ps. Please don't jump to conclusion that I'm just blaming the machine without checking out obvious stuff first like NOT running projects on slow drives and all. It's a $20,000-30,000+ machine for god's sake.
(and a later post.)
Tried everything imaginable.
Even FCPX-optimized (ProRes) multicam clips run slower than on iMac Pro.
GPUs (duo) load seldom goes up above 10%. (Metal works just fine.)
Other than FCPX, no issues with Mac Pro.
(His original comments on the 2019 Mac Pro he returned (for the above) follow.)
I've got a 2019 (New) Mac Pro and am considering returning it.
(2019) Mac Pro Specs:
- CPU: 3.2 GHz 16-Core Intel Xeon W
- RAM:192GB RAM
- GPU: AMD Radeon Pro Vega II Duo 32 GB
- SSD: Builtin 8TB
- OS: Catalina 10.15.2
(He later wrote he also had the Afterburner accelerator card.
Can you try testing without the Afterburner card? In case there's a related bug.)
I expected it to reasonably faster than the iMac Pro I've been using.
iMac Pro Specs:
- CPU: 2.3Ghz 18-Core Intel Xeon W
- RAM: 128GB 2666 MHz DDR4
- GPU: Radeon Pro Vega 64 16GB
- SSD: Builtin 4TB
- OS: Catalina 10.15.2
On Cinema 4D and Adobe After Effects, to name a few, Mac Pro does beat iMac Pro. But Final Cut Pro X, of all applications, the one Apple claims most optimized for the new Mac Pro, runs way slower on it than on iMac Pro. I'm dumbfounded.
iMac Pro renders multicam clips 2 to 3 times faster than Mac Pro. How could it be happening?
They both use Xeon processors, so the missing Quick Sync core shouldn't be an issue. Plus, they both use T2 chips that help dealing with h.264 decoding and stuff.
I even tried transcoding every clip in the project to ProRes formats just to be sure. Doesn't make a difference. Even some non-multicam clips, running buttery smooth on iMac Pro, stutter when played back on Mac Pro.
I've been testing exactly the same project on both machines.
Mac Pro is noticeably slower only on Final Cut Pro X.
FCPX is 10.4.8. (Current version)
I'm hoping it's software issues on FCPX's part which can be fixed in no time, otherwise I'll have to return the machine. Cinebench R20, Geenbench 5, and other known benchmark tools all report that the new Mac Pro is superior to my iMac Pro. FCPX is the only application that shows otherwise. What could be the cause?
(he later wrote)
Just to be sure, I did a clean installation of Catalina 10.15.2.
A fresh install of Final Cut Pro X runs just the same: painfully slow.
Yes, new install. No migration. Pro Codecs installed.
(and his reply questioning if the GPU was properly supporting Metal.)
The geekbench Metal scores are well over 85,000 per each card in duo module.
(And a later reply from a different 2019 Mac Pro owner.)
I've same impression! With the Mac Pro base system, I'm not able to play a simple HD timeline with 4K clips without drops!
The same project plays correctly with iMac 2019 (i5 8GB RAM, Radeon 575x 4GB)
This is a very big problem! Problems also with 4K FS7 files. With Mac Pro 2013 and Mac Pro 2019 it's impossible to work, with iMac 2019 files play perfectly!
(I initially wondered if background processes (Spotlight, iCloud related, TM) were a factor on a new machine, but it sounds like it may just be something in the FCP code and the new Mac Pro.)
