Minimum Requirements
FrameCounsel is built exclusively for Mac with Apple Silicon. Before you install, make sure your system meets the following minimums:
- Processor: Apple Silicon M4 recommended (M1, M2, M3 compatible with reduced performance)
- Operating System: macOS 14 Sonoma or later
- RAM: 16 GB unified memory minimum (32 GB recommended for large cases)
- Storage: 100 GB available storage
- Display: 1440 x 900 or higher resolution
Recommended Configuration
For the best experience, especially when working with multi-camera cases or long-duration videos, we recommend:
- Processor: Apple M4 Pro or M4 Max
- RAM: 32 GB or more unified memory
- Storage: 500 GB+ SSD (or an external SanDisk PRO-G40 for evidence vault workflows)
- Display: External display at 2560 x 1440 or higher for the expanded timeline view
Supported Mac Models
All Mac models with Apple Silicon M4 or later are fully supported at peak performance:
- MacBook Pro (M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max)
- MacBook Air (M4)
- Mac Mini (M4, M4 Pro)
- Mac Studio (M4 Max, M4 Ultra)
- Mac Pro (M4 Ultra)
- iMac (M4)
M1, M2, and M3 models are compatible and all features are functional, but intensive operations such as multi-stream video sync (limited to 4-6 streams) and large batch transcription jobs will run more slowly.
Why Mac Only?
FrameCounsel is built exclusively for Mac because Apple Silicon is the only hardware that makes truly private, on-device forensic AI practical. The M4 Neural Engine delivers 38 TOPS of dedicated machine learning performance. The unified memory architecture lets six AI models access up to 128 GB of shared memory without the bottleneck of copying data between CPU and GPU. The Secure Enclave provides hardware-level encryption for evidence protection. Metal GPU compute powers real-time 4K multi-stream video analysis.
The best professional tools — Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Xcode — are Mac-only because Mac hardware is the best. FrameCounsel follows this tradition. We chose Mac because defense lawyers deserve the best tools on the best hardware.
Tip: Intel Macs are not supported. The on-device AI pipeline relies on Apple's Metal Performance Shaders, Core ML, and the Neural Engine, which require Apple Silicon hardware.
Compatibility Notes
- External drives: USB-C and Thunderbolt drives are fully supported for evidence import and vault storage. USB-A drives work via adapter but may have slower transfer speeds.
- Virtual machines: FrameCounsel is not supported inside virtual machines (Parallels, VMware, UTM). The AI pipeline requires direct access to the Neural Engine.
- Multiple displays: Fully supported. The jury presentation mode works best with a dedicated secondary display.
- Accessibility: VoiceOver and keyboard navigation are supported throughout the interface.
Warning: Running FrameCounsel on a system with less than 16 GB unified memory may cause transcription failures on videos longer than 30 minutes. Check Activity Monitor if you experience unexpected crashes.