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Comparison: M1 MacBook Pro vs. Razer Book 13

> focused on productivity
> still has RGB lighting on the keyboard
> much slower
> worse battery
> screen gives you glasses
I'm also guessing the trackpad and keyboard are awful as usual, but the reviewer doesn't say.
 
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If I was getting a Windows machine, and if I wanted to do some gaming, Razer would be close if not at the top of my list.

I love the thin bezels on the screen, the port selection, the upgradeable drive (if I'm not mistaken), and the selectable colors on the keyboard.

That said, I don't like the Razer's too square design and thicker body dimensions (it seems, at least) and love Apple's rounded corners and radiused screen lid.

But let's be honest here: this is not a contest. We're on MacRumors for a reason.

It can be the nicest, most repairable, most upgradeable, most flexible machine there is.

But if it doesn't run macOS, I don't want it.
 
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appleguy123 said:
I never understand the purpose of reviews and comparisons that literally just read from the spec sheets of the devices. I could have written this without ever touching either machine. I'm not sure why it started, but every review is becoming like this lately when only ~5 years ago reviews were based on how well things actually worked in day to day life and what problems they solve.
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Literally every Youtuber today.

I was getting frustrated when comparing iPhone 12s and everyone would just read the specs.

Rene Richie was the only one who actually gave advise and reason why to get a certain device, even if it was right at the end of the video
 
...desk-based performance in 3D and Graphics intensive tasks of the Razer Vs the Macbook when plugged into an eGPU with something like an Nvidia 3080/90...

Oh wait, no Nvidia graphics drivers for macOS.
Oh wait, no eGPU support for M1 Macbooks.
 
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Until M1, macOS was the main differentiator. Everything else was a very distant secondary consideration.

Now, if you really want performance, power, etc., you have to consider an Apple Silicon Mac.

I know the ‘PC master race people’ will buck and reject that idea for now, but the die is cast: if PCs don’t find a way to SIGNIFICANTLY increase their rate of performance improvements, they’ll soon be left in the dust.
 
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XXPP said:
"but the bezel size still beats out the MacBook Pro."
Beats? Why? Better performance, or battery life?
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Smaller overall laptop size (for a given screen size). For a mobile device it's kind of important. If it was not mobile, then battery life wouldn't be important either.
 
Eorlas said:
laptops that rely on windows for an OS are a colossal waste of money IMO. i prefer windows in a desktop environment, but i've never found a windows laptop to be worth the time of day
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Hey!!
All of ya'll that can not afford 2 computers...
If you buy a Windows laptop with the money that you do have, in their opinion, that would be a -->COLOSSAL<-- waste of money.
It is not even worth... the time of day.
 
Apple's first generation processors outperformed Intel's eleventh generation processors by 30% - 40%.

This is bad for Intel.
 
Krizoitz said:
1. What is the point of this? Comparing a random Windows laptop to a Mac laptop for no apparent reason seems odd.

2. “Design wise, the Razer Book 13 has a bit of an edge over the 13-inch MacBook Pro thanks to the Razer's thin side bezels.”

This is utterly subjective. Why do the slightly thinner bezels “win out”? What advantage does it provide? Simply stating it’s better isn’t meaningful or useful.
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The only factual reasons (I can think of) would be that it means the machine is smaller and therefore easier to carry or store etc. 2nd would be a smaller physical environmental footprint - less material used to make the machine.

As to preferring a larger or smaller bezel, that's up to the user. But those two facts above are clear reasons why a smaller bezel is better.
 
BGPL said:
Apple's first generation processors outperformed Intel's eleventh generation processors by 30% - 40%.

This is bad for Intel.
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Intel's first generation processors used like 1micron process. If M1 used this process now and outperformed Intel's 11th generation that would be really impressive. As is, M1 uses 11th generation of ARM architecture and 13th generation of TSMC process. It has good performance but it's not a miracle you are trying to pretend it is.
 
fan airflow can be blocked, fan runs when just using browser, lower quality screen with matte finish, slower performance, less battery life, smaller less tactile trackpad. But has a smaller bezel, and doesn’t require dongle for USB-A, HDMI, or SD - Design tie?
 
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now i see it said:
Super thin bezels aren't necessarily better. Personally I prefer about a 1/2" bezel all around so I can grab it there if I have to and not smudge up the display. If I was faced with a choice between two laptops and they were both identical but one had a really thin bezel, I'd pick the thicker bezel model every time
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I tested out the 13'' M1 MBP a little ago, coming from a 15'' 2016 MBP. The M1 bezels just made the laptop look old. It feels like you already have a small laptop screen and you're getting even less real estate because or these large black bands surrounding it all. It feels like tired design and you're using a screen much smaller than you should have to considering the size of the whole computer.
 
The Razer can use an eGPU. This is my big holdout against buying Apple silicon at the moment. I dual boot with windows and use the eGPU for gaming and will probably move to Razer if Apple doesn’t fill this gap somehow.
 
appleguy123 said:
I never understand the purpose of reviews and comparisons that literally just read from the spec sheets of the devices. I could have written this without ever touching either machine. I'm not sure why it started, but every review is becoming like this lately when only ~5 years ago reviews were based on how well things actually worked in day to day life and what problems they solve.
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Maybe this one:
 
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DummyFool said:
Contrary to others I see the point in comparing the two (although there are much better comparisons of the two on the web) as this is the best "Windows" laptop (imho) with a form factor matching the Mac. Somebody with no OS preference (very rare I agree) would be interested in it. It achieve performances that are not that far off, albeit using more power.

The thermal comparison is not right. Saying the Mac runs cooler because the fan do not kick up. It's the opposite, it runs warmer because it does not kick up but Apple is satisfied with that. Apple and Dell are the 2 manufacturers that runs the internals of there machines hot while almost all other manufacturers run them cooler at the expense of having the fan to run and that includes the M1 Mac.

Dell does that because it does not cares if it blows up after a year. I will not try to explain why Apple does it as nobody cares about it on this board. I am awaiting the arrival of my Macbook Air but expect to sell it after a year or 18 months most so I don't care
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The oldest MacBook Pro pro I have running is from 2011 13” which I passed to a family member when I bought a 2014 15” one (which is also still flawlessly running). I think from my experience these machines are built to last, if not hit by a lemon that is like the gpu issues with some nvidia models and whatnot.
These M1 ones being way less hot and steady (temperature doesn’t go from 50C to 100C and back in a matter of seconds) should make them even more long lasting.
 
mattspace said:
...desk-based performance in 3D and Graphics intensive tasks of the Razer Vs the Macbook when plugged into an eGPU with something like an Nvidia 3080/90...

Oh wait, no Nvidia graphics drivers for macOS.
Oh wait, no eGPU support for M1 Macbooks.
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I have an eGPU Razr next to my iMac... which I connected a total times of: ONE (the 5700XT is plenty of power for what I do 99.9% of the time). It is a great idea on paper but a hassle overall... more cables, more power socket, more noise fan, etc. I wasted my money, never again.
For a laptop, with this experience, I would not consider it anymore. Especially if the laptop has enough power for 99.9% of the daily tasks plus the unwillingness to be moving around with a big heavy power-outlet-dependent box.
Benchmarks might show faster numbers... but final cut will render slower than the built in gpu, after effects will be slower.
Games are definitely faster (although with a penalty hit for being external) but I think I’ll wait to get back home to the couch and a ps5/xboxX/switch etc if the sole benefit is on gaming.
My personal experience... I don’t really do hardcore games in any case.
 
Fan noise is the reason why I switched to Mac laptops in the early 2000s. I find them distracting.
 
appleguy123 said:
I never understand the purpose of reviews and comparisons that literally just read from the spec sheets of the devices. I could have written this without ever touching either machine. I'm not sure why it started, but every review is becoming like this lately when only ~5 years ago reviews were based on how well things actually worked in day to day life and what problems they solve.
Click to expand...
Affiliate income would be my guess. You can get something like this up way faster.
 
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