MacBook Pro 16" or 2026 Windows laptop?

[pshufd]

I think a problem with Windows laptops is that they ship with 8GB VRAM and if we want to upgrade the GPU to have 16GB, the cost goes up significantly like 2-3 times of the configuration with 8GB.

Hopefully the sales proceeds of the old GPU defers costs of the new ones.

 

[diamond.g]

Hopefully the sales proceeds of the old GPU defers costs of the new ones.

I remember the glut of used crypto mining gpu's.

 

[Steve Adams]

I remember the glut of used crypto mining gpu's.

Me too. Thats when I was buying my workstation. I wanted to build a beast system for myself and the price of the GPU was more than I got my entire dell xps workstation for. The gps I was looking at was 2599 at the time and I got my entire base system for 2399. I made the necessary upgrades to my system and it's running great 5 years later.

 

[dblissmn]

If I recall correctly, MacOS supports Mac up to 5? years old. So we need to buy a now-more expensive computer every 5 years or risk security risk. It was OK for me as I usually trade-in MacBook Pro in a shorter period of time. Given the increased cost, after this year's purchase I may buy the next computer 5+ years later. At least Windows and Linux support older computers so require less frequent purchase.

Supposing that OLED and fan noise are no longer an issue, the only issue is MS's integration of AI in Windows?

This has varied sharply and seems to have ebbed and flowed with the changes in hardware engineering. Some of the Intel models from the early Core2Duo era retained support for a very long time, on the other hand late Intel models are losing support somewhat quickly, and if we go way back to the PowerMac G4, earlier releases of the G4 retained support for a lot longer than later ones did because all they really did with the later ones was boost bus speed; they all ran into the same bottleneck with the Intel transition at the same time. Some of the shortest support windows went to the very expensive PowerMac G5 for the same reason, to add insult to the injury of liquid-cooled heatsinks that leaked. Conversely I have very high hopes for long-term support on the M5 for example because of how broadly hardware support for matrix math pervades the processors. I think rather like the original CoreDuo from 2006 and 2007, M1 and M2 Apple Silicon may be in a bind because of how limited that matrix math support is on those machines and that's a barrier for Metal graphics support and for on-device, off-network, local AI.

 

[pshufd]

I have an iMac Pro which launched in 2017 and runs on Xeon processors. The last operating system it received was Sequoia in 2024. So seven years of macOS feature updates. Apple usually provides security updates for three years after the initial release date so I can expect security updates to end in fall 2027. Apple sometimes includes security updates beyond three years as in the case of Catalina and Big Sur which released in 2019 and 2020 respectively but both received a security update in 2026

So my iMac Pro should receive ten years of macOS support which is pretty good. The iMac Pro is on the high end of support.

 

[Steve Adams]

I have an iMac Pro which launched in 2017 and runs on Xeon processors. The last operating system it received was Sequoia in 2024. So seven years of macOS feature updates. Apple usually provides security updates for three years after the initial release date so I can expect security updates to end in fall 2027. Apple sometimes includes security updates beyond three years as in the case of Catalina and Big Sur which released in 2019 and 2020 respectively but both received a security update in 2026

So my iMac Pro should receive ten years of macOS support which is pretty good. The iMac Pro is on the high end of support.

Too bad the Mac Pro uber expensive systems weren't.

 

[pshufd]

Too bad the Mac Pro uber expensive systems weren't.

It looks like the 2019 Mac Pro gets nine years of support.

I would agree that that is unfair. But I imagine Apple wants to drop what likely is a significant software maintenance load for an architecture.

 

[Steve Adams]

It looks like the 2019 Mac Pro gets nine years of support.

I would agree that that is unfair. But I imagine Apple wants to drop what likely is a significant software maintenance load for an architecture.

They are un supported now. From what I understand is that they are done with updates etc to the intel systems. That includes the MacPro.

 

[hajime]

Hello, I still cannot decide what machine to settle with. This is a serious problem.

I have tried four Lenovo laptops but they all have QC problems such as coil whine and overheating. Some blamed Windows for waking up their laptops randomly while their computers were in a bag but some said that the fans of their computers were not even turned on. So, shouldn't it be also hardware defects? Are Lenovo laptops really that bad or I am just unlucky?

Another thing is that even I don't have a MacBook Pro 16.2" side by side with a Lenovo 16", I can tell the difference in screen size and resolutions! I could go for a 18" Legion Pro 9 but they are very heavy.

If Apple were to release a lighter redesigned 16" with M6 Pro earlier 2027, I would just get an Air 15" now for temporary use. However, they are going to put a M5 Pro in it in 2027 and increase the price more. They really shouldn't do this to us. MacBook Pro with M6 may be out this Fall but there is no 16" version.

 

[diamond.g]

Hello, I still cannot decide what machine to settle with. This is a serious problem.

I have tried four Lenovo laptops but they all have QC problems such as coil whine and overheating. Some blamed Windows for waking up their laptops randomly while their computers were in a bag but some said that the fans of their computers were not even turned on. So, shouldn't it be also hardware defects? Are Lenovo laptops really that bad or I am just unlucky?

Another thing is that even I don't have a MacBook Pro 16.2" side by side with a Lenovo 16", I can tell the difference in screen size and resolutions! I could go for a 18" Legion Pro 9 but they are very heavy.

If Apple were to release a lighter redesigned 16" with M6 Pro earlier 2027, I would just get an Air 15" now for temporary use. However, they are going to put a M5 Pro in it in 2027 and increase the price more. They really shouldn't do this to us. MacBook Pro with M6 may be out this Fall but there is no 16" version.

Just go with the Mac now and upgrade it later when a better model comes out.

 

[hajime]

Just go with the Mac now and upgrade it later when a better model comes out.

May I ask the reasons for this suggestion?

This is a conservative but expensive way. If Lenovo exchanges for another one and that one starts having issue after the 30-day return period, then I am at the mercy of their warranty support department.

Is it true that even for trade-in with the manufacturer (be it Apple or Windows laptops manufacturers such as Lenovo), I lose less money going for Apple? Because of the raised prices, regardless of whether I choose a Mac or Windows laptop, the prices are similar.

 

[hajime]

My only advice is Don't let perfect be the enemy of good

@hajime I've seen posts from you for over 6 years obsessing, agonizing and debating every little detail on a given laptop. You've been struggling with getting a computer since before 2020, Every laptop has distinct and maybe even unique advantages and disadvantages. The idiom "Can't see the forest for the trees" Fits in that if you focus on so much of the small nits and imperfections, you'll never buy a laptop or never be content. They're just tools to get the job done.

If you've been using an ARM based Mac already and it has largely did the job you required of it, then your M5 is a great step up, just open the machine and use it.

Good suggestion!

The perfect one would be the MacBook Pro 17" with Intel CPU so I could triple boot to all three OS natively. Dead silent and I could upgrade the RAM and SSD myself. All working perfectly well. Too bad Apple killed all these features I value the most and made Silicon Mac for youtubers to benchmark.

There are a lot of Windows laptops with more advanced hardware than the MacBook Pro. Some of their build quality are as good as the Mac and their SSD and/or memory can be upgraded by user after purchase. They look good on papers but when I tried them in person, I experienced various issues. Is it because of integration problem such as when different components from different manufacturers are on the same laptop, sometimes a software update for one component affects another as well as the overall stability of the laptop?

After going through several Windows laptops with various issues, I have decided to return to MacBook Pro (at a higher price as a punishment).