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MacBook Pro Reviews Provide First Look at High Power Mode
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SC2 is my favorite game so I will test it out when my get my hands on the Max with 24 GPU cores. It's still a problem with x86 through rosetta 2, that's why it's so slow. Not sure if they have ARM native version of SC2
OMG, no FaceID??! I need to return the machine post haste! OMG that is the feature I most wanted!! How will I ever live without it!
No, seriously, these machines are on par, in price, with the last generation. They are powerful pro machines not consumer machines. They are bought for the specs not the ability to unlock them with my face.
"Meanwhile, Dave Lee's review reveals that the new MacBook Pro models include black Apple logo stickers in the box rather than standard white stickers, as Apple associates the color black with its professional line of products."
Actually, the 16" Intel MacBook Pros have been shipping with dark gray silvery Apple logo stickers for a while now.
Can't tell from the picture, but they could be the same.
Actually, the 16" Intel MacBook Pros have been shipping with dark gray silvery Apple logo stickers for a while now.
Can't tell from the picture, but they could be the same.
Once the magic dies for you, like it did for me over the last few years, all you see is how much someone overspends on equipment that rolls back to features that should have never been removed AND a whack notch placed on a screen FOR NO REASON other than slimmer bezels.
I'm wondering whether this is because it uses dedicated processors for exports anyway, so it's not really needing to push the overall system much further?
His review was just a specifications re-hash, just don't go garbage in garbage out in your review. I don't need to know everything I saw in the keynote, and everything I have seen in countless videos about the laptop. Instead do some real life comparisons. Geekbench is good, and AE is ok, but do other things like how fast to render in Photoshop, Illustrator, Final Cut Pro, and other apps people use. Fire up streaming, and do something in Logic, or encode a MP4 file. This is more what I want in a review, not just tell me what I already know.
Mostly watched for a visual on the machines and I'm liking them.
It's a small thing, but the first review described the previous generation MBPs as "sharp." That's exactly the word I would have used. I am not sad to see that go away. Physical grip on a laptop is very meaningful since most people do not put them in cases.
I'm not sure I'll ever be in the market for another MBP again, but this really has me excited about the next release of the Airs and bigger iMacs.
It's a small thing, but the first review described the previous generation MBPs as "sharp." That's exactly the word I would have used. I am not sad to see that go away. Physical grip on a laptop is very meaningful since most people do not put them in cases.
I'm not sure I'll ever be in the market for another MBP again, but this really has me excited about the next release of the Airs and bigger iMacs.
Anyone know of a review that compares highest end 14 vs highest end 16? It seems to me that Brian's test might have been the best control since it was previously set to "automatic" before he set it to high power mode. I'm assuming the computer might have automatically switched to high power mode during his first export and the 16 second advantage was from the MacBook starting out in high power mode from the beginning. I think the 14 vs 16 comparison will show the full picture of how much performance the high power mode provides.
I got too used to whatever my company has been using for almost 6 years. I sit down and the computer is unlocked automatically. I stand up(or turn around) for more than 10 seconds, it locks. (although, it only works if I'm wearing my ID badge within 1 or 2 feet of the keyboard)
Okay, so maybe I am just too much into aesthetics, and maybe, as a Sr Data Scientist, my workloads don't involve heavy use of the laptops I work on as most DS is in the cloud anyway, but...these machines look -- as my Midwestern mother would say -- like dogs*t. Pure dogs*t. Like "my dog ate something nasty at the park and is now spreading that nastiness via their diarrhea all around my apartment and there's nothing I can do about it" dogs*t.
They are **far** too thick. The general shape is "retro" as the Verge's reviewer called them: and that **is** true if you want to paint a positive face on something that is overwhelmingly negative.
The reality is that the "retro" design is a huge step backward. This is a design that is the product of far too many compromises and it really shows.
And I say this thinking that the notch everyone has been obsessing about is much less of a big deal than they think it is.
I mean:
(1) the thickness of that heel -- what in the actual f*ck?? No. Just no. This is that cardinal sin that overshadows all others.
(2) the squared-off design is truly retro, yes, but let us all recall that the past sucked, and was the domain of inferior design, not to mention inferior ideas. Let's keep the past where it belongs -- dead and in the past.
(2) the black key bed may have -- in the endless compromising that happened during the production of these attrocities -- seemed like a good idea. But it was not. Not only does it mar the base of the machine, it looks very, very cheap.
(3) those feet really look awful. Far too noticeable.
(4) the numerous reports that the "MacBook Pro" logo on the bottom of the screen was going away were true...but instead Apple decided that STAMPING THE LOGO IN THE BOTTOM OF THE MACHINE WAS A GOOD IDEA. Oh, now **that** doesn't look cheap in the least! Not at all! It's so much better that it's now stamped, in much larger type, into the bottom of the device rather than in small type at the bottom of the screen. Classy.
(5) the raw aluminum models always looked inferior to their gray counterparts, but now with these garbage designs, which clearly show that fears of a fall off in aesthetics with the departure of Ive were more than warranted, really look awful. Like "who would in their right mind buy this thing" awful.
(6) those 14-inch models, with the new thickness and inferior "squared off" design look **especially** terrible don't they? Like 2003-era 12-inch Powerbook bad, don't they? They totally do.
(7) the legacy ports that no one needs! Or, rather, that only a small, vocal minority needs! I don't need an HDMI port -- and I work in tech! -- and I DEFINITELY do not need an SDI card slot for my f*cking work machine. And that is true for the **vast majority** of those in tech who work on Apple devices daily.
(8) stupid f*cking Magsafe is back! Yay, a proprietary power connection that -- in 2021 -- is solely a power connection, nothing more. But, oh wait, you can **also charge** the device with the USB-C ports, but you'll need to switch out the line on your brick to do that...so there are now two ways to charge your device! A proprietary garbage way to do so -- "but you won't have to worry about someone tripping over the cord, which almost never happens!" -- and a non-proprietary way...where you would then need to worry about someone tripping over your cord! So don't worry about someone tripping over your cord, but also worry about it, depending on which port you're using. This is clearly a well-thought-out charging system and in no way a reflection of the fact that these devices are design- and usability-wise pure dogs*t.
I could go on and on. There is a lot of fanboying going on...and I think it's telling that Apple gave themselves a weeklong lead for pre-orders before we started seeing these dogs*t-looking devices in the wild.
Because once you see the non-Apple images, such as the pictures posted on the Verge and elsewhere, you really get a sense of how ugly and lacking in aesthetics these products are. I mean, really, really unattractive from every angle. If you put them next to the previous models that are **supposed** to look dated, it's the new models that instead look like -- as I keep saying -- dogsh*t.
Oh, and they come with a rather hefty price increase. Nice.
I can **hear** the pushback in my views and...whatever. And I really do mean "whatever": I don't care about your supposed need for HDMI and SD slots -- most of you just think you need them. The Touch Bar was fine, if a little useless, and **full height** f-keys are 100% unnecessary and ugly.
Ugh. I just can't with these machines.
Everyone is crowing that "Apple is back" but these machines in no way feel like this is the correct take -- these machines are a huge step backward, and show that Apple has lost it design-wise and that the premium one once paid for the fact that, historically, Apple devices were orders of magnitude better than their competitors is **in no way** the case anymore.
The biggest slap in the face here with these designs is that they are f*cking ugly, yes. But it's also that Apple has put out these inferior devices and **dramatically** increased the price premium as well.
And, to repeat myself, I think the most telling thing here is the way Apple announced these devices and embargoed the reviews so as to maximize pre-orders for a week. Once you see these pieces of sh*t in the wild you will inevitably look at the poor, cheap-looking design and say to yourself "wtf is this?"
They are **far** too thick. The general shape is "retro" as the Verge's reviewer called them: and that **is** true if you want to paint a positive face on something that is overwhelmingly negative.
The reality is that the "retro" design is a huge step backward. This is a design that is the product of far too many compromises and it really shows.
And I say this thinking that the notch everyone has been obsessing about is much less of a big deal than they think it is.
I mean:
(1) the thickness of that heel -- what in the actual f*ck?? No. Just no. This is that cardinal sin that overshadows all others.
(2) the squared-off design is truly retro, yes, but let us all recall that the past sucked, and was the domain of inferior design, not to mention inferior ideas. Let's keep the past where it belongs -- dead and in the past.
(2) the black key bed may have -- in the endless compromising that happened during the production of these attrocities -- seemed like a good idea. But it was not. Not only does it mar the base of the machine, it looks very, very cheap.
(3) those feet really look awful. Far too noticeable.
(4) the numerous reports that the "MacBook Pro" logo on the bottom of the screen was going away were true...but instead Apple decided that STAMPING THE LOGO IN THE BOTTOM OF THE MACHINE WAS A GOOD IDEA. Oh, now **that** doesn't look cheap in the least! Not at all! It's so much better that it's now stamped, in much larger type, into the bottom of the device rather than in small type at the bottom of the screen. Classy.
(5) the raw aluminum models always looked inferior to their gray counterparts, but now with these garbage designs, which clearly show that fears of a fall off in aesthetics with the departure of Ive were more than warranted, really look awful. Like "who would in their right mind buy this thing" awful.
(6) those 14-inch models, with the new thickness and inferior "squared off" design look **especially** terrible don't they? Like 2003-era 12-inch Powerbook bad, don't they? They totally do.
(7) the legacy ports that no one needs! Or, rather, that only a small, vocal minority needs! I don't need an HDMI port -- and I work in tech! -- and I DEFINITELY do not need an SDI card slot for my f*cking work machine. And that is true for the **vast majority** of those in tech who work on Apple devices daily.
(8) stupid f*cking Magsafe is back! Yay, a proprietary power connection that -- in 2021 -- is solely a power connection, nothing more. But, oh wait, you can **also charge** the device with the USB-C ports, but you'll need to switch out the line on your brick to do that...so there are now two ways to charge your device! A proprietary garbage way to do so -- "but you won't have to worry about someone tripping over the cord, which almost never happens!" -- and a non-proprietary way...where you would then need to worry about someone tripping over your cord! So don't worry about someone tripping over your cord, but also worry about it, depending on which port you're using. This is clearly a well-thought-out charging system and in no way a reflection of the fact that these devices are design- and usability-wise pure dogs*t.
I could go on and on. There is a lot of fanboying going on...and I think it's telling that Apple gave themselves a weeklong lead for pre-orders before we started seeing these dogs*t-looking devices in the wild.
Because once you see the non-Apple images, such as the pictures posted on the Verge and elsewhere, you really get a sense of how ugly and lacking in aesthetics these products are. I mean, really, really unattractive from every angle. If you put them next to the previous models that are **supposed** to look dated, it's the new models that instead look like -- as I keep saying -- dogsh*t.
Oh, and they come with a rather hefty price increase. Nice.
I can **hear** the pushback in my views and...whatever. And I really do mean "whatever": I don't care about your supposed need for HDMI and SD slots -- most of you just think you need them. The Touch Bar was fine, if a little useless, and **full height** f-keys are 100% unnecessary and ugly.
Ugh. I just can't with these machines.
Everyone is crowing that "Apple is back" but these machines in no way feel like this is the correct take -- these machines are a huge step backward, and show that Apple has lost it design-wise and that the premium one once paid for the fact that, historically, Apple devices were orders of magnitude better than their competitors is **in no way** the case anymore.
The biggest slap in the face here with these designs is that they are f*cking ugly, yes. But it's also that Apple has put out these inferior devices and **dramatically** increased the price premium as well.
And, to repeat myself, I think the most telling thing here is the way Apple announced these devices and embargoed the reviews so as to maximize pre-orders for a week. Once you see these pieces of sh*t in the wild you will inevitably look at the poor, cheap-looking design and say to yourself "wtf is this?"
I already knew this High Power mode will be of no use for me.
I detest hot and noisy machines. I don't care if a render takes 10% less time when the device gets 50% hotter and louder - rule of diminishing returns. I would never activate this mode at all. Actually the low-power mode sounds more interesting to me, could be handy for light tasks or media/movies.
Btw what is wrong with you phr1610, not to mention this is offtopic here? So much weird nonsense coming from a 'scientist', in the end listing weird personal tastes and lots of hate about pretty much everything. Clearly, this Pro is not made for you. Luckily, the majority of people doesn't care about your design over function preferences. Get an Air then and s.t.f.u.
I detest hot and noisy machines. I don't care if a render takes 10% less time when the device gets 50% hotter and louder - rule of diminishing returns. I would never activate this mode at all. Actually the low-power mode sounds more interesting to me, could be handy for light tasks or media/movies.
Btw what is wrong with you phr1610, not to mention this is offtopic here? So much weird nonsense coming from a 'scientist', in the end listing weird personal tastes and lots of hate about pretty much everything. Clearly, this Pro is not made for you. Luckily, the majority of people doesn't care about your design over function preferences. Get an Air then and s.t.f.u.
Sorry. I just can't with these machines.
Apologies to all whom I vomited all over their parade.
I **really** wanted to like the new machines. I really did.
other than unlocking and authorising system changes most people would use it for iMessage or FaceTime memoji filter anyway lmfao
I can see Apple making some games using the Face ID tech to push games on the Mac as well, who knows eh
Looks aren't everything. It's what on the inside that counts ?
Don't really care what the new MacBook Pro looked like. I'm more interested in what the new processors can do. If people are too caught up with the exterior design, then they're just casual users but I guess that's okay too.
See, I knew this would be what ppl would reply with.
Not a "casual user" as I work in tech...but there are precious few out there who will need to maximize the use of these machines' internals...and even fewer who will need a f*cking SDI card slot.
There are other kinds of games than FPS?
What’s next, dogs and cats living together?