BRAW Playback on M1 Macs

Good Day People

Has anyone got any update on the playability of BRAW files on the new M1 Chip? I’ve heard and seen issues but this was on the base models and not the 16gb version. I’m planning on upgrading to the 16gb 1TB Mac Mini so just wanted a heads up about the BRAW situation. Please don’t turn this into a PC vs Mac debate I’m not interested

Can't speak to BRAW performance yet, but if possible, you might want to hold out until they release the next round of systems.

My guess is that the next round of systems introduces models with more RAM than that and possibly an even faster processor.

Currently the Intel-based Mac Mini is still available at the top end; as they are transitioning ALL of the Macs to Apple Silicon that leads me to suspect there may yet be a higher-end Mac Mini model coming out with the next chip to be released, and I for one am hoping it has a more powerful GPU and can hit 32GB or more of RAM to more adequately support Fusion.

It’s cheap enough to get one now and sell next year. Macs hold their value pretty well so I’m not really that bothered about the new ones next year as I’ll be up for a MacBook Pro next year anywho. If 4K BRAW works well and even 6K on the new system it’s far better than my 2018 Mac Mini and EGPU

I will try some 4K raw in my base model if MacBook Air.
There in no 16gb ram model anywhere in Europe, I am in Greece.

So far I am impressed by this little laptop.
It's way better than my previous mbp 15 2017 model.

Here is a video with all my apps up and running ....

I will download new beta of free Davinci M1 edition in a while and try it .

Fcpx is flying with all the footage I have, mostly prores 4K and h264 / h265 videos.
Render times are twice as fast than my previous mbp.

I've seen a couple of youtube videos where they show braw not working so well in the m1 mac. The playback is choppy. Im sure BMD will finetune it to work well with the m1, unless it's an intrinsic incompatibility.


Ricardo Marty

Look at the videos in Youtube of the Learn Color Grading channel of filmsimplified.com

The results are so impressive that they are hard to believe, specially Fusion. It leaves my i7 with 48 GB Ram and Nividia RTX3090 in the Dust with Fusion. I wish I would get half that performance but I lag far behind. What a machine.

i tried newer beta for M1 and i have NO problem at all with 4K BRAW !
It play back smoothly, even with some CC.

I have a 4K timeline and Proxy mode ON/Half RES.

Fusion works ok... some effects play at real time (some particles for example) but some others dont (but even my main machine cant handle them well).


I connected in my main 40" monitor and i have it as a clean video feed , cause it has very accurate colour.