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M4 pro now, or wait for M5?
- Thread starter rwh63
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Replacing a 2011? Why not look for an M2-Pro or M3-Pro certified refurb? Getting a mac 1-2 years behind doesn't make much of a difference when you are keeping machines for 10-14 years. Also certified refurbs can sometimes be found with heavily discounted RAM or SSD upgrade.
Anyway, historic trends say M-Pro has a 50% chance of getting released in October and a 50% chance of a 1-3 month delay. Personally, I think waiting 4-7 months once you have decided you need something newer is too long for a product on an annual release cycle, particularly if you are hoping for refurb price cuts which may lag several months longer until M5 refurbs are released.
Anyway, historic trends say M-Pro has a 50% chance of getting released in October and a 50% chance of a 1-3 month delay. Personally, I think waiting 4-7 months once you have decided you need something newer is too long for a product on an annual release cycle, particularly if you are hoping for refurb price cuts which may lag several months longer until M5 refurbs are released.
When it comes to computers, there's always a "next" thing coming around the corner. With that being said, the likelihood of the M5 making the same performance leap M1 made over Intel is not great. If you are looking at upgrading, the M4 Pro would probably be more than enough machine to last the next decade based on how long you have used your current machine.
Beyond the small performance boost with the M5 chips, look for an upgrade from Wi-Fi 6E to Wi-Fi 7.
Of course wait for M5. The M4 is over a year old now.
Once you're past 50-60% of the mark, you wait for the new one unless your old device is dead. Same reason nobody in the right mind would buy iPhone 16 today when the new one is 3 months out.
At minimum, M4 prices will drop when M5 is out.
Once you're past 50-60% of the mark, you wait for the new one unless your old device is dead. Same reason nobody in the right mind would buy iPhone 16 today when the new one is 3 months out.
At minimum, M4 prices will drop when M5 is out.
Since he specified M4Pro, one key difference would be Thunderbolt 5 ports, which may be good to have over the long haul (e.g.: for a dock like CalDigit sells, even if bought years from now). I picked up a used CalDigit TS3+ Thunderbolt 3-based dock for $90 via FaceBook marketplace not so long ago; maybe in a few years the TS5 or TS5+ pricing on used units will drop.
It's also possible with the newer system he might get official compatibility with a newer operating system and security updates down the road.
Buying an older unit cheaper now with a plan to upgrade sooner than you otherwise would later could be a good strategy. But if I were aiming for 10-years, I'd want my processor and RAM to be really good (and perhaps anticipate ultimately using an external Thunderbolt SSD as a startup disc, so again, TB5 might be nice).
Given how long you keep your laptops I would consider holding out for the latest and greatest, assuming your current device can keep functioning until then.
M5 Pro in a new die 3nm huge battery and performance improvements.
New DDR5 RAM from Samsung
I’m hoping for a Tandem OLED display.
New DDR5 RAM from Samsung
I’m hoping for a Tandem OLED display.
I have the iPad m4 1TB.
It’s such an exceptional device. I would wait for the m5 to be released and reviewed before buying it over the M4.
It’s such an exceptional device. I would wait for the m5 to be released and reviewed before buying it over the M4.
Nobody knows yet what the M5 will bring.
Going to even an M1 from a 2011 machine will be a massive step.
I'd buy a refurb m4 right now.
Why not wait til M6 or M7? Dude is already on a 14 year old machine.
They're looking at refurb. You won't see M5 refurb until next year, and given they're on an intel machine from 14 years ago, clearly not performance sensitive.
I don't know. I'm just saying I'm from Eastern Europe and with the cost of a MacBook I could pay my rent for 4 months or buy a used car.
iPhones and Macs are even more expensive than in the US etc. So I'm currently using M1 but planning to upgrade when M5 comes out.
Before that I used MacBook mid 2010 because I couldn't afford to upgrade.
Thx for the replies. i'm not unhappy with the 2011. obviously old from a software and performance perspective. like an older car, it starts and runs, but some things aren't functioning anymore, needs safety upgrades, etc. i mainly do light work on my computer: word processing/documents, music, photo/video, internet, communications. now that the M4 has become available in the refurb shop, i've considered picking one up (either base or pro). however, in several months the M5 will release. so, i could hold out (as long as mine does), or just get an M4. either way, i expect a significant improvement over my 2011 (though i will miss the built in superdrive, and don't care for the full black keyboard).
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I would just call out that the M3 Pro is a bit of a black sheep of the Pro series chips, as for the M3 generation Apple really kind of hobbled it with a low performance core count relative to the M1, M2, and M4, and the M3 generation actually had worse memory bandwidth than the preceding M2 series.
It doesn't sound like you need whatever percentage bump the M5 will bring. The M4 is going to be crazy fast compared to your existing machine, and your tasks will barely trouble it. Apple's laptops are solid, dependable designs, and so should last you many years. You'll be able to run new apps that need the newer OS versions; and you'll have USB C, Retina screen, etc, too.
i guess the most recent rumors regarding the m5 not launching until 2025 answers my question. can't wait forever! i would order a refurb m4. maybe base with 1 tb memory. rubber bands and chewing gum will keep my 2011 going only so long.
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Unlikely you could tell the difference between the M4 and M5. Faster and slower mean little at the speed of light.
If you need a new flathead screwdriver because the one you have is worn out, you go to the hardware store and buy one. You don't sit around and wait for the next model of screwdrivers to be released.