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I choose the Intel MBP 13 over the M1. Anyone else make this decision?

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Russell5000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 2, 2020
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My 2013 MBP retina finally gave out (display works intermittently) so I needed a new computer. I ordered the MBP 13 with 2 ghz i5 today. A little bit of buyer’s remorse is starting to set in. Just decided I can’t live without Bootcamp even though I only use the Windows side 10% of the time.

I thought about a Windows laptop. Tried the Dell XPS (terrible build quality) and MS Surface Laptop (awesome feeling laptops and the 3:2 screen ratio is great, but lacking in the port selection, no thunderbolt, and slower processor compared to the MBP) at the store. The Intel MBP just seemed like the better computer.
 
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Russell5000 said:
My 2013 MBP retina finally gave out (display works intermittently) so I needed a new computer. I ordered the MBP 13 with 2 ghz i5 today. A little bit of buyer’s remorse is starting to set in. Just decided I can’t live without Bootcamp even though I only use the Windows side 10% of the time.

I thought about a Windows laptop. Tried the Dell XPS (terrible build quality) and MS Surface Laptop (awesome feeling laptops and the 3:2 screen ratio is great, but lacking in the port selection, no thunderbolt, and slower processor compared to the MBP) at the store. The Intel MBP just seemed like the better computer.
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I was in this exact situation. I needed a new laptop to replace a 15 MBP (mid 2014), and originally decided to just get a windows system since I need something that will run x86 apps. I tried a Dell XPS 13 9310. I got a pretty damn good deal on it (4k, i7, 1TB, 16GB) for $1390, but using it for a few days I kept discovering little problems and issues. The hinge creaked. The display, while absolutely gorgeous, had some banding issues that I had to dig into to fix (intel graphics manager), and the battery life was pretty bad. I just wasn't happy with it, and one day I put it in my bag and noticed that it wouldn't stay closed unless it was flat, which caused it to wake from sleep and drain battery when stowed. That was it for me.

I ordered an Intel MBP 13 (i7, 1TB, 32GB), paid that good old inflated Apple tax without complaint, and called it a day.

I'm sure I'll cry a little when the new MBPs with MX are released, but I had to buy for what I needed now. I'm hoping I'll get a good 3-4 years out of this new mac, and will be able to transition into an AS mac on the 2nd or 3rd generation of the new design.
 
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I have both types of 2020 MacAirs. The M1 is amazingly faster than the Intel i5. I’ve been using Parallels on the M1 for Windows. It’s really slow on some applications so I wouldn’t recommend it right now. Stay with the Intel MacAir if you need Windows.
 
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If you really need bootcamp then you made the right choice.

Even though I don't need it, I'm not ready to jump on the "mX" train yet.
Seems I've been reading a lot of posts from m1 buyers who are experiencing quirks with the new design.
I'd be waiting for the "m2" or "m1x" CPU release...
 
I bought mine before the M1 announcement and no single regrets.

Besides, the M2X 16” should be the interesting model, not the M1.
 
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Its all about your needs of course. Same reason I bought a tricked out 2015 Retina MBP and the final gen 11' Air in 2016 as I wanted truly mobile computers without carrying around a bunch of dongles I would need to use at my multiple stops each day as I regularly need to plug and look at data in 3rd party storage drives . If the rumors are true the next gen of MBPs are having some ports restored (which I doubt are accurate) for myself I made the right decision as I skipped that zone of USB3 only ported devices.
 
I've had my 2020 13" since Monday, and absolutely love this thing. Super high build quality, great keyboard, doesn't seem to run as hot or loud as many on this forum seem to say. Coming from a mid 2014 as my daily driver, I'm super impressed. I even like the Touch Bar; sorry to hear it'll be gone. It's a great little machine, and it'll let me get by until gen 2 of the 16" AS models.
 
Whatever you need.... but think about valuation when you want to sell it. Intel macs will be worthless in a year time, if they aren’t already.
they might gain value in 15 years because they are vintage. Although there are so many around that I can’t see that happening either..
 
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So for 90% of your use, you chose the inferior computer. You stated you use Windows 10% of the time. That doesn’t seem like a rational decision.
 
tis said:
So for 90% of your use, you chose the inferior computer. You stated you use Windows 10% of the time. That doesn’t seem like a rational decision.
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How is it an inferior computer when it has only:
- 2 USB ports
- slower USB ports
- bluetooth problems
- cannot drive multiple monitors.
- has worse software support
- has worse hardware support
- cannot run Linux (x86)
- cannot run Windows

Those 2 ports alone is already just unusable to me.

So you would say that once the new iPad Pro releases (will probably be just as fast as the M1 MacBook Pro), it is superior to a 2020 13" Intel MBP because of some benchmarks?
 
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UBS28 said:
How is it an inferior computer when it has only:
- 2 USB ports
- slower USB ports
- bluetooth problems
- cannot drive multiple monitors.
- has worse software support
- has worse hardware support
- cannot run Linux (x86)
- cannot run Windows

Those 2 ports alone is already just unusable to me.

So you would say that once the new iPad Pro releases (will probably be just as fast as the M1 MacBook Pro), it is superior to a 2020 13" Intel MBP because of some benchmarks?
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I agree with this for the 13” [we have them all....]

My partner uses a M1 MBP and I have a 16” MBP [5600 GPU], and right now no way would I swap. Those that can, dont really need a 16” MBP with dedicated GPU.

I think all the rave reviews are by people who only use either Apple pro apps or use their computer in a basic manner [web, office docs stuff like that].

ALL my pro apps dont work natively on the M chips yet. Also some don’t work at all.

I think yes, the M‘s are amazing for consumer orientated work, but by no means are they pro replacements yet.

Always research and buy what you need, and not what others say. Test out for 14 days and if it isnt right send it back - this is one of the reasons why Apple is awesome.
 
richinaus said:
I agree with this for the 13” [we have them all....]

My partner uses a M1 MBP and I have a 16” MBP [5600 GPU], and right now no way would I swap. Those that can, dont really need a 16” MBP with dedicated GPU.

I think all the rave reviews are by people who only use either Apple pro apps or use their computer in a basic manner [web, office docs stuff like that].

ALL my pro apps dont work natively on the M chips yet. Also some don’t work at all.

I think yes, the M‘s are amazing for consumer orientated work, but by no means are they pro replacements yet.

Always research and buy what you need, and not what others say. Test out for 14 days and if it isnt right send it back - this is one of the reasons why Apple is awesome.
Click to expand...
Those are some pretty bold assertions considering the M1 MBP will slaughter an Intel 13” in every way performance wise, and come close to your 16” for less than half the price. A “consumer oriented” computer that beats Intel in every way, but isn’t a Pro laptop according to you. If the old 13” deserves the Pro designation, then the M1 version certainly deserves it. Get a grip.
 
tis said:
Those are some pretty bold assertions considering the M1 MBP will slaughter an Intel 13” in every way performance wise, and come close to your 16” for less than half the price. A “consumer oriented” computer that beats Intel in every way, but isn’t a Pro laptop according to you. If the old 13” deserves the Pro designation, then the M1 version certainly deserves it. Get a grip.
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Really? Because Apple Marketing tells you it is pro, it is?

The 14” + 16” will be the real pro machines. The current ones are water testers for consumers.

BTW if you read, we have a M1 MBP, for testing and make direct comparisons using our pro software. Have you done this to provide your ever so certain response. Get a grip......
 
richinaus said:
Really? Because Apple Marketing tells you it is pro, it is?

The 14” + 16” will be the real pro machines. The current ones are water testers for consumers.

BTW if you read, we have a M1 MBP, for testing and make direct comparisons using our pro software. Have you done this to provide your ever so certain response. Get a grip......
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Absolutely. I own a MBP and an M1 MBA. My experiences mimic every other professional reviewers opinions as well. You seem like someone who likes to hate for no reason, and your opinion is vastly different than the masses. It's pretty funny for a guy to claim the current M1 13" MBP shouldn't even be considered a Pro model, while it's performance comes close to your soon to be extremely outdated 16" MBP.
 
tis said:
Absolutely. I own a MBP and an M1 MBA. My experiences mimic every other professional reviewers opinions as well. You seem like someone who likes to hate for no reason, and your opinion is vastly different than the masses. It's pretty funny for a guy to claim the current M1 13" MBP shouldn't even be considered a Pro model, while it's performance comes close to your soon to be extremely outdated 16" MBP.
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How does multi core CPU and GPU rendering go on your M1 Pro?
Does Rhino, Twinmotion, Adobe suite etc work on yours?
 
tis said:
So for 90% of your use, you chose the inferior computer. You stated you use Windows 10% of the time. That doesn’t seem like a rational decision.
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My usage need is higher than 10% for Windows, but even at 10% if you HAVE to be able to run x86 apps, say for work, it's a very rational decision.

Apple's chips are looking pretty awesome. Can't wait to see what the chips in more power oriented forms will be able to do, but until they can run the apps I need them to, it's sort of moot. I can't buy one unless I want to buy multiple laptops, and I just don't want to, because there's no real utility in it for me.
 
I have the M1 and regret it. I NEED virtual machine support and made the mistake in thinking it would be here shortly after day 1... unfortunately it looks like that could still be months away and even then I won't be able to run x86 VM's. I may go back to an Intel MBP, but man... dat battery life on the M1 🤤
 
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darkmatter343 said:
I have the M1 and regret it. I NEED virtual machine support and made the mistake in thinking it would be here shortly after day 1... unfortunately it looks like that could still be months away and even then I won't be able to run x86 VM's. I may go back to an Intel MBP, but man... dat battery life on the M1 🤤
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yeah I made the same assumptions on the last transition, and got burnt.
M’s are awesome but it’s not quite there yet, no matter how much people want to convince themselves.
 
richinaus said:
yeah I made the same assumptions on the last transition, and got burnt.
M’s are awesome but it’s not quite there yet, no matter how much people want to convince themselves.
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Depends on what "there" means.

Yes, if someone needs x86 support in their mac, then the current M1 systems aren't suitable to that requirement. Same for running dual external displays from an MBA or MBP (without displaylink), or perhaps dual 5K displays from a mini.

There's also plenty of folks without such needs, for whom the M1 systems are working just fine and there's no "convince themselves" about it.

I definitely advise against anyone purchasing today in hopes of an update providing a needed capability. Don't buy something that doesn't do what you need it to do out of the box... and *test* those requirements ASAP within the return window.
 
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