Has anyone run SketchUp Pro 2025 on the new MacBook Pro M4 Max (128GB UM)? How does it handle large landscape design models?

SketchUp Computer Advice
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Hey everyone,

I’m considering upgrading from my 2019 Mac because while it handles small SketchUp models fine, it really struggles (lag, slow component loading, etc.) when the model gets large—lots of landscape components, plants, terrain, etc.

Before I take the plunge, I wanted to ask:

  • Has anyone used SketchUp Pro 2025 on the new MacBook Pro with the M4 Max chip and 128 GB unified memory?

  • If so, how does it perform with large landscape design models? (Lots of components, detailed foliage, heavy geometry, etc.)

  • Are there particular settings, plugins, or workflows that help avoid lag or make things smoother?

  • Any regrets or pitfalls (e.g. compatibility issues, insufficient GPU performance, etc.)?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

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It might be worth sharing a file that you struggle with.

A new laptop will be faster, but if your projects in SketchUp in themselves are problematic for SketchUp, then it may not help as much as you’d like.
Everything you’ve described there would be a red flag for model optimisation

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No hardware will beat poor workflow.

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+1 to @Box and @Elmtec-Adam I have 2017 iMac Pro 10 core. M3 Max MBP, and M4 Pro MBP and all can handle the very large landscape models. But I set my models and workflows up anticipating the potential performance issues that could arise.

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my mac mini M1 16gb had some trouble with very big (polycount) models, my mini m4 32gb is off course way better.

depends on the quantity. 1 million polygons ? 10 million polygons ? both are large, one is larger :slight_smile:

yes, have you heard about our lord and saviour landshape?

check it, it got Eric’s seal of approval

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