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M2 MacBook Air or M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14” dilemma
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This is where I'm at. I don't even need a pro, but there are features I'd like to have compared to my M1 MBA (new chassis, 120hz, better RAM and storage value proposition compared to M2 MBA, etc.). Just not sure I can justify buying the M1 Pro variant of the 14 MBP at this point when it was released almost a year ago, so even if we don't see the M2 Pro MBP's this fall I think it'll be within the next 12 months.
That's the thing that stops me considering the Macbook Pro 14" as it was released a year ago and it's a safe bet it's going to be refreshed within the next 3-6 months with a newer updated M2 model. I don't want to spend nearly £2000 on a laptop which is about to be updated even if it is cheaper than usual. I can get educational discount so it's actually no cheaper for me right now than it was at launch!
Plus having used the Macbook Air M2 with the updated chip I actually felt that laptop was a bit snappier at single core tasks like web browsing compated to the Macobok Pro M1.
Yea and if I recall correctly many retailers offered discounts within weeks/months of the M1 MBP’s launching despite supply constraints.
Well if you can wait 18 months the M3 should be out. Or in 30 months the M4. Waiting 3-6 months unless you need more than the current version can provide means you're always going to regret what you have.
That is true but I generally try and avoid buying Apple products at the end of their lifecycle as it loses you a year or so of OS updates later down the line. I prefer to buy when a device has recently been released if I have the choice and don't urgently need to upgrade.
I could hold off for 3-6 months but clearly waiting to the M3 in 2 years time isn't really a viable option! Personally I think its' a mute point as I reckon I'm going to buy a Macbook Air M2 anyway!
Yea but given Apple refreshes devices every 12-18 months and we’re approaching 12 months, it seems silly to not wait it out another few months.
M1 -> M1 Pro was 1 year. So it is entirely possible M2 Pro will be spring 2023.
Secondly there are quite a few Mac products that "need" a refresh before the MBP. Mini, iMac, Pro. From this standpoint it could also be autumn 2023.
Also what would the upgrades be? Just the M2 Pro chip? Quite possible. OLED? Not after 1 gen. Chassis redesign also doesn't seem probable.
And finally... I don't think Apple is in much of a hurry.
If I had to guess, I would say it'll be Mini M2 and iMac M2 this autumn, followed by larger iMac M2 Pro in spring 2023. In autumn 2023 we'll get the new Macbook Pros and as a bonus the new Mac Pro with M2 Hyper.
You are right but what does it mean
Depends, wait for a few months and pay not only normal price but also expecting an increasing due inflation is also something to think. If we are only talking about updates then yes, maybe you have a point.
The discussion is because MBP right now is exactly same price than Air/.
Apple doesn’t always refresh in a methodical order though. Major refreshes tend to have larger upgrade intervals but spec bumps could come much faster. I don’t see the Mini or iMac chassis changing anytime soon, so Apple could swap in a M2 real quick (like they did with the 13” MBP).
I still don’t buy the iMac Pro rumors, because then we’d have the Mini, Studio, Mac Pro (incoming), and iMac. Just seems very congested for the desktop arena.
I do think at a minimum we’ll see the Mac Pro this fall since Apple said the transition to Apple silicon would take about 2 years, and WWDC 2022 marked the 2 year mark. I would find it odd if this dragged into 2023.
really......? maybe thats my struggle with the M2 air, is the screen is not clear/good enough or my vision is getting bad! LOL!
If you wait until then when the pro features trickle down to the non-pro, then for the pro there would surely be much better feature out there. then will come another pro vs air feature thing.
So i reckon if you need a macbook, you should just get whatever the latest out at the moment and stop worrying. Stop chasing never ending tech.
Can you cite your sources? Not sure what you're getting at here.
They have their architecture built out already. It only took them 15-16 months to go from M1 to M1 Pro/Max. Spring 2023 seems most likely, which isn't really that far away this point.
M1 Pro/Max only came out in Oct '21. No need to refresh in Oct '22, as Apple's production and focus will be tied up in iPhones this fall.
no one really has a source... lol...... this is my understanding form reading here from credible sources only...
any why would they refresh in the fall if the m2 air just came out? makes no sense.. just have everyone buy and air and be confused.. 😅
Sorry but this also does not make sense. Did Apple not launch an iPhone last year? They did, along with the M1 Pro MBP's.
I'm not guaranteeing there will be a refreshed MBP this fall, but that I don't think Apple will rest on their laurels and sit a full 2 years until next fall. I think we'll see a minor M2 Pro MBP refresh this fall with little to no other spec bumps or hardware changes, or a refresh by next Spring.
So which one now?
It's been more than 2 years for non-basic iMacs (27'') for example.
Not two years between M1 Pro/Max/Ultra but 1.5 years.
The iPad Pros and base model iPads need a chip refresh before M1 Pro/Max/Ultra. There's a finite amount of production capacity, and M1 Pro/Max/Ultra are in the 'least need' of a refresh, compared to all other products using the M1, including the iPad Pros, Mac mini, iMac. <-- those would be most likely to get a Fall '22 M2 refresh.
This MBA vs MBP dilemma really stumped me. I have a midnight M2 MBA 16/512 on order (ETA Aug 1-8), and I just picked up a MBP M1 pro 14 16/512 for basically the same price ($50 more) at Best Buy today. I looked at both of the display models, and I really love the midnight color and form factor, but holy cow the 14's screen is just so nice. Even now, I haven't opened the shrinkwrap because I'm still mulling which one.
I think you’ll find a price increase with the new pro which will cement the pricing gap between the m2 mba and M2 14” pro, and would influence a decision. It’s a tough choice right now because of the pricing structure and how closely matched the m2 air and m1 pro are
I think the decision to wait for the M2 pro lies with the use case
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