16-inch MacBook Pro With M1 Max Chip Is Marginally Heavier Than Same Model Configured With M1 Pro

[MacRumors]

The new 16-inch MacBook Pro can be configured with either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips. The M1 Max chip is the highest-end Apple silicon chip available, and alongside the added performance, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Max chip comes with another difference — it's heavier, slightly.

As we've already highlighted, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro is heavier and thicker than the previous model. The added thickness and weight come from a new chassis, more ports, and other factors. Apple's specification breakdown page for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro says that models configured with the M1 Pro chip will weigh 4.7 pounds, or 2.1 kg, while models shipping with the M1 Max chip will weigh 4.8 pounds or 2.2 kg.

The M1 Max chip is physically bigger than the M1 Pro chip; however, the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which is also offered with the M1 Max chip, features the same weight regardless of the chip used. A footnote on Apple's page says that the weight difference on the larger 16-inch model between M1 Pro and M1 Max results from the "configuration and manufacturing process."

Article Link: 16-inch MacBook Pro With M1 Max Chip Is Marginally Heavier Than Same Model Configured With M1 Pro

 

[Serban55]

so why? because it is not the different SoC size...thats 10-20 grams at most...maybe bigger vents?
If so...then the 14" maxed out will get thermal throttling for sure

 

[HeavenDynamic]

100g is not insignificant.

 

[Bug-Creator]

Bigger SoC needs bigger cooler (just to fit over all dies not just for the extra power) and if thats copper, 100g ain't that much.

 

[BootsWalking]

57 billion of anything has to weigh something

 

[mtneer]

That’s just the bigger heat spreader.

 

[djcerla]

Heavy Metal 🤟

 

[Kung gu]

so why? because it is not the different SoC size...thats 10-20 grams at most...maybe bigger vents?
If so...then the 14" maxed out will get thermal throttling for sure

we have to wait for reviews

 

[geoff.barnett]

Important to note that it's not just the APU, but with the M1 Max, it's 4 RAM chips, while the M1 Pro is 2 RAM chips. If they changed the number of RAM chips then it would affect the memory bandwidth performance, so a M1 Max with 64GB RAM will have 4x16GB chips, but one with 32GB RAM will have 4x8GB Chips. Likewise the M1 Pro with 32GB has 2x16GB chips, while the 16GB version will have 2x8GB chips, this is why the 64GB memory option is only available with the M1 Max.

 

[playtech1]

So it sounds like it's a couple of extra RAM chips plus a bigger cooler to cover the larger die and extra RAM chips.

 

[Eddy Munn]

Likely just rounding.

 

[Serban55]

So it sounds like it's a couple of extra RAM chips plus a bigger cooler to cover the larger die and extra RAM chips.

then whats up with the 14" that has the same configuration with the M1 max?!

 

[G46&Fbnth5]

The difference is not that much: 2,15 kg vs 2,17 kg.

 

[Arsenikdote]

It might just be as simple as the 16” gets extra cooling that the 14” doesn’t get since it has more space. So likely the 14” will run the fans louder/faster than the 16” but will have the same performance.

 

[MBX]

Be careful guys, you might tear a muscle with the heavier version.

 

[MrCrowbar]

20 grams difference. That's about $1 USD in quarters. You probably won't feel the difference when picking up both devices but you can do a lot with 20g of heat sink.

 

[carlsson]

Excellent!

As I feedbacked to Apple a couple of years ago: We don't want thinner Macs, we want more powerful Macs!

 

[terry.mac]

My body weight won’t change that much if I eat a small piece of chip vs a bigger piece of chip.

 

[Supermanneke]

I am very CURIOUS: What does which processor do with the sound of THE FAN blowing? Which M1 chip in which Macbook will produce the least amount of fan noise. I will buy that one!

 

[MrUNIMOG]

I am very curious: What does which processor do with the sound of the fan blowing? Which M1 chip in which Macbook will produce the least amount of fan noise. I will buy that one!

Any of them will produce zero amount of fan noise for basic tasks, since the fans will be off.

 

[bluegt]

Remember, people are up in arms about 2g on an Apple Watch S7...

Mark my words, this is the next Weightgate!

 

[Born Again]

having had a large laptop before the 16 inch is dense.

while the screen size and battery life are pluses it’s not a laptop that’s going to be comfy on eh lap lol

 

[MrCrowbar]

Any of them will produce zero amount of fan noise for basic tasks, since the fans will be off.

I'd love the option actually. For a while now, Macs have reduced the fan speed during audio recording (recording screens with mic audio in QuickTime for example) and as soon as you hit "stop recording", the fan ramps back up.

I specifically chose the M1 MacBook Air for the lack of fans but I'm curious if there's any way to force the fan on the pro models to be off at the cost of performance. I enjoy having no noise at all when doing audio recording or conference calls.

 

[Scott6666]

It might just be as simple as the 16” gets extra cooling that the 14” doesn’t get since it has more space. So likely the 14” will run the fans louder/faster than the 16” but will have the same performance.

could be underclocking the chip. I don’t know that I saw any specs on clock speed

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Apple's specification breakdown page for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro says that models configured with the M1 Pro chip will weigh 4.7 pounds, or 2.1 kg, while models shipping with the M1 Max chip will weigh 4.8 pounds or 2.2 kg.

What's most likely happened is that the M1 Pro machine is *just* under 4.65 pounds whereas the M1 Max chip is *just* over 4.65 pounds so one gets rounded down to 4.6 and the other gets rounded up to 4.7. The difference is probably less than an ounce in Freedom units.