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Apple Testing at Least Nine New Macs With Four Different M2 Chip Variants
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I understand they are aiming for low, easily comparable numbers, but it's a bit annoying that Apple insists on marketing "GPU" cores. Since the term "core" as it is applied to the M1 GPU is not meaningful except for graphics and computing software engineers working close to the metal to extract maximum performance.
For M1 (not necessarily M2), the relevant measure is there are 128 actual "cores" (in the sense of a thread that can process distinct computations) in an "M1 GPU core" – so e.g. a base M1 Pro has 2048 GPU "processing units" (aka shaders, aka stream processors), which is the same as a Radeon 7970. That 7970 was clocked around 1GHz by the way, which is a bit less than the ~1.2GHz peak rate in the M1 GPU. But the Radeon took 250 watts to provide the same oomph as the M1 Pro in which the GPU is using around a tenth of that.
For M1 (not necessarily M2), the relevant measure is there are 128 actual "cores" (in the sense of a thread that can process distinct computations) in an "M1 GPU core" – so e.g. a base M1 Pro has 2048 GPU "processing units" (aka shaders, aka stream processors), which is the same as a Radeon 7970. That 7970 was clocked around 1GHz by the way, which is a bit less than the ~1.2GHz peak rate in the M1 GPU. But the Radeon took 250 watts to provide the same oomph as the M1 Pro in which the GPU is using around a tenth of that.
Oh don't be stupid - you're not getting new 14-inch and 16-inch machines this year, they still won't be able to catch up with current orders by the end of this year. Use some brains writers - you'll be lucky to see a 14-inch and 16-inch refresh by winter 2023.
I’m not desperate for a new computer so I, too, am waiting for an M2 iMac. By the time it arrives my 2011 21.5 Hackintosh will be 11-12 years old.
I think that ship has sailed. It looks like the 24“ replaced both 21.5“ and 27” models. Presently if you want a 27” Apple display you have to go with a Mac Studio Display despite it costing more than an M1 or M2 27” iMac would have cost. And that doesn’t include having to get a Mac Mini or Mac Studio and keyboard and mouse (or trackpad) as the computer part—that makes it a helluva lot more expensive.
By the time my 16" MBP with m1 Max arrives, m2 will be out... They even introduced refurbished m1 max'es and mine from my order in January is still not here ?
Agreed...it makes more sense to skip every other A Series chip for the next M series chip
M2 = A16 (2022)
M3 = A18 (2024)
etc
That way, the performance gains are more noticeable. And it gives SW developers more time to take advantage of chip features (special encoders, neural cores, etc -- and eventually light tracing on the GPU)
I do wonder, however, why Apple can't release their consumer laptops in August for Back To School. Every year, it seems they miss the window where college students look to upgrade their hardware before (or upon) returning to campus.
I completely understand...I waited three months for mine. FWIW - it is worth the wait.
Now I'm waiting another 2-4 months for my Mac Studio to replace a 2015 iMac. I'm told that patience is a virtue. My level of virtue seems to wax and wane.
Yeah, why doesn't Apple give a huge discount on it's newest s##t that is just flying of the shelves.
Why.
Why.
A mystery that will never be solved
Marketing. And margins.
Move „old“ stock a discounted prices. Sell the brand-new at full price.
iPads have also often debuted after the back to school window. I think I also remember them excluding new products from their BTS promotions when they (occasionally) did release them within the timeframe (at least the bundled accessories).
On the other hand, those M1 Pro MBPs are probably Apple's next biggest sellers after the Air, and a long way ahead of any desktop system, so it's not particularly unreasonable for them to have a "special" SoC.
Trouble is, if the regular M2 has 20% faster single-core performance, an extra GPU core and maybe support for 32GB RAM then it is likely to be faster than the M1 Pro - especially the binned 8-core Pro. If the rumours are true and a (regular) M2 Mini does appear shortly it's probably going to hit the spot for a lot of people waiting for a M1 Pro Mini.
So a M? Pro Mini might not make sense until there is a M2 Pro and, given Apple's usual priorities, I think the MacBook Pros will be the first in the queue to get the M2 Pro/Max.
Yes, there is a M? Pro-shaped hole in the desktop lineup, but since when has that bothered Apple? The Studio Max and Studio Ultra represent more love for the desktop than we've seen for a while...
Given that Apple isn't really competing/comparing with the Intel world any more (and when they do, it is a bit silly - Apple Silicon is really all about what it can do with properly optimised Apps) there isn't really any rush - I don't see why they would want to replace any Mac in less than a year - which means this coming October at the earliest for the M2 Pro/Max and next March at the earliest for the M2 Ultra Studio. Wouldn't be surprised if the Ultra was on a 2 year cycle - which would be a vast improvement c.f. previous Minis, Mac Pros and the iMac Pro.
Which Apple could fudge just by changing the name.
However, if they're going to offer comparable RAM expansion to the Mac Pro and stick to integrated LPDDR RAM then they'll need new silicon with LPDDR5x support to get the larger RAM module capacities.
I'd still put an outside bet on a "Mac Pro" either being a 1U rackmount Studio Ultra equivalent using Thunderbolt for PCIe expansion racks and clustering - or MPC-style M1 Ultra compute modules plugging into a chassis using some NUMA-like scheme to share memory.
Actually, the further you move up the old 27" iMac range, the less true that becomes. The 2020, 10 core i9 iMac with 5700XT was $3200 plus $600 to upgrade to 32GB RAM (at Apple prices) so you could get a Studio Max, Studio display, keyboard and mouse for about the same price. The 20 core iMac Pro was $7400 - Studio Ultra + Studio display = $5600.
The "hole" is with the old $1800-$2500 5k iMac models where Apple must have been taking a somewhat reduced profit margin on the 5k panel. I guess the reality is that 5k displays just haven't taken off outside of the Mac world, so there are poor economies of scale, and the margin on a sub-$2000 computer with a 5k panel just doesn't get Apple out of bed. We've been spoiled with "cheap" 5k - but there are plenty of nice 4k displays out there that you could pair with a Mini or Studio for far less money, and M1 systems ought to cope with non-integer scaling better than the old Intel integrated chips.
Personally, though, my frustration at the moment is that I'm "stuck" with a higher-end 2017 iMac with a wonderful display that I can't use with anything else. Back in 2017 there was no other credible Mac desktop, or I wouldn't have got an iMac - otherwise my current situation would be "I told me so!". I don't think I'd buy back into iMac again now - especially since this time round it could be the screen that is obsolete in a few years when mini/microLED or some improved OLED tech comes along.
Cool but my comment actually makes sense given the content of the post.
That $100 discount is perhaps the most effective marketing campaign a luxury brand could hope for (and a heck of a lot more effective than running a million dollar commercial during an awards show that no one watches).Yeah, why doesn't Apple give a huge discount on it's newest s##t that is just flying of the shelves.
Why.
Why.
A mystery that will never be solved
The more Apple logos you see on college campuses (and coffee shops, etc), the more you get the attention of the people who don't spend hours a week on MacRumors and just want the laptop that everyone else seems to be happy with.
Yeah...I know...I find those people to be weird, too. But apparently, there are more computer users on Earth who don't read MacRumors than those who do (it truly is a strange world we live in).
But if the laptop isn't available until October, many students have already purchased their hardware for the year.
Actually, I retract that last statement. The MOST effective marketing campaign is to allow those YouTubers to buy 6 models, benchmark the hell out of them 25 different ways with 50 different applications while they get millions of views (on Google's servers, no less).
Then take 5 of them back and sell them off as re-furbs for 10% off.
That brilliant marketing campaign was never even imagined back when I got my MBA (they were still overwhelmed with understanding "e-commerce").
If I need a Mac Studio, that means the Mac mini is not enough horsepower and the Mac Pro is probably overkill. Maybe Mercedes should kill off the C-Class and the S-Class and leave only the E-Class? I’m sure that would make everyone happy, right? Or Porsche should kill the 718 and all the cheaper 911 variants and only sell the GT2?
Apple’s product lines are stratified very well for the larger user base they are going after in this day and age. Steve’s product strategy diagram doesn’t hold any relevance now as the company he inherited from Gil Amelio isn’t anything like the one Tim Cook runs today in terms of size.
Except they had a one year cadence throughout most of the last decade in the MBP. And still do on the iPhone, iPad etc.
And why not. Technology is always moving on...
Touch Bar, two fans, slightly better speakers…I’ll take the 100nits of extra brightness, thank you very much. Keep your hands off of it. I love my 13” MBP and I’m glad it exists. If Apple updates it to M2, TB4/USB4, et al. I’ll be right in line to pick one up and give my 2020 model to my wife to use. I don’t really want or need the 14” MBP, but would like a bit more than the MBA, which is a fine computer in its own right. The 13” does in fact justify its own existence, just maybe not to you.
The Touch Bar is exactly why a lot of users are intentionally choosing the MacBook Air over the 13” MacBook Pro. It seems like fans of the Touch Bar like you represent the small minority.
Glad you were able to get one, but it makes me wonder how long the Touch Bar will be around before being finally axed completely.
The M1 Pro more than enough for me in my 16’ MBP. I can’t imagine what the softwares needs in the close future and the M1 can‘t handles them… I use it occasionally for video and photo editing (Final Cut, Adobe) and always tons of office works, publishing. I think the most of users are in the same situation, the Apple’s own chip was incredible developing regarding technology and using for us. BTW there was only one point to buy this powerplant: the display. But after the buying it was a very kind 
surprise the silence compared my 2019 16 Intel. Summarize: it will be good co-worker for a long time, I will not thinking about any changes at M2 or M3…
surprise the silence compared my 2019 16 Intel. Summarize: it will be good co-worker for a long time, I will not thinking about any changes at M2 or M3… Now that Apple has two years of real world consumer data it makes sense the the M2 computers will have a different array of chips; like offering an M2-Pro Mac Mini.
If Apple replaces the Touch Bar in the next iteration of the 13” MBP, assuming there actually is one, I will lament it, but I will move on and still buy this model. That’s how technology goes, unfortunately.
They should drop the "Pro" from the 13" model.
And then stuff an M1 Ultra into a 16" MBP lol