M1 MacBook Pro Replaces Low-End Model, Higher-End Intel Options Still Available

[StoneJack]

why they keep using "Pro" on new ARM macbook name?

no epgu support
no virtualization extension support
less ports

overall less capabilities than previous generation

thats an overpriced piece of metal, a toy PC for kids that are learning farm animals and their sounds

I have Intel Macbook Pro 2019 and it has same number of ports. Educate yourself

 

[wumpalumpa]

I have Intel Macbook Pro 2019 and it has same number of ports. Educate yourself

sorry I've just read someone posting about less ports and I got it as truth

but non virtualization extensions that is true

same goes for non eGPU support

to do not talk about the limited RAM

and you are gonna need RAM if you work in video editing, vectorial editing and/or for other stuff << no mattet what kinda new architecture you are using

for me apart from the extended battery life is bringing nothing good this generation

well, and being capable of running iOS apps, but as a "Pro", Im not interested about it

 

[johnalan]

Yes, of some form or another. Or a new “i” system that hasn’t been released. Leakers have noted that Xcode has been seen running on an iPad form factor device which makes sense because as of next week, Xcode will be publicly running on ARM. It’s just a matter of designing a sufficient workspace for developers.

This won’t work on iOS constrained devices.
For Dev like this terminal is needed, tool chains, cryptographic signing etc.
They can’t do this on a closed platform.

additionally they’ve stated “macs will stay macs” many times.

 

[ds2000]

I guess my money stays in my account for a little longer. 16" order will be placed with an M chip as soon as its available

 

[stevenjclark]

I am a photographer and ordered the higher-end 13inch MBP i5 for £1799 a few weeks ago before the announcement. I use mainly Lightroom and need to connect external HDs and read SD cards. Would you recommend that I keep my existing order or cancel and get the new M1 with 16GB RAM (£1699)? I can live with only two ports because I rarely connect to an external monitor, and I'll have a dongle with a card reader and USB. So the new M1 MBP sounds like it'll perform better and will be cheaper. But interested to know what other people think.

Thanks

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Do you think the processor chip itself will be bigger on iMacs, 16 MBPs and the Mac Pro then? Seems like the M1 design may be a little too cramped to get something more powerful into the SoC?

Yes, and they MAY still call it M1, as they’ve shown that M1 naming is possibly related to the number of CPU cores, not GPU (the Air is named M1, but the lower end one only has 7 graphic cores). If it gets ADDITIONAL CPU cores, that may be when they change the naming.

What’s interesting is that the processors they’re releasing are already quite powerful, beating the i9 in some benchmarks. Additional cores are going to push those numbers even higher.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

This won’t work on iOS constrained devices.
For Dev like this terminal is needed, tool chains, cryptographic signing etc.
They can’t do this on a closed platform.

You’re not listing things that are impossible to do on iPadOS, you’re listing “things that Apple doesn’t allow TODAY”. Those are all problems that can be resolved via OS changes.

additionally they’ve stated “macs will stay macs” many times.

Yes, they will absolutely stay Macs, (they won’t get touch screens, won’t get cellular networking options) until they stop making them.

 

[Imperial926]

"Because the M1 MacBook Pro models are replacing the lower-end models, it's worth noting that the machines have just two USB-C ports that offer Thunderbolt 3 and USB 4, while the higher-end models have four ports."

It's fascinating how companies (not just Apple) seem to decide to rarely produce a balanced product, even when they can. In the new laptops it looks like we have this wonderful power and efficiency and then at the meetings someone said, "Hey, let's make sure it's still missing 4 ports and a decent camera so we can push some users to the more expensive models later." Otherwise it sounds like the 13" MBP would suit most people. It's going to be interesting to see if Apple forces the built-in memory issue with iMac and Mac Pro. If they do there will be many who will find future-proofing unaffordable.

 

[lysingur]

It's going to be interesting to see if Apple forces the built-in memory issue with iMac and Mac Pro. If they do there will be many who will find future-proofing unaffordable.

I think that's exactly their plan. Apple already charges a fortune on RAM (more than 3× 3rd party price on mid-2020 iMac, for example) but at least now they give you the option of upgrading later or buying your own without voiding the warranty. With Apple Silicon, that option might be forever gone. People are rejoicing about the power of the M1 chip. But most don't realize with tighter integration comes tighter control. Once Apple controls every aspect of its hardware,

1. Consumers are left with no 3rd party replacement/upgrade options, and
2. Apple can charge more on the upgrade options they offer you.

So even though one of the promises of Apple Silicon was, once free from having to buy from Intel, that the cost will come down significantly and that the cost-saving will be transferred, at least partially, back to the customers. But since we will no longer be able to affordably future-proof our purchases and points 1 and 2, we will actually be pulled further into the ecosystem. Consequently, Apple will actually be able to charge us much more and they will.

 

[Digital Skunk]

I am a photographer and ordered the higher-end 13inch MBP i5 for £1799 a few weeks ago before the announcement. I use mainly Lightroom and need to connect external HDs and read SD cards. Would you recommend that I keep my existing order or cancel and get the new M1 with 16GB RAM (£1699)? I can live with only two ports because I rarely connect to an external monitor, and I'll have a dongle with a card reader and USB. So the new M1 MBP sounds like it'll perform better and will be cheaper. But interested to know what other people think.

Thanks

If you're sold on the 13" and do plan on using Lightroom you may want to return it and get the M1.

Don't feel bad for keeping it, but seeing that Adobe already had the guts of Photoshop and Lightroom written for Apple chips and the M1 will smoke the i5 hands it wouldn't really hurt to go with the M1

 

[johnalan]

You’re not listing things that are impossible to do on iPadOS, you’re listing “things that Apple doesn’t allow TODAY”. Those are all problems that can be resolved via OS changes.


Yes, they will absolutely stay Macs, (they won’t get touch screens, won’t get cellular networking options) until they stop making them.

If I can have full terminal access and do all the things I can do on a Mac now on a fictional dev mode iPad, including POSIX Unix stuff (as per BSD kernel on iOS), then great! I want one!

 

[solarflab]

Some of you talking about a chip with better efficiency, how would that help? It is still 16 GB

Its because they don't know what they are talking about.

 

[jonnysods]

Yes, and they MAY still call it M1, as they’ve shown that M1 naming is possibly related to the number of CPU cores, not GPU (the Air is named M1, but the lower end one only has 7 graphic cores). If it gets ADDITIONAL CPU cores, that may be when they change the naming.

What’s interesting is that the processors they’re releasing are already quite powerful, beating the i9 in some benchmarks. Additional cores are going to push those numbers even higher.

Very excited to see those results on the new 16’s whenever they are coming out.

 

[nylonsteel]

nice surprise aapl still support intel macs

 

[joloriquelme]

With Steve still alive - the first M1 would have wiped the floor with competing Intel silicon - not only the low end ones ...

Apple's M1 chip fastest laptop CPU in the world, says analysis - 9to5Mac

A detailed analysis by AnandTech says that Apple's M1 chip can indeed credibly claim to be the fastest laptop CPU in the world. Apple made the claim ...

9to5mac.com

 

[iObama]

You are in a tough spot here. I think you cancel the order and wait for reviews to come out in a week or two, and assuming real-world tests (as reviewed) look good, you replace your order with the new Air, which is a lot faster than what you were planning to order.

Right?? The other issue — it’s grant money that has to be spent by December 31st. With how long it takes to generate purchase orders, etc, it’s cutting it close to wait for reviews.

Yeah, I’m thinking we may bite the bullet and go with new M1 Pros, but get an Air or two for thermals testing for future large batches. Since it’s grant money, it’s not hurting us too bad now, but when it comes from our yearly budget, $200 per machine is a big hit. Hoping we can go back to the Air!

 

[Menel]

why they keep using "Pro" on new ARM macbook name?

no epgu support
no virtualization extension support
less ports

overall less capabilities than previous generation

thats an overpriced piece of metal, a toy PC for kids that are learning farm animals and their sounds

I suspect their naming will all get massaged around.

The Air is what everyone is gonna buy.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I think that's exactly their plan. Apple already charges a fortune on RAM (more than 3× 3rd party price on mid-2020 iMac, for example) but at least now they give you the option of upgrading later or buying your own without voiding the warranty. With Apple Silicon, that option might be forever gone. People are rejoicing about the power of the M1 chip. But most don't realize with tighter integration comes tighter control. Once Apple controls every aspect of its hardware,

1. Consumers are left with no 3rd party replacement/upgrade options, and
2. Apple can charge more on the upgrade options they offer you.

So even though one of the promises of Apple Silicon was, once free from having to buy from Intel, that the cost will come down significantly and that the cost-saving will be transferred, at least partially, back to the customers. But since we will no longer be able to affordably future-proof our purchases and points 1 and 2, we will actually be pulled further into the ecosystem. Consequently, Apple will actually be able to charge us much more and they will.

I feel too many are seeing this as checkers type of move.

for years Apple has stuck with internal memory controllers and storage on iPhone and iPad. There is an inherent security bonus of doing so yet I’m very curious if the storage is faster therein that Androids use of UHS-3 storage?

if this is the case and every year steadily maintained as an advantage along with RAM all combined with a vastly superior and much more efficient memory controller then I’m all for it.

I pray the bonus here is that the internals will allow for minor spills and NOT have any contact with the internals of the portable Macs.

 

[vgrindheim]

What limitation? The one it replaced also only had 2 ports?
The M1 chip is Apple's low-end chip and therefore only replaced the low-end Macbooks/low-end Mac Mini.

Not so much low-end talk in all the reviews, is it? Anyway, my current MacBook has four ports, but it will be totally crushed by this "low-end" chip, so I reordered it. Even if I know something better will come out next year, and the year after that.