First Impressions From New MacBook Pro Owners: Benchmarks, Weight, ProMotion

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Exactly, it's now almost 8 PM, UPS was supposed to have delivered it at the latest at 7 PM. I do have an Apple store near me but it wasn't an option. I know it's a very first world problem but specifying some sort of delivery window of say 2 hours is entirely feasible. UPS suck and I live in one of the wealthiest places in the US, yet their deliveries are always late. I never have this problem with Fedex or USPS. I guess I should be more grateful for the fact I can afford to buy expensive Apple products and I get to live where I do and gripe less about UPS sucking.

UPS driver must really be having fun with your MBpro.

Or the dog or cat moving around his location tracker hasn't made it back to the truck yet.

I'm sure they will deliver it soon. On high delivery days, I've had them show up hours late... but they show up.

 

[Suxamethonium]

Exactly. They are still light and portable enough, for what you get in return. Dell XPS 15 and 17 have similar wights (the 17 is quite heavier actually). And as I said multiple times: The first generation Retinas were never considered as "too heavy". The new 14" weights like the older 13" and the 16" is just slightly above the old 15". You get more screen on both, too. No reason to complain. These are very capable Pro devices.


This had been explained numerous times as well, but I will do it again:

• It's just 'inferior' to something which barely anyone needs (120Hz on a TV at home / hotel, or business monitor / projector is overkill nonsense. For that you can still use your three TB4)
• UHS-II (300Mb/s) is not slow. UHS-III cards don't even exist, and even if so they would be ridiculously priced
• The hardware is indeed limited because the lanes' bandwidth is limited to 40Gbit/s (and HDMI 2.1 is 48Gbit)
• Return of 'legacy' is about the convenience of plug & play without error-prone dongles. USB-C only was silly.
• Stop this "$6k machine" argumentation. Starting price is $2k. Barely anyone goes fully max with 8TB SSD

Exactly right.

To me the HDMI port is not for when I need to plug into my big screen, but a convenience for when I give a talk so I no longer need to bring a USB-C to HDMI dongle just to plug my laptop in. As you point out the bandwidth is limited and would we really want to sacrifice a Thunderbolt 4 port for a HDMI 2.1 port which not be used by the majority of users for its full intention.

UHS-II is plenty fast for my needs (transferring from a camera). For those who need faster (and may be using other cards like CF Express) again you have Thunderbolt 4 ports that you can plug in an adapter.

I think it is a sensible 'return to legacy'. We get SD Cards and HDMI on the go, it hasn't gone all the way back to type A USB ports (but not being able to stick a random thumb drive into my laptop is not a big loss). I basically do not need to bring dongles with me anymore (or a charger given the battery life is good for all day usage).

As for arguments over cost, yes its not the cheapest laptop on the market, but an equivalent Dell (not that there is a true equivalent) would cost a similar if not more amount here in Australia, and there are many things that Windows laptops just can't seem to get right (trackpads for one, even the best of them are pretty bad in comparison to the Mac trackpads). For anyone who needs the fully maxed out $6k version it is likely worth it for them as it will be suiting a professional workflow (and having a computer with Mac Pro level processing for video with masses of storage and memory in a portable form factor may be a game changer for them). For someone like me who uses it for statistical work, photography and of course general computing the 14" just above base model (10 core CPU, 16 core GPU and 1TB of storage) is perfect (and probably verging on overkill).

 

[citysnaps]

Exactly right.

To me the HDMI port is not for when I need to plug into my big screen, but a convenience for when I give a talk so I no longer need to bring a USB-C to HDMI dongle just to plug my laptop in. As you point out the bandwidth is limited and would we really want to sacrifice a Thunderbolt 4 port for a HDMI 2.1 port which not be used by the majority of users for its full intention.

UHS-II is plenty fast for my needs (transferring from a camera). For those who need faster (and may be using other cards like CF Express) again you have Thunderbolt 4 ports that you can plug in an adapter.

I think it is a sensible 'return to legacy'. We get SD Cards and HDMI on the go, it hasn't gone all the way back to type A USB ports (but not being able to stick a random thumb drive into my laptop is not a big loss). I basically do not need to bring dongles with me anymore (or a charger given the battery life is good for all day usage).

As for arguments over cost, yes its not the cheapest laptop on the market, but an equivalent Dell (not that there is a true equivalent) would cost a similar if not more amount here in Australia, and there are many things that Windows laptops just can't seem to get right (trackpads for one, even the best of them are pretty bad in comparison to the Mac trackpads). For anyone who needs the fully maxed out $6k version it is likely worth it for them as it will be suiting a professional workflow (and having a computer with Mac Pro level processing for video with masses of storage and memory in a portable form factor may be a game changer for them). For someone like me who uses it for statistical work, photography and of course general computing the 14" just above base model (10 core CPU, 16 core GPU and 1TB of storage) is perfect (and probably verging on overkill).

Spot-on analysis. And I also view the HDMI 2.0 port as a convenience port, for plugging into a client's overhead projector for a presentation.

 

[venom600]

Exactly, it's now almost 8 PM, UPS was supposed to have delivered it at the latest at 7 PM.

I live at the end of a UPS route too. The truth is that they deliver as late as 10PM, even if it says delivery by 7.. I’ve had packages delivered by a guy who looked like he was going to pass out from exhaustion that late many times because they can’t stop until they offload everything in the truck.

 

[827538]

Does Apple not have local currier from stores everywhere?

I didn’t actually know about this until today myself. I had my SO’s father receive my 16” as he lives somewhere with lower much tax than us. I was able to schedule same day delivery to him within a 3 hour window from the Apple store.

It was actually delivered by Uber Eats, lol.

Interesting. 8:34 PM and still no UPS.

 

[827538]

UPS driver must really be having fun with your MBpro.

Or the dog or cat moving around his location tracker hasn't made it back to the truck yet.

I'm sure they will deliver it soon. On high delivery days, I've had them show up hours late... but they show up.

I'll be heading to bed soon, unless incompetent UPS.

 

[Surf760]

Migrated 340GBs worth of Time Machine backup data to the 16" Max in 7 minutes.

 

[Sinfonist]

I’m curious why all the pros that have been asking for an HDMI port and SD card reader are totally cool with the inferior HDMI 2.0 vs 2.1, and having a slow SD card port on a $6K machine? The current Apple TV has HDMI 2.1. I find it impossible to believe that the hardware in these machines are incapable of making this work.

What matters is having a port you can plug into a TV, projector or monitor to give a presentation; and having a slot you can plug an SD card in to transfer data from a camera etc.

 

[UMHurricanes34]

To adjust keyboard brightness you can find the slider for that in the notification center, top right of the screen next to the clock, looks like a pair of dominoes stacked on top of each other. Replacing those physical keys with some nonsense I NEVER use (Dictation? Privacy? Really, Apple? Put THOSE in the notification menu) is my only real gripe with my M1 MBA.

As for the Touch Bar, yeah you're in the minority. Sorry about that but it was an idea that never went anywhere and it's better off left for dead at this point.

Your first paragraph shows why the Touch Bar was a good idea in theory, just completely botched in execution. Programmable Fn keys are where they should’ve landed.

 

[JV613]

I think I made a mistake with this choice and am having some early buyers remorse - but we’ll see. I’m still transferring with Migration, so I cannot comment on performance. I’m sure it will be wonderful and blazing fast, which is my biggest priority. However, first impressions on “aesthetics” … Upgraded from 15” 2015 MBP. Now Have M1 Max 14” machine. Differences: the weight and the design. Both kind of have me bummed. I do not like the new design, I hate the new keyboard. The black on black is not attractive. The boxy/thicker chassis, compared to the older more curvy look, is not appealing to me. Yes I know I probably should’ve realized this before ordering but so be it. Thought I’d give it a chance. I may return it for an Air, given the above. The other issue is the weight. They feel about equal, despite apple specs saying the older one is about a pound more. I traded down screen size expecting something less bulky …

 

[DHagan4755]

Slightly less portability? You can’t carry 5 pounds? Seriously? Smh…

Right?! Time to hit the gym, lift heavy things up & put them down. I was reminiscing the other day when I used to bring the 2009 17" MacBook Pro everywhere — including to work everyday for years — without an issue. It was 6.6 lbs.

 

[ecrispy]

The iPad Mini and iPad Pro have a 1080p camera (some with FaceID) in a bezel thats only a few mm thicker, so I'm pretty sure Apple knows how to do it and it doesn't need a massive notch for it. They could very easily have moved the entire screen down a few mm, so the top/bottom bezels were same, and no huge bottom chin, and added a camera in the top.

Pretty sure they're holding this back for the next refresh (2022 or maybe in 2023) when they'll FaceID as well. Its an old tech now and there was no reason not to include it.

 

[CalfCanuck]

Surprised at all these posts looking for flaws.

Best laptop I've ever owned. Reminds me of my 2013 MBP - although possibly slightly heavier (14").

Keyword is fantastic. Screen is outstanding. Can't say I've noticed any of these stutter / flicker issues others are posting about.

This is one of those laptops that nails virtually everything. Its literally unbeatable.

My idea as well. I'm still using my late 2013 15" MBP (bought a higher end model with 16GB / 512GB SSD) as my main travel computer - other than replacing the battery it is running strong, with different macOS's to choose at startup. I've been waiting for this 14" to replace it ever since Apple Silicon popped up on the horizon, as none of the Intel models gave me enough of an upgrade to interest me.

2013 MBP was 4.5 lbs, new 2021 is 3.5 lbs. I get that everyone wants even lighter, but those of us trying to take a demanding workflow into the field are always facing tradeoffs. and for me I'd rather have a bit more weight if it solves more workflow problems.

A couple of things I'm curious about:

• Is any of the "extra weight" everyone is whining about due to a larger (heavier) battery.
• Benchmarks - I'm curious to see comparative benchmarks when running solely off batteries, at 100%, at 75%, at 50%, and at 25% charge remaining. I expect the 2021 MBP with the M1 Pro/Max to really stand out in these situations.

 

[ecrispy]

And to add to what others have said, the predictive text was useful (even though the predictions are nowhere as good as they can be) and adjusting brightness/vol etc using a touch slider is far easier.

And other tech that Apple is clearly holding back for next refresh - HDMI 2.1, faster SD standard. None of this is new tech.

 

[DHagan4755]

2013 MBP was 4.5 lbs, new 2021 is 3.5 lbs. I get that everyone wants even lighter, but those of us trying to take a demanding workflow into the field are always facing tradeoffs. and for me I'd rather have a bit more weight if it solves more workflow problems.

Well that's just it. There are trade offs with almost everything! Suffice it to say, I have to wonder what the people whining about weight are doing with these things? Personally, it's amazing what you can do with these pro tools. I don't take for granted even for a second what we're able to do on the go with the 14" or 16". These are truly amazing times!

 

[Idec50]

Surprised at all these posts looking for flaws.

Best laptop I've ever owned. Reminds me of my 2013 MBP - although possibly slightly heavier (14").

Keyword is fantastic. Screen is outstanding. Can't say I've noticed any of these stutter / flicker issues others are posting about.

This is one of those laptops that nails virtually everything. Its literally unbeatable.

What you are describing as looking for flaws; for me is looking for a solution to potentially buy this machine to fix this exact issue. And it appears to not fix it. Bummer. I’ve become accustomed to my external 144hz screen. My guess is that Apple is prioritizing color accuracy over response time; and that’s the exact opposite of what I want.

I was planning to buy a fully loaded version but it looks like I’ll have to wait. Again. Unfortunately this means using my Windows desktop for development work because it has enough storage. My entry-level M1 will work as long as I keep much of the data processing on the cloud, but I won’t be able to do that for much longer.

I’ll still look at it in person to see what I think, a slow motion video is not enough to confirm. But if it’s not improved from my current machine, I should wait. Perhaps we’ll get an OLED version next year. Touch-screen (I can dream).

 

[JV613]

Well that's just it. There are trade offs with almost everything! Suffice it to say, I have to wonder what the people whining about weight are doing with these things? Personally, it's amazing what you can do with these pro tools. I don't take for granted even for a second what we're able to do on the go with the 14" or 16". These are truly amazing times!

Points taken. Can we agree the new boxy design is old school and ugly? LOL.

 

[ecrispy]

Right?! Time to hit the gym, lift heavy things up & put them down. I was reminiscing the other day when I used to bring the 2009 17" MacBook Pro everywhere — including to work everyday for years — without an issue. It was 6.6 lbs.

Its not that the new ones are too heavy. The thing is once you have a reduction in weight/thickness, even a small one, like what happened in the 2016 Ive models, its very noticeable, and any increase after that feels much worse. Its the way human perception works

 

[Cameraman12]

My 16 Max just arrived. I don't find the weight difference to be too noticeable from my mid 2017 15in MacBook Pro. Its a a non issue for me. It does feel thicker though but i'ts not bad. I'm already used to it.
Glad I got the 16 - the screen is amazing.

 

[kp98077]

So why buy a laptop instead of an iMac or a Mini, then? I travel 40% of the year for work, and my MBA is with me anywhere I go. Even when it's not in my hands it is in my bag on my shoulder, and after crossing major airports, traversing hotels, walking down streets etc for 140+ days out of the year ever. ounce. counts.
Generally people who buy portable equipment like a laptop do so because they NEED them to be portable, and in that regard the smaller and lighter something can be, the better.
So when you're looking at comments that mention the size and weight of these new models, understand your reaction is in the minority.

Exactly!

 

[brookter1]

Re the 'What happens when I press F5 and F6 issue'...

The free program Karabiner Elements allows you to associate any function key with a wide range of features: there's no programming, just pick 'illumination_down' and 'illumination_up' from a drop down list and you're done.

For those who don't know it: Karabiner Elements (https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org) is pretty much essential if you want to get the best keyboard experience out of any Mac.

As well as allowing you to swap (almost) any key with any other — e.g. I always swap the right command key and right option keys around so that accents and various shortcuts are a little easier — and to reassign function keys, it gives you the ability to achieve some really useful effects. E.g.

- Caps Lock -> Escape when tapped, Control when held down
- Enter -> Return when tapped, Control when held down
- F12 (or any other key) as a 'Hyper' key = shift-ctl-opt-cmd
- both shift keys held down -> Caps Lock.

Typing on a keyboard without these enhancements is frustrating.... Better Touch Tool can do much of this as well, and some people swear by it.

 

[JetLaw]

Oh is chome 120 scrolling, why did apple not add 120 to safari

Wish I knew. This is the kind of issue that time usually fixes, so I don’t think it’s worth worrying about.

 

[827538]

UPS delivered my AirPods to the mailbox but the lazy POS delivery driver said 'receiver was not available' and didn't bother delivering my MacBook Pro. What a useless company UPS is, I have had universally poor experiences with them unlike FedEx.

I should add my front door is within site of my mailbox, our huge house and driveway is lit up like the entrance to Jurrasic Park with all the lights on. Just spent 10 minutes putting a formal complaint in to UPS. f**** driver wasting my time.

 

[ElvisThePelvis]

Walked in the local Apple store and picked up a 14" M1 Pro Max 64GB/2TB. Cancelled my order for a smaller one due to arrive in late November. Gobsmacked by the performance for everything I've thrown at it today. Gaming is actually good as well for the available games. Running 1 4k and 1 2K monitors.

 

[TheFluffyDuck]

I got the base model 16" with 1TB SSD. Coming from a 2014 15" MBP the screen blew me away and the sound. OMG the sound is like a theatre. The notch is bigger than it needs to be but Apple hide it well and is honestly not as big a deal as I first thought. Im glad I waited for this machine and that Apple has returned to its senses with I/O and magsafe. But the price is a bit much to swallow.