Anyone 'upgrading' from MBP 16 to new MBP13 M1?

[4sallypat]

I'm upgrading from a 16" MBP to a 13" full specced M1 Air (16GB, 2TB). The 16 is HEAVY, boringly ugly, the thing gets hot for no reason, then the fans drive me insane to cool it down and while I like the large screen size, there is nothing else I like. I miss my 12" Gold Macbook and as that's not available anymore I went for the new Air in Gold.

My 16" MBP runs hot too - I use it for a desktop computer so it sits on a laptop cooling fan w/ tilt feature.

If I had to use it as a portable, I'd worry about the heat and battery life which as slipped to 85% over a year of use.

For travel, I use the 12" rMB 2015 and my wife uses the 12" rMB 2017 and we love it - first fanless Mac, lighter than an Air and has Retina display to boot!

13" M1 Macbook Pro - yes for work because they won't buy us anything larger....

 

[cardfan]

Many of the business apps are not web based and many are Windows only. I can't leave intel any time soon

Yep. Pretty much. Which is why I grabbed a cheap entry mini for 600 to screw around with at home. If m1 ever becomes viable for me I’ll sink some money into it. But for now m1 is simply a hobby/consumer device that doubles as a kid’s workstation for google classroom.

 

[tdbrown75]

I got a pretty common spec'd out MBP16" (i9, 32Gb, 1TB, 5500M) and am seriously considering replacing it with the new MBP13 w/ M1 and 16Gb ram and 1TB drive.

My reasoning is more for increased convenience with the 13" form factor. I feel the added performance of the M1 will make it an easier upgrade, plus i feel here on out Apple will be focusing their development efforts on their own silicon. Hopefully i dont lose much on the depreciation.

Anyone else thinking of 'upgrading'?

Waiting for the new 16". Primary reason to go 16" is screen size, so the 13" won't cut it no matter how powerful the chip. Also prefer my 4TB ports and discreet graphics. When the 16" releases I'll likely jump.

Tim

 

[cmhsam]

i think you would get away with the 13" Pro but YMMV. I looked at getting the 13" pro to augment my 16" (more for portability) but once read it doesnt support dual monitors cancelled the order. I may end up picking one up once they hit stores to try out but the dual monitor support is key for me. People say just get a bigger monitor or use a widescreen which in theory makes sense but not sure why we need to be locked into a single monitor usage.

 

[sg9]

We need to see how M1 performs with external 4k monitor.

 

[darkmatter343]

I bought the M1 MPB 13 base. I'm thinking now though I want the Air M1, so as soon as UPS drops it off, I'll exchange it for the fully spec'd Air. Hopefully the Apple Stores will have those in stock on the 17th.

 

[crashwins]

I bought the M1 MPB 13 base. I'm thinking now though I want the Air M1, so as soon as UPS drops it off, I'll exchange it for the fully spec'd Air. Hopefully the Apple Stores will have those in stock on the 17th.

Why go with the Air in this case?

 

[fehhkk]

After living with 4 TB3 ports, I can't live with just 2 and on one side. If they come up with a 16" with the M1 processor, I will definitely upgrade. Need dual monitor capability as well.

 

[darkmatter343]

Why go with the Air in this case?

Primarily because I love the sloped palm rest of the Air as opposed to the sharp edge of the pro's, since I type more than I do any sort of pro level work. The only real difference between them now is the few extra hours of battery life, and possibly more sustained level of performance due to the fan, but again, I don't really do much that would stress the laptop anyways. I went with the pro initially just on a whim, but I would much prefer the comfort of the Air. Lighter, more comfortable to type on, and almost just as powerful now, and with well over 15hrs now of battery life I think it'll be a good machine.
I have a 16", and when I did also have a Air 2018, I would almost always grab the Air because it's so nice to type on. The wife hijacked that Air so this is my chance to get another one 😁

 

[crashwins]

Primarily because I love the sloped palm rest of the Air as opposed to the sharp edge of the pro's, since I type more than I do any sort of pro level work. The only real difference between them now is the few extra hours of battery life, and possibly more sustained level of performance due to the fan, but again, I don't really do much that would stress the laptop anyways. I went with the pro initially just on a whim, but I would much prefer the comfort of the Air. Lighter, more comfortable to type on, and almost just as powerful now, and with well over 15hrs now of battery life I think it'll be a good machine.
I have a 16", and when I did also have a Air 2018, I would almost always grab the Air because it's so nice to type on. The wife hijacked that Air so this is my chance to get another one 😁

Appreciate the response. I'm wondering if I could use the Air as more of a powerhouse with a desktop fan when need be. I do quite a lot of photo editing with big files, but that never gets the fans going on my 15" i9. I would be surprised if I needed it with this new model Air...

 

[smbu2000]

It would be a definite downgrade compared to the 16". The AS Air and Pro are both replacements for the lower end models of 13" Air/Pro.

Being limited to two ports on one side can be a bit of a hassle at times. I've used a Macbook (only 1 port) and a retina Air (2 ports on one side) and depending on the situation having to move system to accommodate the ports isn't so great. In addition to my 16" (i7/16/512/5300) MBP, I also have a 2018 13" MBP (i5/16/512) that I use for more portability and having the TB3 ports on both sides makes connecting on the go so much easier.

I'd consider the new AS Air/Pro a downgrade from my 2018 13" MBP (even with the butterfly keyboard) until they can bring AS to the higher end MBP.

Being limited on monitors as well seems like a legacy holdover from the iPP, as that can only hook up to a single external display I believe. (I previously used a 2018 12.9" 1TB iPP.) Maybe Apple will fix that in a later model of AS?

Currently, no option for an eGPU is also a bummer. I did have a 5700XT with my eGPU case that I used occasionally that works with my Intel MBPs, but wouldn't with this new one (yet?) I only have the eGPU case right now (waiting to upgrade the card), but it's still nice having the option to use it.

 

[4sallypat]

After living with 4 TB3 ports, I can't live with just 2 and on one side. If they come up with a 16" with the M1 processor, I will definitely upgrade. Need dual monitor capability as well.

I just got in the DGRuletech docking station in space gray for my 16"MBP - it is great - very discrete showing in the back and all your cables are hidden behind.

No more dongles and cables hanging from the sides...

My reason: HDMI and Thunderbolt 2 port that I need for multiple displays as well as USB-A and headphone jack for my sound system.

DGRule Tech dock station uses us the 2 TB3 ports but replicates on the back so I don't lose a port!

 

[ght56]

We need to see how M1 performs with external 4k monitor.

I think this is VERY important since, as we have seen, 4K+ displays can have significant impacts on overall system performance. That data will probably NOT come from professional reviewers, but rather from individual users.

 

[bill-p]

I think this is VERY important since, as we have seen, 4K+ displays can have significant impacts on overall system performance. That data will probably NOT come from professional reviewers, but rather from individual users.

I'll let you know how it works with my 34" Ultrawide 5K monitor.

I'm expecting performance closer to my 16". I still have 2018 13" and it's... usable, but yeah, not up to the task at all if I launch something more intensive, like Fusion 360.

 

[vocalnick]

I got a pretty common spec'd out MBP16" (i9, 32Gb, 1TB, 5500M) and am seriously considering replacing it with the new MBP13 w/ M1 and 16Gb ram and 1TB drive.

I have that exact spec, and I’m pondering the “upgrade” for similar reasons. I can see from this thread that some people find it a ridiculous prospect, but here’s my broad thinking:

• The sooner I can sell the 16”, the less of a depreciation hit I’ll take.
• From the few benchmarks we’ve seen so far, the AS machines should offer similar (perhaps even marginally superior) performance to the 16” i9 but with a smaller and lighter form factor, superior battery life, and cooler running. Obviously the next week will be telling on how realistic this is in the real world.
• A year ago I would have baulked at the single external monitor limitation, but I've recently been using one larger monitor rather than two smaller ones, and I much prefer it. I can still have the notebook open to the side for a secondary monitor (and unlike the 16" it presumably won't turn into a jet turbine when you plug an external monitor in with the lid open)

I'm not pulling the trigger straight away, but I'll be keeping a close eye on reviews and reports in the coming week. The main things I'm keeping an eye out for are:

• How much difference does the active cooling on the Pro make in practice? If I can get somewhere close to my 16" performance on the Air, I'll go with that for the slimmer form factor, silent running and the physical function keys.
• Rosetta 2 - how good is it? Will it work with plugin binaries (i.e. audio VST/AU plugins)? Will it work with crossover to allow some basic Wintel utility applications to run? (Crossover devs seem optimistic about this... we'll see!)
• Device driver support. Not a dealbreaker, but I have a really nice audio interface I'd like to use if possible. I've read speculation that Rosetta 2 may work in this instance, provided the drivers don't rely on kexts, but that's all a bit above my expertise level.

 

[bill-p]

I honestly don't get why people keep thinking the Air will be enough. Both the Mac Mini and the MacBook Pro come equipped with a fan. I'd think Apple should know better than just slapping on a fan for the sake of a having one.

If you mean "getting close to my 16" as in "it'll also thermal throttle under heavy load" then... yeah, I'd fully expect the Air to also replicate that behavior.

Personally, knowing my iPad Pro and iPhone can heat up a lot under certain scenarios, I'll go with a fan in my MacBook. It's not realistic to expect performance level closer to a Core i9 in a fanless design.

 

[vocalnick]

I honestly don't get why people keep thinking the Air will be enough. Both the Mac Mini and the MacBook Pro come equipped with a fan. I'd think Apple should know better than just slapping on a fan for the sake of a having one.

I suspect you’re probably correct. I just figured seeing as I’m waiting on reviews/shootouts already, and it’s a new architecture that I’m not familiar with, I might as well see how it shakes out before I make the final call for my requirements.

 

[cmhsam]

I bit the bullet and ordered one through Bestbuy (13” pro) since they will have them available for in store pickup tomorrow.
Will put it through the paces and with the extended return policy have until early January to make the final decision

 

[supermanfan]

I recently got the 2020 13" MBP, but found it had a lot of problems with the LG 5K display. So I replaced that 13" with a 16" - works with the LG 5K fine. Now I am interested to see if the M1 13" works with the LG 5K without issue. If it does (and no other new issues arise), I will ditch the 16" in favor of the M1 13".

 

[4sallypat]

I honestly don't get why people keep thinking the Air will be enough. Both the Mac Mini and the MacBook Pro come equipped with a fan. I'd think Apple should know better than just slapping on a fan for the sake of a having one.

If you mean "getting close to my 16" as in "it'll also thermal throttle under heavy load" then... yeah, I'd fully expect the Air to also replicate that behavior.

Personally, knowing my iPad Pro and iPhone can heat up a lot under certain scenarios, I'll go with a fan in my MacBook. It's not realistic to expect performance level closer to a Core i9 in a fanless design.

I have 2 fanless Retina Macbook 12" (2015 & 2017) and love them - they are the perfect travel laptops - much thinner & lighter than the Air and uses a smaller charger - I take along my 18W USB-C charger instead of the 29W when I used to travel internationally...

 

[vocalnick]

If you mean "getting close to my 16" as in "it'll also thermal throttle under heavy load" then... yeah, I'd fully expect the Air to also replicate that behavior.

Benchmarks so far seem to suggest about a 30% drop compared to the MBP a over a 30 minute test, and a much more modest drop over a 10 minute test period.

Apple Silicon M1: benchmarks and review for Mac Mini, MacBook Air and MBP 13 M1 and comparison with other brands

They didn't identify when exactly the Air starts to throttle but certainly it appears after 30 minutes of continuous usage throttling has taken place in the MBA

forums.macrumors.com

So depending on how long you need to spend under load (and what premium you place on fanless design and/or function keys) it seems pretty workable for at least some “pro” use cases. I already disable Turbo Boost on my 16” a lot of the time to keep the fans bearable...

 

[christophermdia]

After living with 4 TB3 ports, I can't live with just 2 and on one side. If they come up with a 16" with the M1 processor, I will definitely upgrade. Need dual monitor capability as well.

wow ... ive ever only used one at any given time ... even with a port expander i have used 2 to power the adapter ....

 

[ght56]

I'll let you know how it works with my 34" Ultrawide 5K monitor.

I'm expecting performance closer to my 16". I still have 2018 13" and it's... usable, but yeah, not up to the task at all if I launch something more intensive, like Fusion 360.

Looking very forward to hearing this. I think you're right but it will be interesting to see. The 34 inch Ultrawide 5K is a lot of pixels to push so that should be a really good test.

 

[jacg]

I have a failing 2016 MBP 15” (stage light, black screen after 85°, etc) so I need a new laptop. Can’t decide whether low speced M1 Air will be stopgap or to max out a M1 Pro to see if I can live with it. Screen size is the main issue, but I simply can’t wait.

 

[zehcnassurfero]

I have a failing 2016 MBP 15” (stage light, black screen after 85°, etc) so I need a new laptop. Can’t decide whether low speced M1 Air will be stopgap or to max out a M1 Pro to see if I can live with it. Screen size is the main issue, but I simply can’t wait.

Same for me, I prefer 16” but I don’t want Intel