M1 MacBook Air folks - what do we think about the new MBPs?

[thadoggfather]

Ive been complaining about the notch a lot today,

but really the M1 Air was still the best choice for me - that aside.

I dont need M1 Pro or Max, not really in love with the 2008 style body, apprehensive about mini-LED and blooming like on 12.9 iPad Pro

Pro Motion is cool but dont particularly care on a laptop, same with 1080p webcam.

HDMI no use for (though I have an HDMI dongle if I ever do dust off my 16:10 1920x1200 24" external from back when I had a 2015 12" rMB), and been getting along fine with an SD card reader.

and above all else I like the thin and lightness of Air and the light price. And I've been enjoying this machine for a year and see no reason for that to stop. Plus, I dont want Monterrey day one

I don't think it's very good value starting at $1999 either tbh. I think $1599 or $1699 would've been fairer. Even in line with $999 Air price, $1299 Pro base and $1499 Pro 2nd tier.

 

[navjot]

I just bought a MacBook Air! I have been hanging onto my MBP 2014 and waiting the last 18 months for an update.

Now that it came and I saw the prices, realistically a basic M1 laptop is enough for my needs. Plus I am already on the way to moving over to USB C accessories so the ports are not that big a deal to me.

 

[kerr]

I have a 2017 MacBook Pro. The new MacBook Pros are incredible laptops, but I do not need the Pro functionality and the weight and price of the new Pros are not appealing.

I really hope the next MacBook Air is 14", that would mean it would have a notch and I can live with that. I'd love to think a 15" MacBook Air was a possibility one day, but I don't see it happening. Even a 14" MacBook Air might be unlikely as Apple would not want customers Pro customers going for the cheaper MacBook Air.

 

[Zorori]

They made me glad I bought an Air. Moving up to the Air from the MacBook 12 was enough, the new MBP is like an old windows brick.

I am sure some people will find the additional power useful, but the M1 already walks all over my old MBP 13 and keeps up with my desktop.

 

[limesmoothie]

They made me glad I bought an Air. Moving up to the Air from the MacBook 12 was enough, the new MBP is like an old windows brick.

I am sure some people will find the additional power useful, but the M1 already walks all over my old MBP 13 and keeps up with my desktop.

I went from a 2017 i5 MBP to an M1 Air and it was a big jump in performance. I would never use the power that the new MBPs have, but I can see how much of a boost it is for creative professionals.

Interested to see if there is an Air chassis redesign in 2022, but I'm very happy with the M1 Air - portability, power and no fan noise - its all I'm looking for.

 

[Dwalls90]

I went from a 2017 i5 MBP to an M1 Air and it was a big jump in performance. I would never use the power that the new MBPs have, but I can see how much of a boost it is for creative professionals.

Interested to see if there is an Air chassis redesign in 2022, but I'm very happy with the M1 Air - portability, power and no fan noise - its all I'm looking for.

I think that's what most average users are holding out for. A redesign, improved screen, improved facetime camera, but not necessarily more raw power or ports.

 

[Aggedor]

I think the new machines look great. I'm also 100% happy with my M1 MBA - it is small, light, has incredible performance, and crazy crazy battery life. It stays cold. It is silent. I'm a writer, so this is my work tool. I don't need anything more powerful. As a Mac user since 1996, and someone who has had a succession of Mac and Windows laptops, both cheap and high-performance, this M1 MBA is by far the best computer I have ever owned.

What strikes me about the new MBPs is that they really are professional machines - I don't think there is anything about the M1 machines that is somehow hamstrung by Apple. They offer superb performance, way in excess of any previous Mac and any other comparable non-pro computer.

Yes, the new MBPs are even better, and so they should be, but I think, for perhaps the first time, those of us with the entry-level, non-pro chip (M1) have NOT been left behind. Before the line between consumer and pro was sometimes artificial and hard to see. Now we have it very clearly.

And my M1 MBA still smokes most other non-Apple machines anyway. Very happy! Good luck and happy playing to those who have ordered the M1 Pro or M1 Max machines!

 

[kerr]

2017 i5 MBP

That’s what I have, and was waiting for the 2021 Pros or the next Airs. I would be disappointed if the 2022 Air is not 14”.

 

[Dwalls90]

That’s what I have, and was waiting for the 2021 Pros or the next Airs. I would be disappointed if the 2022 Air is not 14”.

I think it will be. If you look around the notebook market, most computers have moved to 14" and smaller bezels. The current MBA chassis was introduced 3 years ago, so I'm hopeful by next fall at the 4 year mark we'll see the redesign.

 

[EuroChilli]

When I got my 2011 MBP in that same year, I didn't look at another Mac for the next 10 years. I thought this machine was the shiznit. (I still think that) So, I basically just got on with my life. I had made my choice. Then early this year I did somehow notice Apple had brought out a new laptop. They do so every year, and I usually just yawn. But, this one was different. It had Apple's own chip. It also just so happened that I was considering the inevitable, it was in fact time for an upgrade, and primarily for software compatibility issues. The old beast still boots, but some apps just don't work on it anymore.

What do I think about the new MBP's? Nice, but I've made my choice. I'm as happy as a pig in sh....with my M1 Air. It's a keeper.

 

[You are the One]

I'm one of the happy M1 Air users too. It's the best computer I have owned. I started with MacBookPros 2006 with a CoreDuo 17", since then I've had four more MBPs, the latest was a 2017 15" (Touch Bar). I got the M1 Air as soon as it was available and even the new MBPs are cool I don't need anything beyond the one I have now. Mine is hooked up to a Xiaomi 34" Mi when I'm home/working, which it easily drives at 144Hz.

And it's completely quiet, I'm a no fan fan. I might be tempted by a MacMini M1 Pro though.

 

[Adelphos33]

I think the new machines look great. I'm also 100% happy with my M1 MBA - it is small, light, has incredible performance, and crazy crazy battery life. It stays cold. It is silent. I'm a writer, so this is my work tool. I don't need anything more powerful. As a Mac user since 1996, and someone who has had a succession of Mac and Windows laptops, both cheap and high-performance, this M1 MBA is by far the best computer I have ever owned.

What strikes me about the new MBPs is that they really are professional machines - I don't think there is anything about the M1 machines that is somehow hamstrung by Apple. They offer superb performance, way in excess of any previous Mac and any other comparable non-pro computer.

Yes, the new MBPs are even better, and so they should be, but I think, for perhaps the first time, those of us with the entry-level, non-pro chip (M1) have NOT been left behind. Before the line between consumer and pro was sometimes artificial and hard to see. Now we have it very clearly.

And my M1 MBA still smokes most other non-Apple machines anyway. Very happy! Good luck and happy playing to those who have ordered the M1 Pro or M1 Max machines!

Yeah - for two generations I owned the MacBook Pro over the MacBook Air (2013 and 2015) because even though I am not a video editor or graphics designer, the MBP offered a better screen, more ports, and better performance for my tasks for not much more money. Looking at the current machines, I guess the base $1,999 MacBook Pro 14” which have a nicer screen and fit and finish over my pretty new MBA, but it would be heavier and provide very little tangible benefit for me. I do hope they bring some of the improvements down to the MBA next year.

 

[dizmonk]

I think the new machines look great. I'm also 100% happy with my M1 MBA - it is small, light, has incredible performance, and crazy crazy battery life. It stays cold. It is silent. I'm a writer, so this is my work tool. I don't need anything more powerful. As a Mac user since 1996, and someone who has had a succession of Mac and Windows laptops, both cheap and high-performance, this M1 MBA is by far the best computer I have ever owned.

What strikes me about the new MBPs is that they really are professional machines - I don't think there is anything about the M1 machines that is somehow hamstrung by Apple. They offer superb performance, way in excess of any previous Mac and any other comparable non-pro computer.

Yes, the new MBPs are even better, and so they should be, but I think, for perhaps the first time, those of us with the entry-level, non-pro chip (M1) have NOT been left behind. Before the line between consumer and pro was sometimes artificial and hard to see. Now we have it very clearly.

And my M1 MBA still smokes most other non-Apple machines anyway. Very happy! Good luck and happy playing to those who have ordered the M1 Pro or M1 Max machines!

Well Said... !!! Bravo.. I agree 100%

 

[gfrankel00]

I decided to upgrade my M1 Air to a 14" M1 Max w 64GB memory. The MBA has served me well for the past year or so. But, I'm getting more interested in video editing and the MBA is starting to slow down when I have several applications open in addition to a video editor. Went for the top spec 14" to future proof; hope to have it for 5-6 years minimum.

 

[lixuelai]

Wish I got the 16GB Air now. Got an Air to test out the waters but it is hard to justify the price difference given what I use it for.

 

[omelet1978]

I thought about just getting the base model 14 in MacBook Pro and taking advantage of the new design and speed. However, I'm now thinking of just waiting for The MacBook Air redesign next year. The blue model looks pretty sweet.

 

[tpfang56]

I love my MBA, but I would probably switch the new MBP if I could afford it.

At the same time, I’m just not far enough in my web development career to really utilize the power of the new MBPs. I’m still in college and a beginner doing small projects.

When I get my first internship/job or graduate is when I’ll pull for a new 14” MBP. That’s when I can better evaluate what specs I need (eg. 16gb vs 32gb RAM, more GPU, etc.)

For now, my MBA is still a sweet little machine. I know I’ll definitely miss its lightness and sleek look when I eventually get the MBP.

 

[Pugly]

I like how Apple is differentiating the Macs now, the MBP is pushed even higher in performance and features and price. And the Air is an amazing value product, with great performance.

I'm glad the low end of the M1 Air is still really capable. The Air refresh with Intel was just too weak... the assumption is that "it's just an Air" and the performance doesn't matter... but back when Airs and 13" Pros were just dual core the Air really held it's own performance wise.

I wonder if there is room for a middle tier Mac, or a different low end Mac. It's a pretty big gulf in price between $999 base and $1999 base. It's weird that there is more variety in the iPad lineup. Judging by how Apple's been doing things lately, I bet a new design Air will go a little higher end... and the basic M1 Air we have now will stick around as the amazing value entry level.

The M1 in the fanless Air is already a great performer... so these new Pros are just unbelievable how fast they air. I use Logic Pro, and the M1 Air has been absolutely flawless... so the MBP would be overkill to me. I think we'll have to wait for software to catch up, to truly take advantage of those higher end machines.

The only glaring weakness of the Air right now is the ports... 2 is manageable...but I'm happy Apple has reversed course on the Pros. Hopefully some of that will trickle down to the updated Air design.

I like that the MBP now lives up to its name, the 13" Pro has always seemed like a prosumer device since it was first launched.

 

[Dwalls90]

I like how Apple is differentiating the Macs now, the MBP is pushed even higher in performance and features and price. And the Air is an amazing value product, with great performance.

I'm glad the low end of the M1 Air is still really capable. The Air refresh with Intel was just too weak... the assumption is that "it's just an Air" and the performance doesn't matter... but back when Airs and 13" Pros were just dual core the Air really held it's own performance wise.

I wonder if there is room for a middle tier Mac, or a different low end Mac. It's a pretty big gulf in price between $999 base and $1999 base. It's weird that there is more variety in the iPad lineup. Judging by how Apple's been doing things lately, I bet a new design Air will go a little higher end... and the basic M1 Air we have now will stick around as the amazing value entry level.

The M1 in the fanless Air is already a great performer... so these new Pros are just unbelievable how fast they air. I use Logic Pro, and the M1 Air has been absolutely flawless... so the MBP would be overkill to me. I think we'll have to wait for software to catch up, to truly take advantage of those higher end machines.

The only glaring weakness of the Air right now is the ports... 2 is manageable...but I'm happy Apple has reversed course on the Pros. Hopefully some of that will trickle down to the updated Air design.

I like that the MBP now lives up to its name, the 13" Pro has always seemed like a prosumer device since it was first launched.

That's a good point.

Maybe we'll see the Mac notebook lineup go the way of the iPad (or similar to iPhone):

16" Macbook Pro
14" Macbook Pro
14" Macbook Air (think iPad Air, being middle tier between entry level and Pro)

Not sure what could happen at smaller screen sizes and prices. Maybe just keep the regular 13" MBA around? That would be similar to how Apple keeps the prior year iPhone around, and how there is the entry level iPad that gets minor refreshes year over year.

 

[skaertus]

The release of the new MacBook Pro made me realize that perhaps I do not fit into the current "professional" or "prosumer" category envisaged by Apple. I thought I would be more excited about this new Pro, as it is truly a great computer. But the fact is that the last two redesigns (Retina and TouchBar, respectively) excited me a lot more.

The things that I really like about the new MacBook Pro are the following:

• Larger display on the smaller model
• ProMotion
• MiniLED display
• Spatial Audio
• 1080p camera
• Replacement of TouchBar with full-size keys

The things I do not like about the new MacBook Pro are the following:

• The design (I found it too thick on the bottom compared to the top)
• Increased weight
• Battery life (I was expecting a lot better)
• Price (ugh!)

The things that are niceties but which I do not really care about the new MacBook Pro:

• Multi-core CPU performance (nice to have, but I do not need all that)
• GPU performance (good, but I could live without it)
• More ports (I would prefer a USB-A port, and I simply do not care about the SDXC card reader)

Basically, I like the non-Pro features of the new MacBook Pro and I expect them to come to the Air at some point. The features that really make it a Pro, such as the increased performance and the inclusion of more ports, end up being a con for me as they contribute to increasing the price, adding to the weight, reducing the battery life, and making the design less appealable.

 

[dizmonk]

The release of the new MacBook Pro made me realize that perhaps I do not fit into the current "professional" or "prosumer" category envisaged by Apple. I thought I would be more excited about this new Pro, as it is truly a great computer. But the fact is that the last two redesigns (Retina and TouchBar, respectively) excited me a lot more.

The things that I really like about the new MacBook Pro are the following:

• Larger display on the smaller model
• ProMotion
• MiniLED display
• Spatial Audio
• 1080p camera
• Replacement of TouchBar with full-size keys

The things I do not like about the new MacBook Pro are the following:

• The design (I found it too thick on the bottom compared to the top)
• Increased weight
• Battery life (I was expecting a lot better)
• Price (ugh!)

The things that are niceties but which I do not really care about the new MacBook Pro:

• Multi-core CPU performance (nice to have, but I do not need all that)
• GPU performance (good, but I could live without it)
• More ports (I would prefer a USB-A port, and I simply do not care about the SDXC card reader)

Basically, I like the non-Pro features of the new MacBook Pro and I expect them to come to the Air at some point. The features that really make it a Pro, such as the increased performance and the inclusion of more ports, end up being a con for me as they contribute to increasing the price, adding to the weight, reducing the battery life, and making the design less appealable.

I found it very surprising that the battery life of our M1 Airs is greater than the new 14" Pro.. Granted it's only 1 hour by Apple's standards.. but ...

 

[Dwalls90]

The release of the new MacBook Pro made me realize that perhaps I do not fit into the current "professional" or "prosumer" category envisaged by Apple. I thought I would be more excited about this new Pro, as it is truly a great computer. But the fact is that the last two redesigns (Retina and TouchBar, respectively) excited me a lot more.

The things that I really like about the new MacBook Pro are the following:

• Larger display on the smaller model
• ProMotion
• MiniLED display
• Spatial Audio
• 1080p camera
• Replacement of TouchBar with full-size keys

The things I do not like about the new MacBook Pro are the following:

• The design (I found it too thick on the bottom compared to the top)
• Increased weight
• Battery life (I was expecting a lot better)
• Price (ugh!)

The things that are niceties but which I do not really care about the new MacBook Pro:

• Multi-core CPU performance (nice to have, but I do not need all that)
• GPU performance (good, but I could live without it)
• More ports (I would prefer a USB-A port, and I simply do not care about the SDXC card reader)

Basically, I like the non-Pro features of the new MacBook Pro and I expect them to come to the Air at some point. The features that really make it a Pro, such as the increased performance and the inclusion of more ports, end up being a con for me as they contribute to increasing the price, adding to the weight, reducing the battery life, and making the design less appealable.

This sentiment has been repeated here many times on the forum since these models were released. I hope Apple is listening (or is already planning) and releases a device with nice-to-have features without the power to have a pricepoint in the mid 1-2K range.

 

[Pugly]

The release of the new MacBook Pro made me realize that perhaps I do not fit into the current "professional" or "prosumer" category envisaged by Apple. I thought I would be more excited about this new Pro, as it is truly a great computer. But the fact is that the last two redesigns (Retina and TouchBar, respectively) excited me a lot more.

The things that I really like about the new MacBook Pro are the following:

• Larger display on the smaller model
• ProMotion
• MiniLED display
• Spatial Audio
• 1080p camera
• Replacement of TouchBar with full-size keys

The things I do not like about the new MacBook Pro are the following:

• The design (I found it too thick on the bottom compared to the top)
• Increased weight
• Battery life (I was expecting a lot better)
• Price (ugh!)

The things that are niceties but which I do not really care about the new MacBook Pro:

• Multi-core CPU performance (nice to have, but I do not need all that)
• GPU performance (good, but I could live without it)
• More ports (I would prefer a USB-A port, and I simply do not care about the SDXC card reader)

Basically, I like the non-Pro features of the new MacBook Pro and I expect them to come to the Air at some point. The features that really make it a Pro, such as the increased performance and the inclusion of more ports, end up being a con for me as they contribute to increasing the price, adding to the weight, reducing the battery life, and making the design less appealable.

I think that's a good thing about the new Pros... they compromise a bit for better features and performance. Its an interesting shift in priorities.

They still are keeping around the 13" M1 Pro... so I wonder if that will change into a smaller Pro eventually. That model was supposed to be the replacement Air... but Apple released an Air anyways. Maybe with the 14" going up in price, that model will stick around for a refresh for a middle value MacBook Pro.

 

[skaertus]

I found it very surprising that the battery life of our M1 Airs is greater than the new 14" Pro.. Granted it's only 1 hour by Apple's standards.. but ...

That is according to Apple's specifications. According to Apple, the Air has 1 more hour than the 14-inch Pro for Apple TV app movie playback. The Air has up to 15 hours of wireless web while the Pro has only 11 hours, and this is much more significant.

This sentiment has been repeated here many times on the forum since these models were released. I hope Apple is listening (or is already planning) and releases a device with nice-to-have features without the power to have a pricepoint in the mid 1-2K range.

Yes. I wish Apple would keep the new MacBook Air models starting at $999. Those prices tend to go up a lot here in Brazil, so it makes a difference in the end.

But price is only part of the story. Regardless of price, there is the fact that the new Pro is heavier and has worse battery life than the Air. This is the non-monetary price of performance. All this CPU and GPU power causes the laptop to weigh more and to last fewer hours away from a power outlet. As I do not need all this power, I much prefer having a light laptop to carry around and that will last as long as I wish it to.

I think that's a good thing about the new Pros... they compromise a bit for better features and performance. Its an interesting shift in priorities.

They still are keeping around the 13" M1 Pro... so I wonder if that will change into a smaller Pro eventually. That model was supposed to be the replacement Air... but Apple released an Air anyways. Maybe with the 14" going up in price, that model will stick around for a refresh for a middle value MacBook Pro.

I do not really care how Apple calls the laptop. I think there is a lot of overlap between the Air and the entry level 13-inch M1 Pro. They could be merged into a single model. Perhaps Apple releases a 14.2-inch Air next year to replace them both.

 

[jonnyb]

I am perfectly happy with the performance of my M1 Air, but I would buy the heck out of an updated model with a mini-LED ProMotion screen. My Air's display now feels like the poor relation to my M1 iPad Pro 12.9 and my iPhone 13 Pro Max.

ProMotion isn't really a 'Pro' feature, it's just a really, really nice feature. I don't need lots of storage, or RAM, or dozens of cores, or fans or any of that, but the beautiful contrast ratio of mini-LED and the buttery smoothness of 120Hz would be great.